The Kahala Hotel & Resort

The Kahala manages to be a classic old-school hotel in the best way while providing the amenities of a resort. The atmosphere is soothing and relaxing. The food is outstanding and the service is excellent. The rooms are updated and clean but again, still classic. Coming here is a beautiful escape.

It was my husband and I's first stay at the Kahala and we will definitely be back. After staying at hotels on Waikiki for many years, we really appreciate how uncrowded and secluded the Kahala is. The hotel grounds is beautiful and we just love the nice and quiet (almost private) beach right in front of the hotel. Check-in was smooth. Was given an upgrade to a Scene Lanai room since we booked through Virtuoso. The room itself is a bit outdated and starting to show wear and tear but clean and functional. Shuttle service to town is very convenient. The beach! Oh I can just lay on the beach lounger for days. Dining was a hit and miss. Room service on our 1st night was mediocre at best. However, we really enjoyed the daily buffet breakfast at the Plumeria Beach House. We also dined at the Italian restaurant on the property one night and had an awesome dinner. The only thing I feel lacking from this place is the service. Service was okay but nothing exceptional. Bell staff was almost non-existent. We were never asked if we needed help with our luggage or transportation arrangement. Front desk staff was polite but almost robotic. We just expected more from a gorgeous, classy place like this but unfortunately we weren’t completely satisfied with the service that we have received here. Nevertheless, we would still go back for the breakfast and awesome beach.

Our fifth visit to the Kahala Hotel and it remains our favourite in Honolulu. Situated just 15 mins from down town Waikiki, it is so much more peaceful, with its 'own' beautiful beach, than the hotels along Waikiki beach. The complimentary shuttle service to the local mall and Waikiki is fabulous, and allows you to get to Waikiki for serious shopping etc. it is heaven to return to the resort each time though! Service remains excellent, from bell hop, front desk, housekeeping and the delightful Steve and Gene in the bar, nothing is ever too much trouble. Although understanding of their long association with Dolphin Quest, it is really no longer 'enjoyable' seeing dolphins used for tourist attractions and this should be something that the hotel considers in this day and age. Overall though, this hotel remains our firm choice when visiting Hawaii each year.

The Kahala is perhaps the classiest hotel we've ever stayed at. Everything was first rate, from the staff to the room to the quality of the food in the restaurants. My only quibble was with the iHome clock/radio in the room, difficult to set (there was no manual) and inefficient once set, overly technical and virtually useless. The beach there was also delightful, uncrowded and with a nice sandy bottom. All-in-all, a wonderful experience.

The Kahala is a bit hard to describe given the stunning decor, service, staff, restaurants, location, cleanliness, view, beach, dolphins, etc. What a stunning facility that would be hard to top ANYWHERE. We had a stunning view of the ocean, ate multiple meals at the hotel, enjoyed breakfast on the first floor sitting outside on the edge of the beach, watching a Japanese wedding that was about to occur on the beach almost in front of us. If you do decide to try this exquisite hotel, please make sure you try at least one of their in house restaurants and also spend time with the dolphins at the hotel's pond: truly memorable. Also I believe that for an extra charge you can "swim and play with the dolphins". One more thing: the location of the Kahala is on the "other side" of Diamond Point and this is a stunning advantage. It is located in a private high end neighborhood, the ONLY hotel in the area, next to a private golf course and NOT on Waikiki. But hey, a rental car or cab gets you to Waikiki in less than 15 minutes. Perfect. For that special occasion, this is a sure bet to use for your visit. You won't be disappointed.