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Orchid Island Hotel, Hilo, HI (hotel) |
Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
|  Posted: 2010-08-14 4:01 pm Permalink
Name:Orchid Island Hotel
Type:hotel
Street:211 Banyan Drive
City:Hilo
State:HI
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct
Description:
The Orchid Island Hotel was located on Banyan Drive in Hilo. The hotel had a soaring A-frame entrance and a large Tiki in front. I have quite a few postcards featuring the entrance.
This place reminds me of the Taharaa located in Tahiti.
A night time shot.
The mod lobby entrance when you came through the A-Frame
Two renderings, the first shows the A-Frame but no Tiki.
The second shows the beach-side view.
And a matchbook.
I read that the hotel burned down, wonder what happened to the enormous Tiki? Maybe Phillip Roberts ended up with it!
DC
[ This Message was edited by: Dustycajun 2010-08-14 16:06 ]
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abstractiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 585
From: Lodi, CA
| Posted: 2010-08-14 7:25 pm Permalink
Great Hotel and Tiki, here is a napkin and another postcard from this Temple.
from 1971
hotel pool
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Slacks Ferret
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 02, 2003
Posts: 1178
From: Calgary
| Posted: 2011-01-10 1:58 pm Permalink
Great images. I just found 3 of these postcards myself and I'm glad to see the images already made it on here.
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2416
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2011-01-10 9:00 pm Permalink
The Swizzle.
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Zeta
Grand Member (2 years) 
Joined: Feb 13, 2007
Posts: 2032
From: Atlantis/Basque Country/Spain/Mexico
| Posted: 2011-01-10 9:34 pm Permalink
Ole!
Gracias amigos! Ese lugar es super fresco!
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TorchGuy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 24, 2008
Posts: 200
From: Renton, WA
| Posted: 2011-01-11 08:29 am Permalink
Notice the renderings, both of the A-frame by day and from the pool side, shows a fifth floor, a sort of roof garden, maybe a bar or sundeck...? Now look at the PHOTO of the pool area, and look up to the roof: there's a big blocky thing up there with a row of chimneys, probably HVAC, which would block the view from the proposed rooftop zone; it would also have been visible in the photos if it existed. Guess: Whatever was planned to go up there didn't happen. Did this hotel maybe have plans for a snack bar or small lounge that never materialized?
Not that I have any other evidence, or that this has any bearing on any existing discussions. Just something I spotted.
[ This Message was edited by: TorchGuy 2011-01-11 08:31 ]
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Shortie
Member
Joined: Feb 17, 2011
Posts: 1
From: Banta, CA
| Posted: 2011-02-17 11:13 am Permalink
That was originally a penthouse for the owners (my Dad was one of them)to stay in while they were on the Big Island. It did not work out because of some height restrictions for the area. The government wanted to keep it low key and homey in those days. I agree. We still ended up with some pretty cool suites in the corner of the A frame. My Mom did most of the decor at the hotel, with the help of a designer. It was a great place, and the employees were awesome.
Unfortunately for the owners, they had a schyster of an accountant who basically stole the hotel from them. Then it burnt down due to shoddy electrical workmanship (guess who hired the contractors???). The guy died of a heart attack soon thereafter and (I hope) is getting bitch-slapped in hell by Hitler (now tell us how you really feel...).
So - the original renderings were done before they got any permits. The architect who did the drawing was from a firm in Los Angeles (where all the dentists who owned the place were from).
Anyway - I hope that answers your question.
_________________
Shortie
Hawaii Kai resident from 1967 to 1982
Missing sno-cones, laulau, lihimoi, and Michaela Lau (you punk - where are you?)
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2011-02-17 9:02 pm Permalink
Ah. It's a shame they weren't able to build that penthouse on the roof. That would have been beautiful. Thanks much for giving us the history, Shortie. I didn't know the hotel was destroyed by fire. Do you know if that giant tiki in front stayed till the very end? Do you remember it as a kid?
Thanks again,
Sabu
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tikiyaki
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: May 18, 2004
Posts: 2677
From: The Exotic Port of REDONDO BEACH, CA
| Posted: 2011-02-17 9:34 pm Permalink
Amazing that nothing has ever been built on the property since, but if you've ever been to Hilo, you'd probably know why. It's very slow, and rains ALL the time.
Not exactly a vacation destination.
Shortie, please tell us more.
[ This Message was edited by: tikiyaki 2011-02-17 21:36 ]
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3946
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2013-02-09 08:19 am Permalink
Old news press photo of the great Orchid Island Hotel A-Frame spotted on the interweb.
The story sums up the growth in Hawaii after the advent of direct airline flights to the mainland.
DC
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danlovestikis
Grand Member (8 years)
Joined: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 3656 | Posted: 2013-02-23 08:49 am Permalink
Good Story by Shortie, I hope he posts again, Wendy
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