Photo: Turtle Bay
Anyone who’s visited Oahu’s North Shore, particularly surfers, will know Turtle Bay Resort. (Also fans of Forgetting Sarah Marshall: “F*ck the lemons and bail.” – Paul Rudd.) Nestled on the northwestern tip of the island, the luxury resort has long been a crash pad for pro surfers, surf industry acolytes, fans, friends, and everything in between during the annual wintertime pilgrimage to surfing’s proverbial proving grounds.
But now, a new tenant is in town. A new host, a property conglomerate, has bought the site for $725 mill. And apparently, there’s plans to turn it into a Ritz-Carlton.
“This transaction is an excellent outcome for our investors and a testament to Blackstone’s ability, including through the pandemic, to transform iconic, luxury hospitality assets,” said Blackstone Real Estate CEO, Rob Harper in a release. “The team executed an ambitious business plan, investing significant capital to reposition the resort for long-term success while also adding high-quality jobs on the North Shore.”
What will happen after the sale is unclear. Will Jamie O’Brien still host his surf school in spitting distance of the lounge pool? SURFER reached out for comment; no word yet.
Turtle Bay has long been a stronghold for wintertime North Shore surfing activity, from lay-day Lapu Lapus by the pool, to the SURFER Poll Awards, to the world’s best playing a round at the golf course, followed by loser picking up the dinner tab at Lei Lei’s.
When the new crew comes in, who knows. A new facelift? At the minimum.
According to Host, the property firm behind the purchase, here’s a few more specs on what they have to work with:
“The Resort is situated in a unique location on 1,180-acres on the North Shore of Oahu with five miles of beach and coastline views. It features 450 rooms, all with ocean views, including 42 bungalows with direct beach access, a separate check-in, and a private pool. Other amenities include 18,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, a club lounge, six food and beverage outlets, seven retail spaces, a spa, fitness center, two golf courses, seven beaches, four resort pools, tennis and pickle ball courts, an equestrian center, a working farm, and access to 12 miles of oceanfront trails. The 49-acre oceanfront Land Parcel is entitled for development, and similar to the Company’s strategy at other properties, Host intends to enhance its value over the long term.”
Pricier Lapu Lapus? The Ritz ain’t cheap.
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