The billionaires buying up real estate in Hawaii (2024)

Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images ; Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo

Attracted by Hawaii's heart-stopping natural beauty, year-round balmy weather andreassuring seclusion,North America's uber-rich have flockedto thetropical paradise in their droves. However, Maui's devastating wildfires have turned a spotlight on land ownership in America's 50th state, and some of the region's wealthiest residentsmight find its harsh glare uncomfortable.

Billionaires from Jeff Bezos and Oprah WinfreytoMark Zuckerberg and Larry Ellison have scooped up lavish properties and acres of land over the years, and are now being accused of 'colonising'the islands and 'stealing' landfrom indigenous Hawaiians.

Click or scroll through to discover exactly why these famous faces are attracting criticism and take a look at the extravagant homes that lured them to thisdreamy archipelago in the first place...

Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo

In early August, the first of many small fires sparked across the islands. Very dry conditions, combined with strong and gusty easterly windsand low humidityproduced critical fire weather conditions, according to the National Weather Service, with officials on Maui reporting gusts of up to 80 miles per hour, which may have been fueled by Hurricane Dora.

The winds carried burning embers from house to house, destroying more than 2,000 buildings and forcing 8,000 from their homes, AP reported. The town of Lahaina (pictured) was worst hit, after a downed power line sparked flames in dry grass. The winds pushed the fire into dense neighbourhoods, where many homes were reduced to ash.

In October, the official death toll for the wildfire rose to 99 people, making it the deadliest US fire in more than a century. Six people are still missing.

CBS News

The first significant fire took hold in the community of Kula, where Oprah recently bought about 870 acres of agricultural land to add to the hundreds of acres she already owned in Kula, as well as the oceanfront community of Hāna.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the talk show billionaire visited an emergency shelter with a CBS News crew in tow. While the journalists were asked to stay outside, Oprah went in and asked people what they needed, before buying supplies including pillows, toiletries and nappies, she told the BBC.

Oprah wasreportedlydenied entry to the shelter, as media were restricted from entering. However,the County of Maui posted a clarification viaFacebookthanking her for her actions, saying:

"Oprah was able to visit our shelter and we thank her for instructing media journalists and camera crews to remain outside.We welcome Oprah to continue to uplift our community’s spirit and give her aloha to victims of the tragic disaster."

@oprah / @therock / Instagram

On 31 August, Oprah and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson – who reportedly holidays in Hawaii and spent part of his childhood on Oahu– made a joint video statement on Instagram, announcing the launch of the People's Fund of Maui, urging people to donate to the cause. Despite the fact the stars – who have a combined estimated net worth of more than $3billion (£2.5bn) – kickstarted the fund by donating $10million (£8.2m) of their own money, they were criticised for asking ordinary people to give during a time of global economic uncertainty.

Oprah also drew disapproval for owning thousands of acres of land that once belonged to theKānaka Maoli.

"Oprah owns 2,000 acres in Maui," one X user wrote."Her land wasn't destroyed. Her donation for recovery efforts should be the 2,000 acres she owns!"

PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Images

Following the deadly fires, Jeff Bezos and his finacée Lauren Sanchez reportedly established a $100 million (£82.5m) Maui Fund, while Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan donated$400,000 (£300k) to the Hawaii Community Foundation. However, as Maui residents sifted through the ashes of their homes, affluent landowners came under scrutiny for owning land and property that had once belonged to indigenous Hawaiians.

"Wealthy individuals like Oprah are settler colonial agents, buying up Hawaiian land by the thousands of acres and in doing so forcing Kānaka Maoli away off of the land in which they’re using as vacation properties," onecritic posted on X."If Oprah wanted to help, she’d give up the land she’s stolen."

PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Images

More sinister still, while the flames on Maui still burned, residents reported being contacted by developers and investors offering to buy their land from them.

“I am so frustrated with inventors and realtors calling the families who lost their home offering to buy their land,” one local said in a video for local charity,Kāko'o Haleakalā. “How dare you do that to our community right now.”

Hawaii governor Josh Green released a statement warningdevelopers against predatory land buying. He announced that the Hawaii state government was considering securing land in Lahaina (pictured) "to protect it for our local people so it’s not stolen by people on the mainland."

He estimatesHawaii lost $5.6 billion (£4.6bn) due to damage from the fires. Rebuilding costs are likely to reach several billion dollars, in part due to high labour costs and because much of the building materials will have to be shipped in from the mainland US, CNN reported.

Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo

The tragedy has highlighted the indigenous Hawaiian struggle for sovereignty, the Guardian reports. The Kingdom of Hawaii held sovereign nation status until a group ofUS sugar tycoons overthrew the country's queen in 1893, which allowed the USA to annex the islands in 1898, before eventually being granted US statehood in 1959.

Shockingly, native Hawaiians do not have self-governance rights – the only indigenous people in the US to be denied them. Now, grassroots activists are calling for Hawaii to be restored as a nation separate from the mainland.

“As far as I’ve been taught, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi still exists,” one West Maui council member told the Guardian. “We’re a nation occupied by the US.”

Locals also cite afight for water rightsand centuries of exploitation and poor land management bysugar plantations, which turned Lahaina – once known as the 'Venice of the Pacific' – into the "arid and dry" land that burned so quickly in the August inferno.

photopmh / Shutterstock

Exceptional Villas

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Meanwhile, local realtor Matthew G Beall toldForbesthat“there is an unspoken ethos of privacy and humility in the Hawaiian culture, allowing celebrities and billionaires to enjoy a latte in the local coffee shop without locals staring or paparazzi hounding them.”

Beall also highlighted the widespread availability of highly trained staff on the islands, from gourmet personal chefs and nannies to security guards, all of whom are in high demand among the uber-affluent.

@luxuryrowwaikiki / Instagram

Adding to Hawaii's billionaire appeal is its general expensiveness, which ensures exclusivity and guarantees a thriving fine dining scene, along with numerous high-end stores including branches of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci and Cartier. The airports on the major islands have also been upgraded to cater for private jets.

Now, let's look at who has bought their own patch of paradise...

Justin Sullivan / Getty

The first billionaire to make the Aloha state his part-time home was the late Intel co-founder and chairman emeritus Gordon Moore. Before his death in March 2023, the tech giant is said to have spent the bulk of his time at his Hawaiian home together with Betty, his wife of 72 years.

The property is situated on the oceanfront in Big Island's Kamuela area, about a 20-minute drive up the coast from the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

Google Earth

The creator of the famous Moore's Law appears to have owned the house since it was built in 1991, or may have purchased it not long after.

According to public records, the home, which is located on lava fields near a golf course, totals 6,400 square feet and features five bedrooms and six bathrooms.

Google Earth

Looking at this photo taken from the lava fields near the home, the property is typically Hawaiian in style and is surrounded by towering coconut trees. While you can't really make it out in this shot, there's a good-size pool on the grounds and several terraces on which to relax and unwind.

Moore reportedly died at his beloved Hawaiian home surrounded by family, at the age of 94.

Daniel Boczarski / Getty

Marc Benioff is also a veteran Hawaiian holiday homeowner. The Salesforce founder, chairman and CEO bought his bolthole in Big Island's MaunaKea Resort (where fellow billionaire Guy Laliberté's place is located – more on that in a moment) in 2000 for $12.5 million (£10.3m).

Since then, the tech billionaire has purchased several lots around his home, presumably to boost his privacy.

Haute Residence

In addition, Benioff holds the deeds to a unit at The Villas at Mauna Kea. Like his long-time friend Larry Ellison, the cloud-computing entrepreneur is hugely passionate about Hawaii and its culture. He wears Hawaiian shirts to work andnamed his dog Koa (Hawaiian for warrior) but hasplayed this down of late following accusations of cultural appropriation.

Benioff revealed to Fortune that Salesforce had donated $1 million (£822.5m) to World Central Kitchen in the aftermath of Maui's deadly fires.

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty

The Queen of All Media is also known as the Queen of Maui, and for good reason. Other billionaires like Jeff Bezos may be buying up property on the second-biggestHawaiian island, but Oprah reigns supreme as its leadingprivate landowner.

The TV mogul and philanthropist started purchasing land there back in 2003 when she parted with $5.3 million (£4.4m) to snag 23.7 acres.

@RickMinchin / Twitter

This initial plot in the Kula district contains Oprah's gorgeous American farmhouse-style property, which she revamped with the help of her favourite interior designers, not to mention at least three additional structures.

Over the subsequent decade, the talk show legend amassed a total of 782 acres according to an analysis by Variety, spending up to $60 million (£49.4m) all in all. But she didn't stop there...

@Ladybellissima7 / Twitter

In October 2021, Winfrey snapped up a three-acre agricultural-zoned property next to the other Maui properties, according to Maui Now, adding two 10-acre $100,000 (£82.3k) plots at the end of 2022. Then, in March 2023, she reportedly spent an impressive $6.6 million (£5.4m) on 870 additional acres in Kula.

Oprah's vast holding is now said to encompass around 1,000 acres in Kula, dotted with multiple buildings and an additional 63 acres in Hana, but the pristine white clapboard farmhouse remains the place Oprah stays when she comes to the island for a visit.

Interestingly, unlike many other billionaire properties in Hawaii, Oprah's estate is inland, rather than fronting a beach.

@oprah / Instagram

Taylor Hill / FilmMagic / Getty

Next up is computer magnate Michael Dell. The IT entrepreneur bought Maui's Four Seasons Resort at Wailea in 2004 for $280 million (£230.7m) via his investment company MSD Capital.

He followed up his big purchase by buying a share in the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Big Island (which these daysis co-owned by Walmart billionaire Rob Walton), as well as the nearby Kona Village Resort.

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Big Island's only Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond Resort, the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has a sumptuous yet laid-back vibe and is the most expensive and luxurious of the two Four Seasons properties Dell has an interest in.

In 2021, it underwent a $100 million (£82.4m) renovation, which saw the construction of three villas billed as the archipelago's largest and most high-end villa accommodations.

Kukio Golf and Beach Club

Google Earth

Randy Shropshire / Getty

Pierre Omidyar is one of only two full-time billionaire residents of Hawaii – the other is Larry Ellison, who we'll come to in a moment.

The famously reclusive eBay founder moved to the 50thstate with his wife Pam and their three children back in 2006, settling in a 5,800-square-foot beachfront home in the upscale Honolulu neighbourhood of Kahala.

Shots by Rob / Shutterstock

The posh area has been called the Beverly Hills of Honolulu, though Omidyar is the only billionaire to own property on the island of Oahu, with most mega-rich buyers as we've seen favouring other islands in the chain such as Maui and Big Island.

Be that as it may, the Omidyars have donated tens of millions of dollars over the years to various causes across the islands via their philanthropic investment arm. They also donated $500,000 (£412k) to the Hawaii Community Foundation in the wake of the wildfires, according to Philanthropy News Digest.

Bryan Steffy / WireImage / Getty

Airbnb

Airbnb

Airbnb

Highlights include the infinity pool and hot tub, spa, home cinema, commercial kitchen (the rental includes the services of a personal chef), alluring living spaces and bedrooms, along with the heavenly tropical garden, which feature koi ponds, a vintage tiki bar, a table seating 26 and what the Airbnb blurb describes as “gallery-worthy” outdoor sculptures.

In October 2023, Laliberté listed his eight-bedroom Montreal mansion for a cool $10 million (£8.3m), so he may be about to spend more time athis Hawaiian home.

Larry Busacca / Getty

Hualalai Resort

Hualalai Resort

Hualalai Resort

One of the property's bedrooms is shown here. It delights with expertly crafted teak cabinetry, a welcoming four-poster bed and sliding patio doors that open up the space, which looks out to a raised stone-clad terrace and very private tropical garden brimming with luxuriant plants and trees.

No stranger to luxury living, Griffin is currently planning to buildthe world's first $1 billion (£823m) home, after buying up swathes of prime Palm Beach, Florida real estate.

John Lamparski / Getty

Yet another billionaire who owns an awesome holiday home in Hawaii, PayPal co-founder and early Facebook investor Peter Thiel bought an oceanfront mansion in Makena back in 2011 for $27 million (£22.3m), which broke the then-record for the most expensive single property sold on the island of Maui.

While just 10 miles from Lahaina, the area most devastated by the August wildfires, Thiel has not made public the extent of his charitable donations, according to New York Post.

Sayles Team

Thiel's five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom home (the house appears to have had just four bedrooms when it was listed in 2011) rocksa total floor space of 5,224 square feet and sits on a plot spanning just under 1.7 acres.

The property is located just up the road from Bezos' new love nest.

Google

Phillip Faraone / Getty

Next up is Larry Ellison, who easily trumps even Oprah and Mark Zuckerberg when it comes to enormous landholdings since he owns an entire Hawaiian island –well, around 98% of it at least.

The Oracle co-founder purchased Lanai, the sixth-largest island in the archipelago at 141 square miles, in 2012 for a reported $300 million (£247m).

MH Anderson Photography / Shutterstock

Realtor.com

Ellison owns a third of the island's homes and many of its businesses, including shops, restaurants and galleries, along with two golf courses, the local water company, an animal rescue centre, the community swimming pool and more.

Ellison is a "modern day American king," according to a 2022 exposé by Bloomberg Bussinessweekthat looked into his ownership ofLanai.“Many residents both rent from him and work for him, and a provision in his residential leases states that if you’re terminated from a job with any of his companies, you can be kicked out of your home, too.”

However, when the pandemic hit, Ellison cancelled or reduced rents for businesses on the island and covered his staff's wages and benefits.

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

The tech billionaire, who became a permanent resident during the 2020lockdown, lives in this sprawling compound in Lanai City (which is really a tiny village).

The tycoon has been working to transform Lanai into a sustainable, carbon-neutral tourism hub and “health utopia”, and owns two Four Seasons hotels there, including the blissful Sensei “wellness enclave”, which has its own hydroponic farm powered by Tesla solar panels.

Ellison's development hasn't been good news for everyone, however. His purchase of the island has been blamed driving up the cost of living on the island, which has allegedlyresulted in familes who have lived on Lanaifor generations being forced to leave, the New York Post reported in 2022.

Tim Mosenfelder / Getty

Together with his wife Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg has amassed a vast portfolio of land on the island of Kauai, which is famed for its verdant rainforests, beguiling beaches and awe-inspiring cliffs.

The twosome got the ball rolling in 2014 when they acquired 741 acres on the island's North Shore, splurging more than $200 million (£164.7m) on two huge parcels, though some sources put the figure at nearer$100 million (£82.3m).

Shane Myers Photography / Shutterstock

Google Earth

The lawsuits were eventually dropped, but the parcels were nevertheless auctioned off in 2019, with Zuckerberg and his wife winning three out of the four on offer.

Pictured here from above, the landholding had actually been extended in 2018 when the pair bought an 80-acre plot next door for $45.3 million (£33.8m) and 12 smaller parcels for just under $12 million (£9m).

Steve Heap / Shutterstock

That same year, documents obtained bylocal newspaperGarden Islandshowed the Zuckerbergs were planning to build a relatively modest two-bedroom home on the site. The couple and their children are said to have spent part of lockdown at the property.

Fast-forward to March 2021 and the pair bought a further 600 acres fronting Kauai Larsen's Beach for $53 million (£43.6m), giving them a total holding well in excess of 1,400 acres.

Following Maui's deadly fires, the couple reportedly donated $400,000(£300k) to the Hawaii Community Foundation.

Mike Jordan / Getty

Luxury Big Island

You may think $25 million (£20.6m) is an obscene price to pay for a holiday home, but Schultz actually got a major bargain since the property was originally listed for $33 million (£27.2m).

Like his neighbourKen Griffin's pad, the eight-bedroom, two-lot home has a Balinese feel, with indoor/outdoor living spaces and wall to wall teak.

Luxury Big Island

Luxury Big Island

Steve Granitz / FilmMagic / Getty

In November 2021 it was reported that Jeff Bezos was the latest in a long line of billionaires to bag a wow-factor property in Hawaii. He scooped up the sensational and exceedingly private Carter Estate on the island of Maui, which no doubt serves as a tropical love nest for the now third-richest person in the world and his finacéeLauren Sánchez.

Luckily for the high profile couple, their home lies roughly 25 miles from August's wildfire zone and so escaped damage. Reacting to the tragedy, Lauren expressed their heartbreak via Instagram and pledged $100 million (£82.3) "to help get Maui back on its feet."

Google Earth

A frequent guest at Maui's Montage Kapalua Bay resort, the Amazon boss is said to have made several deep-pocketed donations to local charities around the time of the big purchase, which is rumoured to have gone through in June.

Bezos reportedlypaid $78 million (£64m) for the 14-acre estate, smashing the record for the most expensive real estate sale on the island.

TravelingOtter / Flickr [CC BY-ND 2.0]

The seller was energy magnate Doug Schatz, who purchased the compound in 1996 for $4.2 million (that's about $8.2m / £6.7m today) and went on to spend millions upgrading it.

The property on La Perouse Bay is surrounded by lava fields and parkland and allegedly boasts the only private beach in Maui, the compact white sand beauty pictured here –though under Hawaiian law all beaches can be accessed by the public.

cleanfotos / Shutterstock

Consisting of seven land parcels, the estate includes a 4,500-square-foot main house based on a traditional Hawaiian plantation mansion, a guesthouse spanning 1,700 square feet and several other buildings, together with a circular swimming pool, acres of lush grounds and those dramatic-looking lava fields.

Luckily for the couple, the island's Haleakalāvolcano is dormant and isn't expected to erupt again for 500 years.

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