By Jeanne Cooper, San Francisco Chronicle

Photo: John De Mello, Marriott

The Waikoloa Beach Marriott on Anaehoomalu Beach is converting a wing into Marriotts Waikoloa Ocean Club.

The Waikoloa Beach Marriott on Anaehoomalu Beach is converting a wing into Marriotts Waikoloa Ocean Club.

Hawaii: Lodging in the islands on the upswing

Among the record 8.9 million visitors to Hawaii in 2016, more than 5.5 million stayed in hotels, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the majority of visitors are repeat travelers to the islands. Besides Hilos Grand Naniloa Hotel, here are brand new or newly transformed hotels seeking to keep those statistics equally high in 2017:

Maui: After several years of planning, Westin Nanea Ocean Villas will debut two months early, with reservations accepted for May 1 and a soft opening April 15. The 16-acre beachfront resort in Kaanapali includes 390 one-, two- and three-bedroom residential-style villas, a 10,000-square-foot lagoon pool, childrens pool and a Hawaiian cultural center with extensive offerings. Rates begin at $665. http://www.westinnanea.com

Oahu: The $115 million metamorphosis of Pacific Beach Hotel, set to rebrand itself as Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach in fall, has completed renovations on the initial round of guest rooms and suites. Rates for a new partial ocean-view king begin at $168 and $216 for a Diamond Head ocean-view room. http://www.pacificbeachhotel.com

Kauai: Luxurious new one- to four-bedroom bungalows and villas have joined the three-bedroom cottages at the Lodge at Kukuiula. The 52 units in total permit access to Kukuiulas championship golf course, spa, restaurant and other facilities otherwise only available to owners of the resorts high-end estates. Nightly rates start at $750 for a 1,235-square-foot, one-bedroom bungalow. https://lodgeatkukuiula.com

Hawaii Island: The Waikoloa Beach Marriott on Anaehoomalu Beach is converting a wing into Marriotts Waikoloa Ocean Club, which will offer one- and two-bedroom villas with kitchenettes, living rooms, sofabeds and washer-dryers, plus free parking (and no resort fee.) Reservations are available starting May 5, with one-bedroom rates starting at $308 and two-bedroom rates at $455. http://www.marriotthawaii.com

Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, near the new Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo on Banyan Drive, recently completed a half-million-dollar renovation that included a complete makeover of its bayfront pool and ballrooms. Banyan-view rooms start at $157, ocean-view from $189. http://www.castleresorts.com/hilohawaiian

Jeanne Cooper

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Hawaii: Lodging in the islands on the upswing - SFGate