Honolulu Resorts and Hotels in Waikiki

About Honolulu

Honolulu is the main city on the island of Oahu, and for most visitors a resort stay here means Waikiki: a compact, walkable stretch of shoreline where the Pacific sits at one end of the street and the Koolau mountains rise behind the other. Days tend to fall into an easy rhythm of morning swims, afternoons by the pool or on the sand, and evenings out along Kalakaua Avenue. The six hotels we sell here share that setting but offer quite different kinds of stay.

For a beachfront base with a strong cultural thread, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa and OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beach Resort both sit on Kalakaua Avenue. At the Hyatt Regency you can unwind at the outdoor pool, hot tub and sun terrace or book a massage at Na Ho'ola Spa, and most rooms have a private balcony. Ukulele, lei making and hula lessons are included in the resort fee. OUTRIGGER adds water sport facilities on site, a restaurant, bar and coffee shop, live music and happy hour, and daily Hawaiian cultural activities, with Voyager 47 Club Lounge access for club rooms. Hilton Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa suits travelers who like variety: a rooftop pool alongside other outdoor and heated pools, balcony rooms with ocean, mountain or city views, a spa, yoga classes, mini golf and a games room.

If you want more space or a different rhythm, three other hotels stand out. Aston Waikiki Beach Tower is a five-star, beachfront property with a 9.3 guest rating, offering suites with full kitchens and in-unit washing machines, a heated outdoor pool, a hot tub and daily hula, lei-making, ukulele and yoga activities. Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk gives families suites with kitchenettes, a kids' pool with a shallow end, a rooftop pool and a pool bar, and it has a guest rating of 9 from 1,250 reviews. The Laylow Waikiki, Autograph Collection is rated 9.1 from 527 reviews and offers nightly live entertainment, ukulele lessons, an outdoor pool with sun loungers and umbrellas, and round-the-clock access to its fitness center.

When to go

Honolulu is warm all year, so there is no bad season for a beach stay. Summer, roughly May through October, is generally the drier and sunnier half of the year, with the warmest days and calmer conditions on Waikiki's south-facing shore. Winter, from about November through March, is a little cooler and brings more frequent rain showers, though sunshine is still common and the trade winds keep the air comfortable. School holidays and the winter months tend to be popular with visitors, so booking ahead is sensible if your dates are fixed. Pack light layers for evenings and a rain jacket for the winter months.

Tips for your trip

• Check what the daily resort or amenity fee covers before you choose. At some Waikiki hotels it includes things like cultural classes, beach gear, WiFi or parking for one vehicle, which can change which stay suits you.
• Travelers who plan to cook or do laundry should look at Aston Waikiki Beach Tower, which has suites with full kitchens and in-unit washing machines, or Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk, which has suites with kitchenettes.
• Traveling with a pet? Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, The Laylow Waikiki and Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk allow pets. The Laylow applies charges and restrictions, so confirm the details before you book.
• Look for the free-cancellation marker when comparing rates on BookResorts.com if your plans might change. The prices shown include taxes and fees.
• If you want to try ukulele, lei making or hula, compare the hotels' activity programs: Hyatt Regency, OUTRIGGER, Aston Waikiki Beach Tower and The Laylow all offer some form of ukulele or Hawaiian cultural activity.

Frequently asked questions