The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki

If you want Luxury with the BEST location on Wakiki Beach, this place is for you! This is our favorite resort on Wakiki Beach! We have stayed here so many times and each time it lives up to our expectations. We stayed in the historic building this time and loved our beautiful room. We did receive upgrade and late check out as part of my titanium benefits. We did the breakfast upgrade and that worked out great also. The staff were all so friendly. We will be checking in again this coming Friday. Thank you Stephanie for taking such good care of us!

My family of three just returned from a week at the Royal Hawaiian. and here's the breakdown: So, over all this is a great hotel. The location can't be beat. It is not only in the heart of Waikiki, but it has the best spot on the beach. In addition, the grounds are lovely and give you the impression that you're not surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. We had a junior suite which was perfect for our family of three. The suite was spacious enough and made us feel like we weren't on top of each other. The bed was comfortable, but the pillows were horrible. Wafer thin !!! I had to fold my pillow to feel like I had any support. We requested extra pillows, but they were just as thin. The biggest downside to the hotel is the bathrooms. They are tiny. There is no way two people can be in the bathroom doing anything at the same time. Small mirror, no counter space, no storage. One of the phones in our room also didn't work (we got a busy signal no matter who we called). Luckly, we had a second phone that worked. The staff- nobody was blatantly rude, but there are definitely some that give the impression that they don't really care. *The poolside service was very good. *The wait staff at breakfast was good but the host staff was clearly just trying to get through the day. * Bell staff was polite and efficient. *House keeping was always done well, but there were several times we passed them in the hall and were not acknowledged. *Front desk staff- very hit and miss. This is where I really noticed the lack of hospitality. Some front desk staff just weren't friendly or helpful (not a happy or friendly greeting, no smile). We had a problem with our toilet not flushing well and tried to call for somebody to take a look at it and our phone would only get a busy signal. So, I went to the front desk and was not greeted in a friendly manner. I explained what I needed and was told somebody would be up soon. After a couple of hours we called the front desk (on the phone that worked in our room) and eventually somebody was sent to our room and fixed the toilet. *Gym was tiny and not well appointed. *Pool is tiny and if you're not down at 7am to put a towel on a chair, you're not going to get one until later in the afternoon when people start to leave. So overall this is a very nice hotel but lacks certain things that a five-star hotel should have. I get the small bathrooms and pool because it is a historic hotel. But the staff issues are 100% correctable and most likely a reflection of supervision/management.

After more than 20 years of staying at the Royal Hawaiian twice a year, this may finally be the visit that makes us reconsider returning. Our current stay began on July 16, and unfortunately the experience has been disappointing from the moment we arrived. We requested an early check-in, but after waiting more than three hours, our room still wasn’t ready. There was little communication or empathy from the front desk throughout the process. The front desk has consistently lacked the warmth and genuine hospitality you would expect from one of Hawaii’s most iconic hotels. The interactions often feel mechanical rather than welcoming, which is disappointing considering the hotel’s reputation for aloha. As Marriott Bonvoy members, we request two beds for every stay, yet our preference is rarely honored despite years of repeat visits. Our most concerning experience occurred during our April 2026 visit, when my daughter woke up around 9:30 p.m. to find a large cockroach crawling on the bed. Staff came to remove it after we called, but there was no apology, no follow-up, and no attempt to recover the experience. After that trip, I wrote directly to hotel management. I never received a reply. We’ve continued to choose this hotel because of its history, location, and sentimental value, but loyal guests should feel appreciated. Instead, we’ve repeatedly felt overlooked. The Royal Hawaiian remains a beautiful property, but beautiful scenery cannot replace genuine customer service, attention to guest concerns, and respect for loyal customers. I hope management takes reviews like this seriously because this hotel has the potential to provide an experience worthy of its reputation.

The Royal Hawaiian was so much nicer than expected. It is a beautiful pink oasis in the midst of chaotic Waikiki. The staff was so very helpful, our room was larger than anticipated and had a gorgeous view. Our room even had a Toto bidet toilet, which we miss when we are traveling. I'd stay here again just because of that! Great location on the beach. We rented a chaise set up one day and had such a nice time people watching and wading into the ocean. You can walk to all the other nice hotels, but in my opinion, the Royal Hawaiian can't be beat.

Strongly advise against staying at this hotel. My beach bag was stolen from the pool area, the check in was a disaster, and the room was dated. Upon checking in, we discovered there was a leak coming from the toilet. Second, the manager Benjamin refused to honor our guaranteed upgrade. Lastly, on day two, my beach bag was stolen and they refused to check the security camera even after reporting within hour of last seeing it. I should have went with my first instinct and stayed at the Four Seasons. However, i would like to recognize the servers, bartenders, and housekeeping, they were exceptional and work so hard to ensure a positive experience.