Halepuna Web Site

WEBSITE REDESIGN

A STRATEGIC REBRAND

LUXURY HOSPITALITY
Brand + UX Design (Lead) | Wordpress Website
For Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani
Agency: Anthology/FINN Partners

OVERVIEW
Halepuna Waikiki is the boutique sister property of the iconic Halekulani Hotel, sharing many of its renowned amenities. Originally positioned for a specific international audience, shifts in market conditions required a broader repositioning toward American and European travelers. This called for a refreshed visual identity and digital presence — one that echoed Halekulani’s tradition of luxury while establishing Halepuna’s own contemporary character.

CHALLENGE
Introduce a new luxury hotel brand online in a way that balanced innovation with legacy that would appeal to a different demographic.

APPROACH
I developed the creative design direction to position Halepuna as modern, fresh, and luxurious, while tying it to the reputation of its heritage counterpart. My process included:
Brand positioning: Differentiated Halepuna from Halekulani through a lighter, more contemporary design language while maintaining a shared family identity.
Audience focus: Targeted younger luxury travelers and couples seeking boutique experiences, without alienating Halekulani’s traditional clientele.
Design system: Built a flexible digital style guide with refined neutrals, ocean-inspired accents, and elevated typography.
Guest journey: Streamlined booking, spa services, and dining discovery into a clean, mobile-first flow that reflected the property’s intimate scale.

SOLUTION
A new responsive website tailored to Halepuna’s brand voice.
Immersive visuals showcasing boutique-scale experiences.
Streamlined navigation and featured content with simplified flows designed to increase conversion.
A scalable digital system allowing the internal team to adapt campaigns post-launch while keeping the visual identity intact.

OUTCOME
Successful digital launch positioned Halepuna as a distinct yet connected brand within the Halekulani portfolio.
Elevated market presence: From day one, Halepuna’s site communicated a modern luxury identity, helping it stand apart in Waikīkī’s crowded hospitality market.
Conversion focus: The booking flow aligned with hospitality best practices to support early occupancy targets.
Honored with an Award of Distinction (Silver) at the 2025 Communicator Awards.

Credits: Anthology/FINN Partners, SAE Design, Halepuna Waikiki

VISIT HALEPUNA

VISUAL + UX DESIGN

Visual layouts and wireframesin desktop and mobile were created for every major page within the entire site to study and optimize the customer journey. Here are some examples of interior page layouts for all primary site categories and their corresponding detail pages. Information was rewritten in an updated brand voice, and a visual design provided a fresh new look and feel.

Drag the pink bar on the image below for a before-and-after of the home page.

BRAND IDENTITY EXPLORATION

Refined brand colors to meet WCAG AA and AAA accessibility standards, testing variations and complementary tones. Exploring brand patterns and selecting web-safe typefaces that aligned with the original guidelines while enhancing digital usability.

Wireframes based on the revised content and site map were designed to create a clear intuitive user journey.