A Honolulu boutique hotel completed a US$4 million redesign that aims to attract millennials by giving them backdrops for selfies.
The 135-room Shoreline Hotel Waikiki revealed last month its new “neon meets nature” theme, which features at least eight photo backdrops worthy of social media posts, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
“We wanted this hotel to be one of the most Instagramable hotels,” said General Manager Alvida Surpia-Jones. “Millennials already make up more than 50% of our customer base and with these changes, we think that percentage will grow even more.”
The hotel has several vibrant spaces and colorful art fixtures, like the neon aloha sign behind the front desk and the wall of colorful Panama hats in the lobby. There’s also a vivid nature mural on the rooftop pool deck, which has water illuminated nightly with various primary colours.
“We wanted to bring the neon colours that are found in the nature of Hawaii inside so that guests can continue their vibrant Hawaii vacations not only at the beach and shore, but at the Shoreline,” said Stephanie Metzger, of New York-based BHDM Design.
Seaside Waikiki Hotel Fund LLC purchased the property from United Airlines in 2012, leading to an extensive renovation and reopening in 2013. Hotel management company Filament Hospitality has operated the property since late 2015.
“Millennials don’t register a memory anymore unless they take a picture,” Metzger said. “If they don’t share it, it’s like it never happened. We are going after a young market that wants to show that they had an epic stay.”