The Kahala Hotel & Resort

My wife and I returned to Kahala and it was, as expected, wonderful from start to finish. I write a review after each trip there--I think this was our fourth trip--and to be honest I am beginning to run out of new ways to describe how much I love this place. Beautiful rooms. Great views. Good food (but see below). Impeccable service. Luxury. We had a rental car as part of our Costco package and one day drove to Waikiki Beach, just to see what we were NOT choosing, and all I can say is that we have no desire to stay at any of the 5 star hotels downtown. It was like one giant concrete high-rise after another, hot and crowded. The only real criticism we have for Kahala revolve around the food options. Veranda has gotten too fancy; you don't even see a Kahala burger or regular dinner items on the menu. Their jumbo shrimp cocktail consists of exactly two shrimp. Really. Just two shrimp. I am sorry, but you should not call two shrimp a cocktail. They were superbly fresh and delicious, but for $16 it was almost funny. Also, the regular Plumeria dinner menu needs more options for non-fish eaters. I recognize that with so many Asian customers it is probably tough to come up with a menu that pleases everybody, but there were times when I really just wanted a big steak and my wife wanted a Kahala burger. More pasta dishes would be appreciated, too, by people like my wife who want neither fish nor a steak. I will say that their seafood buffet has really improved since I tried it a couple years ago. At $60 it wasn't cheap, but I thought it was worth it if you like that kind of thing on a Saturday night. But I also have to mention that the next night we went to the Father's Day buffet. The buffet was virtually identical to the seafood buffet with three exceptions: 1) it was 15 bucks more per person, 2) there was a guy playing guitar and singing, and 3) there was a whole cooked pig. The buffet was not described to us as a seafood buffet when we reserved seating, so that was a big disappointment for my wife, who does not eat seafood. By the way, the pig made virtually no sense: it was cold and served in bite-sized portions rather than in piles of pulled pork, which is what you expect when you are in Hawaii and somebody cooked a whole pig. I wonder what they did with all that leftover pork, too, since diners seemed to be turned off by, well, a cooked pig head in the middle of a buffet. Anyway, it was hard not to feel a bit taken advantage of when we realized we were basically looking at the same seafood buffet. But all of these are small points. We love the Kahala and I am already thinking of our next trip there.

We spent four nights at this beautiful hotel our children five and seven swam with the dolphins which was an amazing lifetime experience. Swimming in the sea, cocktails watching the sunsets - great food at Arancino's. great memories, thank you Kahala!

Exceptional in every way. From the food to the beach and the amazing service. The Kahala was top notch across the board. We booked through Costco and the deal was truly special. Kudos to the staff for superior service.

The Kahala has been one of my favorite hotels since I can remember. The entire hotel is fabulous: from the ocean views, floral decor, perfect cross breeze, rooms, and hotel grounds (including the dolphins, golf course, and beach). What I love most about the Kahala is the location-- while not far from the "city" and touristy things to do, it never feels crowded, stiff, or stuffy-- it's picturesque: always kept clean and up-to-date, is welcoming, and has attentive service. Simply a fine resort, and love this place for all occasions: solo, family, friends, romantic.. 5 stars.

We just came back from a 5 night stay and could not be happier with our experience. Pros: -Front desk service is excellent - so friendly and on point -Carlos, our check in representative, even sent us a bottle of champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries to celebrate my husbands birthday! This was not expected and we have never received this type unprompted generosity anywhere! -Valet staff were extremely professional, speedy, and friendly -Beautiful beach on the property -Beach rentals and cabanas were convenient and reasonably priced -Housekeeping staff were very detailed -Spacious rooms with LED TVs, strong A/C, and fast stable internet -No resort fee -Parking reasonably priced -Room service was on time and convenient -Onsite dolphin quest -Quiet area with convenient mall nearby Neutral: -Beachside service was kind of slow -Mattresses and pillows were really soft (may be a Pro for some) Cons: -Seriously no water pressure at all in showers---slow drip at best The self parking lot is kind of small with the top two floors closed off for valet so it sort of forces you into using valet. Valet costs the same as self parking and was very professional except that there isn't an ATM that dispenses small bills or a change machine onsite. We found ourselves having to get cash back offsite in order to tip for the various excellent service around the resort. Just be prepared in this respect beforehand. The property is very private and quiet despite having a lot going on. We were never disturbed by room noise. There were several weddings and construction that took place onsite during our stay as well, and it didn't impact our stay. We were between Aulani, Four Seasons, and the Kahala and at so glad we chose to stay here. The service at this resort is what sets it apart and makes for all the difference.