Oahu's first Autograph Collection Hotel heralds new era in Honolulu
Staff Writer |
Autograph Collection Hotels, part of Marriott International announced the grand opening of The Laylow following an extensive $60 million renovation.
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Bringing the brand's values of vision, design and craft to the island of Oahu, The Laylow joins a distinguished portfolio of more than 100 independent hotels around the world that are exactly like nothing else.
Perched above the revitalized Kuhio Avenue in the heart of Waikiki, the 251-room hotel blends midcentury modernism with its Hawaiian roots, melding the island's melting pot of cultures and the post-war architecture movement that shaped modern Honolulu.
The hotel's creative design was led by Fritz Mesenbrink and Jeremy Pelley, co-founders of Official Mfg. Co. of Portland, Or., who drew upon works by midcentury visionaries to inspire the aesthetic of guestrooms, suites and public spaces while Hawaiian furnishings from the period have been reinterpreted to give the hotel a hint of whimsy and its distinct sense of place.
Upon arrival to The Laylow, guests rise above Kuhio Avenue to the open lobby level replete with simple, elegant midcentury furnishings and a stunning terracotta breezeblock wall, sculpted in graphic patterns reminiscent of Hawaiian tapa and open to the trade winds, preserving the flow of air and energy throughout the space.
Furniture includes refurbished antiques and custom pieces inspired by midcentury modern classics, created with reclaimed woods and vintage style accents throughout the hotel.
A hotel greeter with a tray of chilled local pineapple bites and oshibori, chilled towels, offers instant refreshment to weary travelers.
Each well-appointed guestroom and suite boasts bold, custom-created monstera leaf wallpaper, inspired by vintage bark cloth patterns, perfectly capturing and refreshing the motif of the time period. Surf nostalgia photography books, art tomes and an authentic ukulele line the shelves.
The color palette blends warm earth tones and textural neutrals for a calming ambiance, while pops of burnt orange, cobalt hues of the ocean and tropical pinks add bursts of eccentric flair.
Olfactory enthusiasts will be thrilled to experience the exclusive collection of in-room bath and beauty amenities developed by the apothecary company Maak Lab.
With simple plant-based ingredients and essential oils, Maak Lab sought to capture the essence of the Pacific Ocean and define the scent of The Laylow.
The Laylow's signature restaurant, Hideout, serves up reimagined Pacific Rim classics that place local ingredients front and center.
Executive Chef Bryan Byard crisscrossed the islands to source the freshest ingredients from the ocean and local farms for the restaurant's inventive breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that include a Kauai prawn and crab cake eggs benedict with mango hollandaise, coconut porter short ribs and a Kalua pork and Wagyu burger.
Hideout extends to an open-air terrace with two fire pits overlooking Kuhio Avenue, where guests can enjoy entertainment by island musicians as well as artisan cocktails or craft beer from Hawaii breweries.
Just steps away from Hideout, lush bamboo and tropical foliage border the tension-edged saltwater pool encased in a deck of Ipe, a Brazilian hardwood.
The intimate setting is dotted with lounge chairs, pune'e (dreamy daybeds) and private cabanas, with restored Hawaiian accents like kapa (tropical bark cloth) and lauhala (woven leaves from the hala tree). ■