I'm at the beginning stages of planning a trip to Hawaii. Looking for hotel recommendations for Oahu. Plan on spending about $500/nt. Is it wise to stay on Waikiki, or someplace else?

Thanks.

Yes most people stay in Honolulu/Waikiki when visiting Oahu.

Your budget is very generous, so I guess I'd suggest looking at the 3 best hotels (Halekulani, Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider).

Those are 3 very excellent suggestions for Waikiki, suze. I've stayed "across the street" at the Princess Kaiulani and also at the Marriott resort. Marriott is a step or two above PK, IMO. I've also stayed in the Ali'i tower at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and it's also a great place to stay (although the walk to major shopping along Kalakaua Avenue is a bit further...still do-able...from the Hilton. Much closer from the Marriott or PK (or the three suggested by suze).

I agree that the OP's budget will get something very nice!

There aren't that many places to stay outside of Waikiki -- there's Turtle Bay on the North Shore, the Kahala resort, and the hotels in Ko 'Olina (I've stayed there, and although it's a nice development, I didn't like the location). I agree with Suze that I'd pick one of the great hotels on the beach side of Kalakaua Avenue.

Another way to spend that nightly budget ;-) would be to get a fancy room (penthouse, ocean views, etc.) at one of nice but the slightly lesser hotels, like the Hyatt or something.

Not knowing your dates, I just picked randomly, and you could get Oceanfront w/ full breakfast at the The Outrigger Reef for $534/night (taxes are high in Hawaii so be sure to factor that into your pricing).

The Kahala is a nice option, away from but still an easy drive to Waikiki around Diamond Head. A nice low key resortish hotel if that makes sense just off the Waialae golf course where the Sony Open is played. The Halekulani and Moana would be my other choices.

Kahala only works with a rental car.

We've stayed at the Kahala several times. It's a great hotel/resort on a very nice stretch of beach and should be doable on your budget. Much quieter than staying on Waikiki.

Sorry. Forgot to mention dates. It'll be mid-September.

Thanks, all. I've never been there and was wondering whether it's better to be right at Waikiki or someplace remote. Sounds like Waikiki is the choice.

Mostly Waikiki is the choice because that's where the majority of the hotels are located.

I enjoying being right in the heart of things. But I like a lively populated neighborhood w/ lots to do within walking distance (may or may not be true for you).

I've been to Waikiki 5 times, don't rent a car, and have a great time... get around on foot, by bus, or the occasional taxi. But I do things right in the area between Honolulu to Diamondhead. Iolani Palace, ShangriLa Estate, Honolulu Academy of the Arts, Foster Botanical Gardens, Chinatown are all places I've enjoyed a lot.

I've yet to get out around the island, which I'm pretty certain you will want to do, at least on a day trip.

As long as you understand that Waikiki is a "city" on beach. Busy, fun, beachy atmosphere, but it's not low-key or laid-back, except within the individual hotels/resorts. Like Miami Beach, but IMHO, better. Kohala and Turtle Bay are out of the way, not in the middle of the action. Ko Olina is a planned development, with golf courses, houses, hotels, timeshare developments, etc.

You can get a feel for what Waikiki looks like if you watch the intro to Hawaii 5-0.

I just saw suze's post - she described it better than I - Waikiki is being in a "lively populated area" in "the heart of things".

Do not miss a trip around the island! (Diamond Head, Kailua-Lanikai, the Pali, the drive across the middle of the island on the H3 (spectacular), the north shore beaches, Haleiwa, Pearl Harbor....

Actually YOUR description wins sf7307. Those intro shots for Hawaii 5-0 are exactly how I think of Waikiki!!!

My Dad calls that kind of atmosphere "honky tonk"... and I wouldn't disagree.

I REALLY enjoyed our stay at Hilton Hawaiian Village. We got a corner room in the Rainbow Tower with a double lanai. The room was a little small, but I can't imagine a better view to wake up to every morning. (https://www.google.com/search?q=hilt...PYmWiXdoslM%3A)

It's true that the Hilton Hawaiian Village is further down the beach and you'll have a slightly longer walk to the center of town....but it really wasn't bad. I also thought we had the absolute best part of the beach, with the least amount of foot traffic, and access to their awesome tidal pool. Just a thought...

You have gotten lots of good recommendations. I've stayed at both the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider several times. I've not stayed at the Halekulani, though I've eaten dinner there several times. I've also stayed at the Hyatt, which has lovely rooms, but is located across the street from the beach. For me, being right on the beach is a priority, but your priorities may be different. Also, for me the Hilton Hawaiian Village is just too far from the center of things. I think they expect you will spend all of your time at the resort. If you are traveling with children, this might be ideal, but for two adults - not for me.

Enjoy!

The Kahala is a really good compromise between being relatively close to Waikiki but in a quiet location but yes, you'll need a car there. Waikiki is fun if you like to be in the thick of things and want to be able to walk around. You don't need a car if you stay in Waikiki but you'll probably want to rent one at least for a day trip or two. We usually split our stay between Waikiki and another location on Oahu to sort of get the best of both but it depends on how many nights you have. I haven't stayed at the Halekulani either but always visit for a meal or hula at House Without a Key. To me the Halekulani has the most refined atmosphere of the Waikiki properties. The downside to the Halekulani is that most of their waterfront is along a sea wall so if you want more beachfront, the Royal Hawaiian or Moana are probably better choices.

Thanks for the rundown of Waikiki's atmosphere and surroundings. It's sort of what I expected.

Will have to crank up On Demand to catch the opening of "Hawaii 5-0."

We stayed at the Halekulani a few years ago. I'm pretty sure we paid more than $500 for a very small room. We're staying at the Moana Surfrider this June. The AAA rate was the best I could find. And if you're a member of Costco you should check their rates, too.