The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki

Hands down my favorite hotel experience anywhere. Hard to put into words how beautiful this property is. It’s a destination unto itself. The view that greets you when you walk in and look straight out to the ocean is breathtaking. It’s got a historical elegance about it that made us feel like we were transported back in time in the best way. Service was personal, prompt and friendly. The valet staff were especially helpful - full of good tips about where to eat, what to see, and the best times to go. We stayed in the historic side and enjoyed a big room with a separate sitting area which was great for relaxing after the little one’s bedtime. Waikiki feels a bit like high school Spring Break at times but not here. It’s a quiet oasis right in the middle of everything. The pool is a little small but hard to complain with the ocean right there. Plus guests are invited to use the Sheraton’s larger pool next door which our little one loved. This review is long overdue but I look back fondly on our time at the Royal Hawaiian and can’t wait to go back.

The hotel building is nice, it has a good location. Great proximity to the beach and the Royal Hawaiian Center for shopping and dining. As a platinum elite, they did upgrade me to a jr suite, and once during my stay I had an emergency and had to print something, the front desk agent got it printed for me really fast. In my 7 night stay, that’s the only positive things that happened. They should take the word “luxury” out of their hotel description. Their idea of luxury is just a concept and does not develop into actual luxury. Maybe it did at some point over the last 100 years, but in its current state there is nothing on offer that can be called luxury. I have traveled and stayed at Bonvoy and other properties all over the world. I’m really confused as to why this hotel is even on the luxury list. - Very crowded front entrance, valet cars are never moved from the round about and in and out is very congested and dangerous for the people walking around. - Air conditioning in the rooms and in the hall ways and elevators are average at best. You can get ready and get out of the room and you will be sweaty by the time you are in the lobby. The living area in my suite had no AC vents and was not usable except to store bags. It did have a $20 Walmart floor fan full of dust. - Room sizes are ok, but the rooms really could use some TLC. Dirty window panes. Broken and rusted glass opening handles. Old TV’s, like really old ones that take 5 sec to change channels, extension cords and surge protectors lying around the rooms. No USB outlets, and regular outlets only in odd and hidden places. Old and dingy incandescent bulbs that keep flickering all the time. The fridge in the room doesn’t cool as it is full of ice buildup and needs a good cleaning. - Bathrooms are really as small as the reviews state, but size aside, they could also use some help. Better modern lighting, nicer shower heads, shower drains that drain fast so you’re not standing in your own filth. Shower doors in place of the cheap, molded shower curtain from the 90’s motels. One night I woke up in the middle of the night to use to bathroom to realize that there is no running water. Called the front desk and they told me that water has been cut off and I will have to come to the lobby to use the bathroom. Not sure if it was planned or an emergency, but no communication to guests. After water was restored I had to let the water run for over 30 mins to before I got clean water, not sure if other people who slept through the outage did that. - Food… please don’t expect anything fresh and hot at the one restaurant on site here. We ate breakfast at surf lanai and all the orders were wrong, all the food came out either incorrect, cold or both. Before we could even say anything, the server told us that since they made so many errors the manager had decided to comp our meal. It’s good that you comped the meal, but your guests are not looking to save money, they are looking for a good meal. The so called famous pink pancakes were undercooked and had batter oozing out from them. We tried surf lanai one more time but very similar experience. Also, the lack of room service is really frustrating. - Pool and jacuzzi are very small based on the number of people staying at the hotel. Chairs by the pools are only available early in the morning or a few hours before closing. The pool closes at 6, but they run out of towels at around 1 or 2 pm. After that you can use the same wet towel for the rest of the afternoon. They Start cleaning up the pool at 5pm. The young girls that cleaned up most of the week were really nice and respectful of the guests, however on our last day there the clean up was done by a rude older gentleman. At 5pm, he told me that I need to finish my drink or hand it to him, at 5:15 he started cleaning up the chairs next to me, at 5:30 he wanted all the towels. I had to fight him to keep 2 towels for my 2 kids that were still in the pool that was open for another 30 mins. - Be ready to stand in a lot of lines. There is 1 coffee place that is open for a few hours in the morning. Be ready to wait 20-30 mins in the morning for some coffee and cold pastries as they do not have a toaster there to warm up anything. There is 1 bar on site, if you’re lucky you will get a drink in about 10-15 mins. Poolside service was only available 2 out of the 6 days we were here. If you can catch the one server running around, drinks at the pool take about 30-45 mins to arrive. There is 1 lousy little faucet to clean up the sand before you enter the hotel from the beach. You will have to wait 20 mins every time in that line. Because of that most people skip washing their feet and then the whole pool becomes dirty. - I’m not sure how this property defines luxury, but most people associate it with relaxation and convenience. If I want to wait in lines multiple times a day I’ll go to a Disney park instead. Again, the location of the hotel is great, but the $200 a night hotel next door also has the same location and probably better rooms! If you want to stay in a nice historic building that looks good on the outside but is not kept well on the inside and you don’t care about literally anything else come here. If you’re used to staying at nice Bonvoy properties or book frequently from The luxury collection, you will be disappointed by the lack of luxury here.

We had first been to the Royal Hawaiian over 30 years ago and, to our delight, we found that it is still an elite, deluxe destination in the heart of Waikiki. The atmosphere is quiet and the staff is wonderful, from the kind and professional desk staff to the thorough and accommodating housekeeping crew and the courteous and helpful beach staff. Our room in the classic original building was clean and spacious with a beautiful view of Diamond Head out one window and the beach out the other (after we were upgraded to a luxurious suite). The bed was comfortable and the room was quiet. The food in the on-site restaurants was tasty and the service was attentive. There is a row of chairs with umbrellas available for rent along the beach, and these are perfect for a relaxed day on the sand. We very much enjoyed our stay and recommend the Royal Hawaiian to anyone who is traveling to Honolulu.

My family and I stayed at the Royal Hawaiian for over two weeks and the hotel staff were amazing but two particularly stood out for their friendly, humorous and kind personalities. We stayed on the 11th floor and Elsa was our amazing room maid. Elsa couldn’t do enough for us and every morning she greeted us with such cheerfulness and exuberance – in fact any time she saw us her mood never changed– she wanted to make sure that our needs were met and everything was in fact perfect for us. The other person was Chester who has an amazing manner and rapport with all his customers. Chester works in the breakfast area and would tirelessly organise the hungry morning customers with such an upbeat and dry sense of humour that we couldn’t wait to see him in the mornings and were disappointed if it wasn’t his day to be working!! I hope these staff members are acknowledged for the amazing work they do for the hotel to make customers holidays so memorable, we will certainly never forget them. Jane Wilton (the Pratt family) 😊 More

Some hotels are simply places to sleep. The Royal Hawaiian is part of the destination. Like a lot of travelers, I'd admired the Pink Palace in photographs for years. Walking through those famous pink corridors for the first time somehow still exceeded expectations. The property has a timeless elegance that manages to feel both historic and relaxed without ever seeming stuffy. It's one of those rare hotels where slowing down feels completely natural. The location couldn't be much better. Step outside and you're immediately on Waikiki Beach. Restaurants, shopping, live music, and sunset walks are all within easy walking distance, so once I checked in, my rental car became completely unnecessary. After spending most of my Oʻahu stay exploring the island by car, it was refreshing to spend a few days where everything I wanted was just a short walk away. The location also made it easy to simply say yes to the moment. My room struck a nice balance between preserving the hotel's historic character while still offering the comforts you'd expect from a luxury resort. Everything was spotless, well maintained, and surprisingly quiet considering you're in the heart of Waikiki. The staff consistently lived up to the hotel's reputation. Every interaction felt warm and genuine without becoming overly formal. They struck that perfect balance between attentive service and simply letting guests enjoy the property at their own pace. I also appreciated how much there was to enjoy without ever leaving the resort. Whether wandering through the courtyards, relaxing near the beach, or simply finding a quiet place to sit with a drink, the hotel has a way of encouraging you to slow down instead of rushing off to the next attraction. The room was beautiful, quiet, and exceptionally comfortable. I spent a little more time in the room than I'd originally planned—and I have no regrets. The mattress certainly lived up to its reputation. If you're deciding whether the Royal Hawaiian is worth the premium over other Waikiki hotels, I'd say yes—especially if it's your first visit. There are plenty of excellent places to stay in Honolulu, but very few that feel as iconic while still delivering a genuinely relaxing guest experience. This is one of those places that's memorable not because it's flashy, but because it somehow makes you forget to look at your watch. Pro tip: Even if you're staying elsewhere in Waikiki, spend some time walking through the grounds or enjoying a drink on the property. But if your budget allows, staying here for at least a night or two is a completely different experience.