Kilohana Plantation

What Kilohana Plantation does

Kilohana Plantation is a privately held tourism and hospitality operator running a 105-acre historic estate in Lihue, Kauai, founded in 1985 by Gaylord Wilcox, whose family also operated the adjacent 23,000-acre Grove Farm sugar plantation. The business functions as a multi-attraction destination rather than a single-product operator, combining a 2.5-mile narrow-gauge railway with conductor-narrated tours, a theatrical luau (Luau Kalamaku), a craft rum distillery and tasting room operated by Koloa Rum Company, fine dining at The Plantation House by Gaylord's, the Mahiko Lounge cocktail bar, the Kauai Safaris Rum Safari experience, private event venues accommodating 2 to 800 guests, and an in-estate collection of locally owned retail boutiques. The 105-acre grounds include over 50 varieties of fruit trees, sugarcane, taro, and farm animals that feed into the educational and experiential content of the tours.

The underlying asset base is a combination of historic real estate, agricultural land, and licensed operational infrastructure — most notably Koloa Rum's status as the first and only licensed distillery on Kauai, which gives the property a regulated exclusivity in the spirits segment. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via on-site purchases and online booking through FareHarbor (tours, luaus, safaris) and OpenTable (restaurant reservations), with tiered pricing for adults, children, seniors, Hawaii residents (Kama'aina), and military guests.

The revenue model blends ticketed experiences (one-time fees), professional services revenue (dining, event hosting), and retail tenancy income, with the company acting as both operator of its own attractions and landlord/partner to independent tenants (Gaylord's, Koloa Rum, Kauai Safaris, and multiple retail shops). Customer segments are weighted toward tourists and visitors to Kauai, with secondary segments in destination weddings, corporate event planners, and local residents. The business is highly sensitive to Kauai tourism arrival volumes and is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company.

Name

Kilohana Plantation

Legal name

Kilohana Plantation

Website

https://kilohanakauai.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Tourism and Hospitality

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Heritage & Indigenous-Led Visitor Services (Tribal Tours, Heritage Sites, Co-management) (THAAAGAL)

Keywords

• Plantation tourism
• Heritage train tours
• Hawaiian luau shows
• Craft rum distillery
• Destination event venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Lihue

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tour and Activity Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets for plantation train tours, rum safaris, and luau experiences. Prices vary by activity type and customer segment (adult, child, senior, Kama'aina, military).
2. Dining Services: Revenue from The Plantation House restaurant by Gaylord's and Mahiko Lounge, offering lunch, dinner, happy hour, and specialty cocktails. Includes catering for events.
3. Retail Tenant Spaces: Kilohana houses multiple retail shops including Koloa Rum, Canefield Clothing, Lamby + Bunny, Clayworks, Kauai Sweet Shoppe, and artisan galleries. The shops are locally owned and operated tenants within the plantation.
4. Private Event Rentals: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and other celebrations. The plantation offers covered and outdoor spaces accommodating groups from 2 to 800 guests.
5. Rum Tasting and Sales: Koloa Rum Company operates a tasting room and store at Kilohana, offering daily scheduled tastings of award-winning premium rums and bottle sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kilohana Plantation operates a 105-acre historic Hawaiian estate as a tourism and hospitality destination, offering narrated narrow-gauge train tours through orchards, a theatrical Polynesian luau dinner show, fine dining and lounge experiences, a craft rum distillery with tastings, a guided rum safari tour, and event hosting for weddings and corporate gatherings. Revenue is generated from on-site ticketed experiences, dining, retail, and private event rentals catering primarily to visitors of Kauai.

Product overview

Kilohana Plantation is a historic 105-acre estate on Kauai offering a diverse portfolio of hospitality and tourism experiences centered around its heritage as a former working sugar plantation. The core experience is the Kauai Plantation Railway, an authentic narrated train tour. Dining offerings include The Plantation House by Gaylords fine dining restaurant and the Mahiko Lounge cocktail bar. Entertainment includes the Luau Kalamaku theatrical show and the Kauai Safaris Rum Safari experience. The property also houses Koloa Rum Company's distillery and tasting room, along with multiple retail boutiques. Event hosting capabilities accommodate private gatherings from intimate parties to large celebrations of up to 800 guests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Plantation House by Gaylords: Fine dining restaurant located in Kilohana's original courtyard offering island-influenced dishes by Chef Johnny Saguid
• Luau Kalamaku
• Koloa Rum
• Kauai Safaris
• Mahiko Lounge
• Kauai Plantation Railway

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Koloa Rum CompanycoreOthersKoloa Rum Company operates its tasting room and company store at Kilohana Plantation. The craft distillery produces premium Hawaiian rums from cane sugar and rainwater, and was the first and only licensed distillery on Kauai when it opened in September 2009. The partnership provides rum safari experiences and retail sales within the plantation.
• Kauai SafariscoreOthersKauai Safaris operates the Rum Safari experience at Kilohana Plantation, offering 2-hour guided tours of the 105-acre plantation grounds with rum tasting, signature cocktails, and farm animal interactions.
• Gaylord's Restaurant GroupcoreOthersGaylord's operates The Plantation House restaurant and Mahiko Lounge at Kilohana. The restaurant group is led by Executive Chef Johnny Saguid and provides island-influenced dining experiences using local ingredients, with lunch, dinner, and happy hour service.
• Locally Owned Retail TenantsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple locally owned and operated retail shops including Canefield Clothing, Lamby + Bunny, Clayworks, Kauai Sweet Shoppe, Malie Organics, and artisan galleries (The Artisan's Room, Hawaiian Collection Room, Hāloa Gallery & Studio) operate within the plantation house, offering regional art, clothing, jewelry, and Hawaiian collectibles.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Polynesian Cultural Center: Large-scale Oahu cultural theme park and luau operator offering multiple villages, dinner shows, and immersive experiences. Comparable to Kilohana as a diversified Hawaiian cultural tourism destination, though at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Royal Hawaiian Center / International Market Place (Waikiki): Multi-tenant retail, dining, and entertainment complexes in Waikiki. Comparable to Kilohana's plantation-house retail and dining concept as a curated multi-tenant visitor destination, though urban and at much larger scale.
• Sea Life Park Hawaii: Marine-themed attraction and event venue on Oahu. Adjacent peer in the Hawaiian paid visitor attraction space, comparable in bundling tickets, dining, and private events for the tourist segment.

Emerging players

• Koloa Rum Company (standalone): Koloa Rum operates its tasting room and store inside Kilohana and also distributes nationally. Comparable as a craft Hawaiian rum brand tied to the plantation heritage narrative, though only partially overlapping as it is a tenant rather than a direct competitor.
• Atlantis Submarines Hawaii: Tour operator offering submarine and underwater experiences on Oahu, Maui, and Big Island. Comparable as a Kauai-area paid attraction operator targeting the same visitor pool, though focused on marine experiences rather than land-based heritage.

Direct peers

• Smith Family Garden Luau: Kauai-based luau and tropical garden experience offering buffet dining, imu ceremony, and Polynesian show. Directly competes with Luau Kalamaku for the same Kauai visitor segment.
• Old Lahaina Luau: Long-running traditional Hawaiian luau on Maui known for its authentic, scripted cultural presentation. Comparable to Luau Kalamaku as a theatrical luau targeting resort and cruise visitors.
• Waimea Valley (Hi'ipaka LLC): North Shore Oahu cultural and botanical site offering hiking, cultural activities, and educational programming. Comparable to Kilohana as a heritage/nature visitor destination combining outdoor experiences with cultural interpretation.
• Paradise Cove Luau: One of Oahu's most popular commercial luaus offering a sunset show, buffet dinner, and cultural activities. Directly comparable to Luau Kalamaku as a theatrical Hawaiian luau experience targeting island visitors.

Regional players

• Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa: Large resort on Kauai's south shore offering dining, luaus, pools, and event space. Comparable to Kilohana as a Kauai-based hospitality operator catering to visitors and private events, though it also offers full lodging.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KilohanaKauai
• Instagraminstagram.com/kilohanakauai
• Xx.com/kilohanakauai
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kilohana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kilohana Plantation