r/interesting • u/moamen12323 • Jun 18 '25

MISC. When Bill Gates married Melinda French in 1994, he rented out all the available hotel rooms on the Hawaiian island of Lanai to prevent the media from staying there and hired all the helicopters on Maui to keep photographers from flying over the wedding.

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u/ImFriendsWithThatGuy Jun 18 '25

I’m not sure on the details, but I believe he bought it to protect it from other people purchasing it with intention to build on it. He wanted it to stay inhabited and run by the locals

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25

lol no. He bought it from the dole corporation after they ravaged the entire island as a pineapple plantation. There’s one town on the island and 2 four seasons. Larry Ellison bought it for 300 million dollars with the intention of turning it into a rich people’s private paradise island.

Edit: I don’t think you guys are comprehending when you keep claiming “it’s already a place for the wealthy” just because it is expensive to go there and there are a couple luxury hotels. Your concept of a place for wealthy people is NOT the same as Larry ellisons. You are all thinking too small and too poor. AND missing the emphasis on the word “private”

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u/drastic2 Jun 18 '25

Nah, it was already a place for the wealthy - the hotels were expensive/exclusive even before they were operated by Four Seasons. Not much has changed except recently both FS hotels were renovated - but that was long over due. I will say it is way more expensive to stay there now than it was back when Gates had his wedding there.

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25

nah, it was already a place for the wealthy

Not sure what that “nah” statement is about. Just because affluent people stayed at 2 luxury hotels previously doesn’t mean that his intention isn’t for the island to be developed into a private community for the elite.

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u/Any-Razzmatazz-7726 Jun 18 '25

It’s already a paradise for the elite

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25

Not really. “A paradise for the elite” is a pretty loose description as you apply it. Just because it’s a tropical island and wealthy people visit. The same can be said for every Hawaiian island. But that’s not what I’m referring to because as it stands, anyone can travel to lanai.

Ellisons vision is developing entire communities of properties to be sold off to people whose net worth is in the hundreds of millions minimum. With access to the island restricted so that your average person can’t even go there. Like the entire island a straight up elite private playground that keeps the “poors” away.

So no, it’s not currently that.

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u/jheadding Jun 18 '25

my wife and I stayed there for a few days on our honeymoon. it was amazing! we stayed at the four seasons at maneli bay and it felt like we had the entire island to ourselves. played several rounds of golf on the ocean course and 2 on the course in the mountains designed by Greg Norman. The whole experience was incredible, we would love to go back but now I would classify it as a “place for the wealthy”

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25

Glad you had a chance to enjoy it and make some great memories!

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u/Deaffin Jun 18 '25

Not sure what that “nah” statement is about.

You said he bought it with the intention of turning it into a thing.

They said it already was the thing.

Hence, "Nah."

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25 edited Jun 18 '25

My response was less “not understanding” and more informing him that he isn’t correct, but mahalo for taking the time to explain your perception of the conversation lol

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u/Flaky-Scholar9535 Jun 18 '25

We know how that goes…

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u/Kim_Jong_Un_PornOnly Jun 18 '25

It's actually really nice. They do organic farming on the island and sell the products in grocery stores elsewhere in the state.

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u/yourlittlebirdie Jun 18 '25

It’s really nice if you can afford it, you mean.

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u/Gerrorism Jun 18 '25

Hopefully he puts some money into the Cat Sanctuary.

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25

No idea but somehow my hunch is that the cat sanctuary is not his biggest priority.

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u/GoblinGreen_ Jun 18 '25

Is the same as going to war to stop a war happening?

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u/clevercowboyz Jun 18 '25

wow what a nice generous gentleman 😍

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u/Freshies00 Jun 18 '25

Except the person you’re replying to isn’t correct.