The ghosts of Coco Palms

20 years after its destruction by Hurricane Iniki, we take a look around the remains of the Coco Palms resort on Kauai.

[@Fattorso]

I was fortunate enough to visit the Coco Palms before Hurricane Iniki destroyed much of the Island. Bob Jasper was my tour guide then. We were vacationing on Kauai staying with my sister, Jerri may she rest in peace, and her future husband, Bob Jasper now my brother in law. They were very excited to share the beauty of the torch lighting ceremony and the beautiful palm grove. It was magical. I fell in love with the Coco Palms and the island I call my second home. I pray that the grand Coco Palms be restored for others to build memories upon. My name is Carmen Jacoby from Spokane WA.

[@janebeckman3431]

I was there in 1959, as a five-year-old. Every room had a fishing pole, and my father taught me catch-and-release fishing in the ponds. A huge pig roasted for 5 days on a spit. Dinner was announced with conch. I have never forgotten the place. Like Oahu's International Marketplace, it was a magical place of another time, a time unfortunately lost, save to memory.

[@carolynroesbery47]

wow Lets bring it back in our own ways! I call my kids to dinner with a conch!

[@josephpilapil6737]

Jane Beckman

[@UTubeGlennAR]

I was born and raised to a career Navy man in 1949 until 1959. Sadly I truly feel Hawaii no longer exists and I have no desire to visit any longer.

[@LionelMessi-vl1iw]

@@UTubeGlennAR Hawaii had undergone so many negative changes in the last 50 years. Now simply overrun, from shore to mountain top, with tourists and thrill seekers. When you go from 500,000 visitors a year in 1966 to more than 12,000,000 in 2028 (a 24X increase) , what do you expect? Total mismangement of a very precious place.

[@nebraskanaturally]

I first visited the Coco Palms in 1973. What a trip into the Hawaii I first expected to see on our first trip there. From the Manager's reception in the grove building to the window shades made of palm leaves to the shell basins in the room that overlooked the lagoon, has left a life time of memories.

[@karenmusemeche4706]

Well said, thank you for your review on this topic and sharing. I’m in Hawaii right now as is my first visit and that’s all I can think about when I’m here is Elvis.

[@mrbthebarber]

SUPERB!! Thank you for such a wonderful yet heart wrenching video. Being an Elvis fan I stayed there in 89 and was truly the most beautiful experience.

[@jorgstockly1629]

❤ Wonderful Doko 👍💯 i was a Fan sins Blue Hawaii Movie 🌺 And it was a Dream to Visit Hawaii and the Coco Palme 🌴 someday Nur Now i am 60 and sins 4 Years in a Wellchaire after a failed Backside Op My Dream ist Over but The Memorys of This Movie and the Amazing Location in my Heart ❤ Forever Mahalo Thanks for Post AlwaysTCB with Complimens From Switzerland 🇨🇭 Stay Safe Aloha Jörg 🌴🌺🌴🌺🌴🌺

[@LanceCadena]

Michael, Thank you for the tour. My wife and I must have just missed you. We got married in the states on 12/19/1987 and stopped in Honolulu for 3 days and then flew to Kauai today 29 years ago. We stayed in the Coco Palms for the next 2 weeks. I remember the clam shells as bathroom sinks, such fond memories.

[@sheilac1845]

What a story... And, how blessed you were to have stayed & married there, WOW, loved your story. Blue Hawaii was made the yr I was born, that's my only link to such Wonder, the older photos were fabulous and the size of the leaves, Paradise is all I can say and Thank you for the great video. 🇺🇸😎💙

[@hemibrown]

Great video. Have been to Kauai many times, every time we drive past I tell my Wife I cannot believe the Coco Palms has been allowed to rot away. Very sad. Thanks for posting this.

[@A808K]

I had the pleasure of working there in the early 1980's as the sommelier at the then newly built Coconut Palace and was it ever a Palace. Significantly missing from this mini doco is mention of the founder and creator of this legendary hostelry... Grace Guslander... the true grande dame of this establishment. It was a truly wonderful experience to know her and to serve and entertain her vast array of notables, socialites and celebrities almost nightly in the flickering light of a hundred tiki torches. It was awesome!

[@gladyskrasse2039]

we stayed there in the 50's....what a wonderful experience.....people would come from all over to witness the torch light ceremony each night

[@harrysstuff2]

Very well done and quite nostalgic. “Claire, don’t look … you’ll cry.” Thanks, Mike.

[@mexicowilkie]

Thanks you for that Michael, I hope to revisit the Coco Palms early April when we dock in Kauai for a day. I too have very fond memories of a "Xerox President's Club" trip that first took me to there. Besides the giant clam shell basins, I remember seeing the largest land snails I have ever seen.

[@donnamoore1648]

No sell to nobody else. Give this land back to its people's. I did some modeling here, but this belongs to the Indigenous people

[@skatee99]

As others: I must thank you so much for this post! I was never really interested in this subject, since it was way before my time. Yet ironically, I learned about it a few years ago via, a South Park episode, called, "Going Native". (Sixteenth Season - episode 11) Even if you don't like South Park, or think it to be crude (which it IS), their parody of the whole Hawaiian life style is spot on and priceless. Anyway, The Coco Palms is featured in this episode, (along, with the ghost of Elvis!), so, after seeing that, I HAD to begin to look into this FACINATING place. One you do, you really get sucked into it. If only there was a way to help bring it back to it's rightful grandor, . . .

[@faststart1000]

My wife and I got married there at the grass hut church in May 1987. It was such a beautiful place!

[@severedarterie]

I was there a few years back and ran into Wayne. He was/is the old caretaker from when I stayed there in 91. Wayne sowed us around, it was sad but still a cool place. The shell sinks look great but they would soak you. I hope it can be brought back to life and thes same vibe is kept.

[@celeron112]

Always love watching your videos Mike! : )

[@rosetosh4283]

Stayed there in 1980, on my honeymoon, in a private bungalow with an outdoor lava rock bathtub. So sad it's gone.

[@jackmulder2266]

Michael, Thank you so much for thid clip! I was just there 2 days ago and met with BILL, was very sad, But loved the tour!

[@fallawayay]

Thanks for posting, appreciated the tour and history/trivia tidbits....tho was sad to see the (haunted house style) piano too! awww, a surprise shout-out to the town I grew up in, Monterey Park : )

[@tomkastle]

Mahalo nui loa, Mike! I think I still have a Larry Rivera album somewhere. I also have a palm tiki that my folks bought in the late 60s or early 70s, now in its new place watching over a lake in Wisconsin.

[@19brandon66]

Great video...stayed there in 1983...very cool place. Hate to see it like that...

[@danielmartin4270]

I just went back recently to Kauai I would like to see the Coco Palms rebuilt as well to hold up hold up the Legacy as well cuz I've never set foot in the Coco Palms but I've watched the Elvis Presley movie and thought I'd be cool to go there one day but with all the new construction hopefully in the future I will get there

[@LionelMessi-vl1iw]

I had no idea that this had happened. My girfriend's father worked at the hotel and we had dinner there more than once. God I feel old.

[@jetcityslicker]

Its so sad noone has restored this treasure....The money they would make and the money it would make for the Island alone is worth it! The history has to be saved. If ever rebuilt , some of the original structures can bee saved. and others rebuilt. I hope in my lifetime it happens. Mahalo Michael, you should do a full documentary ....someone should!!

[@jeffreydeaton4097]

how much would it coast to get it back to way it was in the movie blue Hawaii ?

[@Rotionpotion]

The ghost of the king lives here!

[@ziakhan-qw9zi]

USA Govt should do something for COCO PALMS it's a historical and beautiful places to go. One day I will go there's. Miss you "ELVIS" and all Blue Hawaii actors and actresses From Karachi "PAKISTAN"

[@ziakhan-qw9zi]

@@The.Hawaiian.Kingdom I didn't know that about history of coco palms, when I saw Blue Hawaii movies I rally like this hotel but my father told me that, this hotel has been demolished and Blue hawaii was released in 1960 I really got a shock to hear that but, one day I will visit CoCo Palms and that's day is not far

[@JurassicJordan808]

Bob is an amazing person and one of my personal friends.

[@JurassicJordan808]

Also great video btw. Shame I'm only seeing it now 8 years later.

[@akololomo4021]

Great video.

[@tikigodsrule2317]

Cant believe a billionaire has not restored this. Steve Case? Or the guy that bought the entire island of Lanai? Not like we are short of people so rich people. It doesnt matter if Coco Palms was ever profitable... Give something back to Hawaii.

[@WRHappened]

I had a gold coconut but donated it to Bob Jasper for a future Coco Palms museum.

[@ScottDLR]

I was there in May of 2017. A crew was trying to pump storm water out of the underground parking area. The buildings that once contained rooms are stripped down to the bare cement super structure. The burned out lobby was removed. None of it is maintained at all anymore. The economics of the local hotel industry prevent it from ever being rebuilt. Rooms in the area just don't command high enough rates to justify the expense of restoration and the hotel lacks both direct water front access and golf amenities. Yes, the beach is across the street but that isn't good enough anymore. I predict CCP will remain as it is - forever.

[@samjones2439]

ScottDLR I am going to rebuild to its former glory!

[@zigzagbigbag]

I was there as a kid in 1977,what a shame.

[@ScottDLR]

I drove by CCP a few years ago. It's still a dump and is surrounded by a hole filled black tarp. Deplorable. It is my guess that no one will ever build another hotel there. This is because it isn't ON the beach nor does it have a golf course - things that even mid grade resorts have today and customers demand before they will pay top dollar.

[@bubhub64]

Aww The Tikis in Monterey Park Ca. with their fiery volcano. Remember that place well. I believe they closed it down in the mid to late eighties. I guess it was considered a fire hazard. Very sad.

[@WRHappened]

It went broke and was torn down to make way for a development.

[@bubhub64]

@@WRHappened Thanks for the info. It was a wonderful place.

[@jm1551701]

I have never been to Hawaii nor do I ever plan on going, because of there very liberal politics , but it is a shame to see a once thriving resort in total decay, what a shame!

[@chrissy2053]

Mahalo🌺🌈❤️

[@WRHappened]

I live on Oahu.

[@pennypershing5118]

The Hyatt plans to rebuild the resort

[@robskelton4475]

Out of the Dark - Kauai 1992