Never have I ever officially stayed here as a hotel guest either on vacation or staycation yet. But…read morerecently came here on a recent special occasion for a friend's milestone birthday celebration. It was held in the Waialae Ballroom on a Saturday afternoon with lunch being served for all the guests. What a beautiful location where you can see the lush garden just outside, the pacific ocean was a few yards away when you're done eating, you're free to roam the area and see the beautiful architecture and structure of this fabulous hotel. I was not able to play tourist as this party had to end by 2pm and I had commitments thereafter. But for future hotel guests information, they also have dolphins for you to see. The food here was incredible and of good quality. Good for any type of gatherings of any size breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bartenders and service at the bar was even better! The amount of attention every table was receiving was amazing, glasses were never empty and always started with a full pour. Self parking was completely full, although valet parking service was a better idea. Keep in mind this is a full service 5 star property located in Kahala/Waialae. Would love to be a hotel guest one of these days just to say I've stayed at The Kahala Resort.

Very nice hotel resort on the other side of Diamond Head. found a great rate to come with the…read morekiddos for a little Summer Vacay. nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle in Waikiki. The Kahala bills itself as a 5 star luxury stay. while there are definitely some 5 star attributes to this resort, it falls short of a full 5 star rating. we booked using the Chase Reserve promo which included some great benefits such as hotel credits, room upgrade on availability and early check-in/out opportunities. we arrived a little early, 1pm, but a room wasn't available. they were able to get us an upgrade, however. for a 3pm standard check-in we were only able to get a room at 220p. we booked a room for 4 people, but, they got us a King bed. we were offered 2 rollaways, or move to a double room the next day. we chose the prior. luckily, the room itself was pretty large and well appointed. the bathroom was also big, with dual sinks on opposite ends, a separate shower and tub and a MAGIC toilet! yes, a toilet with a warming seat, senses your rear approaching and lights up and rinses the inside of the bowl, all prior to being used! oh, and it's also got a bidet built in. i think that was the highlight of our room. the tv was conveniently on a retractable mount so could be adjusted as necessary. there was a good sized fridge as well as a Nespresso machine and complimentary water. The resort grounds were immaculate and aesthetically pleasing. the lobby/patio area gave off plantation vibes, similar to the Moana Surfrider. there are in-house dolphins that swim around the pond that guests can interact directly with in the water. there are multiple restaurants on property that range from casual, to buffet to fine dining. THE best part of the Kahala is it's pristine beach front location. just steps from the resort pool, Kahala beach was our favorite of this entire trip. as i mentioned, this was a nice break from Waikiki and this beach is the epitome of non-Waikiki. although it is a public beach, it was relatively peaceful and quiet. the surrounding neighborhood provides an element that is conducive to relaxation and calm. mama and i were able to sit on our complimentary beach loungers and just chill while the kiddos frolicked in and out of both the surf and the pool. the dudes attending to the beach/pool guests were awesome and always ready to help. while The Kahala provided us a great stay, there were a couple points of contention that kept it short of a 5 star resort. the wrought iron balcony railing's white paint didn't quite cover up the rusting going on underneath it. and the balcony dividers that provided perfect privacy from our neighbors, also had rust smattering it. i realize we're in a tropical climate and this is common, but, perhaps a 5 star resort would pay more attention to those details. another issue was trying to communicate with the front desk. we had a 50% success rate with trying to get ahold of someone on the phone. it should not be that difficult. the pool had the ubiquitous sludge that develops when sunblock and water and mass of humanity meet, but, the filtration system should be managing that a lot better. overall, we had a wonderful time at The Kahala. it's definitely worthy of a return visit, regardless of the 5 star shortcomings. we highly recommend this place.

We have been coming here for years. It is a quite off the beaten path resort on Oahu. We appreciate…read morethe staff that always accommodate us: Marissa, Mgr and staff Ashley and Vanessa. Marissa always goes out of her way to ensure our stay is wonderful. The beds in the cottages were so comfortable. The view from the lobby is spectacular. We enjoyed the coffee, tea, banana bread and fruit for breakfast. The kids loved the pool and kayaks.

Odd experience here. Was INCREDIBLY excited to stay here, and in a few ways this is a great spot…read more Wonderful location, and great access to watersports like SUP and kayaking. That's where the good ends. The bathroom isn't great, there isn't a light over the shower so it's quite dark in there, plus it wasn't draining well so our showers were turning into baths. Room was pretty nice overall. We signed up for SUP, and it was my girlfriend's first time ever doing it. We expected someone from the resort to be there to show us the ropes and give us some information...there was absolutely nobody. We went searching for people, and the maintenance people didn't really say much of anything. We went into the Kahaluu bay area and I fell off my SUP once and ended up scratching up my leg and foot pretty bad...would have been nice to know the bay was only a few feet deep in some parts, with rocks on the seafloor to avoid. We also signed up for their big Saturday "Paradise Bay Experience Package" out to the reef to snorkel and to the sandbar to walk around. We signed up for a 10 am departure time. They called at 9:50 am to double check we were still going on the experience and I confirmed yes to checking out and yes to the experience. We went upstairs to checkout a few minutes later, and it took us a few minutes to do so because they said they wouldn't trust us to not return our towels and car parking pass after the experience, so we had to grab them RIGHT THEN. Okay fine, we bring those to them and notice from the front desk the boat for the experience literally leaving the dock at 9:58 am...WHY?!? I ask them and they say it was our fault, and we were supposed to be there at the boat 5 minutes early...NOBODY TOLD US THAT! Not when we signed up for the experience, and not in the follow-up email we received about it, which I'll attach below. So then they rush to call the boat captain to say to come back to the dock. You JUST called me 10 minutes prior and I said we were going on the experience, did you not communicate that with the boat staff? Clearly not. We end up jumping on the boat at 9:59 am after it had returned, so after all that hassle we were a minute early. No sorry from anyone, not even any acknowledgement from the boat staff. Long story short, this could easily be a 5-star hotel and experience if the hotel had a completely different staff, filled with people with more compassion, customers service skills, and a greater care for hospitality.

The legendary beach front hotel in beautiful Waikiki celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2026. We…read morewere fortunate to celebrate USA 250 Independence Day here and it was AWESOME! The Banyan Wing is the original Victorian-era building which is listed on National Historic Registry and houses the main lobby and restaurant. The number of guests and visitor who circulate through this property daily is incredible. Including the Tower and Surfrider Wings, it has 791 rooms. Our Tower room had a great covered patio with incredible views of Waikiki and Diamond Head. We spent a lot of time on the patio watching the surfers, catamarans, and enjoying the island breeze. Our balcony was spectacular :o Our room was updated and very comfortable. I understand the owners completed a full renovation of all rooms in 2026. The beach bar is one of the best in the world. Cold cocktails, beer and wine. Good service. Great views! The drawbacks.... The pool is small and very crowded, especially for 791 rooms. With that said everyone in the pool was smiling and having fun. The beach is also pretty small for such a massive hotel. At high tide the hotel only has about 30 feet of beachfront and it is a public beach so it is crowded Rio style. For us this was not a drawback as we love Waikiki, the birthplace of Hawaiian surfing, and spend most of our time in the surf. Hawaii and Waikiki is one of the few places that completely lives us to the hype year after year and generation after generation. We can't wait to return. Aloha & Mahalo

After visiting and eating at this resort in years past, we were excited about the opportunity to…read moreactually stay here. So much history as shown throughout the resort especially on the second floor, but also the open Victorian architecture which presents a relaxing atmosphere. Our friends thought we were "rich" for being able to stay here but I don't recall the prices being too different than other hotels in the area. We also got a great offering through the American Express card. We arrived on island early afternoon and attempted to stay up as late as possible. However, we were given a room on the second floor of the historic side of the hotel where they host events on the patio area outside our room. While we were trying to sleep at 8-9pm, a festive wedding was going on with their DJ blasting music, people dancing, yelling, the DJ trying to motivate the audience, etc. It was not a fun night as my wife complained to the hotel staff about the noise interfering with our ability to sleep. It's not the fact the wedding was occuring, but rather the fact the hotel staff didn't let us know they were putting us next to the hotel night club of sorts. Hawaii is typically laid back and quiet, which this was not. The hotel staff sympathisized and mentioned the wedding would be finished by 10pm which it was, and tried to make things better. On day 3 around 4am, the hotel fire alarm sounded and advised everyone to vacate the building. When we vacated, we learned it was a false alarm. This was our last day at the Moana Surfrider which we assumed was a sign the resort wasn't meant to be a relaxing experience for us. The hotel has activities associated with the resort fee such as yoga, that we registered for. It was my first time doing yoga despite mention by my wife over the years to do it. I figured it would be a pleasant surprise for her if I signed us up, and it was a great class out on the same patio area as the wedding. I won't say it was fun for me, but it was an experience that we both enjoyed. The room itself was small which I assume is because it was part of the historic side of the hotel. There wasn't a balcony which we've come to appreciate especially in Hawaii to be able to go outside, view the water, and smell the air. Instead there was a window which we tried to orient ourselves in to get a picture of us with our welcome leis and Waikiki Beach in the background. Very challenging to appreciate a window as well as find space in the room to lay out two large suitcases without having to relocate furniture. The shower leaked water onto the bathroom floor as the cracks in the glass were not sealed so there was a constant wet towel on the floor. The bathroom in general didn't seem very modern considering the hotel had recently undergone years of modernization. Housekeeping was good and treated us well with towels and drinking water. I believe the Tower rooms of the hotel might be more modern and larger, as well as away from the event area of the hotel. I think we would look at other options in the future as we also spent a few days each during this trip at the Sheraton and The Royal Hawaiian which provided a much different experience in comparison.

This review is based only on the Disney store in Aulani and the little snack shop out by the pool…read more We have never stayed here and most likely never will. We are Marriott members and this is not a Marriott property. We always enjoy shopping at the Disney store here. On this trip I bought a cute dress for me, T-shirt for my grandson, and a few other little things. After shopping we walked out to the snack shop to pick up $80 in snacks to take out to the lagoon: fruit, chips, cookies, etc. There are so many choices for snacks and nothing is inexpensive.

100% recommend and would return without a doubt if we ever find our way back to Hawaii. This was by…read morefar the best part of our trip. We stayed in Waikiki for part of our trip but then came here for our last part to celebrate our daughters birthday. Best choice of the whole trip. This area was a completely different look and feel to the island. It was so much more calming and relaxing. The hotel staff were phenomenal, the check in process was amazing and went so smoothly. We were told our room wouldn't be ready until 4PM, but Disney magic it was ready at 12pm. Which was amazing with toddlers. The attractions, there are so many pools to choose from, the lazy river is amazing, the slides were so fun! The attention to detail everywhere is so Disney but with a Hawaiian feel. It was great to be able to get towel service anywhere, there are beach toys, life vests available all free. We didn't have a hard time finding chairs. Theres some good quick food service options near the pool. We ordered a bit of everything and it was all good for pool service food. The kids loved the Disney Mickey ears shaved ice. We did a paddle board rental and the bay was so calm, clear and amazing, it was beautiful to see the bay from the kind of view and experience. We did the Character breakfast dining and that was so fun for the kids to see all the Characters come through, the food was plenty. They have photos with Mickey before and you can buy all the photos and a print out for a packaged price. The characters came by and visited with the kids it was so adorable. The servers were so sweet and amazing like a true Auntie. The kids had so much fun at all the meet and greets with the Characters. Moana and Stitch were of course the island favorite and highlight. We took advantage and took lots of photos with the photo passes and had to buy the packages because what sweet memories. Self parking was very close and in a garage so it was great for us with the car rental that we had. The valet/car staff were amazing as well, they were accommodating and helped with all the bags. Bell hop was exceptional here as well, so helpful and friendly. The room itself was cute, there was a kitchenette but we didn't take advantage of it. The bathroom was a good size and had everything you needed including liquid hand soap. The room was a decent size, but the bed was a bit smaller than we are used to, it was a full rather than a queen or king. The kids pull out sofa was much bigger, but we didn't spend much time in the room. The attention to detail was great, there was room to store your bags under the bed. We had a wonderful view of the garden/pool. Great for pictures. Mickey and friends called to tell my daughter happy birthday. Overall the experience was so memorable for our family. I was tempted to sign up to be a DVC member but we don't go to Hawaii often enough to make it worth it. But by far the most beautiful Disney resort we have been too. We love DisneyWorld but this was a different Island feel. Of course we went to the gift shop too because it was a must and had special Disney Aulani items only! The lounge they had for guest use on the day of check out was amazing feature on our last day when we were flying home. We were able to use the pool and all the amenities and then shower and refresh before out 8 hour flight home.

The hotel for an overall experience was clean and enjoyable, but our room was a little compact with…read moretwo Queen-size beds (but we went in there that much). Valet was the only parking option, but we did notice a mall parking lot a block down the street that could be utilized too in worse case scenario. The was a restaurant option called Sera that we did enjoy their happy hour one-day, but we mainly found ourselves getting breakfast options from Paris Baguette that was also connected to the hotel. There was a spa, but we didn't partake in it. I only went to the spa to get the beach towels for the swimming pool. That has a patio terrace area and a jacuzzi, also a lap pool. The wait staff was nice, but housekeeping would not always respond when you called for assistance. I had to go to the front desk a couple times to get ahold.of housekeeping, to get like extra bath towels. There is also a shuttle that will drop you off along the Waikiki Beach strip to get you really close to the beach and other touristy spots in Oahu. Also I thought it was nice that the hotel provided complimentary beach chairs on a 1st come, 1st serve basis. My friends and I got lucky enough to get 4 of them one day for out beach visit. Not to mention the location of this hotel is convenient for a near by shopping mall, Target, Don Quixote, a variety of restuarants, and even the location of our rental car place. I enjoyed my stay in Renaissance and would definitely stay again for the location preference.

The hotel itself- the building was nice, but it needs SO much work. I'm a lifetime titanium…read moreMarriott member and this property is NOT functioning correctly. It makes it worse because they build a $25 spend on your resort fees for the restaurants and this is what they serve you. On more than one occasion our car took 30-40 minutes because they didn't have enough valets, I booked 2 separate reservations back to back to change room types when my kids showed up and despite requesting housekeeping for both, they didn't service my room 3 out of 9 might. 33% miss. We had to request towels by going downstairs because no one was answering the phone. It's 8-2026 so maybe wait until 2028 to let them straighten it up or else you have been warned Horrible. My 2 stars take into account the nice building, location and decently solid rooms for now

The last time we stayed here, we were in the Rainbow Tower. This time, we stayed in the Tapa Tower…read more As always, the staff was friendly, helpful, and provided excellent service. My biggest issue with the hotel is that it's showing its age. The rooms and facilities feel outdated, and I don't think the current room rates reflect the condition of the property. Also, if you're looking to save on parking, park by the pier instead. It's much more affordable than paying the hotel's $65 per day parking fee.

Just got back from here last night. Service was good - especially the housekeeping staff. We stayed…read morein the Tapa Tower, more specifically, the Keilani Suite. Our housekeeper Analiza B. was amazing - such a nice lady. She made our room so comfy and clean every single day. She even brought me ice packs after my training sessions. This woman DESERVES a raise. I am used to staying in West Oahu, very quiet and relaxing. There were too many people at the hotel for me. It reminded me of Las Vegas a little bit. Plus the prices at the restaurants were outrageous. 12 dollars for shaved ice is crazy. Overall a good experience but budget well before you decide to stay at this hotel.

Mahalo for the great and understanding customer service…read more Just a couple of sleep deprived parents trying to plan a break when my husband booked the wrong dates, for the wrong length of time. It was outside the 24 hour cancellation window but their concierge was so understanding Thank you

Great customer service from all staff members! Great…read morelocation! Steps from restaurants, shops and the Waikiki Monday Night Market! Great, spacious room! Amazing views! Delicious breakfast! The reason for the 4 stars: Embassy Suites is known for their free breakfast and evening specials. Unfortunately the evening specials' drinks are very limited and of low quality (alcohol). The snacks are tasteless. Why are the chips and pretzels disgusting?!?! Thankfully, there are many food/beverage options nearby. We stayed in the Hula Tower which was convenient to the pool and breakfast area. We valeted a car which was bout $60 per day and had in and out privileges. The valet staff was always kind and gracious. My child enjoyed the pool and made friends in the pool. Great stay and will definitely recommend! Tip: Read the entire handout that you get when you check in. There are yoga classes, discounts, etc. that are available to you.

Wow -- can't say enough good things about our stay in the Hibiscus Bungalow! Reservation,…read morecheck-in, arrival instructions, and all the facilities were exactly as described! Walk right out onto the beach to watch or catch waves coming in! Lots of great sand stretches and wasn't crowded at all during our stay. A/C mini splits in both bedrooms service the entire bungalow and easy to control. Ceiling fans in major area helped with air flow! Closing the blinds in the afternoon was a must for us to keep the place cool, however we were out playing anyways so it was easy to close them off in the mid to late morning. Location was exactly what we wanted, just in between the small town vibes and a short drive to Honolulu!!

I rented two bungalows for my family. One was the newly renovated Guava and one was the Heliconia…read morewhich was conveniently located right below. The location of the bungalows were perfect for my son's wedding at the Sunset Ranch. It was literally 10 minutes away from the venue. The Guava was absolutely beautiful! The only issue we had was running out of hot water on the first night. The second night was better as we staggered our baths. The Heliconia was also nice but you tell that it was older. I gave the Ke Ike Bungalows a 4 star rating instead of a 5 only because there were no facial tissue provided, and the water was really slow to drain in the Heliconia's bathroom sink. That being said, I would definitely return. My plan is to stay at one of the bungalows fronting the beach on my next visit.

Wow! Gorgeous grounds. I didn't expect there to be a nice parking garage and a fantastic pool area…read more They also had a cafe with refrigerators stalled with frozen burritos and pizza. I could foresee this coming in handy when staying in a suite with a kitchen. They had activities planned everyday like water aerobics. Lei making, etc. I loved the variety of pools and the cove they made for kids. It was sometimes hard to get a spot next to the pool due to the demand, but it was relatively safe to leave your things unattended. I never felt like I needed to keep an eye on my items. On the beach, they had options to rent cabanas and shaded beach lounge chairs. That was nice as it would get so hot during the day.

Our family members stayed at this hotel in the Ko'Olina Resort area located on lagoon 3…read more They had a two bedroom with living room and kitchen between it. Three bathrooms. We live 10 minutes away and often visit the lagoon but did not realize how nice the grounds are. Multiple water features for all age levels, including quiet area for adults. Waterslides, slash pad for your littles, all of this is throughout property with beautiful tropical landscaping. We went to visit with them each day in pool areas or on the beach. We were allowed on property with wrist band. Staff were all very friendly, the hotel grounds inside and out were all kept clean. Highly recommend as a place to stay and recommend to family if you live in Kapolei or Makakilo area. We felt like we were on vacation too.

Lovely and comfortable hotel just a couple blocks from the beach. Though obviously older and…read morewell-used, the room was clean and the hotel overall is well-maintained. Incredible views from our lanai. The resort is close enough to the bustling beach areas to walk comfortably, all the way down to Duke's and the Moana Surfrider Hotel. A Target and about one thousand ABC stores are also within walking distance. Other than their lovely pool, they have a lounge on the 37th floor with Casamigos cocktails, a spa, a nightly magic show, game room, mini golf, and activities like yoga and a lei-making class. Skip their restaurant, Mac 24/7. There's a little counter area for coffee and breakfast items, but the actual restaurant food is not good.

To praise the parts that were great it would be that the restaurant staff and snack shop crew were…read moreextremely helpful and wonderful. The morning line moved steadily as the snack shop dished out coffee drinks and breakfast food items like a well oiled machine. Dexter at the front desk was amazing and professional so that wins some stars. We managed to attend the free lei making class with Kumu Richard and he was incredibly kind and knowledgeable on the history of leis. The hotel is right near the beach so location wise, you're in a good spot. There's a Target a few streets down and plenty of restaurants and convenience stores nearby. The free mini golf at the pool was a nice activity too. Other than that, the rooms are overpriced and little amenities to make the resort fee make sense. I stayed for 1 night as my getting ready room for my wedding day so there wasn't any time to rent something for the beach or utilize something for the resort fee. Post-wedding when we moved my luggage to his room, I noticed the closet was in the bathroom so that was an interesting choice (not all rooms are like that - my evening room to get ready had the closet near the door which was more accessible/made sense). Rooms felt damp and humid due to no ventilation. Bed was extremely hot - like wake up in night sweats from how little circulation there was despite having the AC on the lower end to compensate for the mugginess. I know we are in a tropical climate so humidity is expected, but to not have a vent in the bathroom may not be the best idea. Hilton's Instagram advertised incentives for couples, weddings, anniversaries but that is not true. We emailed the general manager back in May about our wedding and no response or acknowledgments. Room service food they don't include everything so before they walk away, make sure to check the bag. This was my first time ordering with room service in a hotel because I'm on team getting something myself or bringing it up to my room. However, I specifically ordered so I wouldn't have to leave my room for the moment in between wedding ceremony and reception and thought to give convenience a try. To call the front desk for the missing items twice only to have to go down myself after waiting 15 minutes from no response didn't make me feel like a valued hotel guest. When I type this out it sounds like first world problems but seeing how hotels typically pride themselves in customer service this wasn't the case. Conveniently when I went back to my room, the digital key stopped working. When maintenance looked at the battery on the door, the battery was still functioning so I learned it's best to keep your physical key on-hand and not rely on the Hilton app. Reading other reviews on Yelp and Google I'm noticing the consistency in disappointment for stays at Hilton Waikīkī Beach Resort & Spa. If you decide to stay, know there may be a few disappointments for the price you're paying and that the beds are lumpy and hot. Best to focus your energy on the beautiful sunrises / sunsets, swims at the beach, venture around the island, support the local food scene, play in the sand, enjoy the scenic views when visiting other parts of O'ahu.