THE HISTORY OF
THE ROYAL HAWAIIAN HOTEL
Opening Night through the 1930s
On February 1, 1927, the Royal Hawaiian was officially opened with the gala event of the decade. Over 1200 guest were invited for the celebration that started at 6:30 p.m. and lasted until 2 a.m. It was the twenties, after all.
Three bands played that evening: The Royal Hawaiian Band, the The Royal Hawaiian Concert Orchestra and the nine-piece McCabe-Dunn Royal Hawaiian Dance Orchestra.
A Grand Opening Rate
+ Support for Historic Hawaii Foundation.
Take advantage of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel's 1927 Package. A portion of your stay will support Historic Hawaii Foundation.
HISTORIC HAWAI‘I FOUNDATION
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation
680 Iwilei Road, Suite #690, Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: 808-523-2900 Fax: 808-523-0800
Email: webmaster@historichawaii.org
Copyright 2003-2009 Historic Hawaii Foundation unless otherwise noted
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About the RHH
The most unforgettable part of the evening was the recreation of the landing of Kamehameha I's landing at Waikiki, directed by Princess Kawananakoa.
The Royal Hawaiian was THE place to stay from that night on and her doors greeted world leaders (President & Mrs. Roosevelt, the Shah of Iran), business leaders (Rockefeller, Ford, DuPont) and Movie Stars (Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Shirley Temple, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, George Burns, Gracie Allen).
The party ended rapidly on December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked launching the U.S. into World War II, and putting Hawaii under martial law and blackout measures.
Hawaii State Archives Photo
