16 Best Hotels in Oahu, Hawaii

Disney's first property in Hawaii melds the Disney magic with breathtaking vistas, white sandy beaches, and sunsets that even Mickey stops to watch. The enchanting resort complex delivers with Disney characters and local cultural experiences that include everything from ukulele lessons to nature walks to storytelling around the firepit. The full-service, 21-acre resort offers both guest rooms and a large contingent of time-share units that are more like apartments. You won't be staying in your room: Aulani has four restaurants, two lounges, a man-made snorkeling lagoon, a luxury spa, a full-service fitness center, a large beach, and the Waikolohe Pool—complete with a lazy river for tubing, the Volcanic Vertical (a tunnel waterslide), and the heart-pounding Tubestone Curl that sends you twisting and turning before eventually launching you into the stream. For those seeking a little more relaxation, the adults-only Wailana Pool is just the spot.

Its name translates to the "house befitting heaven," and this beachfront haven does, indeed, seem like a slice of heaven thanks to impeccable service and spacious guest rooms that are artfully appointed with marble and wood, neutral color schemes, modern furniture, updated technology, and bathrooms with oversize soaking tubs as well as showers. The large heated pool features a stunning orchid mosaic, created using more than a million glass tiles, and there are jaw-dropping ocean views from a large lanai. Fine-dining options here include Orchids, which hosts a popular Sunday brunch, and the award-winning La Mer, with its beautiful Diamond Head views. Book a day of divine pampering at the SpaHalekulani, and settle in for sunset drinks, Hawaiian music, and hula at the House Without A Key or a handcrafted cocktail and live jazz at the chic Lewers Lounge.

At the first Four Seasons on the island, nearly every room or suite in the 17-story hotel offers floor-to-ceiling windows and a private lanai, all with an ocean view. The resort has an infinity pool, a tranquil garden with koi ponds, and private, beachside cabanas. It also offers five restaurants, including Mina's Fish House, a seafood restaurant, and the Italian-inspired Noe.

Hidden away in the upscale residential neighborhood of Kahala (on the other side of Diamond Head from Waikiki), this elegant oceanfront hotel with top-notch service, opened in 1964 and one of Hawaii's first luxury resorts, has hosted celebrities, princesses, the Dalai Lama, and nearly every president since Lyndon Johnson. It's flanked by the Waialae Country Club's golf course and the ocean, surrounding it in natural tranquility—all just a 10-minute ride from Waikiki by free shuttle. A walkway has benches tucked into seaside nooks for lazy viewing, and the oceanfront fitness center offers outdoor yoga and Pilates. The poolside bar and grill will serve you at your lounge chair on the beach or by the pool, you can enjoy a casual meal at the Plumeria Beach House, elegant afternoon tea is offered on The Veranda, and fine dining is available at Hoku's or Arancino.

The reef just offshore makes the waters here calm enough for young kids. You can also sign up for dolphin interactions in the 26,000-square-foot lagoon or simply sit and watch the dolphins play throughout the day. The 550-square-foot guest rooms, decorated in an understated Islands style with mahogany furniture, are spacious though a tad worn; bathrooms have two vanities, and the lanai are big enough for lounge chairs. If you're a golf fan visiting the second week of January, ask for a room overlooking the course for a bird's-eye view of the PGA Sony Open from your lanai. If dolphins are your thing, request a room overlooking the lagoon.

Waikiki's oldest hotel (1901) is still a wedding and honeymoon favorite, with a sweeping main staircase and Victorian furnishings in its historic and expensive Moana Wing and more contemporary rooms in its 1950s-era Diamond Head Tower and refurbished Surfrider Tower, where oceanfront suites have two separate lanai—one for sunrise and another for sunset. Relaxation here involves lounging on the private beach or in a pool cabana, taking afternoon tea on the veranda, indulging in a treatment at the Moana Lani Spa, or enjoying beach or street views from rocking chairs on the main lobby's front or back porches. Enjoy live music and hula at the Banyan Court each evening, or dine at the oceanfront Beachhouse at the Moana. Don't miss the prized banyan tree, which dates from the hotel's early days. Note that rooms vary in each of the property's towers, so ask specific questions when booking. The hefty resort fee covers cultural activities, yoga classes, and Wi-Fi.

There's nothing like the iconic "Pink Palace of the Pacific," which is on 14 acres of prime Waikiki Beach and which has held fast to the luxury and grandeur that first defined it in the 1930s, when it became a favorite of the rich and famous. Originally built for luxury-cruise passengers, it hosted galas in its early years and was later requisitioned by the U.S. Navy as a rest and relaxation center during World War II. Today, the property blends modern comforts with historic elegance. Guests appreciate the architectural detailing of the historic wing—with its canopy beds and earth-tone color schemes—but if you want a lanai for sunset viewing, opt for rooms in the oceanfront tower. As the original guests weren't interested in a water view after weeks on the high seas, the historic wing's garden-view rooms are the largest and can potentially be booked for a lower price. Ask about the fascinating (and free) historical tours offered weekly. The beachfront Mai Tai Bar is a local favorite for cocktails and sunsets, and the walk down the hotel's lovely foyer and onto the lawn is very grand indeed.

Sprawling over nearly 1,300 acres of natural landscape on the edge of Kuilima Point in Kahuku, this resort has spacious guest rooms (averaging nearly 500 square feet) with lanai that showcase stunning peninsula views. In winter, when the big waves roll ashore, you get a front-row seat for the powerful surf. The 42 sumptuous oceanfront beach bungalows have private lanai and access to an exclusive pool area. Casual-chic Alaia, the resort's signature restaurant, showcases locally sourced ingredients in island-theme dishes. The resort also includes a collection of swimming pools and eateries, the 11,000-square-foot Nalu Spa, a Jamie O'Brien surf school, horse stables, 12 miles of nature trails, and the only 36-hole golf facility on Oahu.

Families and active travelers love the convenience and action of this high-rise hotel, often referred to as "the Banyan," just a block from Waikiki Beach, the aquarium, the zoo, and bustling Kalakaua Avenue. The lobby is decorated in warm tropical woods with plenty of seating to enjoy the trade winds. All the suites here are privately owned (some units are dated), and many have fully equipped kitchens, as well as lanai that offer Diamond Head or ocean views. The recreation deck also has fantastic Pacific vistas, as well as outdoor grills; a heated swimming pool; two hot tubs; a playground; a mini putting green; and volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts. There is also a koi pond and a mini waterfall. 

Here, in the center of Waikiki, you get the elegance of a luxury all-suites condominium combined with the intimacy and service of a boutique hotel. Facing Kuhio Beach, this 39-story tower offers spacious (1,100–1,400 square feet) one- and two-bedroom suites with gourmet kitchens and windows that open to views of Waikiki and the Pacific Ocean. The property is a favorite for families looking for sophisticated space and facilities, all within a quick stroll to the beach. Amenities include in-unit washer-dryers, free in-room Wi-Fi, large flat-panel smart TVs, chef-inspired kitchens, pullout sofas, luxury bedding, large lanai, and dining areas to accommodate the whole family. Beyond your room, the resort offers an expansive pool deck, poolside cabanas, barbecue stations, a fitness center, and a yoga studio.

In a place where space is at a premium, this resort in the heart of the Waikiki Beach Walk dining and shopping area offers families and other groups spacious, one- and two-bedroom suites stylishly decorated in relaxing earth tones with splashes of color. In addition to amenities like pull-out sofas and wet bars with microwaves and mini-refrigerators, suites have at least two balconies—some with ocean views, most overlooking the 1,965-square-foot, open-air Grand Lanai with its heated pool, sundeck, and outdoor bar. Perks include a free (hot) breakfast daily and a free happy hour reception (with snacks) nightly. The hotel is steeped in Hawaiiana: not only does it offer cultural programs for adults and youth, but it's also home to famous chef Roy Yamaguchi's Roy's Waikiki restaurant.

Location, location, location: this five-tower mega-resort sprawls over 22 acres on Waikiki's widest stretch of beach, with the greenery of neighboring Fort DeRussy creating a buffer zone between it and central Waikiki's high-rise lineup. The property's sheer volume of facilities and many free activities (lei-making, ukelele lessons, turtle feedings) make it a good choice for families. The grounds incorporate not only gardens, koi ponds, and waterfalls, but also an aquatic playground of pools and slides, a 5-acre lagoon for kayaking, a pier that serves as a docking point for the Atlantis submarine, a post office, an ABC Store, the large Mandara Spa & Fitness Center, 20 restaurants and lounges (featuring some of Hawaii's best musicians), and dozens of shops. Rainbow Tower, with its landmark 31-story mural, has knockout Diamond Head views. Separate facilities and concierge services make The Alii feel like a private "resort within the resort." The Grand Islander, an on-site 418-unit vacation-ownership property, has lovely suites and access to many amenities. Be sure to check on the status of the hotel's weekly fireworks show, a favorite Friday night event that draws big crowds.

There's no other resort between the ocean and this high-rise hotel, which is across the street from Kuhio Beach and features a lively, atrium-style lobby with three levels of shopping (including a farmers' market on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons), a two-story waterfall, gardens, and free live evening entertainment. Other amenities include the luxury Na Hoola Spa, with 16 treatment rooms and an array of specialty therapies; the street-level Kai Coffee; the SHOR breakfast restaurant; and SWIM, a casual poolside bar and lounge that serves sustainable seafood. Authentic on-site activities, such as lei-making and hula, are led by a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner. Aloha Friday events showcase Polynesian tattooing and feature a Samoan fire-knife performance.

Though primarily a time-share property, the Marriott here also offers nightly rentals, which range from hotel-style standard guest rooms to expansive and elegantly appointed one- or two-bedroom guest villa apartments, all within Ko Olina's 642-acre gated community. Situated on 30 acres and fronting a lagoon, this Beach Club resort has three pools (one with a sandy-beach bottom), a fitness center, and seven outdoor hot tubs, including two overlooking the ocean that are ideal for sunset soaks. Guests can choose from two fine-dining restaurants on the property, a casual pool bar, and a Polynesian dinner show, or purchase groceries at The Marketplace.

Outrigger's star property sits on one of the finest sections of Waikiki Beach, a location that, along with an array of cultural and dining options and great live-music and bar scenes, makes it a favorite. Guest rooms in the 16-story resort have lanai with either ocean or Waikiki-skyline views and soundproof windows. Duke's Waikiki, a quintessential beach bar, hosts famed Grammy-nominated Hawaiian musician Henry Kapono every Sunday afternoon for a rollicking good time around the pool. The scene is so iconic that Kapono sings about it in a song titled "Dukes on Sundays." The Blue Note Hawaii offers nightly jazz, rhythm-and-blues, or other music by top-shelf local, national, and international artists. The Outrigger's Voyager 47 Club, a spacious indoor-outdoor, ocean-view lounge, serves continental breakfast, happy hour beverages, and snacks to guests who upgrade for access. Take a break from all the buzz with a Hawaiian seaweed wrap, a hot stone massage, or some other treatment in the rooftop spa.

Right on picturesque Kaneohe Bay amid the junglelike fauna of the windward side, this resort offers apartment-style units ranging from cozy studios to spacious two-bedroom suites with breathtaking views of the majestic Koolau Mountains; one stand-alone cottage is in a remote area not generally frequented by tourists. All accommodations have either a full kitchen or kitchenette; suites have a private lanai. Units do not have their own washer/dryers, but there is guest laundry on-site. For an additional fee, you can take a guided tour of Kaneohe Bay on Wednesday afternoon to snorkel with endangered Hawaiian sea turtles and manta rays, or, on Saturday morning, take a chartered boat to the sandbar. Wi-Fi, use of the pool, and beach gear are included in the hefty resort fee; pets can stay for an additional nightly fee.

Set on 5 acres across from Kuhio Beach and close to Kapiolani Park, the Honolulu Zoo, and the Waikiki Aquarium, this flagship Marriott offers daily activities for children and adults and has an expansive pool deck with ocean views, several pools, plenty of cabanas and lounge chairs, and the large, outdoor Queensbreak restaurant. Rooms, all with private lanai, vary in size and configuration: those in the Kealohilani Tower are some of the largest in Waikiki; those on the Diamond Head side of the Paoakalani Tower offer breathtaking views of the crater and Kapiolani Park. Royal Kaila Spa offers an extensive menu of services, and the 3,000-square-foot, 24-hour fitness center has floor-to-ceiling windows and state-of-the-art equipment.