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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
The legendary Coco Palms Resort
The historic, iconic and once hurricane-devastated Coco Palms Resort on Kauai will reopen under Hyatt Hotels’ management, according to an announcement this morning.
Reconstruction of the world-famous property, all but destroyed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992, will begin early next year, with the resort to reopen to guests in 2017.
The resort gained worldwide notoriety when it was used as the location for the 1961 Elvis Presley film “Blue Hawaii.” It was originally built in 1953 on grounds that once housed Deborah Kapule Kekaiha’akulou, Kauai’s last reigning queen.
From its humble beginnings with 20 guest rooms, the resort expanded to more than 400 guest rooms under the leadership of the late Grace Guslander.
