Tiki Bars
Bali Hi Motor Hotel
Phoenix, Arizona, United States (Closed)
Opened September 11th, 1955.
Built by Dan Compton and U.E. Uhiman. The hotel had 64 rooms.
The Bali Hi also had a restaurant, a coffee shop, a bar, and not just 1 but 2 heated pools.
Turquoise, cocoa and coral were the color scheme.
The main sign was very unusual with the hotel's name spelled out in large shells.
The main bar was called the "Tabu Room" and had a mural depicting a "Balinese dancing scene" according to a local newspaper article describing the grand opening.
Bamboo Cabana Room - at the Hotel Windermere
Santa Monica, California, United States (Closed)
The Bamboo Cabana Room, a.k.a. the Bamboo Room, was located in Hotel Windermere.
Hotel Windermere opened in 1909. It was owned and operated by businesswoman Rosamonde Borde. Her son, Harry J. Borde opened the Georgian Hotel, located next door at 1415 Ocean Avenue, in 1933.
The Bamboo Room opened in the 1940s and was around until at least 1955, when the hotel was remodeled by John Lindsay.
The hotel was demolished in January 1962.
Beyond the Reef
Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States (Closed)
In 1964, Robert & Peggy Judge opened Judges', Beyond the Reef in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The Judges added an A-frame entrance to the original log cabin and some full-sized plastic palm trees out front that could handle a midwestern winter.
In tribute to them, it was called "Judges' Beyond the Reef".
It was in operation from 1964 until it was sold and turned into El Sombrero Mexican Buffet in 1987.
Timeline uncertain, but the business was also owned and operated from around the late 60s onward by Frank E. Schuster (who passed away in 1999) and his wife, Norma.
Bob Lee's Islander
Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Closed)
This Chinatown restaurant was opened in 1951 by Bob Lee, a native of Canton, China, and called Bob Lee's Lantern House until 1960, when it was remodeled into a Polynesian paradise.
The visuals were over-the-top, with high-contrast, Technicolor carpeting and ceiling coverings, to create an effect that can only be described as "trippy."
Appears to have closed in 1977 after running afoul of health code violations over which Lee sued and offered an open door invitation for anyone to inspect his kitchen and restaurant. However, the damage appeared to be already done.
Big Fish Seafood Restaurant was in this location from @2006-2013. Jade Garden is in this location as of 2022.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Ayr
Ayr, United Kingdom (Closed)
Opened circa 1964.
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
The Butlin's Beachcomber Bar at Ayr closed in 1994 when it was refurbished into Sweeney Todd's, before the entire building was completely demolished in 1998 when Haven took over the resort.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
Bognor was the first of the Butlin's chain of family holiday locations to get a Beachcomber Bar, opened in 1960.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Minehead
Minehead, United Kingdom (Closed)
Opened circa 1962.
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
The Minehead camp location was the last of the Butlin's Beachcomber Bars to close, in 1997.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Skegness
Skegness, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
This location at Skegness opened in 1964 and was located in the Princes building, which burned down in a fire in 1974.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Filey
Filey, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
This location at Filey opened in 1965. Closed in 1983.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Barry Island
Barry Island, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
When the Beachcomber Bar opened at the Barry Island location of the Butlin's family vacation camps chain in 1966, it was billed as the "biggest bar in Europe." It burned down only two years later, in 1968.
The photo below shows only one section, but you can spy a tiki behind the girl on the left and a small alligator behind the one on the right.
Christian's Hut - Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California, United States (Closed)
Christian's Hut began its life as a bar for the crew working on 1935's Mutiny on the Bounty, which was filmed on nearby Catalina Island; the bar was located right under Clark Gable's room.
After filming was completed, the bar was moved to this location at Newport Beach. Christian's Hut quickly became a very popular spot with Hollywood's stars of the day. The mascot for Christian's Hut was "the Goof," whose genesis is not known; it was basically just a funny-looking head that topped the building. The Goof can now be seen atop Bali Hai in San Diego. There were a handful of other locations that were never as popular as the original. This Christian's Hut is often referred to as being in Balboa. Christian's Hut burned down in 1963. The site is now home to the Newport Towers condominiums.
Christian's Hut - at the Jamaica Inn Hotel
Newport Beach, California, United States (Closed)
This was a spinoff location from the original Christian's Hut in Newport Beach.
It was located at the Jamaica Inn, built by Joe Collins and Bob Ingraham at the corner of Avocado Avenue and Coast Highway.
Today the site of the former Jamaica Inn is a medical office complex.