Article in Architectural Record, December 1969
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Architecture -- Periodicals
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Article about Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel (1968-1974) featured in the December 1969 issue of Architectural Record.
Architectural Record
Architectural Record
The Record and Guide
12-1969
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Copyright The Record and Guide
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Exterior view: Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Boats and boating
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
The hotel (in operation from 1968-1974) was dramatically perched on a cliff above one of Tahiti’s famed black sand beaches, with descending tiers of rooms spread out below the ridge of the hill and balcony trellises draped in bougainvillea. Each room offered views of the surrounding mountains and waters of Matavaia Bay.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo (WATG).
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Photo by Arie deZanger
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
1968
Prince, Neal A.
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental bar
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Bars (Drinking establishments)
Interior decoration
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Hotels--Decoration
<p>When Prince was designing the Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel, which operated from 1968-1974, he was catering to an American fantasy of the South Pacific, formed by movies like <em>Blue Hawaii</em> and the tiki bars of the 1960s. In the more casual indoor and outdoor dining spaces, common features include oversized carved tikis, walls of volcanic rock, hanging lamps fashioned from puffer fish, garlands of draped conch shells, driftwood, nautical rigging, and bamboo and wicker seating. <span><br /></span></p>
<p>Architecture by <span>Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo</span></p>
<p>Interiors designed by Neal Prince.<br /><br />Décor manufactured by Oceanic Arts Tropical Décor </p>
<p>Photograph by Arie deZanger</p>
Prince, Neal A.
1968
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental exhibit wall panel
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
New York School of Interior Design. Gallery
Exhibitions
Hotels--Designs and plans
Wall panel from the 2013 New York School of Interior Design exhibit "Designing the Luxury Hotel: Neal Prince and the Inter-Continental Brand."
In December 1968, the Tahara’a Inter-Continental opened in Pape’éte, Tahiti. The architectural firm Wimberly, Whisenand, Allison, and Tong created an “upside down” building where the lobby and restaurants were on the top floor and the guest rooms were on the floors below. The hotel was dramatically perched on a cliff above one of Tahiti’s famed black sand beaches, with descending tiers of rooms spread out below the ridge of the hill and balcony trellises draped in bougainvillea. Each room offered its own little slice of paradise in its picture-postcard views of crystalline blue waters and soaring emerald peaks.
When Prince was designing the Tahara’a, he was catering to an American fantasy of the South Pacific, formed by movies like Blue Hawaii and the tiki bars of the 1960s. He took his cues from the ocean, working with a palette of turquoise, dark blue, midnight blue, and sea green for the guest rooms and for the accents of the outdoor pool area—everything from the poolside umbrellas and lounge chairs to the towels. In the Captain Cook Restaurant (named after the legendary English explorer who visited Tahiti), bright striped fabrics were hung from floor to ceiling in the double-height bar and lounge, with chandeliers shaped like nautical lanterns and a vintage siren plucked from a ship. In the more casual indoor and outdoor dining spaces, oversized carved tikis, walls of volcanic rock, hanging lamps fashioned from puffer fish, garlands of draped conch shells, driftwood, nautical rigging, and bamboo and wicker seating helped modern castaways settle into the relaxing rhythms of island life. Ironically, these “native” elements, including a 25 foot tiki that stood in front of the hotel’s magnificent thatched-roofed building, had to be outsourced to Oceanic Arts in Whittier, California due to a scarcity of craftsmen—the locals had been lured away by the French atomic energy industry.
New York School of Interior Design
New York School of Interior Design
2013
Prince, Neal A.
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
New York, NY
Tahara'a InterContinental exterior bar and beach view
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Bars (Drinking establishments)
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Hotels--Decoration
The Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel (1964-1978) was dramatically perched on a cliff above one of Tahiti’s famed black sand beaches, with descending tiers of rooms spread out below the ridge of the hill and balcony trellises draped in bougainvillea.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Photograph by Arie deZanger.
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Prince, Neal A.
1968
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental exterior view with tiki
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia--Tahiti (Island)
Architecture, Tropical--Influences
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Many “native” elements incorporated into the hotel decor, including a 25 foot tiki that stood in front of the hotel’s thatched-roofed building, had to be outsourced to Oceanic Arts in Whittier, California due to a scarcity of craftsmen (the locals had been lured away by the French atomic energy industry). The Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel closed in 1974.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Tiki carving by Ed Crissman of Oceanic Arts Tropical Décor (Whittier, CA)
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
1968
Prince, Neal A.
Chrissman, Ed
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental guest room and balcony
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Interior decoration
Guest rooms
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Hotels--Decoration
In designing the Tahara'a iinteriors, Prince took his interior design cues from the ocean, working with a palette of turquoise, dark blue, midnight blue, and sea green for the guest rooms and for the accents of the outdoor pool area—everything from the poolside umbrellas and lounge chairs to the towels. The Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel closed in 1974.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Photograph by Arie deZanger
Prince, Neal A.
1968
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel Captain Cook restaurant
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotel restaurants
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Interior decoration
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Hotels--Decoration
In the Captain Cook Restaurant (named after the legendary English explorer who visited Tahiti), bright striped fabrics were hung from floor to ceiling in the double-height bar and lounge. The restaurant also featured chandeliers shaped like nautical lanterns and a vintage siren from a ship's prow. When Prince was designing the Tahara’a, he was catering to an American fantasy of the South Pacific, formed by movies like Blue Hawaii and the tiki bars of the 1960s. The Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel closed in 1974.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Décor manufactured by Oceanic Arts Tropical Décor
Photograph by Arie deZanger
Prince, Neal A
1968
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental outdoor bar
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Bars (Drinking establishments)
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
Hotels--Decoration
When Prince was designing the Tahara’a, he was catering to an American fantasy of the South Pacific, formed by movies like Blue Hawaii and the tiki bars of the 1960s. In the more casual indoor and outdoor dining spaces, common features include oversized carved tikis, walls of volcanic rock, hanging lamps fashioned from puffer fish, garlands of draped conch shells, driftwood, nautical rigging, and bamboo and wicker seating. The Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel closed in 1974.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Photograph by Arie deZanger
Prince, Neal A.
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
1968
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Tahara'a InterContinental swimming pool
Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts
Hotels--French Polynesia : Island--Tahiti
Swimming pools
Hotels--French Polynesia--Papeete
The Tahara'a InterContinental Hotel (1968-1974) had two levels of public areas rising above the guest rooms: a dining room, bar, pool, recreation area, and nightclub. Prince took his interior design cues from the ocean, working with a palette of turquoise, dark blue, midnight blue, and sea green for the guest rooms and for the accents of the outdoor pool area—everything from the poolside umbrellas and lounge chairs to the towels.
Architecture by Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Interiors designed by Neal Prince.
Photograph by Arie deZanger
Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo
Prince, Neal A.
1968
deZanger, Arie
Neal A. Prince Special Collection & Archives, New York School of Interior Design, New York, NY, United States
Pape’éte, Tahiti, French Polynesia