Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort’s iconic Rainbow Tower has begun its historic makeover:  a transformation of the tower’s interior, including more than 800 guest rooms.

The $45 million project began on Monday, April 11 with the top three floors:  29, 30 and 31.  Each room will receive a total makeover, which includes all furnishings, carpet, wall covering, bathrooms, tubs, fixtures, drapery and artwork.  The tower’s signature suites, the Duke Kahanamoku Suite and the Niumalu Suite on the 30th and 31st floors, respectively, will each receive more than $1 million in upgrades.  For the work, Pacific Asia Design Group was chosen as the architect and interior designer; and general contractor is Swinerton Builders.  The entire tower is expected to be completed in mid-December, and the first rooms finished in mid-June.

Architect/designer Ann Matsunami of Pacific Asia Design Group used the colors of Hawaii as the basis of developing themes for the new rooms:  the warm and vibrant colors of the sun, the glow of a day at the beach represented by orange and golds.  The look and feel is contemporary and welcoming, with tropical textures on clean shapes.  The corridors on all guest-room floors, 3 through 31, will be upgraded with new light fixtures, wall coverings, carpet and artwork.  Elevators lobbies will also receive new elevator door faces and frames, new flooring, lighting and wall treatment.

The Duke and Niumalu Presidential Suites will feature designs contemporary and sophisticated with subtle touches of Hawaiian influence. Jewel tones of sapphire blues and golds recall the shimmering ocean in a calm, soothing background of textured neutrals.  A large living area and adjacent dining area and pantry with separate sitting area allow for the perfect layout for hospitality and elegant receptions.

Since its opening in 1968, the Rainbow Tower has become a favorite for guests because of its proximity to the beach and Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon.  Its oceanfront rooms also provide spectacular views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.  It features the world’s largest ceramic-tile mosaic spanning 286 feet high by 26 feet wide on each end of the tower. More than 16,000 colorful tiles were used to complete the mosaic.  The tower houses the resort’s culinary landmark, Bali Steak & Seafood Restaurant, as well as the popular oceanside breakfast eatery, Rainbow Lanai.

Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort is Waikiki’s only true destination resort, offering the perfect mix of exceptional resort accommodations and classic hospitality on Waikiki’s widest stretch of beach.  The resort features more than 90 shops and 16 restaurants, lounges and bars; and every Friday evening, it sets the stage for a celebration of Hawaiian culture and entertainment ending in a spectacular fireworks show.

City.Mobi

Also in US today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Honolulu.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Honolulu.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.