My husband and I recently decided to hop over to O’ahu for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary. We chose to stay at Alohilani Resort for the convenient location and the luxurious amenities. There are many hotels to choose from in Waikiki, I know it can be overwhelming choosing the right one. So I’m sharing our experience at Alohilani Resort to help you in your travel planning.
Living on Kaua’i has been such a blessing for my husband and I. We’re building our dream life in one of the most beautiful states. And it gives us the opportunity to quickly and easily explore all of the Hawaiian islands. Each island has a unique charm to it, so I love that we get to have some more adventures.
We couldn’t be happier with our hotel choice for our romantic getaway. We enjoyed perfect views and ultimate comfort during our stay. It’s easily one of the best hotels to stay at in Waikiki and one of our new favorites! We definitely plan to return on future trips to O’ahu.
Alohilani Resort
Staying at Alohilani Resort effortlessly puts you into ultimate relaxation and vacation mode. Honestly, you don’t even feel the need to leave the property.
Alohilani Resort is situated right along one of the most famous shorelines – Waikiki Beach. The hotel has two towers with 839 rooms. Each room features a private lanai (balcony) that provides different views of Waikiki; enjoy beautiful views of the city, Diamondhead, or the ocean. With 39 floors, there are some pretty impressive views!
The entire resort was recently remodeled in 2018, so you will enjoy modern luxury that instantly puts you into vacation mode. You see the chic, modern interior as soon as you walk into the lobby. With luxurious finishes, high ceilings, and an open floor plan, you feel as though you’ve walked into a tropical oasis. My husband and I didn’t know where to look first with the floor to ceiling pillars wrapped in a basket weave, the beautiful coral sculpture behind the concierge desk, or the 280,000 gallon indoor aquarium.
We opted for the concierge desk since it was almost time for sunset. Check in was quick and easy with very friendly hotel staff. They wished us a Happy Anniversary and off we went to our room. We walked into our room just as the sun started to set. And the view was absolutely stunning!
The Rooms
For our anniversary, we chose an oceanfront room for a romantic getaway and ultimate relaxation vibes. An oceanfront room is the perfect place to watch a stunning Hawaiian sunset. We stayed in room 1621 which gave us gorgeous aerial views of Waikiki Beach, the Pacific Ocean, and the shoreline.
The large rooms offer deluxe comfort with a modern, luxurious vibe. The white and tan colors made the room feel bright, cozy, and very beachy. And the bed was so comfortable! It definitely made for a very relaxing weekend.
One drawback I found was the size of our bathroom. I can’t speak for the rest of the rooms, but our bathroom was pretty tight. The bathroom door opened right into the toilet, so you had to squeeze by the toilet in order to close the bathroom door or access the shower. Would it prevent me from staying here again? Absolutely not. But it is something to note. It was a surprise to use the toilet for the first time and find out the seat was heated!
But the best part of our room was definitely the lanai. The views from our oceanfront room was nothing short of amazing. It was the perfect place to watch those gorgeous Hawaiian sunsets. And it was a peaceful spot to watch Waikiki come alive in the morning as people head to the beach, out to surf, and the boat tours sail around. And who doesn’t love listening to the sound of the waves?
On Site Amenities
With all of the on site amenities, you don’t even feel the need to leave the resort property. Alohilani Resort features a gym, a luxurious spa, restaurants and many boutiques. There really is everything you need right on site.
The Island Club and Spa offers massages, facials, and body treatments so you can enhance your relaxation. The gym also includes tennis courts, a yoga studio, TRX, and various group classes.
There are many boutiques on the ground floor, including an ABC Store. Alohilani Resort is also home to multiple high end restaurants. Enjoy a delicious meal at Morimoto Asia, Momosan Ramen Waikiki, or the Swell Restaurant & Pool Bar.
Swell Restaurant & Pool Bar
We spent most of our time on the 5th Floor at the Swell Restaurant & Pool Bar. There is a stunning saltwater infinity pool with views of Waikiki Beach and the ocean. Talk about instagram worthy views! It’s the perfect place to grab a lounge chair and spend some time soaking up the sun. The first step of the infinity pool extends almost halfway into the pool and there are lounge chairs in the water. Total relaxation!
Bring the family and rent a private cabana for the day! Order food and cocktails from the Swell Restaurant & Pool Bar to enjoy poolside or in your cabana. Spend the day relaxing and soaking in the saltwater pool or the hot tub. Enjoy the sunset and capture some Instagram worthy photos from the infinity pool. Then stay as the Swell Restaurant & Pool Bar turns into an evening hot spot with live music from local musicians. You can really spend all day here!
Greetings From Hawai’i
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we visited Alohilani Resort before to check out the Greetings from Hawai’i Mural. The mural is part of the Greetings Tour. But the difference with this mural is that it’s painted on the ground instead of the wall. It’s on the ground of a parking lot area in the back of the hotel that is typically where the food trucks park. The first time we visited to check out the mural, one of the hotel staff said it was not there anymore, that it was for the food trucks. I had a feeling to go look anyway and there it was! It’s definitely a little worse for wear with the food trucks driving on it, but it still makes for an awesome picture!
There is a machine that connects to a camera on the roof to take your picture. But I found it not working every time I tried. So my husband stood in the stairwell overlooking the mural while I went down to stand on it!
Final Thoughts
Alohilani Resort is a perfect choice for your next trip to O’ahu. It is conveniently located with all of the amenities on site for a perfect vacation. Have you stayed here before? What did you think? And let me know if you have any questions about Alohilani Resort, O’ahu, or Hawai’i travel!
