If you’re heading to Waikiki but don’t want to spend over $200 a night on your hotel room, here are a few vetted hotels to try. While the price can hover just over two hundred, most of the time you can find it for less. With nearly 30,000 hotel rooms within 3.4 square miles of this international destination, scouting for a value spot can be well worth the time. Here are a few of our “been there would go again” rooms usually costing around (or less than) $200 per night.
Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. While this historical property might be at the top of the price list, staying here would mean you are retracing the steps of the famed Hawaiian Princess, for which the hotel is named. The 1,142-room hotel, across the street from Waikiki Beach was built on the royal family’s ten-acre, Ainahau Estate. Today, guests can sit on the stone bench shared by Princess Kaiulani, and her friend famed-poet, Robert Loius Stevenson. princess-kaiulani.com
Hotel Renew by Aston Waikiki. Expect Aston value with a fun, modern design — this property is ideal for budget-minded travelers with high standards. The 72-room hotel in Waikiki is just a block from the beach and offers daily continental breakfast with fresh fruit and pastries, minibar and free Wi-Fi. And if you book soon, guests over 50, get an extra discount. hotelrenew.com
New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel. On the shores of Sans Souci Beach at the eastern edge of Waikiki Beach, this property is ideal if you want the excitement of Waikiki without the crowds. It’s about two miles from downtown Waikiki but within walking distance of everything. Rooms have either a Diamond Head (2.7 miles from the hotel) or an ocean view and all include some type of balcony or patio, a refrigerator, washing machine and free Wi-Fi. Some suites have a kitchenette. There is an on-site spa along with a gym as well as a popular bar for after the workout. If you love macadamia nut pancakes, the hotel’s Hau Tree Lanai restaurant is famous for them. kaimana.com
Coconut Waikiki Hotel. An 81-room Joie de Vivre hotel, just three blocks from the beach, with a clean and contemporary decor and all the amenities needed to keep you comfortable. The property has a pool, 24-hour fitness center, complimentary Wi-Fi and hot breakfast served daily. jdvhotels.com
Shoreline Hotel Waikiki. Also a Joie de Vivre property, about a block closer to the beach than the Coconut, this hotel charges slightly more per night, but the rooftop pool warrants the extra expense. With a great central location in Waikiki, the Shoreline features a private balcony with each room, refrigerator/microwave, flat-screen TVs and plush linens, all for a much lower price than the larger resorts. jdvhotels.com
Mimi Towle has been the editor of Marin Magazine for over a decade. She lived with her family in Sycamore Park and Strawberry and thoroughly enjoyed raising two daughters in the mayhem of Marin’s youth sports; soccer, swim, volleyball, ballet, hip hop, gymnastics and many many hours spent at Miwok Stables. Her community involvements include volunteering at her daughter’s schools, coaching soccer and volleyball (glorified snack mom), being on the board of both Richardson Bay Audubon Center. Currently residing on a floating home in Sausalito, she enjoys all water activity, including learning how to steer a 6-person canoe for the Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club. Born and raised in Hawaii, her fondness for the islands has on occasion made its way into the pages of the magazine.
