![[ Coco Palms ]](../graphics/cocosign.gif)
Coco Palms Hotel
Kauai, Hawaii
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Remembering and Reviving the Coco Palms Hotel Kauai, Hawaii |
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Coco Palms Memories Have a special memory of the Coco Palms resort that you'd like to share? A photo, a special memento, or even perhaps a spooky or silly tale? We'd love to hear from you. Please e-mail us at Coco-Palms.com. Here are a few memories and stories shared by former guests and visitors of the Coco Palms Hotel. "THERE'S A STORM IN THE COCO PALMS"
It was the year of Blue Hawaii in the land of dreams
Fairytale dreams were real there, once upon a time
When love was pure, life was simple and we sang psalms
The following is a somewhat creepy tale from our honeymoon stay at the Coco Palms resort.
In the fall of 1989, my wife and I had the pleasure of staying at the resort for our honeymoon. Our stay was much like the others chronicled here; we loved the beautiful grounds, the palm grove, and enjoyed viewing the torch lighting ceremony every evening from our hotel room.
One of the nights that we stayed was Halloween night. While we were waiting for dinner, we clicked on the television. As anywhere in America, even in paradise, Halloween night brings campy horror movies on TV. While we were watching an especially cheesy one, laughing at the silly effects and plot line, it became apparent that it was indeed set in Hawaii. We watched with increased interest when to our surprise, we noticed the on-screen protagonist walk by one of the distinctive delivery trucks used for errands around Coco Palms' grounds!
As the minutes passed by, we now quietly watched as mayhem erupted on the grounds of the movie Coco Palms. The huts and grove outside our very window were invaded by werewolves, kahunas chanting curses, and other evil figures. The protagonist also drove by familiar Kauai landmarks such as the sugar mills and the Tree Tunnel, trying to track down the secret of a family curse. In the end, he succumbed and became a werewolf himself, doomed to roam Kauai's night-cloaked valleys.
While intellectually we didn't believe that such evil really lurked outside in the palms, we just couldn't shake off the creepy scenes that had been shot at our very resort. Rest assured that we checked the door bolt two or three times before going to bed that night!
Neal Kobayashi PLOT SUMMARY: A manager is sent to vacation by his doctor due to symptoms of stress. He chooses Hawaii, because that's where his grandfather worked as a missionary. He doesn't know that his grandpa and all male successors are cursed by the Voodoo clan. Every night he transforms into a werewolf and horribly slays young women.
Source: www.IMDB.com
Well, the truth is I never saw the Coco Palms in all its glory. However, my parents spent their honeymoon in 68 at the Coco Palms. As a child, I would spend days looking at their pictures. The beauty was indescribable. My mother and I watched Blue Hawaii on tv when I was little. Boy, I was so amazed. Amazed to think my parents stayed in the same place that Elvis once stayed! The photos and the movie filled me with the desire to travel to Hawaii. Someday, I felt I must get to Coco Palms. A feeling that I couldn't shake, not even to this day. Well, that day came in March 1999. I took a trip to Kauai. Kauai is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. My first few days were spent lounging on the beaches. However, the need to see Coco Palms was burning inside of me. Several locals told me it was condemned and unsafe to explore Coco Palms. In fact, they said there would be security on the grounds to keep me out. None of this would keep me away. One day I stepped on an adventure all my own. That adventure to see Coco Palms. I parked in the side driveway so as to be as stealth as possible and began my walk towards the back by the lagoon. That is where I met him. The guard that was meant to keep me off the property. Only this guard had a heart of gold. Once he heard my story and saw the look in my eyes, he volunteered to show me around. He shared his memories and I shared mine. Coco Palms ,even in its current state was beautiful to me. When I closed my eyes, I could hear the guests lounging by the pool, the sound of voices coming from the bungalows, the hustle and bustle of the guest checking in and out at the front desk. Crazy as it sounds, I heard Elvis on his ukulele. I used three rolls of film that day. To me, Coco Palms is still so beautiful. Perhaps, it is because my mind would only allow my eyes to see it as my parents saw it and how Elvis saw it. My parents got divorced when I was a young child. My father died two years ago. However, Coco Palms reminds me of time when my parents were happy in love and a time when my father was full of life! The Coco Palms Hotel is a part of my heart and who I am. It symbolizes innocence, beauty and happiness. Dina Hitch |
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