You can still see it if you know where to look, even though it hasn't technically existed for years. It’s a ghost. Not the spooky, rattling chains kind, but the architectural kind that defines a coastline. If you’ve ever driven down Ali'i Drive toward Keauhou Bay, you’ve seen that massive, brutalist-meets-tropical concrete structure jutting out over the lava rock. That was the Kona Surf Hotel Big Island Hawaii. It was the crown jewel of a specific era of Hawaiian tourism, a time before every resort looked like a generic glass-and-steel box.
It was bold. It was weird. Honestly, it was a bit of a miracle it got built at all given the jagged, unforgiving terrain of the Keauhou coastline.
Most people today know the site as the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa. But for those of us who grew up visiting the islands in the 70s and 80s, or for the locals who remember the legendary "Kona Surf" era, the new name feels like a thin veil over a much more storied past. The Kona Surf wasn't just a place to sleep. It was a cultural hub where the architecture actually tried to talk to the ocean.
The Brutalist Beauty of Keauhou
Architect Lemmon Freeth Haines Jones & Farrell didn't play it safe. When they designed the Kona Surf Hotel Big Island Hawaii in the early 1970s, they leaned hard into the "Brutalist" style. Usually, that word makes people think of cold, Soviet-era government buildings. But here? They made it white. They made it open-air. They let the salt spray hit the concrete.
The hotel was shaped like a giant "V" or a boomerang, designed specifically so that the crashing waves of the Pacific would be the soundtrack for every single room. It wasn't tucked back behind a sandy beach because, well, there isn't much sand there. It was built right on the edge of the volcanic rock.
Have you ever stood on that point? The wind is constant. The Pacific doesn't just lap at the shore; it hits the lava with a violence that is honestly mesmerizing. The architects understood this. They created these massive, sweeping walkways and public spaces that felt like you were standing on the deck of an ocean liner. It was grand in a way that modern "luxury" hotels often fail to capture because they're too worried about maximizing square footage.
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Why It Disappeared
By the late 1990s, the Kona Surf Hotel Big Island Hawaii was tired. Decades of salt air are brutal on concrete. Maintenance costs were spiraling, and the aesthetic—once cutting-edge—began to feel dated to the average tourist who wanted air-conditioned lobbies and marble bathrooms.
It closed in 2000. For a few years, it just sat there. It was a massive, empty skeleton. Locals wondered if it would be torn down. There was something eerie about seeing that iconic silhouette dark at night, no lights in the windows, just the sound of the waves hitting the rocks below.
Then came the rebirth.
From Kona Surf to Sheraton and Beyond
In 2004, after a massive $70 million renovation, the property reopened as the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa. They kept the bones. They had to—you couldn't get permits to build something that close to the water today. That’s the secret of the current Outrigger Kona Resort. You are staying in a historical footprint that is literally grandfathered into the coastline.
If you walk the grounds today, you can still feel the Kona Surf. The way the levels are tiered, the massive open-air atrium, the sheer scale of the hallways—that’s all original DNA. They modernized the rooms and added a killer pool system with a slide that kids lose their minds over, but the soul of the place is still that 1971 concrete masterpiece.
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The Manta Ray Connection
One thing the original Kona Surf Hotel Big Island Hawaii accidentally did was create one of the world's most famous wildlife encounters.
The hotel used massive floodlights to illuminate the surf at night. It looked cool for the guests, sure. But it did something else: the lights attracted plankton. And what eats plankton? Manta rays. Massive, 12-foot-wide "sea birds" started showing up every single night like clockwork to feast in the glow of the hotel lights.
Today, the Manta Ray night snorkel is a multi-million dollar industry on the Big Island. It literally started because of the lighting design at the Kona Surf. Even now, under the Outrigger brand, that specific point of land remains the most reliable spot on the island to see these creatures. It’s a weirdly beautiful example of how human architecture can accidentally harmonize with nature.
What People Get Wrong About This Spot
People often complain that the hotel "doesn't have a beach."
That’s true. If you want white sand and calm, shallow water, you go to Waikoloa or Hapuna. But staying at the site of the old Kona Surf is about a different vibe. It’s about being on the ocean, not just near it. It’s about the raw power of the Keauhou district.
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There's also a misconception that the area is just for tourists.
Keauhou is deeply historical. Just a short walk from the hotel site is the Lekeleke Burial Grounds, commemorating the 1819 battle of Kuamo’o. This was where the old ways of Hawaii met the new, a turning point in the islands' history. When you stay at the former Kona Surf, you are walking on ground that has seen more than just poolside cocktails. You’re at the edge of a place where Hawaiian royalty used to reside.
The Reality of Staying There Today
If you’re planning a trip and looking for the Kona Surf Hotel Big Island Hawaii, you’re booking the Outrigger. But here’s the pro tip: don't just stay in your room.
- Walk the "Point" at 10:00 PM. Even if you aren't doing the snorkel tour, go to the viewing deck. The lights are still there. The mantas are still there. It’s silent, it’s dark, and you can watch these prehistoric-looking giants somersaulting in the water just feet away from you.
- Look for the concrete seams. If you’re a nerd for architecture, look at the pillars in the lower levels. You can see where the original 1970s pour meets the modern updates.
- Respect the swells. This isn't a swimming shore. The "Surf" in the original name was a warning as much as a description. The currents here are legit.
The transition from the Kona Surf to the Sheraton and now to the Outrigger is basically the story of Hawaii tourism itself. It moved from the bold, experimental phase of the 70s to the corporate branding of the 2000s, and now toward a more "destination-focused" local feel.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
Don't just show up and expect a standard resort experience. To actually enjoy the legacy of the Kona Surf Hotel Big Island Hawaii, you need to lean into its quirks.
- Book an Oceanfront Room: In most hotels, "partial ocean view" is fine. Not here. The whole point of this architecture is the direct, unobstructed view of the waves hitting the rocks. It’s worth the extra fifty bucks.
- Eat at Rays on the Bay: It’s the restaurant built into that iconic "V" shape. It’s one of the few places on the island where you can eat dinner while watching wild mantas feed below you.
- Explore Keauhou Bay: Walk down the hill to the actual bay. This is where the outrigger canoes launch. It’s a working bay, not a manicured tourist pond. You’ll see locals fishing and kids jumping off the pier. It’s the "real" Kona.
- Rent a Car: You’re about 15-20 minutes south of the main Kailua-Kona village. You aren't going to want to walk that. You need wheels to get to the grocery stores (KTA Super Stores is nearby) and other beaches.
The Kona Surf might be gone in name, but the feeling of that place—that massive, white concrete fortress standing guard over the Pacific—isn't going anywhere. It’s a landmark that refused to be forgotten, even when the paint started to peel. If you want a stay that feels like it has a pulse and a history, this is the corner of the Big Island you need to be in.