The Best Beach Hotels to Book on Oahu, Hawaii

Overlooking a marina with bobbing moored sailboats, Prince Waikiki makes the most of its headland location with every room enjoying water views. The fifth-floor pool deck is the perfect spot to enjoy a signature Manoa Tradewinds cocktail by the poolside with a side of red-gold sunsets. You don’t have to move from the pool to catch live music by local musicians from Thursday to Sunday. With multiple top-quality dining options including the farm-to-table and line-to-table dishes such as porchetta with saffron risotto or grilled ahi at 100 Sails Restaurant and Bar and handcrafted rolls at Katsumidori Sushi Tokyo, there’s no need to venture back into Waikiki unless you really want to.

Yoga, lei-making and stand-up paddleboarding are among the complimentary activities on offer at the Kaimana Beach Hotel. This iconic 1960s modernist hotel, at the foot of Diamond Head, reflects cool surfer vibes of yesteryear in its decor. All rooms come with private lanais (balconies), and splurging is particularly worthwhile: the penthouse ocean suites please the eye with tropical print cushions and ocean-deep statement wallpaper; the one-bedroom suite boasts its own wet bar. Food and drink are also at the forefront of this hip boutique stay. The casual all-day bar-restaurant Hau Tree serves up delicious health-focused meals, along with an original cocktail menu: the Kapua Fizz and Waialua honey ginger daiquiris stand out.

The ultimate family getaway, Aulani weaves Disney magic with local culture experts to celebrate Hawaii’s beauty and history in an epic location. With over 300 hotel rooms as well as exclusive villas, you’ll be making plenty of friends at this very special family resort. In addition to several pools to choose from, kids will love the waterslides and aqua play areas while parents relax in the whirlpool spa. A kids club offering reef fish feeding and ukelele lessons keeps children active, and the on-site fitness and wellness center offers yoga and specialized training to mom and dad.

A century-old Hawaiian hotel, Halekulani is brimming with elegance, and appeals to art lovers who are free to peruse its fine art collection by renowned Hawaiian artists. Rooms are spacious and breezy, decorated in soft natural tones described as the hotel’s signature Seven Shades of White. Its location, with direct beach access, sees guests invited to the sands for surfing demos as well as morning seaside stretch classes. The centerpiece of the resort is the Orchid Pool with a stunning mosaic of a Cattleya orchid, made up of 1.2 million pieces of glass tiles.

There’s something for everyone at this stylish resort. Accommodation ranges from privately situated guest rooms to the full suite experience, with luxury perks like private helicopter rides and yacht excursions, and the wellness spa includes a lap pool so you can stay in shape. Families are well catered to with a complimentary kids club and family activities such as hula training and lei-making. Sustainable local ingredients are the hotel’s watchwords when it comes to dining; try the signature Hawaiian seafood tower at Mina’s Fish House with its dedicated line-to-table ethic, or reimagined southern Italian cuisine, such as snapper with braised fennel, at Noe.

This historic hotel, which blends Victorian elegance with modern comforts, first opened its doors in 1901. With a prime location on Waikiki Beach, guests can dine at one of its multiple bars and restaurants while enjoying ocean views from the shade of a giant banyan tree. For a nightcap, try an artisan cocktail featuring local liqueurs at Vintage 1901. If you’re looking for something different one night, guests at Moana Surfrider can also bill meals to their room from sister properties, the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. Moana also boasts a classic palm-tree fringed outdoor pool and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

Unlike any other hotel on the island, ‘Alohilani stands apart from the crowd when it comes to its hospitality offerings. First, there’s the fifth-floor pool deck SWELL, which overlooks Waikiki Beach, with its teak day beds and private cabanas. At night, it transitions into a bar with lanterns, fire pits and live music. Then it’s the lobby O Bar that enthralls most guests. A 280,000-gallon (1m-liter) two-story saltwater Oceanarium mesmerizes with its colorful array of native Hawaiian reef fish species. Oh, and the guest rooms? These are tastefully decked out in classic creams with blond-wood furnishings and come either with ocean or Diamond Head views, with rooms for mobility-impaired travelers as well.