Halekulani

The Halekulani Hotel is a luxury hotel on the beach in Waikiki. Most hotel rooms are set back a little from the ocean and overlook the pool area with the ocean beyond. But wyou can still easily hear the ocean and can walk to the beach without crossing any streets or public areas. THe beach area for the Halekulani is fairly small, but consequently it is somewhat quieter and more private than the larger beaches on either side of the hotel. The Halekulani facilities and rooms are very nice though not as "over the top" as some luxury hotels we have stayed in. Everything was clean and well-maintained. But what really stood out to us was the high level of service and the friendliness and helpfulness of all the staff we encountered. One example of the high level of service was the nightly "turn down" service, which was essentially a second daily housekeeping, with garbage removed, new towels provided, ice bucket filled, and so on. As another, when we mentioned to a housekeeper that we were having trouble drawing the spring-loaded clothesline across the tub, she radioed for maintenance and a gentleman was there to fix the line within minutes. As a third, when the hotel was unable to extend our checkout time due to an incoming reservation, they made a hospitality room available to us where we could stay until it was time for us to head to the airport. And finally, when we wanted to sit in the chaise lounges around the pool (no charge for using these, as there are at some hotels) a staff member ran over to wipe off the dew and stretch a terry cloth cover over the chairs to make them more comfortable in the heat. There were also free cookies and ice water at poolside (along with food and drinks if one wanted to order them). Our room was modern and well-equipped, with a nice balcony and a great view of the ocean. We have had fancier rooms at some hotels, but our room here had all the amenities we needed, including a lovely wide balcony with a table, chairs and chaise. We were provided with fresh water bottles every day along with an assortment of souvenirs, there was an empty refrigerator for our use, bathrobes, slippers, etc. The room was not inexpensive, but then nothing in Waikiki is, expecially around the time of spring break. Some of the best high-end restaurants in Waikiki are also on the premises, but these too are expensive, and we had made reservations at a number of other nearby restaurants instead. However we did regularly avail ourselves of the Halekulani bakery, which is right across the street from the hotel entrance and we recommend it highly. (I tried a salted caramel roll on the first day, despite its nondescript appearance, and ended up having one every day we were there!) It is probably also worth mentioning that the Halekulani Hotel is within walking distance of a large number of restaurants, shopping areas and tourist attractions in Waikiki. Given the high cost of parking at the hotel and in the area, and the difficulty of finding parking spots, we elected not to rent a car for the week, but instead to take an Uber to and from the airport and to walk around town. There are good tours available if you want to see the sights outside of town. But for convenience and cost, I recommend skipping the car rental and relying a little more on one's legs. If we return to the Waikiki area again, I think we would probably want to stay at this same hotel and to skip the car rental once again. It made for a great week for us!

My wife & I spent another vacation here at The Halekulani. From the moment we arrived at this beautiful hotel, we were warmly greeted and were treated as if we were family. The décor in this hotel is stunning with fresh flowers throughout. This hotel offers a wonderful breakfast at Orchids. Everything was fresh and delicious and the staff are pleasant as well. We had dinner one evening at Le Mer, and it was outstanding with impeccable service! Worthy of a Michelin star. The service both in the hotel and restaurants was very friendly and professional. It is in a great location that is only a short walk from the shopping area. This hotel offers a lovely tour of their property, so if you have time take it. We had Donna one year giving the tour, and she is fantastic. We highly recommend this hotel and will definitely return.

Spectacular hotel. I used to think Ritz and Four Seasons were the very top of the hotel world. Halekulani sets even a higher standard. It is absolutely incredible. The staff is warm, welcoming, helpful and fantastic. The hotel is gorgeous. The rooms are perfect. The Mai Tais are the best we had in Hawaii and probably the best ever. Sitting by the beach in the evening listening to live Hawaiian music with a cocktail is about as good as life gets. The breakfast is absolutely delicious. The pool is serene and plenty of chaise lounges in the sun or shade for all. Absolutely no need to reserve a lounge and if you leave one unattended for a long period of time they will collect the towels. Great service by the pool. Easily walkable to great shops and restaurants but the restaurants at the hotel are amazing. Every aspect of the hotel is an A+. They approach perfection in every category. It was an anniversary vacation with my husband and I. I can’t imagine a better place to have spent it. We didn’t want to leave.

This is one of the best luxury hotels that I have ever experienced outside of Asia. Everything was perfect and I wish it was easier to get to Honolulu from the East coast. We had a studio suite with an ocean view. Room was very spacious and comfortable, air conditioning worked well and it was so easy to sleep in the bed. The bed gets an A++ for comfort. This hotel has a real mattress, not the foam ones that most hotels are using now. Bed linens were high quality cotton so you did not sweat and the blanket was the perfect weight. Concierge staff is incredibly helpful and knowledgable, especially Denise. We dined at Orchards and it was a great experience and the food and service were excellent. The breakfast buffet has something for everyone and runs smoothly. In Waikiki, this hotel is in a great location. You can easily walk to all the shops and restaurants and the main beach entrance is about a block away although you can also access the beach from the hotel, but that beach area is very narrow. The pool is beautiful and I did not see anyone fighting for chairs, but we were not there in the busy season. The level of service at this hotel is top notch. I hope to be able to return soon.

I keep returning to Halekulani (since 2004) for its welcoming staff, peaceful elegance, impeccable rooms and restaurants, stunning beauty, stellar service and more. It is an oasis of calm in Waikiki. Pure class. Everything is perfection so it can be tough to choose what I like best, but I suppose most of all it is the kindness of the employees, who I enjoy seeing again every visit. Many feel like friends. Such a sincere warm and welcoming atmosphere for all which is so rare to find. Appropriately, the name Halekulani is a combination of Hawaiian words (hale + ku + lani) meaning "House Befitting Heaven".