The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, WaikikivsThe Kahala Hotel & Resort
Both The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort and The Kahala Hotel & Resort are rated very highly by expert reviewers. Overall, The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort is the choice of most writers compared to The Kahala Hotel & Resort. The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort comes in at 93 with recommendations from 16 sources including DK Eyewitness, Rough Guide and The Telegraph.
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki Show All Reviews
2259 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96815
From $254/night
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Concierge
Concierge
"After a multimillion-dollar renovation, completed in 2009, fans of the iconic pink palace can breathe a sigh of relief: The Royal Hawaiian Hotel is more glorious than ever before."
i
Which room to book: Be sure you're in the historic wing, in a Beachview room.
Fodor's
"There's nothing like the legendary Pink Palace of the Pacific, and an $85 million face-lift in 2009, the iconic hotel set on 14 acres of prime Waikiki Beach is a unique blend of luxury and tradition." Full review
Oyster
Luxury
"Of the three luxury hotels in Waikiki -- the Moana Surfrider and the Halekulani are the others -- the 528-room Royal Hawaiian provides the most stunning design." Full review
Lonely Planet
"With its Moorish-style turrets and archways, the aristocratic, oh-so-pink Royal Hawaiian was Waikiki's first true luxury hotel."
i
For old-school ambience, ask for the historic building; for ocean views, the modern tower.
Travel + Leisure
"Iconic, surfer-filled Waikiki—so famous that its image has even been printed on tens of thousands "aloha shirts"—is almost always full of tourists and happy beachgoers." Full review
DK Eyewitness
"The beloved “Pink Palace of the Pacific” has been a Waikīkī landmark since it opened in 1927. The stucco exterior, the interior decor, and even the towels are pink here."
Rough Guide
"The 1920s “Pink Palace”, commanding the beach, is one of Waikiki’s best-loved landmarks. Its original building, looking out across terrace gardens to the sea, remains irresistible."
Star Service
"Both new and returning guests will find this grande dame a formidable fashion-forward refuge with the kind of provenance that is nearly extinct in the world of hostelry. " Full review
Michelin Guide
"Still chic as ever, the storied Pink Palace of the Pacific was a Hollywood playground when built in the Spanish-Moorish style in 1922."
Gayot
"A storied hotel fondly known as 'The Pink Palace of the Pacific,' The Royal Hawaiian abounds with tales from decades of history as the lodging of choice."
The Kahala Hotel & Resort Show All Reviews
5000 Kahala Avenue, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96816
From $312/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Free Breakfast
Concierge
"Set on a sheltered beach just a ten-minute drive from Waikiki... You really never need to leave the property."
Jetsetter
"The Kahala Hotel & Resort sits just 10 minutes from the bustle of Waikiki but feels like a serene self-contained oasis." Full review
i
Or you can choose to just laze in a cabana off by the calm water.
Fodor's
"Hidden away in the upscale residential neighborhood of Kahala... one of Hawaii's very first luxury resorts." Full review
i
If you're a golf fan visiting the second week of January, ask for a room overlooking the course for a bird's-eye view of the PGA Sony Open from your lanai.
DK Eyewitness
"On a great swimming beach and close to plenty of golf, this resort is perhaps best known for its lagoon, where guests can mix with bottlenose dolphins through the Dolphin Encounters program."
Star Service
"Service is equally commendable, yet the creatively fashioned digs here are among the loveliest in the islands, competing even with the units at Four Seasons' sibs on Lanai and the Big Island. " Full review
Gayot
"This hotel stands apart from the pack of finer hotels on Oahu for a number of reasons, beginning with its location."
BlackBook
"Serene, secluded and gloriously luxurious, the Kahala is where the see and be seen go for leave-me-be time."
Zagat
4.5
"The staff at this "serene" Honolulu "oasis" delivers "first-class treatment from arrival to departure" in a "beautiful" beachside setting overlooking a "lagoon with dolphins"."
Forbes Travel Guide
Recommended
"Besides powdery beaches and beautiful views, the classic Kahala Hotel and Resort... offers a 26,000-square-foot lagoon occupied by Atlantic bottlenose dolphins." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler
84.8
"Opened in 1964 by Conrad Hilton, this ten-story property is in a residential area at the foot of Diamond Head." Full review