Hi

Please could someone how has been to the above hotel in Hawaii let me know what they thought? i was also wondering how expensive the restaurants are to eat in and are the drinks expensive, it looks fantastic i am thinking of going for my honeymoon in April does anyone know the weather for then, i would be most greatful for any information you have, thank you in advance.

rubymurray, my sister stayed at the Kahala Mandarin right before renovations a few years ago, when it was a little "tired," and absolutely loved it, even then (and she is picky!) I love Hawaii in April, one of the best times to visit, and here's a link to past April weather in Honolulu:

http://www.weatherunderground.com/hi...lyHistory.html

One of the nicest and the most expensive hotels on Oahu. It's away from all the hustle and bustle of Waikiki.

We dined at their new Plumeria Beach House restaurant - buffet dinner, which was around $35 per person. Our friend paid for our meal, so it was a special treat. Hoku's, if I remember correctly, has main entrees for about $25-$35. Fabulous restaurant!!!

Monica

This is a very nice hotel, with beautiful rooms and a quiet location. The drawback to it, in my opinion, is that you have to drive or take the shuttle to leave the hotel since it's in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The restaurants on site aren't exactly cheap, but there are good affordable options nearby in Hawaii Kai or the Kahala Mall.

I stayed there on my honeymoon in 2002 for 1 night. The rooms were beautiful. I felt the hotel was a little too expensive though. We stayed in expensive spots on other islands but felt we got more for our money there. This hotel had a very small pool that was crowded when we were there. It was away from the main tourist areas, which we did like, but would not have really been that important for the 1 night. I wish we had looked for a $200/night hotel on this island since we were touring most of the time we were there. It was not worth the $350 or so that we ended up paying. I always prefer saving the money on the room and then putting it toward a really nice oceanfront dinner - just depends on your personal preferences. How long are you staying?

The restaurants are extremely expensive but very good. They charge for drink refills, even iced tea. The hotel is nice, amazing ocean view room views of Diamond Head but the pool is evtremely small. If the pool is a big thing for you you'll be disappointed. Weather will be perfect.

I agree that April is a fabulous time to go. We loved the Kahala Mandarin hotel. The rooms are beautiful, and the food is average price for an upscale hotel (i.e. typically expensive). It is off the beaten path and definately feels more intimate than anything on Waikiki. The shuttle is easy and runs frequently. Not a big deal at all. My only dissapointment is the size of the pool. It's really small, and when we were there, overrun by children. Many schools have spring break in April so you may want to take that into consideration. Don't get me wrong, I love kids and have two little ones myself, but the Kahala pool is so small that if even 8 kids are in it, it's nuts. If that matters to you, you may want to look at hotels with larger pools or even ones with adult only. I don't know if they still have it, but when we were there a couple of years ago you could swim with dolphins at the hotel. This is another draw for families during spring break. The beach is right there, however, and it's gorgeous.

Congratulations on your marriage.

The other thing is that the even though the hotel is out of Waikiki proper it is still busy along the beach, there is not enough space to find a secluded spot if you vant to be alone. If privacy and tranquility is an important issue than I would suggest the Turtle Bay resort on the north shore or the Ihilani, but unfortunately both of these places are a 45 minute (sometimes more) drive to Waikiki.

I stayed there in Feb of 2005...We were supposed to be there for 4 nights but my hubby and I felt so out of place, and I guess we really love Waikiki so we spent the rest of the nights @ the Outrigger on the Beach, then off to Turtle Bay for 5 nights.
We didn't like the location, you couldn't get into Waikiki without a shuttle or cab, no place to walk, restaurants too expensive. Maybe I'm just too cheap!!!!!
Just goes to show you more money does not mean a better time!

I visited Turtle Bay a couple years back and was underwhelmed. I was really planning on trying a future trip from the beatiful north shore but the hotel looked so plain and uninspired. I wouldn't think there'd be any comparison between that one and the Kahala (I hope not--since I am trying to plan for the Kahala for the first time very soon!). I don't really like being in Waikiki so the Kahala's location would be a plus for me over the Halekulani, IMHO. I've stayed at the Royal Hawaiian and deeply missed being over in Maui. Just more my style. I hope we like the Kahala! Good luck with deciding

Unless the Mandarin Oriental chain has recently taken the Kahala property back into the fold, it is no longer the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. I've stayed here many times in the past and always considered it to be the best place to stay on Oahu, but the last time found it looking a bit tired. A short time later, I learned of the management/ownership change. It may still be the best hotel on Oahu (especially for those who aren't into the Waikiki scene), but I'd check into it a little further before relying on its affiliation with Mandarin Oriental.