Aston Waikiki Beach Tower vs Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Aston Waikiki Beach Tower, at 2470 Kalakaua Avenue, suits travelers who want to be right on the beach and spend the day outdoors. Guests rate it 9.3 from 1,322 reviews.

Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts, at 223 Saratoga Road, suits travelers who want a resort with dining, drinks and spa treatments on the property. Guests rate it 9.5 from 464 reviews.

The room lineup is built around One-Bedroom Ocean View and Two-Bedroom Ocean View categories, plus a Two-Bedroom Premium Oceanfront room. The Deluxe Condo, Lanai, Ocean View has a kitchen, an oven, a stovetop and a separate dining area, and the Apartment With Sea View adds a washing machine and a tumble dryer. Sizes run from 883 to 1,195 sq ft, and the largest rooms sleep up to six.

The range is wider, from Superior rooms of 398 sq ft up to a Premium 3 Bedroom Ocean Front Suite of 2,002 sq ft that sleeps up to eight. Many suites have a dishwasher, a microwave, a stovetop and a refrigerator, and the Ka Lai 2 Bedroom Ocean View Suite with Den (1,604 sq ft) has a separate living room and an espresso maker. The Deluxe 2 Bedroom Ocean View Suite includes executive lounge access.

The hotel is beachfront, with a beach, sun loungers or beach chairs and a sun terrace. It also has a heated pool, an outdoor pool and a pool with a view, and the pool area has a shallow end and a fence around it. Snorkelling and windsurfing are on offer, and a garden and BBQ facilities add outdoor space.

The pool scene centers on an infinity pool, alongside a heated pool, an outdoor pool and a pool with a view. Sun loungers or beach chairs, a sun terrace and a hot tub make up the rest of the lounging space.

Aston Waikiki Beach Tower is set up for self-catering. Grocery deliveries, BBQ facilities and the kitchens in the Deluxe Condo and the Apartment With Sea View let you cook your own meals. Arrival refreshments and a punch welcome come with the amenity fee.

Ka Laʻi has a restaurant, a bar and happy hour, with room service and breakfast in the room for slower mornings. Kid meals, special diet menus on request and wine or champagne round out the food and drink.

The amenity fee covers daily hula lessons, lei making, yoga and ukulele lessons, plus Ohe Kapala and Kupe’e Pupu classes. It also includes admission to the Bishop Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Art for one adult and children (under 17 and under 18 respectively). Yoga classes, a tennis court, billiards, cycling, hiking and a tour desk add more to do, and the fitness center has locker rooms.

The focus is on relaxation. A spa/wellness center and massage services sit alongside a fitness center, and some rooms include free gym access. A business center, meeting and banquet facilities and express check-in and check-out also make it practical for working trips.

Family rooms and rooms for up to six guests suit groups, and children's beach toys are included with the amenity fee. The pool has a shallow end and a fence around it.

Family rooms are available, and children up to and including 17 stay free using an existing bed. Children up to and including 2 stay free using an available cot. Extra beds and cots are on request and need management confirmation. Kid meals are also available.

Check-out is at 11:00 AM. Valet parking for one guest vehicle is part of the amenity fee, and oversize vehicles are not permitted. A key card system, smoke alarms and a first aid kit are in place, and dry cleaning, laundry and currency exchange are available.

Check-out is at 12:00 PM. The minimum check-in age is 21, guests show a photo ID and credit card at check-in, and the property does not accommodate bachelor(ette) or similar parties. Free WiFi covers all areas, and an electric vehicle charging station, valet parking, 24-hour security and contactless check-in are available.