in my last few hours in Waikiki I decided to hit the beach to do some solo yoga. I came across this class and walked over and asked to join. the instructor, Dennis was so friendly and said yes with no hesitation. it felt divine to have stumbled across them. when I come back I absolutely plan on attending more classes both beachside and in studio! Mahalo Dennis!!! read more

Dennis provided the absolute best indoor yoga class and it made my entire vacation. He adapted his program to my abilities, increased the creativity, and we had so much fun. Highly recommended. read more

The class was listed as beginner-friendly, which is why I chose it. While the description may mention props and movements, it doesn't reflect the actual difficulty level I experienced as someone who is truly a beginner. The instructor arrived 15 minutes late, and the class did not begin until significantly after the scheduled time. There was no introduction or welcome. That in itself set an uncomfortable tone before the movement even began. During the class, I did not feel supported or guided in a way that beginners typically need. While the instructor may have been "observing," I did not feel like I was receiving instruction, encouragement, or modifications that would have made the class more accessible. Typically, yoga classes begin with breath work and gentle movements to warm up the body before attempting more challenging poses. Because of the late start and lack of structure, that did not happen here. Additionally, the instructor Dennis makes rude comments such as asking if I "read" or if I "listen". He comes across as condescending rather than respectful. It was very clear that my time and presence as a student were not valued. I did read the description and attended, expecting a beginner-friendly class that would start on time. Ultimately, I left because I did not feel safe, comfortable, or like this was an environment for a beginner to learn. I would not recommend this establishment, and my review reflects my honest experience. read more

Best yoga class ever! If you're staying at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki or nearby - just go! Sign up was a breeze @ waikikiyoga.com. I've practiced different kinds of yoga for over 30 years and was happily surprised at how awesome this class was. It was like a blend of various yoga styles and floor Pilates. We started on the big stability balls using straps to help balance. Can you say, "Fun!"? It is!! :D I've used stability balls a lot and straps a bit, but never together. The combination gives great control and the ability to get into deeper stretches. I liked having the straps in my hands while sitting on the ball because I felt like I could try things I normally would not try. Again, Super fun! Great core workout and stretching with support from balls and straps. Dennis is a magnificent master instructor. His voice guided me through the movements rather like a musical dance anticipating my ability (or lack of) and instructing me along the way. He is super patient and is a gifted teacher. I almost did not sign up because I have many injuries in various states of healing. Before the class, Dennis went over these with me. He did an amazing job of choosing stretches and strengthening moves to give a great workout without stressing my injuries. I so appreciate his ability to do this. It seemed effortless for him and definitely is a sign of a master yoga instructor. I haven't had such a great workout without bad pain (think limping while walking afterward at a snail pace) in a long time. Thank you, Dennis! So, if you're on the fence about taking the class because it seems intimidating - don't be. Dennis will work with your ability, is gentle, and encouraging. You've gotta try yoga in this studio with the fun stability balls, support straps, and mirrors. Excellent yoga environment. The sound of the waterfall (inside the Hyatt atrium) blends with the yoga music giving the . perfect peaceful energy vibe. And, while I did this class, solo, it would be fantastic to do as a family. Dennis's ability to adapt to the needs of his students, his clear instruction, his humor ("let yourself hang out" when hanging over the strap) and his enthusiasm will provide your family with a fun and healthy experience. If I am back here with my kids, we will be signing up for a family session! What more can I say, just go! You'll be glad you did! :D read more

I went to this yoga class while staying in Waikiki and ended up going more than once because it was that good. The instructor was absolutely amazing, so knowledgeable, grounding, and supportive. I have an injury, and he was able to thoughtfully modify the poses to make sure I still got a full, safe practice without pain. He draws from different modalities like Iyengar and other therapeutic styles, and you can really feel how much intention he brings to each movement and adjustment. By the end of class, I felt like I had gotten a deep massage for both body and soul. It was the perfect balance of mindful, restorative, and energizing. If you're in Waikiki and looking for a class that's both healing and powerful, don't miss this. 100 percent recommend. read more

That was an interesting experience doing SUP yoga in water! The instructor is patient and helpful. We carried the boards to the water and paddled to a calm area. Then we started with a few postures lying on the back to get used to it. After that, we did some more changing standing poses. What a great way to start the day! read more

Yoga Waikiki - Yoga Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I had the pleasure of doing the SUP sunrise yoga with Dennis while staying at the Hyatt Regency, and it was literally the best thing I did while I was in Waikiki. Seeing the water through your legs and the sky above you while you go through the poses was out of this world! Although I was worried in advance that the board might not be large enough for me (I'm 5'9'), it was more than large enough for me to go through the poses comfortably (this was my first time on a paddleboard). The yoga itself is such a magical experience, and Dennis was a clear and helpful instructor who was extremely kind and calming. He did a great job talking through modifications and a range of options during the class, so this would be a fun experience for yogis of all levels. Talk about feeling present and connected to the world around you! It was such a delightful experience. I will keep the memory of this class in my mind so that I can summon it in future yoga classes! Highly, highly recommend the SUP class with Dennis! read more

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I have been taking the sup yoga class with Dannis for the past 2years whenever I am in Honolulu. I love it so much that I make sure I include his classes in my itinerary. I strongly recommend taking his class if you are in Waikiki. Taking multiple classes with him made me balance better and enjoy yoga even more on the board. It does take time for him to prepare all the equipment in the morning to the beach and also in the water so if you are in rush to get to the next schedule after the yoga classes (as we all love doing many activities during vacation;) I would recommend letting him know in advance. read more

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If you are staying in Waikiki, try SUP (stand up paddle board) yoga at Yoga Waikiki. Studio is located in the Hyatt. It is so much fun and feels so good to do yoga in the ocean on the warm water. No paddling experience needed. The folks at the studio go above and beyond in serving the class participants and helping in every way needed. read more

Yoga Waikiki - Down dog on SUP - Yoga Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I can highly recommend taking Dennis' classes - he's very knowledgeble and his background is unique. I've taken his classes for years on our visits here before covid, usually always the outdoor ones at Kapiolani Park - I love the ambiance, the sounds there , the gorgeous Banyon trees. This time we stayed at the Hyatt Regency where Dennis has his perfect studio, as well as he's also the intructor for the Hyatt's free yoga classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So I enjoyed multi classes on the lanai here, the Park yoga and I especially enjoyed the new studio - my first experience with the straps and bars. A great workout - relaxing and rejuvenating at the same time. I'm looking forward to our next visit!! Cheryl Z. read more

My friends and i just took their "SUP yoga" class. It's $60 for a supposedly 2.5 hr paddle and class which is standard for SUP yoga in the Honolulu area, but was definitely not worth it for what we got from this studio. While i would HIGHLY recommend SUP yoga, especially in Hawai'i (it's so fun and so beautiful!) i would never go back to this studio. EVER. And from what i read in the other truthful reviews, I'm sure the instructor will come at me with an insulting response for sharing the truth with you all. It was a pretty disappointing experience all around (other than being in the beautiful waters of Hawai'i of course). I SUP frequently and have done SUP yoga many times in California and Hawai'i, and have practiced yoga on land for years.... and this was the worst SUP experience I've ever had and i wouldn't even call whatever this dude was doing a yoga class. First off the teacher showed up 30'min late, all of us students had been sitting outside the studio for over 45 min by the time he showed up, since we all showed up early as the website told us to do. NONE of the equipment was loaded and set up. We didn't even touch the water until after 9 am when our meeting time at the studio was supposed to be 8am. We helped him load and carry the equipment, which should have been done BEFORE the class start time. He was super unorganized and didn't even take the time to put the fins on the board, which as a surfer and paddler was insane to me. It also made it super difficult for those unfamiliar with paddling to paddle in a straight line or direct their boards at all. The instructor also never explained how to paddle, how to measure the height of the paddle to make sure it's appropriate for you, or the basics of where to keep your center of gravity on the board while practicing yoga, which I've never seen an instructor skip especially with novice students in the class. Every other SUP yoga class I've done has been somewhere between 60-90 min of yoga plus a 15-30'min free paddle. This class was about an hour of waiting on the instructor to show up and organize the gear, 30 min to get set up in the water, 40 min of "yoga" if you can even call it that and 20 min of aimless paddling because our boards had no fins. Totally not worth $60. He also anchored our boards way to close to the opening of the lagoon where the waves come in, when he could have easily anchored us in the slightly more protected area a bit father from the opening. In addition to our anchors our boards were tied way too close together which made it more dangerous when attempting balance poses and falling because our boards were literally touching and pushing against each other the whole class. While every other SUP yoga instructor I've seen will continue to space out boards or move anchors when needed throughout class, this dude made zero attempt to keep our boards at a safe distance and actually let his own board continuously hit other students boards. SUP yoga teachers also usually speak loudly and clearly to be heard, and will move around the water so all the students can hear, or use a small waterproof microphone if it's a large group. I've taken a SUP yoga class with around 20 people in it, and could hear the instructors WAY better than this class. Soooo... speaking of the "yoga class". I wasn't expecting an expert class or anything, but you seriously can't even call 90% of what this dude was doing yoga. First off we could hear nothing, and he didn't seem to care in the least or attempt to move around or be heard. Second, this was unlike any other type of yoga I've ever seen or done in my life. I'm open to new experiences, but this was just ridiculous. Sure he threw in a couple down dogs, and a lengthy shavasana at the end, but most of it was weird stretches and warm ups that didn't have names and resembled tai chi or badly choreographed dance warm ups more than it resembled anything in the world of yoga. And for the few traditional yoga postures we actually did do, he didn't even know the names for most of them which made me seriously doubt the fact that he is a certified yoga instructor. At a certain point i was fed up and started doing my own flow because time was running out and i really wanted to get in a few warrior poses, actually flow through a few sun salutations, and attempt a couple fun balance poses. This "instructor" was really tragically unprofessional and even bordering inappropriate with the very young teenage girls in our class. Basically, stay as far from this studio as possible unless it changes management completely. Im shocked they've even remained in business for so many years. I would however give 5 stars to literally every other SUP yoga class I've done in Honolulu. So if you've made it to the end of this venting review, sorry for all that negativity, but you deserve to be warned. Totally do a SUP yoga class in Hawaii!!! Just do it anywhere but here. read more

Imagine waking up before the sun, and heading to the beach to do a 1 1/2 hour yoga class as the sun fought the misty rain to make its presence known. When it briefly won the battle, it brought a rainbow with it. We paused to look at it and the. Celebrated with a sun salutation. Helpful tip: It's easier to stick a Natarajasana (Lord of the dance) pose when your grounded foot is covered in wet sand. Spectacular experience. read more

I really enjoyed the SUP Yoga class. It was so nice and relaxing enjoying the view and cool water. Dennis did a great job of leading the class for all ability levels. One of the highlights of my trip! Be prepared to carry the paddle board and supplies to and from the yoga studio (not a big deal). read more

Yoga Waikiki - SUP yoga class - Yoga Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This was a fun experience. I thought it was lovely hearing the instructions in Japanese as most of the class consisted of Japanese students, with the exception of me and one other woman. Vacations and yoga should offer surprising experiences, and this class does that. It's good for yoga instructors to surprise you so that your brain doesn't get too used to the flow; it "rewires" the brain. This class certainly did that. I recommend it, but keep an open mind, unlike the mildly racist girl. read more

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Enjoyed both the resort class at Hyatt Regency and the paddleboard yoga. Perfect for beginners and those more advanced. The instructor would give options during various poses, i.e: option A for easy and option B for those with greater flexibility. Fun and enjoyable read more

It was my first time doing paddle yoga... I liked it so much that I booked a second class. Dennis is an excellent teacher, fun, exercise focus in an amazing place! It doesn't matter if you do yoga or not, you will enjoy his classes and get a good workout out of it! 100 % activity recommend to do in Honolulu! read more

All in all I am extremely disappointed in this experience. I have taken many SUP Yoga classes and have raved about them to my friends. So while in Hawaii I brought a few people to Dennis' SUP Yoga class. We paid $66/person and it was NOT worth it!   (I would not be sure of the following times, but all of our photos are time stamped. Thank you Iphone) 7:50am All students show up early as asked to a closed studio 8am Class was supposed to start, however no teacher was present. 8:20am The teacher shows up. 8:55am We make it to the water 9:11am We are anchored/tethered to each other & class actually starts with holding a high plank. 9:58 Class ends. 10:10 The instructor is out of the water. I am extremely embarrassed I talked others into taking this class with me! I hope people realize that WHAT Yoga Waikiki is charging people for is FAR from the experience you get at other studios. This was not a Stand Up Paddleboard experience, nor was it a Yoga class. I found the class I took with Dennis to be unsafe, ill prepared and hard to hear. This is all very hard for me to say because I love SUP Yoga so much and want to share it with everyone. What I experienced: -We were not asked if we had experience paddling, -We were not asked if we had experience in yoga. -Very little safety instruction. -Absolutely No instruction on how to paddle. -We were not to be able to hear the instructor while on the water. When we spoke up we were told he didn't want the people in the shore to hear him. -Be prepared to take your own pictures and do your own poses. -Booking & pre-paying online are easy and quick.  We were sent a confirmation email confirming our class date and time. When and where to meet including their 24 hour cancelation policy. If we No-showed or canceled late we would be charged the full amount. The confirmation email explained that we were to show up 10 mins early and we would be walking across the street as a class with the boards and supplies. When we mentioned that Dennis our instructor was late he asked if we wanted to cancel the class and did not offer a refund, so we went ahead with the delayed class. - Dennis, our instructor did not put the stabilizing fins on the bottom of our paddleboards and when asked about it he said, "Not only do we not need them, he does not see a difference when using them and it just takes too much time to put them on." A stabilizing fin not only helps stabilize a paddleboard from side to side wobble (for new and experienced students). It also allows better tracking in a straight line when trying to paddle forward. Both things are important when paddling to a location to practice yoga poses. Especially because today there was a swell that was coming in on regular intervals making the area we would be practicing in have a lot more movement then normal. We also had to maneuver around swimmers and other tourists enjoying the lagoon. -Once we were all together in the water, Dennis anchored us and tied our boards together in a tight circle. This ended up being very unfortunate because his board kept on banging into my board. This put our instructor and his board uncomfortably close to me and my board for a majority of the class.  We were so close that if I sat with my legs crossed my left knee would hit the instructors right knee. This made me feel extremely unsafe reaching out my arms to balance or in the event I fell off my board. -I would love to report the yoga portion of the class was centering or grounding. I would love to tell you it concentrated on breath, precision of movement or alignment...  Unfortunately what Dennis led us through was unlike any yoga class I have ever been to. He was using cues like straighten your legs, slap your legs, slap the board, flop your feet. His class was very difficult to follow along with. -The lack of expressed knowledge of yoga poses or names. ***At one point he had us all get in Frog pose on our boards and undulate our bodies and pelvis on the board. I felt that not only was this extremely inappropriate for a yoga class with all students he had never taught, it was extremely inappropriate to teach with the 2 younger teenage girls in the class. Frog pose is one thing, undulating frog pose is another! -He also offered to do a partner flying pose with the underage girls, while didn't offer to teach the women how to do it with each other. -I started feeling sick from the motion of the board and the constant knocking of our 2 boards together. So I stood in the water, moved my board away and put my head on my arms on the board to try and steady myself. Instead of asking if I was okay or if I needed a modification he asked what time it was and abruptly ended class early. I DO highly recommend you try Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga (SUP Yoga) I just suggest you stay as far away from Yoga Waikiki Studios as you can! In the week since class I have received 4 emails asking me to review and rate this studio. So here is my honest review. I am hoping this will help read more

Above and beyond. I'm visiting family/friends and am required to do a 14 day quarantine when I landed. I called to ask if they would deliver a yoga mat to my hotel if I bought one. They took my card over the phone & I signed the slip when they dropped by. Thank you!!! read more

Came here to "balance things out" (as some of my close friends have suggested *rolls eyes*), since I do lots of boxing, weightlifting, Jiu Jitsu, and other activities that tend to be a bit tough on the body. And honestly, though it wasn't quite like any Yoga class I've been to in the past (to be fair, I've only been to one or two yoga classes in my lifetime), I thought it was pretty nice. The instructor led the class in both Japanese and English, which sorta kept me on my toes. The people there weren't super diverse, but I don't mind, yoga isn't about who you're with it's about what you find inside yourself. Led us through some stretches and yoga poses over the course of 40 minutes or so. On the beach... of Hawaii.... I don't get how people complain sooo heavily. I got some relaxation from the session & had some fun, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. Mahalo! read more

I wish there was an option to give zero stars. The instructor showed up 15 minutes late after both myself and one of the other students called him. When the instructor didn't show up he cracked a joke about how he was late because he couldn't get off the toilet. I'm not even kidding we all looked around in disbelief and couldn't believe the instructor had said something like that so unprofessional to a group of women. The yoga class itself wasn't terrible but definitely wasn't good.The instructor did not stop talking the entire time the flow itself would have been fine if he would've given us some time to settle into the poses. The location was on soft sand so it wasn't the easiest to do some of the balancing poses that the instructor was trying to have us going. Overall I would not recommend and I would suggest just using the down dog app And doing your own yoga. read more

I really love how the Dennis, the owner, called me a bigot for saying "J-Girls." Please excuse my racist shorthand. For all those people how say J-Pop or K-Pop or maybe even J-Date, you are all racists too. Let me be the first person to say I detest bigots, almost as much as I detest guys with yellow fever. But that's neither here, nor there. Dennis liked to call this a bilingual class, but it was not. He barely spoke any English at all. For him to say I wasn't paying attention was completely laughable. I was paying attention.. I just couldn't understand a darn thing. Then he goes on to say that the class I was in was a beginner's yin class. Fine, whatever. I've taken yin classes. I've taken beginner classes. Never have I been in either of those classes where the teacher gets in front of the students to do a headstand in the sand, when clearely no one else could do one without injury. There wasn't even any instruction on how to get into that pose. Any genuine yoga teacher would either take the time to give thorough instructions, in English and Japanese, to ensure the students' safety OR they wouldn't teach an obviously advanced pose in a beginner's class. To Dennis: It's very unfortunate that your response focused solely on how judgemental you felt I was. Say whatever you like about what kind of person you think I am, but maybe you should use your time and energy to reevaluate your competency as a teacher instead. read more

I'm guessing that's why no body has reviewed this place in a while, my experience was not so great. I've been doing for yoga for the last 4 years, and in my opinion save yourself some time and money and go do other things while you are in hawaii. i'm giving him a 2 star..because he know how to speak japanese..but it's really not like your typical yoga..it felt more like stretching.. read more

If you want to have a yoga experience like nothing else, I highly recommend the yoga classes at Chocolate Pineapple. I know, it sounds like a dessert, how do you think I found it? I took the Sunrise Yoga class on the beach. Yes, me, not a morning person. I arrived at the studio at 6:15am, prepared to actually move. The walk to the beach is about 20 minutes, as it is on the far side of Waikiki Beach, where it is the most flat and deserted. It was great. There were only 3 of us in the class (it was raining lightly), so it felt almost like a private lesson. The movements were creative and well-cued to suit the environment. I would do it again on my next visit for sure! They provide the mats, you just come in comfortable clothes, that you don't mind getting sandy or a little bit wet, because yes, part of you will be going in the water. There is also a 9am class in the park, which also sounded nice. You need to call ahead to make sure that they are doing the class. You can pay $20 per class, or buy 3 for around $40 if you pay in advance. Great way to detox and destress! read more

This is a great class (just steps from the beach!), and I recommend it for anyone who has come to Hawaii for a change of pace. All levels of practice will benefit. Please see following review: I am really surprised that experienced yoga practitioners did not see the methods behind Dennis's yoga class. I have been a regular practitioner of yoga since 2001 and typically gravitate toward the Vinyasa flow style. Yesterday's class by the beach did more for my practice than any other class I have ever taken. The old adage, 'you have to learn how to crawl before you can walk', is applicable to yoga as well. Dennis was able to show me how to correct my stance going into full crow. He also demonstrated how important it is NOT to muscle your way into a position. It was really eye-opening when I tried to follow some of the basic core movements and realized how tense and out of balance my body truly is. A previous reviewer called this stretching, but I call it someone who has spent ALOT of time working on all aspects of yoga practice. The class was bilingual Japanese and English and since I've listened to the phrase, "downward dog" literally thousands of times; it was really nice to hear it in Japanese. In closing the entire experience was unforgettable and I would like to thank Dennis for his dedication to the real practice of yoga. read more

Yoga on Waikiki Beach... Fantastic! Daily at 6:30am and 9am. The studio was an easy walk from my hotel in the middle of Waikiki Beach, on the 2nd Floor of the Waikiki Trade Center. One class costs $20, but a 3-class-pass is $45, so I went for that one. I showed up one moring at 8:50am, purchased my pass, and was invited to look around the studio while we waited for the rest of the class to arrive. We walked down to Kapiolani Park (about a 20 minute walk from the studio - a good leisurely warm up!) and had class underneath a shady Banyan tree. The scenery was just gorgeous - overlooking the ocean. The class was a mix of yoga and sports conditioning. The instructor spoke both Japanese and English (it was fun to learn a few Japanese words like inhale & exhale). The instructor was easy going and helpful! Class lasted almost 2 hours from the time we left the studio. Since I bought a multiple pass, the instructor said if I wanted to come to another 9am class, to just call ahead and I could meet them there (to save the walking time). But I decided to try the 6:30am class so I went back to the studio at that time the next day. For the 6:30am class, we met at the studio and walked to a spot on the beach. It was close to Kapiolani park, but this time the class was actually on the beach! We put our mats right on the sand. Loved it - it was fantastic! For my 3rd class, I went back to another 6:30am later in the week. The instructor led us through a similar but slightly different routine - a mix of standing & sitting poses plus sports conditioning. I'd highly recommend this studio! They also hold classes inside in the studio and at different times of the day. I'll definitely go back! read more

Great yoga on the beach and in the park! The Instructor was amazing!! One of the many highlights of my hawaii trip!! read more

Editing after the instructor's response: I would not give a business my money after one of their teachers follows every bad review with a book about why the reviewer is wrong. I'm glad Dennis likes to teach; if he keeps this up I imagine he won't be teaching for much longer. I wouldn't call this a typical yoga class. Yoga is pretty subjective; it is what you make of it. If you're looking for a familiar practice, though, find another business. We did a few warriors and trees in the water at the end of class, but the majority of the class was not like anything I've ever done. Most of it was seated stretches in the sand, and the beginning of the class was drowned out by a giant running club (not really Dennis' fault). There was very little instruction (in English) about safety in poses in the sand except for a brief overview of downdog safety for our wrists, although the poses were so...not yoga that there was minimal chance of hurting ourselves, I suppose. I'm three years into a practice I'd consider advanced, and I was just as bewildered as my less-experienced friend through the whole class. I appreciate Dennis is bilingual (impressed, actually) but the majority of the class was in Japanese, and my friend and I were pretty lost on what we were supposed to do. Yoga on the beach was one of the things I was looking forward to most on my trip to HNL, and I'm really sad that this company was my choice. :( About 30 minutes into class, I realized this wasn't what I had expected and I seriously considered walking out. I wanted to ask for my money back, but seeing how the owner has responded to other negative feedback on here, I hope I can save everyone else the $20 and encourage you to find another studio to practice with while you're visiting Waikiki. read more

I would give this "yoga studio" a zero if possible. It was a complete waste of time. I've been taking yoga for years and thought that it would be fun to take a class while on vacation in Hawaii. The teacher was 15 minutes late and fussed around with payment and mats for another 30 minutes. The class was very difficult to understand because he spoke mostly in Japanese and I was very much paying attention. The class itself was mainly stretching, NOT yoga. For example, we would sit cross legged in the sand and flop over to touch our hands/head into the sand in front. Then the teacher would tell us to do that multiple times really quickly. I'm not quite sure what that was supposed to accomplish, but I do know that my neck was sore (bad sore) from the quick movement. Please save your money, precious vacation time, and sanity by avoiding this place. I'm sure the owner is going to respond now, since he's been responding to the other negative feedback. Unless you are asking for where you can refund my money, please spend your time on developing a serious yoga class instead of on Yelp. Your responses aren't helping your cause anyway. read more

Instead of apologizing in a review, the instructor decided to put majority of the blame on me, ex, maybe you weren't paying attention. Dennis it is more about safety, I could have hurt myself with out being properly informed on each move. And I stand by the fact that you only spoke about 5 maybe max 10% in English. There were only two English speakers in your class, so you did focus mainly on speaking Japanese. Thanks for confirming with your review that I will never return to your yoga class. For anyone looking for a fitness class I would recommend the SPIN classes at the 24 hour across from the beach. They even have early morning classes where you can enjoy seeing the sun rise and the waves crashing on the beach. read more

Not two minutes from the Marriott in a skanky location, and the instructor was late, as the other reviews said. He came bouncing in 2o minutes after the 6:30 scheduled check in, waving his hands and barking orders in Japanese. I was leaving, because while I waited, I read his YELP reviews and became discouraged. Give me slack time, I will use it wisely. I did yoga on Waikiki Beach on my own, for free, and did not miss a beat. read more

The reviews here are pretty accurate. I went in December with a friend, and we were definitely in the English-speaking minority. I have no problem with the composition of the class, but the content is what really got me. I'm used to a more rigorous yoga practice, and this wasn't that. The pace just wasn't my thing - took 30 minutes to get to the beach and get started, and then I didn't know when the class was going to end. I just wanted to run into the water and be done with it by the end. It was a fun experience to do yoga on the beach, but next time I'll just do it on my own, and not bother with a class. read more

What a unique experience, as class was taught in both English and Japanese, and was very well-balanced. I can't even imagine how difficult that would be, but Dennis did a wonderful job blending the two throughout the class and ensured that I had excellent cues - I was the only English-speaking participant and never struggled to know what was going on! The poses definitely matched the needs of the group, as it seemed there were a number of novice yogis in the class. I really enjoyed the class and learned a little Japanese in the process! I only wish I could have attended more during my stay in Waikiki! read more

I am a 62 year old male who has very limited experience with yoga. In fact, the last time I attended a yoga class was well over a year ago. I took five sunrise classes with Dennis over the course of two weeks, and I found it a very positive experience. I learned some simple yoga techniques which I have continued to use since my return home. I noticed that my body responded well to the yoga positions that we were asked to perform and this helped to make my vacation more enjoyable because I was more flexible and relaxed. The yoga gave me more stamina with all the walking and swimming I did during the rest of the time. I enjoyed the relaxed class atmosphere and benefited from Dennis' individual attention when I was not doing something in a healthy or beneficial way. I learned to incorporate breathing into the yoga because of Dennis' reminders. This was something other yoga practicioners had not explained to me. The morning setting was just beautiful, as the sun rose and waves gently came ashore. Finally, I enjoyed the international flavor of the class since many of the participants came from Japan. I enjoyed meeting people from other countries which is so much part of the Hawaiian experience. I would recommend this class to other people. read more

I wouldn't say my experience with Dennis was a total waste of time, (it was a nice day on the beach) but it certainly was a waste of money and overall I would not recommend this class to anyone. I would have appreciated knowing that the majority of his clientele is Japanese and as such, the class is taught in Japanese. I don't mind that he has cornered that market, he's making a lot of money at it ($320 alone for the one class that I attended!), but I was told before the class started that the other Japanese ladies would be fine with English. When we got to the beach and I was the only English-speaking person there, the class was taught in Japanese, with an English bone thrown out every once in awhile. I have been doing different disciplines of yoga for five years with approximately 10 different instructors at an established private gym (25 years in business with the same owners). All of my instructors use Sanskrit terms/asana names during the practice as well as the more common English terms. Dennis knows "savasana" -- or maybe I missed the other proper pose terms because I had no idea what he was saying. During the class, which felt more like a stretch class than a yoga practice, I missed my cues and I didn't receive any corrections for my postures. I scoured the internet to get his Dennis' last name, I have googled him, checked out his English website, translated his Japanese websites, checked his FB and I still can't find his bio or more importantly, his credentials. I should have realized something was up when I paid for the class and wasn't even required to sign a waiver, which is something I would expect from any legitimate fitness/wellness business. I read his take on his website of the reviews here on YELP and I believe asking your "repeaters" to write you a good review to bump up your stars on YELP is unethical. Dennis has the best reviews posted on his website because, to quote "...I feel those honest reviews deserve a wider audience". Well Dennis, this is my honest review. I am not a hater, just someone who was extemely disappointed with your class. My recommendation for visitors to Waikiki is to find a legitimate yoga studio with a teacher who has the proper credentials to teach yoga. Your $20 is well spent elsewhere. read more

I've practiced yoga on and off since the early 1980's. This includes several different teachers from different practices around New York State, and attending a day long Yoga event and Kripalu in Massachusetts. Yoga on Waikiki beach with Dennis from the Chocolate Pineapple is a great way to start your day feeling relaxed and stretched. If you meet him at the studio at around 6:30 a.m. you may have a chance to use some of the neat circus props. He explains isometrics better than any teacher I had in the past. I finally got it. His relaxed manner and welcoming smile is distributed to everyone equally. He will answer questions with a calm manner and gentle detail. He is very careful to provide needed correction in a respectful manner. Instead of getting hung up on the name of the pose, he demonstrates and explains each step succinctly to everyone. The class is bi-lingual - using English and Japanese - I've found that in Waikiki there are many Japanese and many English speaking visitors. We seem to be curious about each other but don't know how to connect. This class provides an opportunity to connect interculturally without the spoken word. Laughter is a universal language and the energy connection is hard to explain unless you give it a try. It's fun. The more you attend the more progress you can see in your stretching, and pick up another language while you are doing it. Looking forward to going to class again next year. Peace & Namaste, Sharon read more

For the past year, I have been a regular weekly student of Chocolate Pineapple yoga class on Waikiki. I can honestly say this has been one of the most gratifying and satifying experiences of my yoga life. The peace I feel after one of these beachfront yoga clases is incredible. The sand, the gentle sound of the waves, and the view of the blue Pacific, offer the most incredible backdrop. Dennis, the teacher, guides us through the poses in English and Japanese, with presence, ease and knowlege. I have been a student of yoga for many years and I highly recommend this class to anyone interested in relaxing, rejuvenating, and letting go, while enjoying the beauty of Waikiki. I travel extensively, for a living. I look forward to this class every week because it allows me the opportunity to let it all go, into the ocean. Dennis' class is suitable for the first time student or the experienced yoga practioner. read more

I'm a flight attendant for AAL and travel all over the world. The beach yoga classes I have taken here from Dennis have been by far the best yoga experiences I've ever had. I used to take HOT yoga here in Chicago, but this is so much better. He explains movements extremely well, even for beginners in English & Japanese. His class has turned me into a yoga lover. My pictures with him are amazing. I highly recommend anyone that is visiting Honolulu, you must go take his class!!!! read more

Yep, this is the most frickin ridiculous name for a yoga studio ever. However, it's three blocks from my hotel, and I needed to get a little loosey goosey after hellacious flight to Honolulu. What a lovely idea: 9am yoga underneath a shady Banyan tree in Kapiolani Park! Since I was still on West Coast time, 9am was like noonish, so totally doable. Showed up at the studio at 8:45am to a bad impression: unstaffed front desk that looked like a cyclone hit it. Sat around for 15 minutes until startled instructor showed up, tied13 yoga mats to the rack on the back of his bike, and a group of six headed out to the park. OK, after the initial crappy impression, it was actually a pretty nice class. Nothing beats lying on a yoga mat in the park under a tree, watching little fluffy clouds float by (and hoping little fluffy birdies don't poo on you), listening to the surf on one side and the monkeys at the Honolulu Zoo on the other side. $20 for the class, which is pricey but can be forgiven based on the 1) ambience 2) the class is 2 hours! 3) this is Waikiki - whaddaya expect? The instructor is pretty cool, it's a weird mesh of yoga and like sports conditioning or something. I would have liked some more standing poses and sun salutations, but this guy has to appeal to a wide range of levels and languages - so I can understand the focus on basic stretchy things on the mat. All in all, a pretty lovely experience. Plus, I think I learned how to say "butt" in Japanese. Heh heh. read more

This class is not yoga. I do yoga twice a week. No poses were ever mentioned. This was light stretching. Half the class was in Japanese which was fine I guess but confusing. There were no yoga mats. He collected payment up front so we couldn't even ask anything about why this wasn't actually yoga. He also kept saying 'oh yeah' in a creepy voice and it made me very uncomfortable. There's another class further left that was actual yoga on mats overlooking the beach. read more

I tried the park yoga and thought it was lovely. I have taken yoga for many years and found that all instructors have their own style, as he does, but it was a good mix that would be suitable for beginners or more advanced. The setting made it extra special. read more