Going to Oahu in July - have noticed that the hotels we're looking at Halekulani or Kahala Mandarin there are no mention of the quality of beach. To us beautiful beach is extremely important as is very good hotel. We will not hav a car. (unfortunately no Ritz on Oahu). Is there a recommendation?

Went to Oahu in January, didn't stay at either hotel, but visited Halekulani, which doensn't have much of a beach at all! It gets washed away at high tide.

judi:

I have stayed at the Halekulani but not the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. The Halekulani is a great place, with terrific service and great food but it does not face a good stretch of beach. Wider and nicer sections of Waikiki are within easy walking distance. With the Mandarin Oriental, I understand that there is a beach which is not crowded but that it is not good for swimming.

As far as Waikiki goes, the nicest stretches of beach face either the Royal Hawaiian or the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

In terms of fine hotels facing great beaches in Hawaii, in my experience the best are the Mauna Kea and the Hapuna Beach on the Big Island, and the Four Seasons and the Grand Wailea on Maui. I don't think there are any places on Oahu that would compare to the beaches at those places.

The Kahala has a wonderful beach, private, with calm, clear water and not very crowded at all. You won't be disappointed (unless you're comparing it to 7-Mile Beach on Grand Cayman!!).

I agree with Dan. The Kahala is the pick if you want excellent service, but also want a beach. The service & atmosphere is far better than in the middle of Waikiki. The beaches on Oahu do not compare to other islands though. Mauna Kea is one of my favorites for fabulous beaches (big island). It's too bad that you won't have a car so you would be able to see Lanikai Beach or the beaches on the North Shore.

The beach at the Kahala Mandarin is not natural in the strict sense of the word. It was carved out of the reef. The entire shoreline there is a reef. But, it's away from the mainstream traffic. They have a beautiful pool on the grounds, and, in general, the surroundings are nicer than at the Halekulani. The Halekulani has a seawall separating the hotel from the beach. But, the beach is the entire Waikiki stretch and you can walk it all the way to Sans Souci to the East. If you don't have a car, I'd recommend the Halekulani. Also, O'ahu has a terrific bus system on which you can circle the entire island on $1.50...soon to be raised to $2.00.

I cannot understand statements like "the beaches on Oahu do not compare to the other islands" - I think some of the best beaches in all of Hawaii are on Oahu especially windward side - Kailua, Lanikai, Waimanalo(sp?) -the sand is whiter & finer and the water a beautiful shade of aqua that I still haven't been able to find on any of the other islands. Plus you have the gorgeous mountain backdrop, islets offshore within kayaking distance, and no crowds. What more could you ask for?
That said, there's not much of a beach in front of the Halekulani.

Patty,

I think people who come to Oahu tend to congregrate around Waikiki and don't leave that area. I would agree the beaches in Waikiki are not that great, in fact, it's been suffering severe erosion. Most of that sand has been trucked in from other areas. The beaches on west Oahu are equally as impressive as the eastern side, as does the awesome, expansive, southern coastline at Barbers Point, now open to the general public.

Hi Judi,

We just returned from Oahu, and stayed
at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. The beach there is pretty, but relatively small. Also the water is pefectly calm, like a swimming pool. We "beach hopped" around the island, and the most beautiful beaches are away from the crowds on the east, west, and north shore. The difference in water clarity is amazing. At Wakiki the water is murky, and bits of paper kept floating by. At the other beaches the water was perfectly clear, and at Makaha (west side) a sea turtle came swimming by. Maybe you should consider renting a car; the rental rates are cheap on Oahu.