Look closely as you round the curve of Kalakaua Avenue on your approach to Waikiki. The Ritz-Carlton appears, its undulating design by Guerin Glass Architects echoing the fluidity of sea and sky and seeming to meld the two towers together. In the breezy porte cochere, spouting waters and a dramatic blue-glass mosaic draw ocean element into a scene of tropical foliage. Live plantings on the facades fronting Kuhio Avenue draw the eye up. On this side of Waikiki, the towers’ ordered angularity reflects the modern urban setting, while a geometric 3D grid marching across the façade mimics the patterns of ancient Hawaiian kapa cloth.

The Diamond Head Tower’s opening in October 2018 completed the vision of a new horizon of luxury begun when the ‘Ewa Tower greeted its first guests in 2016. Premium suites in the second tower are cantilevered; some offer double-height floor-to-ceiling windows. Despite the Diamond Head Tower’s footprint, which curves intimately in the ‘Ewa direction toward its sister tower, Guerin Glass’ innovative design rewards Premier and Grand level residences with luxurious views of Waikiki’s iconic landmark. “We went through crazy structural gymnastics to let the building turn at the waist, essentially, and look at Diamond Head,” notes founding principal Scott Glass. “It creates beautiful, expansive spaces where that shift happens. And it directly, visually connects the building to the larger landscape.”

The new Ritz-Carlton features twin infinity pools, Waikiki’s highest, and two acres of lushly landscaped parks and gardens. Tropical greenery surrounds guests even on the seventh-floor, where the lobby opens to the sky and a commanding vista of the Pacific Ocean. Here, the aesthetic of Jon Brent Design achieves timeless elegance in a marriage of vintage and modern, art and organic finishes: an Hermes-inspired front desk wrapped in leather, a dramatic blue-green backdrop of polished Brazilian marble, the twining metallic curves of a Scandinavian ceiling sculpture adding sophisticated whimsy — an airy focal point that ties the elements together.

The fresh, serene aesthetic of understated elegance extends to the residences. On the Deluxe Level, seafoam greens and sandy hues lead the eye out to intimate lanais and the curving blue horizon. Grand Level residences feature hardwood floors and rejuvenating palettes of earth, sky and sea tones; wraparound lanais take in the vast sweep of O‘ahu’s south shoreline. On the uppermost floors, architecture and interior design combine in clean, striking lines that accentuate a sense of space in the large Premier Level residences. Finishes including cerused oak hardwood floors, marble bathroom walls and countertops and lacquered sycamore millwork ground these residences with a luxurious organic sensibility, while contemporary hues set off breathtaking views from Diamond Head to sunsets behind the Wai‘anae mountains.

Mountain and sea, city and nature, timeless and contemporary. At the gateway to a world-class destination, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach rises to a new horizon of elegance.