This resort hotel was dedicated in November 1965. The four-day hotel opening celebrations began with a flag-raising at the Governor's Office on Flag Day, followed by a royal ‘ava ceremony conducted at the Fagatogo malae by Taumafaalofi and Aumaga of Nu'uuli. The parade that followed was the longest in the island's history. Several members of the U.S. Congress attended and the Air Force Band played music. Senator Alan Bible was the featured Flag Day speaker and the Department of the Interior sent its top officials. Governor John A. Burns came from Hawai'I with General Harris of the Air Force and Admiral Fabik of the Coast Guard. Prime Minister Mata'afa headed the Western Samoan delegation.
The hotel originally had 101 completely air-conditioned guestrooms and "thatched" cottages on the Pago Pago Bay, facing the Rainmaker Mountain.
Its interior was designed by architect Neal Prince, who designed many hotels internationally, including Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel which, like this one, was a subsidiary of Pan Am Airlines.
The many hanging shell strand curtains and light fixtures were designed by Neal Prince and manufactured by Oceanic Arts.
Oceanic Arts also supplied coconut mugs with the hotel logo (from Desert Ceramics) and table lamps based on the coconut design (ceramic portion made by Desert Ceramics but assembled by OA).
Interior included a Laumei Lounge and the Rainmaker Restaurant, named for the facing nearby mountain.
The hotel flourished in the late 1960s and 1970s.
In 1980, an air disaster occurred when a US Navy plane hit the cables of the Mt. Alava aerial tramway and crashed into the hotel, killing the six servicemen aboard and two tourists who were staying at the hotel.
Some time later, it was taken over by the government, expanded to 250 rooms, and re-named the Rainmaker Hotel.
The hotel hosted most of the Miss Island Queen Pageant competitions between 1987 and 2001.
In the 1990s, due to hurricane damage, poor management, and accumulated debts, the hotel fell onto hard times. Many of the 250 rooms were slowly “cut down” and in 2004, only 10 rooms were being operated.
In 2014 it was announced that the derelict hotel would be demolished, and this happened the following year, in 2015, after sitting deserted for over a decade.