"The Halekulani Hotel is a luxury hotel on the beach in Waikiki. Most hotel rooms are set back a little from the ocean and overlook the pool area with the ocean beyond. But wyou can still easily hear the ocean and can walk to the beach without crossing any streets or public areas. THe beach area for the Halekulani is fairly small, but consequently it is somewhat quieter and more private than the larger beaches on either side of the hotel. The Halekulani facilities and rooms are very nice though not as "over the top" as some luxury hotels we have stayed in. Everything was clean and well-maintained. But what really stood out to us was the high level of service and the friendliness and helpfulness of all the staff we encountered.
One example of the high level of service was the nightly "turn down" service, which was essentially a second daily housekeeping, with garbage removed, new towels provided, ice bucket filled, and so on. As another, when we mentioned to a housekeeper that we were having trouble drawing the spring-loaded clothesline across the tub, she radioed for maintenance and a gentleman was there to fix the line within minutes. As a third, when the hotel was unable to extend our checkout time due to an incoming reservation, they made a hospitality room available to us where we could stay until it was time for us to head to the airport. And finally, when we wanted to sit in the chaise lounges around the pool (no charge for using these, as there are at some hotels) a staff member ran over to wipe off the dew and stretch a terry cloth cover over the chairs to make them more comfortable in the heat. There were also free cookies and ice water at poolside (along with food and drinks if one wanted to order them).
Our room was modern and well-equipped, with a nice balcony and a great view of the ocean. We have had fancier rooms at some hotels, but our room here had all the amenities we needed, including a lovely wide balcony with a table, chairs and chaise. We were provided with fresh water bottles every day along with an assortment of souvenirs, there was an empty refrigerator for our use, bathrobes, slippers, etc. The room was not inexpensive, but then nothing in Waikiki is, expecially around the time of spring break. Some of the best high-end restaurants in Waikiki are also on the premises, but these too are expensive, and we had made reservations at a number of other nearby restaurants instead. However we did regularly avail ourselves of the Halekulani bakery, which is right across the street from the hotel entrance and we recommend it highly. (I tried a salted caramel roll on the first day, despite its nondescript appearance, and ended up having one every day we were there!)
It is probably also worth mentioning that the Halekulani Hotel is within walking distance of a large number of restaurants, shopping areas and tourist attractions in Waikiki. Given the high cost of parking at the hotel and in the area, and the difficulty of finding parking spots, we elected not to rent a car for the week, but instead to take an Uber to and from the airport and to walk around town. There are good tours available if you want to see the sights outside of town. But for convenience and cost, I recommend skipping the car rental and relying a little more on one's legs. If we return to the Waikiki area again, I think we would probably want to stay at this same hotel and to skip the car rental once again. It made for a great week for us!"
A Tripadvisor traveler review
Apr 04, 2026