In late July of this year I had the pleasure of visiting Daytona Beach, Florida for a week’s vacation, and while there, I visited a variety of places of interest to mid-century enthusiasts. Of particular merit were several remaining Tiki-style motels scattered along the coast, still enticingly outfitted in their South Pacific regalia.
It’s important to mention that Florida has its own “Tiki style” reflecting Caribbean and Atlantic influences. However, in places like these — built in the 1950’s and 60’s Polynesian Tiki architecture was clearly the concept.
During this jaunt I experienced a mixed bag of both appreciation and apathy toward the buildings by the various hotels’ staffs. Yes, there was a handful of Tiki aficionados among them; but, there was also a conspicuous level of indifference. To a great extent, the staff at these places didn’t know that their lodgings were anything special, didn’t grasp the Tiki significance, and more disappointing — didn’t really care!
The exception to this indifference was at the MaKai at 707 S. Atlantic in Ormond Beach. I had the pleasure of talking at length with several employees there, including the day manager. They were quite knowledgeable about the motel’s history and the significance of the Polynesian popular style. Plus, they seemed sincerely moved towards restoring the place to its former glory. Restoration work included calling on noted Florida Tiki carver Wayne Coombs for several of their pieces.
The complex dates back to the 1950’s, with a Tiki makeover mid-1960’s. The main building is a car-stopper, and the roof-line on this place is stunning. There’s a large Moai near the entrance and a prevalent amount of Tiki statuary, masks, and tropical elements (some of it Witco) creating a nice South Seas aura inside and out. In addition to the Polynesian influences, there are clear mid-century modern details like the interesting floating staircase in the lobby.
I didn’t fare so well in the enthusiasts department at the Best Western Aku Tiki Inn at 2225 S. Atlantic Ave. in Daytona. It was apparent that an old-school Tiki lounge existed at one time on the premises, but the room was no longer in use and the staff had no insights to offer about it. Their attempt at pointing me to their ‘Tiki bar’ sent me outside near the pool where I found an open-air bar, with hardly a bit of thatch or bamboo. Bartenders were serving up beach drinks in plastic cups. That’s all unfortunate, because the building is beautiful and well worth any Tiki lover’s attention. There’s a huge Moai gracing the portico — this is also a Coombs’ piece which replaced the original statue damaged by hurricane Charley. Plus, there’s enough Tiki inside to make one grin even if they aren’t Poly Pop fans. Next door, rounding out the complex, is Trader’s restaurant 
built with subtle islander lines and wearing at least a modicum of related décor.
As a side note, during my research in the Aku Tiki, I came across several 2007 references to what fortunately became nixed plans to demolish the entire complex to make way for a mega resort. Apparently those plans went belly-up. Thank goodness for certain effects of the real estate bubble-bust!
My stops also included the Hawaiian Inn Hotel at 2301 South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona, which features the Ohana Luau Polynesian dinner show. The staff here 
seemed to “get” the South Seas concept better than most, but mostly as a contemporary tourist grab; they didn’t seem to embrace the heritage. That’s an odd outcome because the Tiki element is high here — a lot of it original Witco and Oceanic Arts, and the Outrigger-style portico sets the stage for fabulous surroundings. The hotel even uses the moniker of “The Most Unique of Daytona Beach Hotels on the Ocean”, so one would expect some horn tooting regarding the unique context of the property. Yet, nary is a word uttered on the company’s website pointing out either the history, or Tiki genre, of this unique property — “island style” is about all you’ll find mentioned. It’s important to note that Polynesian-style hospitality has been a part of this place for years. By serendipity, I purchased an original 1960’s vintage Hawaiian Inn Tiki mug from a local antique dealer that places a bit of a timeline on their regaling.
Although I didn’t make any additional formal stops, there are other buildings throughout the Daytona/Ormond/New Smyrna area that have obvious Poly Pop architecture. While some of them are notable places that I didn’t experience (Julian’s at 80 S. Atlantic Ave in Ormond comes to mind), many are either vacant or are typically home to venues like non-Tiki bars, car lots, bait shops, and such. Still, it shows how pervasive the Polynesian Popular theme was in this area of Florida. It also points out how this once popular style has fallen off the radar, but luckily not totally forgotten. Of course, the kind of decided lack of interest I so often encountered is what plagues too much of recent history. Our culture often fails to care about the old things until they are gone. They then wonder in amazement how such things were lost — and lament it being too late to get them back! On a positive note, these three Daytona area hotels seem to be faring well enough, and are managing to preserve some of the area’s island-themed history.
I’ll mention again noted Tiki carver Wayne Coombs who has a studio and gallery in Cocoa Beach about 60 miles south of the Daytona area. In addition, one of the country’s finest remaining Tiki Restaurant & bar complexes, the Mai Kai is in Fort Lauderdale. You’ll see those after future trips further down A1A.
