Hilton’s Curio Collection makes Hawaiʻi debut with Kauaʻi resort

Hilton has opened Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi, bringing its Curio Collection brand to Hawaiʻi for the first time. The 210-room resort, which includes 23 suites, opened on September 30, 2026, within the Hōkūala Resort community, overlooking Nāwiliwili Bay beside Kalapakī Beach, according to the company.

The property combines accommodation with restaurants, cultural activities and more than 14,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. Its offering extends beyond leisure stays to meetings, executive retreats, weddings and other group gatherings, with access to amenities in the wider resort community.

Dining and events broaden the resort offering

Executive chef Hans Lentz and director of food and beverage Romina Migliorini lead the resort’s culinary operations. Hilton’s in-house food and beverage consultancy, StiR Creative Collective, developed both the signature restaurant, Figueira, and the poolside venue, The Wiliwili at Hale Hōkūala.

Hilton describes Figueira as Kauaʻi’s only Portuguese-Hawaiian dining concept. Overlooking the 18th hole of the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, it uses island-grown ingredients and slow-cooking methods in a menu that includes Kauaʻi prawns, Portuguese Fisherman’s Stew, bacalhau no forno and pastel de nata.

The restaurant’s drinks selection includes Hawaiian-grown coffee, local craft beer and Portuguese and other international wines. The Wiliwili provides a more casual menu of poke bowls, plate lunch specials, shave ice and shareable pūpū, alongside cocktails and alcohol-free drinks.

For event planners, the resort offers flexible venues with ocean and mountain views and access to the wider Hōkūala community. Group programmes can incorporate dining, wellness activities, golf, cultural experiences and island excursions, the company said.

Design and recreation draw on the setting

Hart Howerton and AHL, formerly Architects Hawaii Limited, designed the property, with interiors by Looney & Associates. Open-air walkways and outdoor gathering areas sit among mature monkeypod and banyan trees, while guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and private lānais.

The interiors use colours and textures drawn from the island’s coastline, valleys and surrounding waters. Artwork across the resort focuses on local heritage and connections between the land, ocean and community, according to Hilton.

On-site facilities include a pool and fitness centre, with access to a full-service spa, wellness programming, tennis and pickleball courts elsewhere in the resort community. Guests also receive preferred tee times at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Ocean Course at Hōkūala and can use more than five miles of trails, complimentary bicycles and beach amenities.

The resort is near Līhuʻe Airport, with island destinations including Hanalei Bay, Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe State Park within reach. Guests can also visit The Farm at Hōkūala to learn about canoe plants, native crops and agricultural traditions.

Cultural partnerships underpin the brand debut

The opening adds to Hilton’s presence of nearly 30 hotels across the islands. Danny Hughes, Hilton’s president, Americas, said the company had welcomed guests to Hawaiʻi for more than six decades, while Curio Collection brand leader Brooke Thomas highlighted the new resort’s combination of island design, dining and local programming.

Hale Hōkūala participates in Hilton Honors and is offering an introductory package with 25 percent off its best available rate for stays of three nights or longer. Its cultural programme, E Ala Ka Pilina, was developed with local practitioners, educators, historians, artisans, nonprofits and community organisations.

The Kauaʻi Museum will be the programme’s inaugural partner for a series examining the island’s history and creative expression. Planned activities will cover agriculture, lei making, traditional aquaculture, land stewardship, hula and Hawaiian storytelling.