Culture and conservation at forefront of Turtle Bay Resort’s renovation

Workers at Turtle Bay Resort once were discouraged from throwing a shaka because the resort’s former owners thought the commonly used hand gesture symbolizing approval and solidarity would confuse guests.

A casino once was rumored among earlier plans for the resort, which opened in 1972 as Del Webb’s Kuilima Resort Hotel and Country Club. The property, which was renamed Turtle Bay in 1983, was envisioned to convert former sugar cane lands into a number of shiny new hotels that could offer work to those on the North Shore who were losing jobs as the plantations closed.

But much has changed as the resort — now owned by BRE Hotels &Resorts and managed by Benchmark Resorts &Hotels — moves past its first 50 years. Sustainability and cultural authenticity are priorities, as evidenced by the resort’s latest multimillion-dollar investment in renovations and efforts to connect guests with a Hawaiian sense of place.

The renovation builds on the resort’s 2015 conservation agreement with the state of Hawaii that stopped a controversial plan approved in 1986 for Turtle Bay’s former owners to build 3,500 additional units, including five new hotel sites. The conservation agreement followed community pushback and lawsuits from the Sierra Club and Keep the North Shore Country, which were later settled.

The agreement significantly reduced Turtle Bay’s potential footprint, essentially paying $45 million to the resort to give up some of its development rights.

The deal is mostly paid for through money collected from Hawaii’s transient accommodations tax, and preserved nearly 79% of open lands owned by Turtle Bay Resort — roughly 665 acres of undeveloped property from Kawela Bay to Kahuku Point, including four miles of coastline and eight miles of trails. Still, it allowed Turtle Bay to retain about 150 acres fronting the ocean on either side of the resort’s existing hotel for development of two additional hotels with a combination of 725 lodging and residential units.

Tom Donovan, Turtle Bay’s vice president and managing director, said the main focus is finishing renovations, which began in earnest in March 2020 when the property closed during the pandemic. The resort took advantage of the idling to speed up the pace of its first renovation under BRE Hotels &Resorts, which has more than 100 hotels and resorts with more than 20,000 rooms.

“It’s a total transformation at Turtle Bay,” Donovan said. “It could be one of the more miraculous transformations that I think that we’ve seen in our industry in quite some time. It kind of feels like a Bohemian luxury type of place.

“It doesn’t look like a Four seasons or a Ritz Carlton or a Waldorf because we are up here on the North Shore, and we can’t take ourselves too seriously,” he said. “But we do want to make sure that there is a place that people can come and they have that casual elegance. They can be themselves her, enjoy the wildlife that we have, the land and the beaches. What place has 1,300 acres and five miles of coastline, and all of it different?”

The resort reopened from its pandemic closure in July 2021 with a lobby renovation that extended view planes to the ocean. Rob Iopa, a Hilo native and founder of WCIT Architects in Honolulu, came up with the idea for a panoramic lobby as part of the resort’s design team, which also focused on conservation and cultural connections.

Los Angeles-based interior designer Dianna Wong also played a major role in shaping the resort’s new design, which was inspired by the North Shore’s surfers and highlights the property’s coastline and other natural assets.

“Turtle Bay is such a special and revered place on Oahu,” Iopa said in a statement. “The team’s thoughtful approach to this reimagination has breathed new life into the resort and truly captures the essence of this spectacular and truly magical part of the island.”

Turtle Bay’s redesign sports a new terraced pool deck, with infinity features. It includes a family and kids pool and an adults-only pool and bar called Sunset. The 42 Ocean Bungalows, which line the coastline, also were redesigned and now have an exclusive pool.

Jay and Bianca Wesson of South Carolina, who were recently frolicking at the infinity pool on their honeymoon, said the North Shore’s ocean and mountain vistas more than compensated for the fact that they had originally planned a trip to Greece but switched to Hawaii when they could not renew their passports promptly enough.

The pair said they were searching for something secluded when they settled on Turtle Bay. “We didn’t want it to feel like a hotel. Every morning, we’ve gotten up and gone hiking,” Jay Wesson said.

Bianca Wesson also raved about the fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables that have been incorporated throughout the resort’s menus. “Jay has a personal training business, so eating healthy is important to us,” she said.

Alaia, one of the resort’s new restaurants, features produce grown across the street at the resort’s Kuilima Farms, which is part of Turtle Bay Resort’s conservation easement land, so it’s permanently dedicated to agricultural use and cannot be developed.

Native Hawaiian plants like ulu, naupaka and pohinahina were added to Turtle Bay’s grounds. Donovan said Turtle Bay also extended irrigation lines from the golf course to shore up its famous banyan tree, which had been suffering from saltwater encroachment.

“We are entrusted to be the caretakers,” Donovan said.

Renovations moved to the resort’s 410 guest rooms and suites in 2o22, as well as its ballrooms, meeting space and breakout rooms. Guests who book Ocean Club-level rooms will have upgraded amenities, including access to their own lounge, called The Club, which offers ocean and pool deck views.

Donovan said the spa, the last piece of the renovation, is expected to debut four new treatment rooms when it is completed in May. The finished renovation is anticipated to be followed by an expansion cycle, but the team has yet to formally finalize expansion plans.

F. Kevin Aucello, principal of Powell &Aucello, said reinvestment at Turtle Bay has moved it into the “very solid upper, upscale” category of properties, and it’s part of a cycle of improved Oahu hotel product to come out of the pandemic.

He said the resort still has development entitlements for a couple of big projects, though it had gotten some earlier pushback from the city Department of Planning and Permitting for a potential “glamping” concept. What’s glamping? Think lodging in Gulf Stream trailers like the Hollywood stars use for their dressing rooms.

Meanwhile, Turtle Bay is making investments in activities that take guests beyond a sun-and-surf experience. In addition to the resort’s miles of beach, guests as well as locals have access to two golf courses, including one designed by Arnold Palmer; horseback riding; helicopter tours; and hiking and mountain biking trails.

The resort has hired Jamie O’Brien, a professional surfer from the North Shore who honed his skills on the Banzai Pipeline, to curate a surf program catering from beginners to experienced surfers who need to train for Pipeline.

Kuilima Farm, which sits on 468 acres of agricultural land, is offering immersive programming in partnership with Pono Pacific that includes tours, tree planting, pick-your-own produce and herb foraging for medicinal native Hawaiian plants.

Donovan said Kuilima Farm was planted in May 2021, so “it has a ways to go, especially the orchards.” Eventually, the resort’s goal is for nearly all fresh goods at the resort’s restaurants to be grown there.

In addition to Alaia, the main dining location, Turtle Bay’s new food and beverage program overseen by chef Lyle Kaku includes a lobby bar called Off the Lip featuring views of popular North Shore surf breaks.

A new lobby cafe, Ho‘o­lana, provides sunrise views along with locally sourced coffee and light bites. A new gathering spot called The Surf House pays tribute to surfing icons.

New activities, like the Hawaiian cowboy (paniolo) luau held every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m., are a nod to the country heritage of Oahu’s North Shore. In addition to the obligatory pig, this luau menu features paniolo favorites like barbecue chicken, beef brisket, pot beans and corn. There is also a smores station, where guests can roast marshmallows as they hear campfire-style stories of Hawaii’s paniolo.

California visitors Bridge McDonald and Sean McGinnis recently attended the Paniolo Lu‘au while on a trip to Hawaii to celebrate their engagement.

McGinnis said he enjoyed learning about the paniolo and their link to the Mexican “vaqueros,” who were brought to Hawaii by King Kamehameha III to share their knowledge.

McDonald said the pair booked Turtle Bay because “Waikiki is incredibly touristy. We wanted to get away. When we walked in and saw the ocean right from the lobby, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”

She said they enjoyed Turtle Bay’s walkable grounds and surrounding waters, where they saw two sea turtles.

McDonald said the couple loves Turtle Bay’s conservation easement story, as they always aspire to be conscientious travelers.

“When we travel we don’t want to be tourists,” she said. “We want to be guests.”