Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel was completed in 1927.  The hotel became a part of the American war effort in early 1942 by providing rest and rehabilitation facilities for American service personnel.  The great O’ahu M’ Kkuhihewa planted a sacred coconut grove about where the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Sheraton Waikiki Hotels are today.  Several descendants of these trees still stand on the mauka side of the Royal Hawaiian.  The area was re-named Helumoa (chicken scratch).  Legend says Kkuhihewa planted the coconut grove because the phantom rooster of Plolo, named Ka’auhelemoa, who flew down and scratched the earth at the feet of the m’.  Helu means “to scratch” and moa means “chicken”.

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Our quick look at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel now takes us just down Kakakaua Avenue to the statue of Duke Kahanamoku.