Honolulu is the capital and largest city of Hawaii, on the south shore of Oahu, known for Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace, Hanauma Bay and a food scene built on Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese influences.
Accommodation overview
Honolulu lodging is concentrated in Waikiki, a 2-mile beach district where most visitors stay. Beachfront luxury and resort towers line Kalakaua Avenue and Kalia Road, mid-range and budget hotels fill the blocks inland along Kuhio Avenue, and condo-hotels with kitchenettes cluster toward the Diamond Head end near Kapiolani Park and the Ala Moana end near the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor. Outside Waikiki, the Ala Moana and Kakaako area offers business-oriented towers next to Ala Moana Center, Kahala has a single high-end resort east of Diamond Head, Manoa has a historic guesthouse, and the Nimitz Highway corridor has airport hotels. Hostels with dorm beds sit a block from Kuhio Beach. Nightly rates are among the highest in the United States, and almost every Waikiki hotel adds a daily resort fee and charges for parking, so the total cost should be checked before booking.
- Budget
- $40-$70 per night for hostel dorm beds; $110-$280 per night for budget hotels (about US$40-280), before taxes and resort fees
- Mid-range
- $170-$480 per night for most Waikiki chain, condo and boutique hotels (about US$170-480), plus taxes and fees
- Luxury
- $330-$1,600+ per night at Halekulani, The Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider, Kahala and similar (about US$330-1,600+), before taxes and fees; peak is mid-December to March and summer
- Where to stay
- Waikiki for first-time visitors on foot; the Diamond Head end near Kapiolani Park for a quieter stay; the Ala Moana end for harbor views and easy shopping; Kahala for a secluded luxury resort; the airport corridor for early flights.
Hotels by budget
Find accommodation that fits your travel budget.
Budget-friendly
Aqua Aloha Surf Waikiki
Value-oriented Aqua hotel on Kanekapolei Street near the Waikiki Beach Walk; a June 2026 guest report noted the pool was closed during a stay.
Check rates on Booking.comOasis Hotel Waikiki
Small value hotel on Lewers Street, steps from the Waikiki Beach Walk restaurants.
Check rates on Booking.comStay Hotel Waikiki
Budget hotel on Koa Avenue, a few minutes from the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comVive Hotel Waikiki
Small hotel on Kuhio Avenue a short walk from the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comRoyal Grove Waikiki
Pink low-rise budget hotel on Uluniu Avenue, about a 5-minute walk to Kuhio Beach.
Check rates on Booking.comEwa Hotel Waikiki
Budget hotel on Cartwright Road, a block off Kalakaua Avenue and Kapiolani Park.
Check rates on Booking.comWaikiki Grand Hotel
Value hotel on Kapahulu Avenue near Kapiolani Park, convenient to the Kapahulu restaurant row.
Check rates on Booking.comOhana Waikiki Malia by Outrigger
Budget-friendly Outrigger hotel on Kuhio Avenue, a short walk from the beach and the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Check rates on Booking.comAirport Honolulu Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Airport-area hotel on Nimitz Highway, suited to late arrivals or early departures from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Check rates on Booking.comBest Western The Plaza Hotel Honolulu Airport
Best Western on Nimitz Highway near the airport.
Check rates on Booking.comWaikiki Beachside Hostel
Hostel a block from Kuhio Beach and Kapiolani Park offering dorm beds and private rooms; dorm beds are typically listed from roughly $40-70 a night, private rooms from about $100-170.
Check rates on Booking.comPolynesian Hostel Beach Club
Hostel about a block from Kuhio Beach and the Honolulu Zoo offering dorm beds and private studios with en suite bathrooms and kitchens.
Check rates on Booking.comMid-range
Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger
Mid-priced Outrigger tower on Kalakaua Avenue, one block from Waikiki Beach and across from the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Check rates on Booking.comOutrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
Beachfront resort at the Ewa end of Waikiki, steps from the Halekulani and Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Laylow, Autograph Collection
Boutique hotel with mid-century Hawaiian design on Kuhio Avenue, a few minutes from the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comHyatt Centric Waikiki Beach
Contemporary hotel one block from the beach on Seaside Avenue, close to the Kuhio Avenue shopping and dining corridor.
Check rates on Booking.comHyatt Place Waikiki Beach
Select-service hotel on Paoakalani Avenue near Kuhio Beach and Kapiolani Park, popular with families and longer stays.
Check rates on Booking.comEmbassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk
All-suite hotel in the Waikiki Beach Walk district, a short walk from the beach and the Lewers Street restaurants.
Check rates on Booking.comCourtyard by Marriott Waikiki Beach
Mid-range tower on Royal Hawaiian Avenue between Kuhio Avenue and Kalakaua Avenue, near Waikiki's main restaurant streets.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach
Hilton's mid-priced Waikiki hotel on Kuhio Avenue, about a 5-minute walk to the beach; one 2026 guest review reported a resort fee of about $50 per night.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Waikiki Beach
Large Hilton tower on Kuhio Avenue near Kuhio Beach, mid-priced for its central Waikiki location.
Check rates on Booking.comIlikai Hotel & Luxury Suites
Condo-hotel tower overlooking Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, recognizable from the opening credits of the original Hawaii Five-O; suites have kitchens.
Check rates on Booking.comWayfinder Waikiki
Boutique hotel on Ala Wai Boulevard overlooking the canal, reopened in late 2022 after renovation; a 2026 listing showed rates from about $234 per night.
Check rates on Booking.comHotel Renew
72-room boutique hotel with a Japanese-influenced design half a block from Kuhio Beach; it has no pool and no full-service restaurant.
Check rates on Booking.comAmbassador Hotel of Waikiki, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
368-room hotel that joined Hilton's Tapestry Collection in 2025 after a renovation, with a pool deck, suites and bunk-bed family rooms.
Check rates on Booking.comSheraton Princess Kaiulani
Classic Sheraton on Kaiulani Avenue across from the Royal Hawaiian Center; 2026 listings showed rates from roughly $143 to $210 per night.
Check rates on Booking.comPark Shore Waikiki
Hotel at the Diamond Head end of Kalakaua Avenue facing Kapiolani Park, a few steps from Kuhio Beach and the Honolulu Zoo.
Check rates on Booking.comAston Waikiki Beach Hotel
Aqua-Aston managed hotel on Kalakaua Avenue opposite Kapiolani Park.
Check rates on Booking.comWaikiki Resort Hotel
Mid-priced hotel on Koa Avenue, a block from Kuhio Avenue and about 5 minutes on foot from Waikiki Beach.
Check rates on Booking.comAqua Bamboo Waikiki
Bamboo-themed Aqua hotel on Kuhio Avenue with kitchenette studios, a short walk from the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comPacific Monarch Hotel
Condo-style hotel on Kuhio Avenue with kitchenette studios and suites a few blocks from the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comRomer House Waikiki
Hotel on Nahua Street that took the Romer House name in 2024, replacing the former Aqua Waikiki Pearl.
Check rates on Booking.comQueen Kapiolani Hotel
Boutique hotel at the foot of Diamond Head beside Kapiolani Park, known for rooftop pool views of the crater.
Check rates on Booking.comHoliday Inn Express Waikiki
IHG hotel on Kuhio Avenue near the Ala Moana end of Waikiki.
Check rates on Booking.comAston at the Waikiki Banyan
Condo-hotel with full kitchens in one- and two-bedroom suites, a block from Kapiolani Park and Kuhio Beach.
Check rates on Booking.comAqua Skyline at Island Colony
Condo-hotel tower on Seaside Avenue with kitchenette studios and suites, about 5 minutes on foot from the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comClub Wyndham Royal Garden at Waikiki
Timeshare resort with kitchenette suites on Olohana Street near the Ala Wai Canal; listings show parking of about $45-50 per night and an added per-unit occupancy fee.
Check rates on Booking.comImperial Hawaii Resort at Waikiki
Vacation resort on Lewers Street near Waikiki Beach Walk with kitchenette suites.
Check rates on Booking.comDoubleTree by Hilton Alana Waikiki Beach
DoubleTree on Ala Moana Boulevard at the Ala Moana end of Waikiki, a 10-15 minute walk or short bus ride to the beach.
Check rates on Booking.comRamada Plaza by Wyndham Waikiki
Wyndham-franchised hotel on Ala Moana Boulevard, closer to Ala Wai Harbor and Ala Moana Center than to the main beach.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Equus Hotel Honolulu
Condo-hotel on Ala Moana Boulevard near Ala Wai Yacht Harbor and Ala Moana Center.
Check rates on Booking.comHale Koa Hotel
Armed Forces Recreation Center hotel on the Fort DeRussy beachfront; only eligible military personnel, retirees, their families and certain others can stay.
Check rates on Booking.comAla Moana Hotel
Large tower beside Ala Moana Center on Atkinson Drive, handy for shopping and the Convention Center, about 2 miles from Waikiki Beach.
Check rates on Booking.comRenaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa
Marriott-managed tower on Kapiolani Boulevard near Ala Moana Center and the Hawaii Convention Center.
Check rates on Booking.comPagoda Hotel
199-room hotel known for its koi pond and garden, set in a mostly local neighborhood between Ala Moana and Waikiki, with a recent propertywide renovation.
Check rates on Booking.comManoa Valley Inn
Historic guesthouse in upper Manoa valley near the University of Hawaii, away from Waikiki.
Check rates on Booking.comLuxury
Halekulani
Waikiki's most celebrated luxury address, a low-rise beachfront resort at the quiet Diamond Head-facing end of Kalia Road, home to the tasting room La Mer and the House Without a Key beachside terrace.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort
The pink 1927 Spanish-Moorish hotel known as the Pink Palace, set on a wide stretch of Waikiki Beach beside the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Check rates on Booking.comMoana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa
Waikiki's first hotel (1901), a colonial-style beachfront landmark with a historic Banyan Wing, a beachside bar under a century-old banyan and a renovated tower.
Check rates on Booking.comKa La'i Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts
All-suite beachfront tower on Saratoga Road at the western end of Waikiki Beach, previously the Trump International Hotel Waikiki and now operated under Hilton's LXR brand.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Kahala Hotel & Resort
Beachfront resort in the quiet Kahala residential district east of Diamond Head, about 10 minutes by car from Waikiki, with a lagoon that holds dolphins.
Check rates on Booking.comHalepuna Waikiki by Halekulani
Halekulani's sister hotel across Kalia Road, formerly the Waikiki Parc and now renamed Halepuna; the hotel states that no resort fee is charged and that parking is paid.
Check rates on Booking.comSheraton Waikiki Beach Resort
Large beachfront tower (renamed from Sheraton Waikiki after a renovation completed in 2023) known for its rooftop infinity pool and its position on a calm section of Waikiki Beach.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Sprawling 22-acre resort on the western edge of Waikiki with multiple towers, a protected lagoon beach and a weekly Friday-night fireworks show.
Check rates on Booking.com'Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
Contemporary beachfront resort opposite Kapiolani Park, formerly the Pacific Beach Hotel, renovated and reopened under the 'Alohilani name; exterior repair work on one tower was scheduled through March 2026.
Check rates on Booking.comHyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa
Twin towers across from Waikiki Beach, centrally placed on Kalakaua Avenue near Kuhio Beach.
Check rates on Booking.comWaikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Full-service tower at the quieter Diamond Head end of Waikiki, facing Kapiolani Park.
Check rates on Booking.comOutrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
Beachfront Outrigger flagship on Kalakaua Avenue, home to Duke's Waikiki restaurant; guestrooms have been rebuilt in phases, with new rooms reported bookable in 2026 while public spaces were still being finished.
Check rates on Booking.comPrince Waikiki
Twin-tower hotel (known as the Hawaii Prince in earlier years) at Ala Wai Yacht Harbor with views of the marina and the Pacific; a resort fee of about $45 and parking of about $45-50 per night have been listed.
Check rates on Booking.comHilton Vacation Club The Modern Honolulu
Design-led hotel and vacation club tower beside the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, with a sundeck, spa and restaurant.
Check rates on Booking.comKaimana Beach Hotel
Low-rise beachfront boutique hotel (formerly the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel) beside Sans Souci Beach, Kapiolani Park and Diamond Head, away from the main Waikiki crowds.
Check rates on Booking.comOutrigger Waikiki Shore
Condo-hotel with kitchens in one- and two-bedroom suites, directly on Waikiki Beach next to the Halekulani.
Check rates on Booking.comBest neighborhoods to stay
Choose your base based on your interests and travel style.
Waikiki Beachfront
Kalakaua Avenue and Kalia Road towers directly on the sand, from historic landmarks to full-service resorts; the most expensive and most convenient area.
Best for: All travelers
Central Waikiki
Kuhio Avenue and the blocks inland from the beach with most mid-range and budget hotels, restaurants and shops within a 5-10 minute walk of the water.
Best for: All travelers
Diamond Head end of Waikiki
The quieter eastern end near Kapiolani Park, the Honolulu Zoo and Kuhio Beach, with boutique hotels, condo-hotels and hostels.
Best for: All travelers
Ala Moana end of Waikiki
Ilikai, Prince Waikiki and Ala Moana Boulevard towers beside Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, closer to Ala Moana Center than to the main beach.
Best for: All travelers
Ala Moana / Kakaako / Downtown
Business-oriented towers near Ala Moana Center and the Hawaii Convention Center, away from the beach but close to local restaurants and bus lines.
Best for: All travelers
Kahala, Manoa and Airport
A single luxury resort in residential Kahala, a historic guesthouse in Manoa valley, and airport-corridor hotels on Nimitz Highway.
Best for: All travelers
Our top picks
Handpicked recommendations for every type of traveler.
Halekulani
Waikiki's most celebrated luxury address, a low-rise beachfront resort at the quiet Diamond Head-facing end of Kalia Road, home to the tasting room La Mer and the House Without a Key beachside terrace.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort
The pink 1927 Spanish-Moorish hotel known as the Pink Palace, set on a wide stretch of Waikiki Beach beside the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Check rates on Booking.comMoana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa
Waikiki's first hotel (1901), a colonial-style beachfront landmark with a historic Banyan Wing, a beachside bar under a century-old banyan and a renovated tower.
Check rates on Booking.comKa La'i Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts
All-suite beachfront tower on Saratoga Road at the western end of Waikiki Beach, previously the Trump International Hotel Waikiki and now operated under Hilton's LXR brand.
Check rates on Booking.comThe Kahala Hotel & Resort
Beachfront resort in the quiet Kahala residential district east of Diamond Head, about 10 minutes by car from Waikiki, with a lagoon that holds dolphins.
Check rates on Booking.comHalepuna Waikiki by Halekulani
Halekulani's sister hotel across Kalia Road, formerly the Waikiki Parc and now renamed Halepuna; the hotel states that no resort fee is charged and that parking is paid.
Check rates on Booking.comBooking tips
Get the best deals and avoid common mistakes.
Add lodging taxes to every rate: Hawaii's state transient accommodations tax rose from 10.25% to 11% on January 1, 2026 (the Green Fee law), Honolulu County adds 3%, and general excise tax adds about 4.7%, so the total is roughly 18.7% on top of the room rate (about US$18.70 per US$100). Confirm current rates with the Hawaii Department of Taxation.
Budget for resort fees: most Waikiki hotels charge a mandatory daily resort fee, commonly about $40-$60 per night (about US$40-60) plus tax, covering wifi, local calls and similar items. A few, such as Halepuna Waikiki, state that they charge none. Compare the all-in nightly cost, not the headline rate.
Parking is rarely free: overnight self-parking or valet in Waikiki typically costs $40-$65 per night (about US$40-65) plus tax, and some condo-hotels charge more. Visitors who do not plan to drive outside Waikiki can skip a rental car and save the parking cost.
Rental car or no car: Waikiki is walkable, and TheBus, the Biki bike-share and rideshare cover the rest of Honolulu. A car is useful for day trips to the North Shore, Kailua or Hanauma Bay, so many visitors rent for only those days instead of the whole stay.
Condo-hotels (Aqua-Aston, Outrigger and similar) often have kitchenettes or full kitchens, which cuts food costs on a week-long stay; check whether the listing adds a mandatory per-unit occupancy fee.
Peak seasons run from mid-December through March and again June to August; book 4-6 months ahead for those dates. Prices are usually lower in late April-May and September to early December, outside holidays.
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) is about 9 miles from Waikiki; rideshare and taxi cost roughly $35-$50 (about US$35-50) and take 20-40 minutes depending on traffic, and some hotels run shuttles.
For solo budget travel, Waikiki Beachside Hostel (waikikibeachsidehostel.com, 2556 Lemon Rd) and Polynesian Hostel Beach Club (polynesianhostel.com, 2584 Lemon Rd) are a block from Kuhio Beach and offer dorm beds and private rooms.
Check cancellation terms: many Waikiki hotels allow free cancellation 24-72 hours before arrival, but peak dates and special rates are often non-refundable.
Alternative accommodations
Beyond traditional hotels, consider these options.
Guesthouses
Family-run guesthouses offer authentic local experiences and often include home-cooked meals. Great for cultural immersion.
Serviced apartments
Ideal for longer stays or families. Kitchen facilities help save money and provide flexibility.
Hostels
Budget-friendly option for solo travelers. Dorms and private rooms available with social common areas.