"The Hale Koa Hotel is an Armed Forces Recreation Center located on the beach of Waikiki at Fort DeRussy, serving members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. The hotel was build and financed by service men and women from their own funds and now operates on a self-sustaining basis"
The Hale Koa is more than just a hotel, its a community. From the very begining, the Hale Koa was built by it's members for it's members, establishing a long legacy of community and commonality. Military service is a common bond amoungst all guests, serving as a shared connection and key attribute of the community. Here, retirees, military members, and their families come together to share stories, relax, and take in some sun looking out on to some of USA’s most beautiful sites. Welcome to a small peek into a community within a community.
The History of Hale Koa Hotel:
Fort DeRussy has evolved immensely from 1906, when it was first sold as a 72-acre parcel of “undesirable” land to the United States Army. The first construction on the land took place in 1911 with the building of the "Battery Randolph". Once an active army post, the Battery now stands as an Army Museum dedicated to the accomplishments and sacrifices of service members in the Pacific. The land stayed untouched for many years after.
It wasn't until October 25, 1975 that the Hale Koa Hotel celebrated its grand opening. A traditional Hawaiian blessing complete with a royal Hawaiian procession officially opened the hotel. From this celebrated opening until today, the Hale Koa Hotel remains an all-ranks, all-service hotel bent on providing first-class service. This is echoed in the mission of the hotel that has remained unchanged from its inception, "To operate a first class hotel and recreation facility at affordable prices for military members and their families."
Today, Fort DeRussy Armed Forces Recreation Center is the home of the Hale Koa Hotel, or "House of the Warrior", an 817 room, world–class resort hotel and continued favorite R&R destination for our country’s military personnel.
Pictured to the left, General Frederick C. Weyand was a key figure and visionary for the recreation center in the Pacific, fighting for such a project at the highest military levels. Eventually successful, as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, he dedicated the building of the Hale Koa in June 1975 to all active duty and retirees who had fought in the pacific. For his accomplishments, his portrait is proudly displayed in the lobby for all to see.
The Hale Koa takes great pride in operating self-sufficiently from day one, with not one taxpayer dollar supporting upkeep or operation. The Hale Koa is truly a benefit for all military personnel to enjoy and it’s estimated that over one million military personnel and dependents take advantage of the Hale Koa’s many facilities each year. These families are afforded an oportunity to relax after years of service and often times sacrafices. Of course the Hale Koa is a physical place, but the location and buildings are only host to the community built on commonalities and constant interaction.
Please take a moment to watch a short video that will help introduce you to the Hale Koa and a few of the community facilitators. Enjoy!
In closing, I'd like to offer a few words about myself and how this blog came to be... Thanks for stopping by. Aloha!