Once the residence of Princess Pomare, daughter of the last King of Tahiti.

Hotel Tahiti was celebrated as the largest hotel in French Polynesia at the time it was built in 1960. The double bungalows provided 18 deluxe suites and two 2-story plantation type buildings, each with 24 veranda suites, provided a total of 66 units on 53 acres bordering a blue lagoon 1 mile from the capital, Papeete. The interior of the original Hotel Tahiti's cocktail lounge bar had many floor-to ceiling tiki poles, a wood canoe hanging from the ceiling, and a thatch roof over the bar with lots of bamboo and other decorations familiar to fans of Mid-Century Poly Pop. This hotel was demolished in 1997.

Some key dates in the property timeline:

May 1960, Inauguration of the Hotel Tahiti, owned by Spencer F. Weaver (of SpenceCliff Corporation, who did so much building in Hawaii especially)

1997, Demolition of Hotel Tahiti

July 1999, Opening of Outrigger Hotel, owned by Mr. and Ms. Wane

2000, Outrigger becomes Sheraton Hotel Tahiti

2009, Sheraton becomes Hilton Tahiti

July 2010, Closing of Hilton Tahiti

November 2021, Grand Opening of Hilton Tahiti Resort

Today, the Hotel Tahiti site is home to a luxury resort, just opened in 2021 by Hilton. Hilton’s extensive renovations have transformed the property, with an emphasis on open-air public spaces, natural light and ocean views. Design details feature light woods, a neutral color palette and a modern take on island-inspired decor. The re-imagined property offers 200 rooms, a boutique spa, the largest pool in Tahiti and three dining venues. Additional new features include cabanas and a poolside restaurant with views of Moorea Island. The hotel has two bars: the Heiva Lounge in the open-air lobby, offering spectacular ocean views and a bespoke collection of wine; and the Vaipuna poolside bar that offers unique, tropical libations as well as traditional cocktails. There are a few tikis on the grounds and some generic mugs used at the bars, but, Hilton, as one would expect, is more interested in offering a luxury resort experience than catering to Mid-Century Poly Pop fans.

Opened in 1933, founded by an American from San Francisco named Robert. E. Quinn.

It was originally an ice cream parlor located on the Quai du commerce facing the harbor, but later became a notorious bar.

Considered pre-tiki, although it did have tiki poles on the front entrance which can be observed in some photos.

From 1941-1952, Eddie Lund, the musician and composer was manager, before Marcelle Quinn and Bouzou Frogier (both well-known musicians) regained control.

For legions of visitors, Quinn’s was Tahiti. It was the watering hole of dope heads and derelicts, French sailors, French Legionnaires, runaway husbands and shiploads and jet-loads of travelers who came to see where the action was. Beer bottles were heaved by its habitues: Susie No Pants, Vili Vala and dozens of other colorful characters. Without question, Quinn’s was the dirtiest, stinkiest, most shameful and beloved bar in all of French Polynesia. Paint peeling off the ceiling fell into the customers’ drinks. Nothing was ever repaired. Whatever broke was tossed out--or ignored altogether.

Quinn’s roared night and day. It was a bamboo jungle, a habit, a drug, a curse, with the most wicked reputation in French Polynesia. Fights broke out regularly. Women battled women--biting, clawing, scratching, cursing. The band played on while tourists crouched at ringside tables or watched from the relative safety of booths in the background. It wasn’t merely the fighting or the marathon drinking that gave Quinn’s its reputation. There was the communal rest- room, a boy-girl facility that was separated from the bar by a flimsy piece of cloth. More than one unsuspecting vahine ran out screaming after having had the wits scared out of her by some big, happy-go-lucky Tahitian who stumbled in, flashing a broad grin.

Quinn’s regulars would fill the pages of an X-rated novel. The place didn’t have a thread of a conscience. It was a grimy, crowded waterfront joint, permeated by the odors of stale beer and disinfectant, too much cigarette smoke and too little fresh air.

As the most notorious bar in French Polynesia, Quinn's was where the painter Leeteg belted one too many one night, then climbed aboard his moped and spun off on a trip to eternity, colliding head-on with a tree.

When they tore down Quinn's it was like disassembling the Eiffel Tower. Or uprooting the cable cars in San Francisco. Quinn's was a tourist attraction, an institution, the watering hole of Tahitians and tourists, French sailors and foreign legionnaires.

Nearly every tourist who ever set foot in Papeete rushed headlong to Quinn's to kick back and join the wicked who made Quinn's their home base. Well, the timorous did a detour, maybe, but the adventurous were fascinated with the motley crowd that kept the cash register ringing.

Without a doubt, Quinn's was the most shameful bar in the entire Pacific.

It closed in 1973.

*NOTE: Not to be confused with a later Quinn's at the Sheraton Hotel Tahiti (2000-2009) that was much more civilized and upscale. The Sheraton Hotel Tahiti was first opened in 1960 as the Hotel Tahiti, then completely demolished in 1997 and rebuilt in July 1999 with Polynesian-style architecture, including thatched roofs. This would probably have been when they added their "Quinn's" sign and changed the name of their bar to capitalize on the mystique of the original Quinn's bar. This second Quinn's is also now long gone. Today, as of 2021, Hilton has turned this location into a totally newly imagined resort.

Opened in 1968.

This location looks to have undergone a major "renovation" in the 80s or 90s that stripped it of much of its Tiki/Pop Polynesian flavor.

While the rattan chairs, some masks in one room, and at least a couple standing tikis remained, the white and pastel paint job along with the glass block host entrance and other touches transformed this into a bland and generic Chinese restaurant for the most part.

Despite this, they continued using their original branded ceramic OMC drink ware right up to the very end, with coconuts, rum barrels, and surfer girl mugs that they refused to sell to collectors, but kept in steady rotation.

Closed on Sunday, January 31st, 2016.

This space is now home to a Maggie's Town Tavern location.

Hawaii Moon opened in 1972 on Route 46, Lodi, New Jersey, 1 mile west of Teterboro Airport.

Owned by Wah Seid (last photo in front of painted exterior tiki logo mural).

Known for its 40 foot volcanic waterfall (which, judging by the photos was being measured length-wise), tropical drinks, and Hawaiian dance reviews.

This location lasted at least into the 1980s.

Soji opened July, 2018 and Lotus Lounge opened April 16th, 2022.

Before opening Lotus Lounge, Soji had regular tiki nights and tiki-themed events, but finally decided to make a dedicated bar area that was specifically tiki-themed.

When bar-goers come to Lotus Lounge, they have the option to drink at the bar, a table in the lounge or a larger VIP table seating eight to 10 people.

The ceiling is covered in lauhala matting and illuminated by a long panel of blue lights, Bosko masks decorate the wall next to the booths, and a wall across from the bar is covered with fake tropical foliage and a "LL" monogram in neon. Large paintings of wahines in a tropical setting flank either side of the bar which hosts an impressive array of rums.

The cocktail menu has several classic and original cocktails and they have a rotating menu of plates from the regular Soji kitchen next door.

Opened Sunday, May 29th, 2022.

Located in Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park entertainment district, Pete’s Tiki Tiki is the latest addition to the Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar family.

Pete's boasts 30 varieties of rum and more than 50 colorful cocktails, including the classic Tiki options, like the Mai Tai, the Zombie and the Jungle Bird.

Pete’s Tiki Tiki is open seven days a week starting at 5 p.m. and is located at 5510 Park Place Blvd, next to Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar.

In addition to seating for 50 indoors, Pete’s Tiki Tiki also features an outdoor patio under a thatched roof with additional seating for up to 200.

*NOTE: The large tiki outside previously graced the Kona Kai at the Chicago O'Hare Marriot. It is a surviving Ed Crissman carving purchased through Oceanic Arts and dwelled for a time in the collection of Duke and Amy Carter.

Opened in 1970. This is one of those cases where a site is not closed or fallen into disrepair, but for the interested tikiphile, there's not much here worth checking out.

Oriental Gardens is a typical Chinese restaurant today but at one time it was adorned with tikis, thatched roofs and authentic looking decor.

The only thing apparently left from its tiki heyday is the rock pond/fountain as seen below in vintage photos...and a lengthy tropical cocktail menu still in effect.

It's located in a strip mall, has a small lounge and a decent size dining area. They also have a separate conference/party room. It looks as though it was remodeled around 2000 or so and doesn't really show any signs of neglect. If you are looking for a decent Chinese restaurant or tropical beverage and are in the area, it could be worth a look, but don't expect to see any tiki decor.

*NOTE: Cocktail menu is current as of 2022.

The Pacific Hut was located at the Westgate Mall in Brockton, Massachusetts. Open at least as early as 1965.

There was also a sister location at the Burlington Mall in Burlington, Massachusetts.

Opened May 19th, 2012.

The design of this bar was a collaboration with input from renowned tiki carver, Marcus Thorn (a.k.a. Tiki Beat).

It was Perth’s only portside tiki bar, serving more than 20 different types of cocktails, as well as three of its own speciality cocktails, made with Newport Spiced Rum.

Drinks were served in green-glazed tiki mugs modeled after a carving by Marcus Thorn (seen with pinup model Masuimi Max below from a photoshoot), adding to the bar’s overall ambience.

It was located within the Newport Hotel (The Newy), on the corner of South Terrace, at the end of Fremantle’s busy cafe strip.

The Newport Hotel closed December 24th, 2021 for a major rebrand into Flight Club social darts venue. Tiki Beat was closed as well.

The new Carnival Cruise Line ship Mardi Gras set sail on Saturday, July 31, 2021, marking the first official passenger cruise from Port Canaveral since the pandemic began in 2020. The ship has a capacity of 6,500 passengers and 20 decks, making it the eighth largest cruise ship in the world. The Mardi Gras is also the first ship in North America powered entirely by liquefied natural gas.

Note, there was also a much smaller Mardi Gras ship launched in 1972... but this one dwarfs it in comparison.

The 2021 Mardi Gras specializes in Caribbean cruises. It is docked and leaves out of Port Canaveral, Florida, United States.

The RedFrog Tiki Bar is located on the 5th level Lido deck and is the first of 3 RedFrog Tiki Bars planned, with the Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee next in line.

Carnival Celebration's Red Frog Tiki Bar opened when the ship was completed on November 2, 2022.

These Red Frog Tiki Bars are distinct from the Red Frog Pubs or Red Frog Rum Bars on other ships in this line.

The Carnival Mardi Gras' bar is 2 stories tall and has both bar and dining table seating. They have extensive themed decoration including some Oceanic Arts style lights and some Oceanic Arts Papua New Guinea masks and other hangings.

The bar features a wide array of rums listed by region but the bar name reflects their line of beers which is served on tap. They do have unique branded tiki mugs and mai tai glasses available for sale as well as other merch.

This was the precursor to the famous Kahiki Supper Club. It was located on the same spot and was also owned by Bill Sapp and Lee Henry.

This much smaller venue burned down in 1959, shortly before the planned construction of the Kahiki. Before this, the owners used it as a testing ground for planned menu items at the larger tiki palace they were planning.

After the Kahiki was bulldozed, this location became home to a Walgreens, which (as of 2022) is also closed.

Built in 1964.

32 units spread over 2 stories.

This apartment complex still has 14 tikis standing and they are in decent shape. This includes 12 guardians around the pool, one under a small shack to protect the map/directory, and a cool fern tiki by the pool fence.

It is located near the intersection of Garden Grove Boulevard and Brookhurst Street.