Visitors unfamiliar with Honolulu may be surprised to discover one of the city's largest and most luxurious shopping, dining, and entertainment hubs is mere steps from Waikiki Beach. Built on a parcel of land known as Helumoa, once home to Hawaiian royalty, Royal Hawaiian Center opened in 1980 and was designed in a Brutalist Modern style that became one of Hawaii's defining architectural movements. Since 2005, though, a $115 million renovation and expansion has integrated culturally inspired elements across the upscale center. Its three buildings span three continuous city blocks with landscaped lawn areas shade by coconut palms, kukui, hala and shower trees softening the Kalakaua Avenue frontage. At its center, The Royal Grove, serves as a gathering place for cultural performances and events or somewhere peaceful to sit in the shade. For a curated shopping experience, this is high-end retail therapy at its finest – and most relaxing.
Celebrating Hawaiian Culture
More than just a beautiful place to buy beautiful things, Royal Hawaiian Center stands on a once favored sanctuary of Hawaiian royalty, where ali'i (a Hawaiian term for a chief or noble) would relax beneath over 10,000 coconut trees. It served as the inspiration for ethnobotanical garden, The Royal Grove, which honors Princess Bernice Pauahi, great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I, with a bronze statue marking the site where she wrote her will, founding Kamehameha Schools that still retain land rights there today.
Because of this deep cultural connection, Hawaiian traditions, dance, and music are celebrated at The Royal Grove with live performances most evenings when local groups, including Malu Productions, take to the stage at 5:30 pm, and free cultural classes during the day that include learning the ukulele and lauhala weaving. A major draw for visitors, though, are the hula lessons often led by Royal Hawaiian Cultural Director and kumu hula (master hula teacher) Puake'ala Mann, who teaches basic hand gestures and footwork. Challenging to grasp the basics during an hour-long class, it's fascinating to learn about some of the deities and historical events this storytelling dance of the Hawaiian Islands honors –but even more enchanting to watch when performed by a professional.
Lei garlands threaded with fragrant and colorful flowers are synonymous with Hawaiian hospitality, and learning to make one is another feast for the senses here. Seats at one of Aunty Macky's lei-making classes every Friday at 11am are first-come, first-served, so it pays to arrive extra early.
From Coconut Groves to Couture
No mention of the Royal Hawaiian Center is complete without acknowledging the historical significance of 'Pink Palace of the Pacific,' The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. This iconic hotel, which opened its doors in 1927, played a pivotal role in transforming the quiet seaside village of Waikiki into a global luxury destination. Attracting Hollywood celebrities of the day and well-heeled travelers from around the world, it laid the foundation for the development of the Royal Hawaiian Center as a leading shopping and cultural experience.
Totaling more than 310,000 square feet of retail space and home to over 90 stores, despite its vast size, Royal Hawaiian Center still feels intimate and easy to navigate thanks to a series of breezeways between shops that make everything feel within perfect walking distance. Two of its newest and most high-end retail tenants are Italian heritage brand FENDI and French outerwear specialists Moncler. Each store is unique to Waikiki and designed with impeccable details that exude a sophisticated sense of place. Honoring its 'Roman roots' but with a nod to Hawaiian aesthetics, handmade concrete palm tiles adorn the façade at FENDI. Moncler opted for green onyx jade stone for its storefront (whose Voronoi pattern is reminiscent of a Hawaiian turtle shell) and framed it with a coral stone molding. Inside, palm wood structures and raffia inlays reference traditional Hawaiian architecture.
One of only three 'chapter stores' in North America, don't be surprised to see a long line snaking outside Stüssy Honolulu from dawn until dusk. The surf/skate/streetwear label limits the number of shoppers allowed inside –and the time they can spend perusing clothing and accessories – with desired pieces for purchase brought out by a sales associate. But if it's an authentic Hawaiian shirt that you seek, you'll want to stop by Kahala. Established in 1936, it's one of the oldest and most respected Aloha shirt brands whose heritage prints date back to the '40s and '50s. Made with 100% cotton broadcloth imported from Japan, prints are hand-drawn at the Kahala offices before being cut and sewn in Honolulu. Can't decide between one of the limited-edition collaborations with local artists? Go classic with their best-selling Duke's Pareo, which is named after Hawaiian waterman Duke Kahanamoku and features subtle pineapple and floral imagery.
Award-Winning Restaurants
It’s not all retail at Royal Hawaiian Center, dining experiences here are many and varied – from sweet treats at Taiyaki soft serve spot KOKORO CAFÉ to fast-casual options in the Waikiki Food Hall. Gourmet grocery and café chain Dean & Deluca Hawaii is always in vogue for its Kona cold brew, assorted coffee drinks, Hawaiian sodas, and dainty deli-style sandwiches. You can also snag exclusive D&D Hawai’i merchandise here, including branded totes and gourmet pantry items like their mochi pancake mix.
Upstairs, renowned Japanese establishment Restaurant Suntory has been a local favorite since the 1980s and whose intimate interior features three dining experiences: washoku (for traditional Japanese cuisine), teppanyaki, and sushi omakase, which must be specificed when making reservations. There’s also upscale lounge for sipping Suntory’s award-winning Hibiki, Yamazaki, and Hakushu, either by the glass or in a cocktail.
Highly allocated wines aren't the norm in Hawaii, whose tropical climate isn't ideal for grape-growing, but at Island Vintage Wine Bar, it's possible to savor unique and hard-to-get pours from around the world. New wine director Justin Branon Rodriguez has curated a series of extremely original flights perfect for sipping on a balmy Waikiki evening from IVWB's second-floor terrace. For a 'volcanic journey' through red or white wines crafted from grapes grown on volcanic soil (including Sicily's Mount Etna and Tenerife, the largest of Spain's Canary Islands) try his 'Flight of Magma.' It's best paired with the charcuterie board, which comes loaded with fruits, cheeses, nuts, and perfect rosettes of prosciutto. Alongside a superb selection of rotating wines, Island Vintage also features a DIY dispenser with 40 bottles you can sample by the ounce.
A Landmark Destination in Waikiki
Whether the strong edit of global luxury brands and chic retail spaces or cultural programs piques your interest, Royal Hawaiian Center is a Waikiki landmark that evokes a sense of connection and nostalgia for visitors and locals. More than just a shopping and lifestyle destination, it's also a place to feel immersed in the heritage of Hawaii – while enjoying the lively energy of Honolulu's most famous neighborhood. 2201 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu; royalhawaiiancenter.com.
