Laylow hotel opens on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki

The opening of Laylow Waikiki along Kuhio Avenue continues the transformation of a once-tired tourist artery into a vibrant collection of new hotels, restaurants and shops.

The 251-room hotel opened March 22 after a $60 million transformation of the circa-1967 Aqua Wave Waikiki into Oahu’s first Autograph Collection Hotel, which falls under the Marriott brand. The boutique-style redevelopment has the look of midcentury Hawaii. Its second-­floor, wooded-­lanai entry and kitschy front desk lined with hula dolls are more “Gilligan’s Island” than the original “Hawaii Five-0,” which featured scenes from the Ilikai Hotel, Waikiki’s first luxury high-rise.

“We wanted to create a secluded oasis where our guests could lay low, unwind and hide out in our restaurant,” said Robert Friedl, Laylow general manager, who returned to the Hawaii hotel scene with this gig after spending three years in Colorado.

Room prices at the property, which is owned by Rockbridge Capital and managed by Pyramid Hotel Group, typically range from the $220s to the $450s for suites. All rooms have king-size beds or double-king-size beds. They also come with complimentary amenities including local food favorites and rubber slippers with the property’s signature monstera leaf print. There are Hawaiian books and ukulele for guests to use during their stay.

The hotel’s rooftop restaurant, the Hideout, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and 24-hour room service. Executive chef Bryan Byard offers Pacific Rim cuisine with his a modern-American twist, including house-smoked meats using kiawe wood.

“I’m from Albuquerque, N.M., so I grew up with Texas barbecue. We smoke ribs and kalua pork butt and chicken,” Byard said. “My signature desert is coconut panna cotta with a play on bubble tea.”

There’s also happy hour with live music, and mai tais topped with lilikoi foam, said Hideout General Manager Ben Buckley.

The second-floor pool has partially submerged chaises for guests who want to sun in the pool.

“It’s amazing. There are few hotels in the area like this,” said Tiffany Rizer, an Ewa Beach resident on a staycation at the property. “I work next door at the International Market Place. My husband and I came for dinner one night and decided to book a stay. He’s a freelance videographer and I’m a freelance graphic artist. We love the aesthetic.”

Rick Egged, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association, said the redevelopment adds to the transformation of a formerly “mundane” corner of Waikiki into a “vibrant Waikiki asset.”

“They’ve done a brilliant job with the property; it really pops,” Egged said.

Joseph Toy, president and CEO of hotel consultancy Hospitality Advisors LLC, said Laylow continues the repositioning of Kuhio Avenue that began with the opening of the Hilton Garden Inn at the site of the former Ohana Waikiki West. Since then Kuhio hotel inventory has continued to improve with the opening of the Ritz Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach; and the Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach, he said.

“It’s been a long time coming. It’s definitely something that I’m happy to see,” Toy said. “First we saw lots of renovations along Kalakaua Avenue. Now we have stronger product on Kuhio at prices below those of the beachfront hotels. Lots of value has been added to Kuhio, and I expect more to come.”