Turtle Bay Resort (DNU)

The only 5 star elements of this property are the lobby and the grounds. This is no more than a basic Marriott. The rooms are gritty - especially the bathrooms. There is no turndown service- and used towels are left in the room (for days..). The service is incredibly spotty. We had an excellent waiter in the lobby bar- but it took 2 hours to get our meal at Alaina, which included a server dumping a water glass that had rice fall into it into the bushes, then setting it back on the table and refilling it. The shining elements of the property are the lobby area, shops and coffee bar which are great spaces to gather and the incredible walking trails that surround the property. The tennis/ pickleball courts are also wonderful with top quality rental gear. Having stayed at dozens of Ritz Carlton properties around the world- this hotel has some of the worst rooms ever experienced (on par with the rooms at the Ritz Philadelphia:().

The resort can’t handle the number of guests during the holiday season. No towels or chairs at the beach or pool. No soap in the shower. Long, long lines for breakfast. Refusal to rent surfboards or paddle boards unless you pay for a private lesson even if you don’t need one. Literally everything, including coffee, is an exorbitant extra fee. The staff is nice enough but this is a Marriott, not a Ritz. Actually I have been to Marriotts with better service; at least the coffee there is generally not $7. Never again.

We booked the presidential suite last minute because we had to get out of Four Seasons and when we got to Turtle Bay, we were told that it was unavailable. Before we could get upset, the manager, Joey, gave us another solution. He put us in a bungalow for a discounted price and offered us a few free services to make it up to us. We really found this to be a good way to deal with customers and we were happy. The bungalows are a nice quiet alternative to the busy resort so it ended up being a great time. We were in a handicapped accessible room so the bathroom was not the best but we knew we did not have much of a choice because of the last minute booking on Thanksgiving weekend. The main pool area was extremely crowded so we stayed away from there. We hung out at the exclusive bungalow pool where we had our own bartender and bar! The bungalow pool is only for bungalow folks so at most there were like 10 people there. The club lounge is incredible. It overlooks the main pool area and has great food and drinks. Definitely worth the cost. The beach area is nice but we ended up not even going there because we just stayed on the bungalow side. The surfing team is good per my husband's experience. They have cats on the property too!! Overall, great location, great service, and North Shore is an amazing part of Oahu. Thanks Joey! See you on the Windward side soon.

Love the beach bungalows at this place! You wake up to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, then step right outside to the green lawn. We also had lounge access, that was more than enough food for any time of the day. We found that to be really helpful with the kids as they are always hungry! This lounge doesn’t have cocktail hours like the one on Maui, but they do have various alcoholic beverages in cans. Also dinned tat the Roy’s and it was delicious! Only thing I could wish for is maybe a kids club. But definitely on my list to come back!

We were genuinely excited when we heard that Turtle Bay had been taken over by Ritz-Carlton. We had stayed here before—loved the beautiful surroundings and hotel but the service was average, which we understood since it wasn’t previously managed by a top luxury brand. Because we always enjoy Ritz-Carlton during our vacations—especially my husband, who insists on returning to Ritz Waikiki almost every year because of its consistent excellence—we expected the same high standard here. We spent our first three nights at Ritz-Carlton Waikiki, and as always, the experience was outstanding: warm greetings, smiles, attention to detail, and genuine hospitality. Sadly, none of that existed at Turtle Bay. From parking to check-in, there was no sense of welcome. The front desk associate didn’t smile, didn’t offer a map, and didn’t explain where the elevators or club lounge were. She even yawned multiple times during check-in, which set the tone for what felt more like a three-star hotel experience. My kids even asked why we “downgraded” hotels—and were shocked when I told them this was supposed to be Ritz-Carlton. Throughout the property, employees rarely greeted us, and many seemed irritated or uninterested. It felt nothing like the warm, polished service we expect from Ritz. Although the hotel offers many activities, most were fully booked. The front told us to call at 7:00 AM and wait in line for possible openings. We came here for vacation, not to stress about waitlists. When we arrived at the room, the floor was sandy, and despite having four guests, only two sets of amenities were provided. At the beach, staff questioned my kids in a rude manner, asking if they were actually hotel guests. Even after verifying their stay, they didn’t offer towels or help set up chairs—so my kids just left. The club lounge was the only place that felt like true Ritz-quality service. But overall, there was no “wow” factor—especially since we have stayed here before. Another disappointment—when my 11-year-old wanted to use the treadmill, we were told she could not use the gym because she was under 15, even though the posted rules didn’t mention this. She felt completely left out while her older sister and dad were allowed in. We truly love Ritz-Carlton properties, but this location did not meet the brand’s standards. Sadly, we would not return. We are still currently staying here and honestly wish we could cancel the remaining nights and go back to Waikiki.