Best Luxury Hotels in Oahu

Picture of Jeanne Cooper

Jeanne Cooper

After two decades of visiting Hawaii as a travel writer and wife of a triathlete, Jeanne now shares news and views of the islands from her home base on the Kohala Coast.

For over a century, travelers have flocked to Oahu for luxury vacations. For decades, the Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider, Kahala and Halekulani were the top luxury hotel choices. While these are still favorites, newer properties have also enriched the scene. Here are our favorite opulent oases.

Feature Photo: Halekulani

TIP: Hotel check-in is usually 4pm. Ask for early check-in. Most hotels will oblige.

Waikiki

Night view of an illuminated rooftop infinity pool at one of the best hotels on Oahu. Tables and lounge chairs are arranged poolside under trees. Tall buildings are visible in the background, and the hotel interior can be seen through large glass windows.
Photo: Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, 
Waikiki Beach

Urbanites, posh travelers and homebodies alike will delight in these exquisitely appointed, residential-style high-rise lodgings with luxury hotel services and a convenient location to shopping, dining and nightlife. The views from its two towers of the parklike Fort DeRussy, Waikiki’s glistening waters and Friday-evening fireworks are also exceptional.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Everything is on an elevated scale here, literally and figuratively.
  • The eighth-floor pools, though compact, have an undeniable wow factor, while having Dean & DeLuca with its second-story wine bar and the 16-seat, $300-a-dinner Sushi Sho (led by Tokyo’s renowned Keiji Nakazawa) onsite give ample reason to ignore the Miele and Wolf appliances in the condominium villas.
  • Work off the calories in the 24-hour fitness center created by celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak.
Aerial view of a beachfront resort, one of the best oceanfront hotels Oahu offers, with a turquoise pool surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas. The sandy beach is lined with yellow and green umbrellas, leading to clear blue ocean water where a boat with a yellow canopy is anchored.
Photo: Courtesy of Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa

Moana Surfrider, A Westin 
Resort & Spa

Like many a grande dame, Waikiki’s first hotel (opened in 1901) has undergone several expansions and facelifts over the years. Now part of Marriott’s Bonvoy program (yes, you can use points), the 793-room Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, offers award-winning restaurants, nightly Hawaiian entertainment in the courtyard, and beachfront access to the moana (ocean).

HIGHLIGHTS

  • It’s a toss up between the elegant public areas—including the courtyard around its famed banyan tree, formerly the site of the iconic “Hawaii Calls” radio show — and the luxurious Moana Lani Spa, the only oceanfront spa in Waikiki.
  • Hawaiian healing traditions and innovative spa rituals inspire the spirit in this tranquil oasis filled with history, letting mind and body become one.
The royal Hawaiian Oahu
Photo: Courtesy of The Royal Hawaiian​

The Royal Hawaiian

Now a Luxury Collection Resort (and part of Marriott’s Bonvoy points program), this beachfront, Moorish-inspired pink palace has lost none of its lustre since opening in 1927 in a once-royal coconut grove. Instead, it has only gained a reputation for excellent mai tais, fine dining and a modern tower that’s a luxury hotel-within-a-hotel.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • While it shares a seaside fantasy pool with the neighboring Sheraton Waikiki that kids will enjoy, this vintage beauty makes a perfect adult playground, thanks to its center-of-everything location and focus on culinary pleasures.
  • Unwind after a day on the beach or shopping in the adjacent Royal Hawaiian Center at the hotel’s lively open-air Mai Tai Bar, or settle in for a superb dinner at its oceanfront Azure restaurant.
The Kahala Resort
Photo: Courtesy of The Kahala Hotel and Resort

The Kahala Hotel and Resort

Tucked between the Pacific and a private golf club east of Waikiki, this 6-acre, midcentury-modern hideaway boasts U.S. presidents and world leaders among its most famous guests and local luminaries among its spa and dining clientele. Hands down the hotel’s most popular residents: the bottlenose dolphins in the Kahala’s lagoon.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • One of only three programs in the state where children and adults can swim with dolphins safely and responsibly, Dolphin Quest at the Kahala offers an engaging variety of encounters with the (nonnative) mammals supervised by marine biologists.
  • Those who prefer dry land shouldn’t miss the sumptuous afternoon tea or evening jazz and expert cocktails at the hotel’s Veranda restaurant.
  • The spa’s traditional lomilomi massages are also among Hawaii’s best.
An elegant restaurant with open wooden doors and windows offers a scenic view of the ocean. Tables adorned with white cloths and flowers are set with glassware and utensils. Lush green plants and vibrant purple orchids enhance the tropical ambiance.
Photo: Courtesy of Halekulani

Halekulani

The subtle palette of its elegantly understated rooms, breathtaking views of Diamond Head and curling waves, and an illustrious spa lead to “serenity now” at this iconic bastion of oceanfront luxury. Shielded from Waikiki’s hustle and bustle, Halekulani shines as a center for gourmets and arts aficionados. 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Lounging by the shimmering pool with its orchid logo is a treat, although retreating to one of the rooms or suites with private lanais — and in some cases, butler service — is equally indulgent.
  • While guests enjoy complimentary admission to Iolani Palace, the Bishop Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Art, the nightly performance by an artful hula dancer with a Hawaiian music trio at the hotel’s House Without a Key is truly unforgettable.

A tall, modern high-rise building stands against a backdrop of a clear blue sky. The building is surrounded by palm trees and lush greenery in the foreground, with other smaller buildings visible in the background. This sunlit scene captures one of the best hotels on Oahu, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Photo: Courtesy of Wakea Waikiki

Wākea Waikīkī Beach

Fans of luxury but not of the former president will be glad to hear this 38-story hotel overlooking Fort DeRussy will change its name and management company in February 2024. The soon-to-be Wakea Waikiki Beach, named for the sky father of Hawaiian lore, will keep its sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, Diamond Head and the city skyline and the staff who have helped it nab numerous awards.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The long infinity-edge pool on the sixth floor has a large deck to soak up the sun as well as the views.
  • If the menus in Wai‘Olu Ocean Cuisine or In-Yo Cafe don’t meet your approval, an in-suite private chef is also available.

Ko Olina

Four Seasons Ko Olina
Photo: Courtesy of Four Seasons Oahu Resort at Ko Olina ​

Four Seasons Oahu Resort 
at Ko Olina

The newest Four Seasons resort in Hawaii is almost an island unto itself. Inside the upscale Ko Olina enclave west of Honolulu—known for calm, sandy lagoons and a championship golf course—it boasts tranquil rooms, casual-elegant dining (including Michael Mina’s Fish House), oceanfront pools, a sprawling spa, unique cultural activities and exclusive excursions. 

The consistently warm, sunny weather and glowing sunsets provide incentives to linger in one of the four pools. Grownups have the cream of the crop — the gorgeous and discreetly located cabana-lined Adult Pool, almost as long as the multistory spa’s lap pool and with cocktail service just like the more central Serenity Pool — but kids will enjoy the easy beach access from the Family Pool, too.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • This property boasts some of the most impressive lodging options in the state, including the 3,200-square-foot Penthouse Suite with two bedrooms, two and a half baths and a stunning 800-square-foot terrace, the 4,070-square-foot Ko Olina three-bedroom suite and the two-bedroom, 3,840-square-foot Presidential Suite with private rooftop Sky Terrace
  • The suites also come with a private oceanfront luxury cabana.

Did we miss your favorite hotel?
Let us know — email us at stay@localgetaways.com or tag us @localgetaways.

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