historic CLIFF HOUSE in Kapalua | News, Sports, Jobs

It’s a cliff hanger. An oceanfront party pad. A room with a view. It’s the legendary Cliff House, which for more than 75 years, has served as a coveted retreat on an island already embraced as a paradise.

Back in the day, I even had rare occasion to “hang out” at the Cliff House. Other lucky Mauians also have fond memories of parties at our island’s most illustrious ocean shack set atop Namalu Bay.

Now the Montage Kapalua Bay resort that opened last year allows its guests and the public to rent the Cliff House for private parties catered by its chef.

On Thursday, Montage Executive Chef Riko Bartolome seared some scallops in XO sauce as he talked story there.

His fabulous dish was only rivaled by the views of Molokai and Lanai islands and pods of humpback whales splashing and breaching in the Pailolo Channel.

“The Cliff House is such a special arena,” said Bartolome, who just got back from Los Angeles representing Maui in a promotional tour with two other chefs.

“I had my job interview in here and it sealed the deal,” he added. “We do luncheons, sit-down dinners and walk-about receptions complete with action stations.”

This historic building on the bluffs in West Maui arguably dates back to 1940 or well before, when it was built as a recreation facility by D.T. Fleming and other managers of the old Honolua Plantation.

“The Cliff House was our playground,” said Martha Vockrodt-Moran, who is Fleming’s granddaughter, in a 2012 interview in Maui Scene. “We would go there for events and jump off the cliff into the blue water. The beauty of it impacted us all.”

D.T.’s father had met Henry Perrine Baldwin at a bar in his native Scotland and was offered a job running Grove Ranch here, now part of Haleakala Ranch. “H.P.” as he was known. lived from 1842 to 1911.

A businessman and politician here, Baldwin masterminded the construction of the East Maui Irrigation System and he also was a co-founder of Alexander & Baldwin, one of the “Big Five” corporations that dominated the old Territory of Hawaii’s economy.

“D.T. was only 9 when he moved here from Scotland, and he spoke fluent Hawaiian by age 12,” said Vockrodt-Moran. “He studied plants and ethno-botany under Dr. Dwight Baldwin of Lahaina and was so bright that he was given Honolua Ranch. But it was failing with scrappy heads of cattle and coffee trees planted in the 1800s.”

Dr. Baldwin thought that D.T. could turn it around – and he did. The prodigy soon started bringing pineapple from Grove Ranch to plant in West Maui, and the rest is Maui agricultural history. He also relocated Honolua Ranch to Kapalua, which is more fertile and flat than its previous location.

“If you’ve wondered why a Honolua Store is in Kapalua, now you know,” says Vockrodt-Moran about the historic market that was built nearby in 1929. “D.T. also has a beach park in his name in Kapalua.”

Over the decades, Honolua Plantation turned into Baldwin Packers. Then Maui Land & Pineapple came about and its executives got to relax in the Cliff House.

Jump ahead to 1978, when the Kapalua Bay Hotel was built on land behind the Cliff House. The hotel was home to what was then called the Kapalua Wine Symposium.

Last week, Ruth’s Chris Steak House’s new regional director of operations and marketing Kennan Randolph reminded me that he first met me at a Cliff House party in the beginning days of the symposium.

I’ve coveted other invitations to hang at what used to be called “Private Pools,” and the “Beach House.” I even reserved the Cliff House for a memorable pre-wedding dinner party for family and friends.

Snorkeling and kayaking made a splash with guests before our sit-down feast that was served by tuxedo-clad waiters from the Kapalua Bay Hotel. We had a grand old time in the rustic beach shack.

In the years after my wedding, the Cliff House continued to fall into disrepair, finally being shuttered in 2006 around the same time as the demolition of Kapalua Bay Hotel. With strict Shoreline Management Area laws, some said it would never be rebuilt.

Also in the surrounding area on super scenic Kapalua Bay, the Coconut Grove where the old symposium’s Grand Tasting was held, morphed and mutated to new, multi-million-dollar gated condos. The demolished hotel was replaced by The Ritz Residences, a coastal beach walk was put in place, and Kapalua Villas were taken over by Outrigger Hotels & Resorts as its deluxe collection.

Then a marvelous thing happened. ML&P decided to move forward on a renovation of the Cliff House in 2009. It kept the same footprint and added amenities and reinforcement to the old structure.

The Cliff House renovation was finished in November of 2011, and ML&P opened the doors to public and guest rentals of it in March of 2012.

Last year, Montage Kapalua Bay opened in the former Ritz Residences, and it’s maintaining the Cliff House at a level of elegance that has never been seen before.

Koa cabinets, slate floors, overhead fans, teak tables and chairs and a flat screen TV caught my line of sight before the views. Hot showers and posh dressing areas are situated downstairs. Snorkeling gear, water toys, fluffy towels and shampoo, conditioner and soap are amenities.

Overlooking the blue lagoon waters, the Cliff House is what dreams are made of – and it’s available to book.

Even if you do it last minute, you can have lunch or dinner for up to eight people with chef Bartolome’s suggested menus that include beverages. After a refreshing swim in Namalu Bay, savor Kauai shrimp with burnt lime and papaya; grilled fsh in banana leaves; and Maui rum caramel.

Last year, Montage set the stage at the Cliff House for a party by visiting New Zealand winemakers during Kapalua Wine & Food Festival – and Kiwi Chef Brent Martin grilled fresh oysters, abalone and more on the lanai barbeue.

“I’ve done everything from tuna tartare to souffles down here,” says Bartolome. “The outdoor barbecue is really big with guests. We can do most anything that you want and I like to give people a show of my cooking. I like to plate it fresh in front of you.”

Its close proximity to the water activities of Kapalua Bay and uninterrupted sunset views makes this a truly remarkable and unique location.

“On occasion, we’ve lighted up the rocks and put fire-knife dancers on the ledge across the bay,” said Montage Director of Catering & Conferences Katie Cotten. “People are surprised to see a private show.”

“We have drums set up and the conch shell will be heard at sunset,” added the chef.

Sometimes, entertainment is provided au naturale by, say, a sea of colorful kiteboarders just off of the bay, or humpback whales swimming by.

“We can even light up the night sky with fireworks,” said Cotten.

The 500-square-foot room upstairs spills out onto the lanai and can accommodate about 40 people for a fun, walkabout reception.

A refrigerator, ice machine, convection oven and sink add to the self-contained feel of the space.

The Cliff House is perfect for corporate retreats, family gatherings and weddings of the intimate kind.

For more information, call 662-6620 or you may email mkbconcierges@montagehotels.com.

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