Originally Posted by
italdesign
I had seen pics online. Although framed by a beautiful bay/beach, the building looked... unremarkable. Still, on arrival, I was taken aback by how old, shabby, almost motel-like the open-air corridors are. It looks especially embarrassing after a night out at the beautiful Mauna Lani a few miles down the coast; the difference is more than night and day.
I agree the MK is quite special and, as someone else noted, it is considered quite a good example of stunning architecture for its time, designed by SOM. Of course, things like this are subjective, but I had quite the opposite reaction to the updated Mauna Lani - it feels so soulless and the corridors/rooms are nowhere near as well designed as the MK. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the Mauna Lani used the same firm(s) as the Andaz on Maui - they feel pretty much the same to me.