Waikiki’s Pacific Beach Hotel is getting a makeover. The hotel, which has been a mainstay on Waikiki since opening in 1969, will undergo a $115 million transformation.

The hotel’s exterior facade, 839 guestrooms and suites and public areas including a 280,000-gallon lobby aquarium will be re-conceptualized, and a destination pool deck with two new pools will also be added. There will also be two new restaurants by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto created exclusively for the hotel.

Upon completion of the redevelopment, the hotel will also have a new name: ʻAlohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach. The makeover is expected to be complete in fall 2017.

“Our team is delighted with the opportunity to welcome guests to an all-new experience next year,” said Rob Robinson, General Manager, Pacific Beach Hotel. “We’re committed to honouring our unique history and the Hawaiian culture in a thoughtful and authentic way, which will serve as the foundation for everything that we do – from our cultural programming to our elevated levels of service.”

Work on public areas will commence in the coming weeks and renovation of guestrooms is currently underway, with a select number of new rooms available to book.

Hawaiian for ‘the heavenly brightness’, the name ʻAlohilani Resort at Waikiki Beach was chosen to honour Queen Liliuokaliani, Hawaii’s last reigning monarch. The area surrounding the hotel was once known to house the highest concentration of royal residences, including Queen Liliuokalani’s home and beachside cottage that she fondly referred to as Kealohilani (the Light or Heavenly Brightness). The hotel currently sits on land held by the Queen Liliuokalani Trust.

Situated steps from world-famous Waikiki Beach and boasting unrivalled ocean and Diamond Head views, the hotel will meld distinctive Hawaiian style with a fresh aesthetic to reflect a modern beach house ambiance. Design concepts have been inspired by Honolulu’s culture and the island’s lush landscape to create a tranquil oasis in the midst of a bustling city. Natural materials, including wood, stone and concrete, and a tone-on-tone palette of white and beige, accented by hues of blues and greens, will create a light, airy guest environment. From lava stone mosaic accents, to woven columns, to the artwork, thoughtful design touches that pay homage to the native Hawaiian culture are woven in the interior.

The extensive plans for the hotel’s public spaces include a completely reimagined hotel exterior and lobby that will feature an open floor plan, new guest services and concierge areas, lobby bar and an exclusive group arrival lounge as well as a business and education centre. Guests will arrive via a landscaped porte cochere leading to the resort. Four oversized louvered shutters flank the entry.

Designs include numerous ‘pocket’ gardens to bring the island’s lush tropical landscape and natural rock formations indoors. Custom furnishing will complement the serene space, including a limestone reception desk, white slip-covered sofas, organic live-edge tables and light fixtures that invoke a tropical, yet refined island aesthetic.

The pool deck will feature a new saltwater infinity pool overlooking the Waikiki shoreline, a pool bar, tiered day beds and stepping stones leading to exclusive cabanas perched above a new shallow water pool for kids. Guests can bask under lush palm trees, lounge by custom teak furniture, driftwood sculptures, lanterns, festoon lights and glowing fire pits.

The hotel’s famous oceanarium will also undergo an extensive upgrade with the interior of the aquarium boasting new coral that will mimic the coral reef formations found in the waters of Waikiki Beach. The saltwater aquarium, which has a one-of-a-kind replenishment system that filters directly from the ocean, will serve as the home to more than 1,000 protected marine animals.

“Education will play a key role in our new oceanarium experience,” said Robinson, “and we look forward to offering unique programming to our guests that will promote greater awareness and appreciation for the ocean.”

Design firm, Rockwell Group, and architectural firms WATG and Pacific Asia Design Group have been enlisted to reimagine the guestrooms and public spaces.

“We are thrilled to be working on the redevelopment of the Pacific Beach Hotel,” said Shawn Sullivan, partner, Rockwell Group. “Influenced by Kuhio beach, we are blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor to connect guests to the ocean. The Morimoto restaurants and pool deck will have stunning views of the water, while neutral hues and organic forms will transform the lobby, retail areas and guestrooms into warm, welcoming spaces.”

For more information visit pacificbeachotel.com/transformation.