There was really only one element of the Royal Hawaiian that architect Rob Iopa didn't consider changing during the iconic resort's recent multi-million-dollar transformation. As a native Hawaiian, Iopa was very familiar with the legendary Waikiki Beach property and its regal, and uniquely pink, history dating back to its debut in 1927. Everything, including a radical idea to change the Pink Palace's entrance, was on the table during the renovation-planning process, but changing the hotel's color (inside and out) was off limits to the president of Honolulu-based WCIT Architecture.

“It became iconic because of that,” says Iopa, who led the redesign with his company and interior design firm Philpotts and Associates. “It played out in the Brady Brunch when Greg was surfing in Waikiki. It's the color I grew up with. I had no problem with it as pink and would never contemplate painting it blue.”

Renovations, which reached upwards of $100 million by some accounts, were completed in February and the historic resort celebrated a grand opening last month. It reopened in January after closing for nearly eight months during the massive project that touched nearly every aspect of the property, including all 529 guestrooms, a completely retooled entrance and lobby area, the pool and beach club, the f&b outlets, the spa, meeting space and retail outlets.

“Obviously it was quite challenging,” says Iopa of transforming a property with such rich history. “The Royal Hawaiian has meant so much to so many different people through the course of time. We first had to try to understand what it meant to the various groups that have become familiar with the Royal and then understand how to preserve the good things and enhance the things that had been lacking and then try to execute that.”

The 14 acres of Waikiki beachfront land was originally used as a playground for King Kamehameha I after he conquered Oahu and later Queen Kaahumanu's summer palace was built on what is now the hotel's famous coconut grove garden. As air travel to Hawaii increased, the Pink Palace became a favorite of the rich and famous, from the Rockefellers to the Beatles to Marilyn Monroe.

Now part of Starwood's Luxury Collection, the Royal Hawaiian has in many ways returned to its roots. The biggest change was a nod to the resort's original design, opening up the lobby and public spaces and embracing the outdoors.

Even after guests arrive at the new porte-cochere and enter through the grand arches, they never lose sight of the outside world. By design, says, Iopa: “Most of the space was enclosed. The area where the lobby is was storage and a retail art gallery. The only connection to the coconut grove was through a little passage way at the elevator. The original design was much more open and free flowing.”

Through the years and during its only other renovation, many arches and openings were enclosed in the lobby and lanai areas to create meeting space and retail outlets, Iopa says. He credits ownership group Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts and Starwood for accepting less retail space as part of the new look. Removing more retail clutter opened walls and space for the grand hall, parallel to the beach and opposite the new lobby entrance, which provides stunning views of the ocean through an archway. Iopa's other favorite feature is the new take on food and beverage, all coming from one kitchen but served in beautiful and different venues. Breakfast and lunch are served next to the famous Mai Tai Bar on the Surf Lanai, a poolside space, and Azure, an elegant oceanfront space serves dinner by candlelight.

Guestrooms mix contemporary conveniences with classic Hawaiian design elements like vintage koa seating, historic photographs and other indigenous objects. All 529 guestrooms feature the original hand-carved doors with the Hawaiian Coat of Arms. Unlike the coral pink exterior, Iopa was open to softening the pink some on the interior. “We tried to freshen up the color scheme and brought in some hotter pinks, mauves and browns instead of pink on pink on pink,” he says, adding the pink bathrobes remained.

But the biggest change, the one he thought would either win his firm the job or quickly end its bid, was eventually scrapped--“Not for fear or not for being a good or interesting idea,” he quickly says. During his pitch to the ownership group, he presented the radical idea of changing the entrance to the classic resort. Instead of its current location, which is tucked away from the public, almost behind the neighboring Sheraton, he wanted to knock down walls and open up the coconut grove garden to create a new and dramatic arrival on the mountain side of the resort. The idea helped land his firm the job and he spent the first eight months of the nearly four-year project working toward it despite some minor criticism from preservation groups concerned with such a change to a historic building. Ultimately, the plan was scrapped because a structural analysis showed the resort was built on poor soil and had sunk a bit. “It had stabilized over time, but because of the uncertainty of cost and punching a new hole in an 80-year old building, the owners chose not to pursue it,” Iopa says.

Still, the entire project, the remaking of the classic Hawaiian resort, was a dream come true for the local boy.

“It's one of the most rewarding projects I've had to date and moving forward, I can't foresee many other projects that would reach its significance,” Iopa says. “I'm part native Hawaiian and the ability to work on not only a project and hotel which is my passion professionally, but to work on lands and areas so significant to native Hawaiian culture speaks to my personal passion. To blend the two is a once in a lifetime experience and something I'll always remember.”