Excellent for a few days

Posted by Russm from St Simons Isalnd, GA on 4/20/08

The service was outstanding throughout the property. Restaurants, spa, front desk. business center, everywhere we went the service was excellent. Loved the food especially Le Mer.

fab

Posted by bigredjohn from Kansas City on 3/4/08

We'll always fondly remember the five nights we spent here in February. Yes, it's expensive and the beach directly in front of the hotel is poor. But you can quickly walk down Waikiki Beach, and everything else about the hotel is fabulous. The breakfast buffet outside in the morning is a wonderful experience.

Worth the money

Posted by Karol from New York (1 hr from NYC) on 6/2/07

My husband and I just returned to New York from Oahu today. We stayed 4 nights at the Halekulani after a wedding in L.A. This hotel is clean & comfortable, and the staff is friendly. We had a Diamond Head view room & the view was perfect. We spent evenings at the House Without a Key having mai tais and watching hula, which was sooo relaxing & laidback. I'd read some stupid online complaints about the hotel before I booked but I am a fussy traveler (especially regarding cleanliness) and I was absolutely satisfied w/ our stay. We went to Dolphin Quest at the Kahala & felt so thankful not to have stayed there. It seemed cold, austere, and dark compared to the Halekulani (although Dolphin Quest was great). They do have an evening "dress code" but it really seemed to be for La Mer more than anywhere else & we saw all kinds of casual clothes in the public areas at all hours. My husband has stayed at Ritz locations on the mainland for business & he was impressed by the Halekulani, as well. Treat yourself & pick this hotel. It is wonderful. One note: If you have kids, you may want to choose a place geared toward them, with activities & babysitting services.

Heaven

Posted by remarks22 from New York on 3/4/07

Sitting on your balcony looking at diamond head overlooking the ocean is heaven. You are right in the middle of a busy area but feel that you are miles away from everything. The ambiance and service of the hotel are amazing and worth the money. We have been there twice and will return. Try the romance package, it wont disappoint you.

Fodor's choice for a reason...

Posted by I_luv_Hawaii from New York, New York on 1/14/07

We stayed at the Halekulani for two nights this past Christmas (Dec. 22nd & 23rd) and were impressed by the service and special touches. Upon checking-in, we were escorted to our room by the Manager who answered many of our questions about the hotel. A plate of fresh fruit, box of chocolates, and juice(2 bottles) and water(two bottles) were waiting for us in our room--all complimentary. Later that evening guests of the hotel were invited to a "Managers Reception" where they had hot appetizers and an open bar. The food was very good and the champagne plentiful. There isn't much of a beach, but the pool is sufficient. Pool attendants circle the grounds offering cold face towels and fruit bars. I am not a fan of Wakiki/Honlulu, but the Halekulani made our stay worthwhile.

Overrated Hotel

Posted by Merejones from Chicago on 1/5/07

We arrived Christmas eve to an average lobby with barely any holiday decorations. Because we were checking in before 3pm, my husband and I were taken to the lounge to "check-in". We weren't told of the procedure so we had to ask the employee to inform us what was going on. I don't find it necessary to take guests to another location just to check in. We were told our bags would be taken care of while we walked around Honolulu - five hours later we came back to the hotel and saw that our luggage had been sitting outside, in the sun, the whole time. This was unacceptable. We were escorted to our room so we could have a proper tour of the room. When we entered the room, my jaw dropped - stains on the carpet and furniture that clearly is the same since the hotel opened in the 80's. For the $600 we were paying a night, this is unacceptable. The couch had food stains and the glass on top of the TV cabinet hadn't been wiped down in a long time. Also, the TV screen was clearly wiped with a dirty rag as we could see streaks everywhere. When we walked out to the balcony, we saw the chairs had bird poop on them. We always stay at high-end hotels, Four Seasons, Peninsula, etc. and pay the same prices for better quality and clean rooms. As we decided to make the most of the situation, we went to the concierge desk to seek help on what to do after we visit Pearl Harbor. The young man, didn't have any "good" suggestions and was helpful. Overall, I would not recommend the Halekulani Hotel. It is overrated for the area we were visiting.

Perfect Spot to relax

Posted by Poqgal from Virginia on 12/23/06

Outstanding service and lovely location. You will never want to leave.

Wonderful, but costs MEGA $$$$$

Posted by Troy from San Diego CA on 11/13/05

This is truly one of the finest hotels in Hawaii and the United States. The rack rates here start at about $600 a night for room and $1,200 for the suites, but they run a $400 special from time to time. All in all if you can afford it, this is the only place to stay in Hawaii.

Simply the best

Posted by Clark from Iowa on 10/17/05

It's difficult for me to think of any negative thing to say about the Halekulani. Well, the pool can be noisy with kids, but that is true at any hotel. I see there is some sort of feud going on between reviewers of the Halekulani vs. the Kahala Mandarin. I have stayed at the Kahala many times over the years and am a Kahala Club member still, and just got a birthday card from them (nice touch) but I am afraid the Kahala's glory days are past. The Halekulani is the superior hotel today. It is true as someone says here that the rooms are not as large as at the Kahala, but frankly there is not much difference (570 sq. feet vs. 600 sq. feet). Both places have very large rooms. Halekulani's are more luxurious. Staff has been friendly to me at both places. Halekulani has the best restaurant in all of the Hawaiian islands - La Mer. Be sure to take the free "back of the house" hotel tour which happens once per week. They give you free cookies and flowers and candy. This is a very expensive hotel but if you can afford it, very much worth it. I hope to return in February.