Welcome Mauna Lani Resort

I love this history of this special place.

In 1936, Francis Hyde I’i Brown paid $6000 to purchase the quaint oceanfront cottage James Frank Wood built for his bride Eva Parker with the surrounding 1,359 acres. This area known as Kalahuipua`a was where ancient Hawaiians mastered the art of aquaculture and where King Kamehameha came to recuperate and work in the historic fishponds. Brown’s family history spans the history of Hawai’i. His grandfather was John Papa I`i, an ali`i royalty who served Hawai’i’s high chiefs, converted to Christianity, and wrote Fragments of Hawaiian History, an eyewitness account of pre-contact Hawai’i.

In 1964 Brown attended the Tokyo Olympics and became friends with Noboru Gotoh, chairman of the Tokyu Corporation. Brown invited Gotoh to visit him at Kalahuipua`a. According to Kenny Brown Francis’s nephew, the two men envisioned an international resort where affluent people could come together to relax and play golf in an atmosphere of total harmony.

In 1972 Brown sold the property to Gotoh and it was renamed the "Mauna Lani", translating to "Mountains Reaching Heaven" in reverence to the five volcanic mountains surrounding the area. Since then, Francis’s namesake North and South golf courses and two masterful hotels have evolved on the property the Fairmont Orchid and the recently renovated Auberge Mauna Lani. The resort offers a private beach club to its residents and guests and features a large shopping plaza at its core with a full-sized grocery store, restaurants and shops.

Real Estate Synopsis:

Mauna Lani offers condominiums from the $500’s to several millions even oceanfront. Two of the single family home communities offer superb ocean front properties in the $3-$20M range and several other communities within the resort offer ocean views, including my favorite. The Residences of Laule’a which I’ve worked very hard to develop with The Luxus Group since 2015.

My favorite restaurants:

​​​​​​​The Canoe House – this classic gem within the Auberge leaves only a few feet between your table and the ocean.

Tommy Bahama – my staple for a quick, consistent lunch with outstanding staff.

My favorite Mauna Lani memory:

​​​​​Realizing that the architect of my personal home was Kenny Brown, Francis’s nephew. The connection to their family has been honor!