Hotel Review: The Royal Hawaiian a Luxury Collection Resort in Honolulu

Staying at The Royal Hawaiian Resort in Waikiki took us by surprise as soon as my sister and I landed in Honolulu.

Of course, the two of us were thrilled to finally arrive in Oahu after quite a journey. I was worried about my luggage because of the mix-up, too. We weren’t able to catch our original flight out of San Francisco because of plane trouble. Luckily, we took a United flight later in the day and arrived around 10:00 pm.

The original plan for the Gal Getaway trip out to Hawaii was to stay in a large Airbnb to house 12 girls. The house was located inland and away from the rest of the tourist-filled hotels.

Unfortunately, things fell through with the Airbnb because upon inspecting the house, Kahlea deemed it unfit for us to stay there. It was not what she had in mind for us at all! I also can’t believe she had to come up with another plan as soon as the girls began to arrive, but she was able to relocate us to the resort in Waikiki. Props to her for working hard to find us a new place to stay for the four days we had planned on the island of Oahu.

In retrospect, I feel like staying at The Royal Hawaiian Resort was a great decision as the resort was complete with housekeeping, a pool, and convenient beach access.

It was unfortunate that the Airbnb fell through because I know Kahlea wanted us to all be close together and have the opportunity to enjoy meals together at the house. However, The Royal Hawaiian Resort was nothing less than amazing! I am blessed that we were able to stay at such a fancy place.

This is my review of the resort and a few reasons why I enjoyed my time there so much. If you plan on seeking a place to stay while in Oahu, I highly recommend that you check out The Royal Hawaiian Resort. 

Hello, Instagram Pics! You Won’t Want to Put Your Phone Down Here. 

One of the number one reasons why you should stay at The Royal Hawaiian is because of how photogenic it is! Can we just be real for a sec and consider the fact that most travelers want to stay at a place that is not only within their budget, but is adorable, too?! I know I consider those two things whenever I travel.

The resort is a pink palace. Everything you see is pretty in pink! This luxury resort has plenty of opportunities for you to relax and take the cutest pictures with your friends and family. The resort opened in the 1920s and the lavish structure still maintains the look in 2019 from such an era of opulence.

The resort is known as the “Pink Palace of the Pacific” and for good reason. This iconic resort offers plenty of examples of local culture as you can take a historic tour of the property during your stay.

The Location is Fantastic

Of course, when you stay in Oahu, you want to find a place that has the best location. The Royal Hawaiian faces out toward Waikiki beach. You can find yourself walking on the sand in just a matter of minutes when you stay at this resort.

While at the resort, we took a catamaran boat ride on our last night. The boat ride takes off from the beach across from the resort which was perfect for us! You can also parasail from the beach or take a snorkel trip, it depends on what you wish to do while on your trip. The resort makes it easy for you because you can book the trips from the lobby or even reserve them online. 

The beach access really matters when you consider which hotel or resort to stay at during your vacation. I loved how we could easily venture out to watch the sunrise one morning right on Waikiki Beach. The view of Diamond Head, a volcanic cone, sits along the Honolulu skyline.

The resort is also extremely close to the main shopping district. High-end luxury stores line the main street that you drive on to enter the resort.

We walked through the main street and checked out the stores (I ended up in Forever 21!) while taking a break from the beach. You can also find a few stores filled with tons of tourist items if you want to pick up some souvenirs for your friends and family back home.

The Rooms are Exquisite 

I have to mention the rooms, too. Our suites were gorgeous. We stayed in the historic wing and had a garden view outside our window. I already have an obsession with pineapples, and the room was covered with pineapple wallpaper! It was so luxurious.

The staff came in each morning and refreshed our beds and left us with more bathroom toiletries. The room had a TV and a minifridge, too. I slept very well in our room bundled under the plush covers and felt great each morning. I was energized to experience another adventure in Oahu!

Various Dining Amenities