Spa hotels in Honolulu

This was a short one-night family stay, coinciding with my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. Overall, the experience was a mix of good and bad. ✅ **Highlights** The hotel environment is excellent. The rooms are spacious, and the bathrooms feature double vanities, indicating solid foundational hardware. The in-room amenities are Byredo, with a pleasant, high-end fragrance, which is a definite plus. There are many Japanese staff members, and their service attitude is friendly, with prompt room service. Coinciding with my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, the hotel thoughtfully presented us with a bottle of champagne, which we deeply appreciated. The balcony view is a huge bonus, facing the beach directly. On Fridays, we could watch the weekly fireworks show from the neighboring Hilton without having to jostle through crowds, making for a very special experience. The room comes with a full kitchen. If you don't want to eat the hotel's buffet breakfast, you can buy ingredients from the ABC Store and prepare simple meals yourself, offering great flexibility, which is perfect for family travel. ⚠️ **Downsides** The check-in process was quite frustrating. During peak hours, the hotel strictly enforces a 4 PM check-in time. After our family arrived, there was no suitable indoor waiting area, so we had to wander around outside in the hot sun to kill time. This was very inconvenient for a family trip. Objectively speaking, while the staff's attitude was good and we received a surprise treat for the anniversary, when compared to similarly priced luxury hotels in Japan and luxury brands of the same caliber domestically, there's still a gap in the overall service completeness and detailed processes. 📝 **Summary** It was an adequate stay for one night. The unbeatable ocean view balcony, the ability to watch fireworks, the Byredo amenities, and the thoughtful anniversary champagne were all highlights. The room type with a kitchen is practical for families. However, the rigid check-in process during busy periods is a clear drawback. If visiting during peak season, be prepared for a late room handover.

I stayed for one night, and when I mentioned at check-in that it was my first time, the staff kindly escorted me to my room and gave me a detailed explanation of its features. It was very helpful! The hotel is very spacious, but everything was clean, and there was plenty of space by the pool, so I was able to relax and enjoy my stay.

This hotel is incredible beautiful, romantic and tasteful, everybody here has charming smile and nice. The reception girl with long curly hair was so nice warm and pretty, and the middle age gentleman at front desk was also very professional. Breakfast people were all warm welcome and well organized. We love this hotel so so much, it’s like fairy tale, like walking from besutiful movie, extraordinary atmosphere,love here.

Overall, the stay was okay, especially the location. If you are here to surf every day, this is the place to choose. The room was nice, and we had a great view of both the beach and the mountains. However, the room felt outdated. Some lights were not working, and the phone kept blinking red at night. The service was fine overall, but the front desk staff looked tired, not very welcoming, and a bit cold. Since we booked through a third party, the hotel tried to refund the original payment and charge our card again. To avoid double charges between Trip.com and the hotel, please pay attention during check-in. In the end, I would probably recommend booking another hotel at this price point.

During check-in, the staff mocked my lack of English, laughing and making gestures at other staff members, which I found unpleasant. While all explanations were in English, the departure was in Japanese, so I assumed they understood everything. Upon check-out, I was surprised to see a payment of $1,347.40. After returning home, I called Trip.com and they handled the matter, refunding me $1,030.61. However, they had deducted a $316.79 service charge and other charges that were not included in my travel application. The hotel only sent me a receipt by email, with no apology. The staff member who checked me in and checked me out was the same, so I assumed they knew I didn't speak English before making the payment. It was a shame that my trip was so frustratingly disrupted by the hotel's front desk service.

This beachfront hotel had a great atmosphere and allowed for a truly elegant stay. Despite a few drawbacks, my overall impression was very positive. Pros: * Excellent location (right on the beach) * Wonderful ambiance in the restaurants like Mai Tai Bar and Surf Lanai * The historic room felt very clean and full of character. Cons: * The information given at check-in was outdated (there were discrepancies between the Japanese and English versions), which meant I missed out on the hotel tour. * Some restaurant staff seemed more focused on rushing through their duties. * Noise.

We stayed in an ocean view room. It was very close to the sea, and the view from the lanai was absolutely stunning. I think it was one of the ocean view rooms with the best views, being so close to the ocean. I'm very grateful that we were allocated this particular room. The housekeeping staff were also very friendly and pleasant, which made our stay enjoyable. The location was also excellent, close to the Duke Kahanamoku statue in the heart of Waikiki. The only downsides were that there was no explanation about the resort points we were supposed to receive as part of our stay. Also, we booked three rooms for six people, but due to their system, we could only process payment for one room at a time. This meant I couldn't use the same credit card for the second room and had to scramble. I'd recommend bringing enough credit cards for each room you book. These two minor issues were a bit disappointing, so I deducted one star from the service rating.

I really don't recommend choosing the Rainbow Sea View Room. It's not a sea view at all; what you see is a tiny lagoon, or to put it bluntly, a small puddle. If you truly want to see the ocean, you absolutely must choose a Rainbow Oceanfront Room or a high-floor Oceanfront Room, otherwise, you'll likely be very disappointed. Check-in was incredibly crowded. I waited for about 30 minutes to an hour, and the lobby was constantly packed. The elevators were the same; many times, you had to wait in line. If you prefer a quieter hotel, I don't think this one is suitable. The room assignment also left me very dissatisfied. The Asian front desk staff assigned me a low-floor corner room with virtually no view. No ocean, no fireworks – just the building across the way and that little puddle outside the window. It was completely different from what I imagined when booking. Also, early check-in at this hotel almost always costs extra. It's not one of those hotels that will accommodate an early check-in if a room is available. I've stayed at other hotels where they usually try to arrange it if there's a vacant room, but here, if you want to get in early, you have to pay extra. If you prioritize views, quietness, and the overall check-in experience, I personally don't recommend this hotel.

Overall, I'm very satisfied! The room was spacious and bright, the facilities were new, and the hygiene was excellent. The view was amazing! Ala Moana Center is just a 5-minute walk away, offering plenty of shopping and dining options. A stroll along the beach at the waterfront park was also very pleasant. All the staff were nice, until check-out day when a rather overweight female employee provided terrible service. During peak hours, there was only one staff member, so I had to queue. When I saw her arrive, I politely asked if there was a quick check-out option. She responded very impatiently with, ”Just wait,” without a single polite word and maintained a scowl throughout! She's the reason why I'm deducting points for service.

We were a bit disappointed initially with the cleanliness as there was a stain on the bed sheet upon entering the room. Thankfully, housekeeping changed it within the hour. The place is located in a central location, close to the beachfront at Waikiki, with a partnership with beachfront stores for beach equipment, as well as GoPros, sunscreen, lotion etc. that can be borrowed, included in the resort rate. However, the age of the hotel is really starting to show, it is in need of not just a touch up but an overhaul where possible. To be fair, the price, especially that paid for during this period, was a fair representation especially compared to neighbouring downtown hotels, given you do receive much more space and a kitchenette with microwave in the case of the 1 bedroom suite. However, I would say that I would have enjoyed my stay far more if at least some work was put in to modernise the space. In particular, my bathtub had peeling paint, and the colours of the room need some work.