The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki

Going in order, let's start with the perfect location. Beachfront on Kalakaua Ave, the RH is within easy walking distance to all the best dining, shopping and entertainment. The property is simply stunning, situated on the best swimming beach (Royal Hawaiian Beach) on the larger Waikiki Beach. In between the beach and Kalakaua are the lush gardens - a truly peaceful place to breath in the warm, tropical air. If you crave a great location but are averse to large crowds, both the gardens and the various lobby areas provide tranquility in abundance. Now for the rooms - this is an historic property, opened 99 years ago. If you're expecting modern luxury you'll need to select a different property that, by the way, won't have direct beach access. If, however, you relish stays at historic properties and are delighted by distinctively detailed architecture and design, the RH is for you. I strongly recommend any room in the Historic Wing as the Mailani Tower definitely presents as less unique and occasionally has a musty smell, despite the gorgeous views. The furnishings are stunning, incorporating bold tropical patterns in signature pink with green and darker accent colors. The chairs are all extremely comfortable and the bed is the best hotel bed we've ever slept in - lots of support but pillowy soft. Bathrooms are tight, but Malie toiletries and great water pressure and towels make using the bathroom a delight. The signature fragrance of the hotel, made by Aromas With Aloha, is a gorgeous tropical floral focused on tiare flower and you'll want to smell it long after you leave. This is the best hotel fragrance ever and imo will never be topped. As for noise, in the rooms of the Historic Wing there is none. The doors, hand carved and original to the hotel, are solid wood and incredibly heavy. Walls are thick and in the many times we've stayed we've never, ever heard our neighbors. The lobby areas (there are 3-4 distinct indoor but open air lobbies across the property) are relatively quiet outside of check-in time and the beach facing lobby is often empty. The architecture in this particular lobby is a favorite of mine, and the walls are loaded with art, Hawaiian history, artifacts on loan from the Bishop Museum and memoribilia from 99 years of RH history. The Mai Tai Bar can get very noisy, but it's convivial and never raucous. The beach, of course, is quite noisy during peak swimming/sunning hours; however, early morning it is blissfully still and deserted, allowing for solitary views of the sunrise over Le'ahi. This is a daily must-do on all our visits and may be the only time we have the beach to ourselves. Let's talk service next! The front desk and concierge staff here are best-in-class, warm, welcoming and return kindness tenfold - if you remember that you get back what you give they will shower you with aloha and go out of their way to make your stay one you'll never forget. If you're rude, that's on you. The valet staff are also incredible. The port a cochere is gorgeous, with a garden of its own including several ancient and huge banyans which are lit, in pink of course, at night. Arriving feels like an event. On this visit we rented a car for a few days and drop-off and delivery of our car was always incredibly quick and accompanied by several bottles of water. The valets asked where we were headed each time we went out and suggested locally owned restaurants, shops, beaches and parks for us to check out while we were out and about. Amenities differ depending on your Bonvoy status, so I can only speak to the ones we receive. Complimentary breakfast (the Pink Pancakes are just iconic!), treats from the Bakery (the snowball and guava croissant are my faves, my husband loves the banana muffins and chocolate croissant), champagne toast at the Mai Tai Bar and other perks which change often but have included free use of a GoPro for a day are all things we've been gifted by the hotel as part of the amenities package. And the Malie bath products? Utterly luxurious. Let's wrap up with value. For us, because this property fits our preferences perfectly, the value is excellent. The location is unbeatable, the design is iconic, the service is unsurpassed. Yes, the Pink Palace is pricey, but ultimately you get back more than what you pay. We will never stay anywhere else in the city.

Myself and two teen daughters loved this property. The location, cleanliness and daily activities were wonderful. Highly recommend.

This was our 13th trip back to this wonderful hotel. It just keeps getting better and better, if that’s even possible. From the minute you walk into the hotel, you know you are at a luxury resort. The hotel is in impeccable shape and the staff cater to every wish. We had a gorgeous room overlooking the ocean. It was clean and spacious and we got these great souvenir of Royal Hawaiian water bottles to take with us! The breakfast is delicious. Kazu is amazing. He is calm and knowledgeable and wonderful. He takes amazing care of us every time we visit.

We have always wanted to stay here. Fantastic location on Waikiki beach, In 1927 when the Royal Hawaiian Hotel opened it was the only luxury hotel . It is not just a hotel it is an experience whether you are enjoying the beach, the gardens or the rocking chairs the grandeur of the 1920's is present . We stayed in an original hotel room which you enter by opening a solid wood carved door , very very comfortable bed and lovely and quiet due to the thick walls which you don't get anywhere else. For the restful room with all the inclusions and the ambiance I think it is good value. Very clean and the staff will do anything for you and you feel they do want to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Great amenities as you would expect from a 5 star hotel

I 100% agree with many fellow travelers that the Royal Hawaiian has lost its Aloha. Getting the “Royal” treatment is gone as many have stated. Elite status, suite upgrade certificates, special occasions etc. are now meaningless. Rooms are in serious need of maintenance and updating. Rumor has it a major update is coming in 2026 or 2027 but who knows. Hotel staff is a mixed bag of snarky, grumpy, phony and a small amount that seem happy to be working there (mostly bell personal that strive for tips.) Rooms are small, bathrooms smaller. Beach is large and crowded; pool is small and crowded. Hallways are long and hot, lines are long and hot. Resort fees are high, room rates are high, beach chairs are high, food and beverages are high. That’s right, you guessed it, your final bill with be HIGH! I have no problem paying high prices when you’re given amazing service and you get high quality items/goods/rooms etc. Bottom line, if you’re looking for Aloha in all the right places, look elsewhere. There are many hotels and resorts close by to chose from that still give you the “Royal Treatment” just not the Royal Hawaiian.