The City, The Island
With more than five million visitors per year, Honolulu is a dream-come-true vacation.
While many travelers are familiar with Honolulu’s iconic Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor National Memorial, and stunning natural beauty, this vibrant capital city is home to distinctive hotels and resorts that innately understand how to treat guests like stars and bring the magic of Hawaii to every visitor.
Honolulu is a fantastic destination year-round, but locals and visitors alike agree that April through October is the ideal time to visit. The holiday season is busy and best avoided unless you love crowds. Thanks to nearly 40 domestic direct flights to Honolulu, the journey takes about 10 to 12 hours from the East Coast and about half of that time from the West Coast.
Beyond the bustling city life of Honolulu, the island of Oahu delivers the ultimate in adventure and relaxation. The island’s north side is the big wave surfing capital of the world. The Windward Coast on the east side is lush and green, dotted with stunning beaches and the Byodo-In Temple. The Leeward Coast on Oahu’s west side is the island’s quietest region, with small towns and secluded beaches. Central Oahu, the Inland Valley, is best known for Pearl Harbor National Memorial and the Dole Plantation. And the capital of Honolulu is an international favorite for its high-end boutiques on Kalākaua Avenue’s Luxury Row and a sensational food scene rated 100/100 by Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. The island is also the perfect place to get Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certified to expand your scuba safety and skills.
The Resorts and Hotels
Families love Hawaii for adventure, top-notch stays, an amazing food scene, and activities for all ages. Couples flock to Honolulu for destination weddings, romantic tropical honeymoons, and the chance to explore new landscapes. And solo travelers can always find a friend on the island of Oahu. For every sunseeker traveling to Honolulu, there is one resort, however, that rises to the top.
The Winner: Kahala Hotel & Resort
The only beach resort in Kahala, Honolulu’s most prestigious residential area, Kahala Hotel & Resort is the ultimate in aloha. Kahala is hailed for its exceedingly personal service, Michelin-inspired dining, and unexpected touches that make guests feel right at home.
Overlooking both Diamond Head and Koko Head craters and set on a secluded beach, the historic resort’s Wall of Fame showcases images of royalty, movie stars, U.S. presidents, and other celebrities who have enjoyed the exceptional privacy and distinctive experience at Kahala.
Classic afternoon tea features an exclusive selection of handcrafted teas plus sweet and savory bites on the oceanfront lanai. You can greet the family of playful Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins that swim in the resort’s 26,000-square-foot natural lagoon, or marvel at the chandeliers gracing the lobby with 28,000 pieces of colorful Italian fused glass.
And that’s not all. Here’s what else you need to know about Kahala:
- The resort delights diners from sunrise to sunset and beyond.
- Alan Wong’s Hawaii Regional Cuisine dazzles with freshly farmed ingredients from the land and sea, such as Ginger Crusted Onaga, Longtail Red Snapper, and Macadamia Nut Coconut Marrunga Lamb Chops.
- Plumeria Beach House welcomes the great outdoors with beachfront open-air seating and all-day casual dining.
- Under an iconic chandelier, The Veranda greets guests with cocktails and evening appetizers.
- At the Seaside Grill, you can partake in breathtaking views of the ocean while you sip on handcrafted cocktails at the poolside bar. You can’t go wrong with the iconic Kahala Mai Tai, a classic since 1964 featuring Bacardí Gold Rum, Bols Orange Curaçao, toasted almond orgeat syrup, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice, topped with a float of dark rum.
- Arancino serves up classic Italian fare, and Kaffe Kahala is the best in coffee, artisanal pastries, gourmet sandwiches, and to-go treats.
- The epic weekend seafood buffet at Plumeria Beach House and Arancino’s “cheese wheel risotto” are both legendary culinary experiences you won’t want to miss.
- At the Kahala Spa, every visit begins with the traditional Ho‘omaka Foot Ritual, featuring a Hawaiian sea salt foot soak and scrub and cooling eye compress designed to bring you into the present moment. Other signature services include two-hour lomi lomi massages with mud wraps, a diamond glow radiance facial, and a hemp recovery remedy for muscle fatigue.
- The resort’s family-friendly features include signature suites for up to six guests, babysitting services, boogie boarding, and snorkeling. When you book using the Family Plan, children ages 17 and under can stay at no extra cost.
- For adventure lovers, Kahala offers a guided e-bike rainforest tour with “10 miles of smiles” on a paved jungle road high above Honolulu. Guests can also enjoy complimentary bicycle rentals on standard pedal bikes.
- Kahala has 338 rooms: 306 standard guest rooms and 32 suites. Rooms vary in size from lanais with 550 square feet to suites with more than 2,000 square feet. Every room is rich in chic tropical décor, a lanai or patio with direct beach views, premium bedding, internet access, and generous bathrooms.
Local volunteer opportunities and cultural classes give guests an opportunity to connect with the island on a personal level. Protect & Preserve Hawai’i hosts Monday Pia Power Hours and SuperChill Saturdays which connect guests with the local conservation community, working to restore the island’s biodiversity. Weekly cultural workshops explore the Hawaiian language, lei making, weaving, and other local traditions.
From your first aloha to your last, Kahala Hotel & Resort delivers a welcoming and wonder-filled experience for every guest.
The Best of the Rest
While Kahala tops our list of the best Honolulu resorts, here are some other 5-star options worth checking out:
- ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki – This exclusive boutique property provides the ultimate in privacy with only nine full-floor suites and exclusive access to local museums.
- Halekulani Hotel – While not strictly adults-only, this tops our list for a couple’s escape because of the “chill” pool vibe.
- The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach – With wind and waves on one side and cityscape and mountain views on the other, the Ritz offers intimate luaus, private guided hikes, and beach kits packed with towels, sunscreen, and bottled water.
- The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki – With pink umbrellas and a century of Hawaiian history, the “Pink Palace of the Pacific,” is distinctive and storied and offers Waikiki’s only oceanfront luau.
- Ka La’i Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts – With floor-to-ceiling windows highlighting dreamy views of the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head State Monument, the Ke La’i is also popular for its sky-high infinity pool and vibrant city location.
Kahala and other local 5-star hotels and resorts are experts at sharing the island’s magic, culture, and charm with every guest. They turn “aloha” from a simple greeting into a full-fledged embrace of hospitality and welcome.
About the author
A professional writer and editor for 25 years, Megan Morrow is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and the University of South Dakota with a master’s in English. She loves writing about everything from finance to fitness, local to international news, and nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies, having worked in publishing, newspapers and magazines, banking, and the arts. When not on deadline, she enjoys family time, seeing the world, yoga, and speed-reading.
