Kilohana, home of Gaylords Restaurant and great shopping

The Pride of Kauai's Golden Age

It was a time of grandeur and elegance when guests arrived in horse drawn carriages. On Kauai, sugar was king, and the prosperity it brought was reflected in the mansions built by the sugar plantation known as Kilohana.

Built in 1935, the manor house at Kilohana was to be the most expensive and most beautiful home ever built on Kauai. Designed by British architect Mark Potter, it was filled with beautiful furniture from Gump's of San Francisco. Outside, exquisitely landscaped grounds framed the elegant house perfectly in it's picturesque mountain setting.

Today, Kilohana is a shoppers paradise with quality stores tucked into rooms of the main house and guest and camp houses of the estate. You'll find a wide array of fine art crafts, fashions, jewelry, food and gifts of Hawaii. Housed in the office next to the entrance is a shop with coffee, teas, and delicacies, gourmet treats, candy and Hawaiian gift baskets.

When you visit Kilohana, you can imagine plantation life as it truly was. Linger over the magnificent artwork and antiques of the Tudor-style mansion. Wander the 35 acres, rich with exotic plants and gardens, and dotted with century-old plantation cottages. Finally, savor the experiences that are yours at Kilohana today: Gaylord's Courtyard Restaurant, unparalleled shopping, and a romantic ride around the grounds and surrounding sugar plantation.

Kaua'i, 1935. Sugar was in its hey day and its importance to the island and its people was reflected in the homes of those who controlled its destiny.

The green rambling acres offered the perfect setting for the magnificent homes that sprang up on Kaua'i during the days of King Sugar. Designed by renowned architects, built of the finest materials, and filled with collections and furnishings that few of the time could afford.

Kaua'i was home to many such estates, but the grandest of these was Kilohana.

Relive the 1930s

Visit Kilohana today and you'll step back into that Golden Age, the 1930s on Kaua'i.

Using old photos, drawings and personal recollections, the estate has been restored to recreate this romantic time.

You'll see it in the large, elegant living and dining rooms. The Hitchcock painting above the fireplace. Sofas and chairs with their original coverings. The family piano. Floor-to-ceiling beveled mirrors. Antiques and artwork everywhere.

Life on the old plantation

Kilohana was the center of a 27,000-acre sugar tract and the hub of Garden Isle business, culture and social life. The house itself has more than 15,000 square feet under roof. The 35 acres of grounds offer not only beautiful tropical gardens but also a working farm and "Kilohana Camp," a century-old plantation village. Stroll through the farm and camp and you'll experience plantation life as if in a time warp.

Kilohana History Gaylord's restaurant was established in 1986 when the Wilcox home was restored to a historic site accessible to the public for the first time. The owners spent six months adapting the old kitchen and garage areas to a working commercial kitchen without destroying the historic value of the location. June 16th, 1986 saw the first lunch service, and dinner was added several weeks later.

Gaylord's serves lunch and dinner daily and is highly noted for it's Sunday Brunch. Gaylord's is an especially popular choice for the holidays. Gaylord's menu includes foods and preparations to interest the traditional diner, or the more adventuresome. Gaylord's is well known for venison, lamb, seafood, pastas and desserts that are worth saving room for.

Gaylord's Restaurant is named after Gaylord Parke Wilcox, who built the house in 1935. We have no connection to the Gaylord Restaurants of mainland USA.