We added a couple of nights in Waikiki at the end of a 9-night Oahu visit, almost as an after-thought and weren't sure what to expect. Thankfully, we chose the Royal Hawaiian. It turned out to be a highlight of the whole trip and really put the best possible face on what I always assumed was kind of a jam-packed touristy area.
First of all, you walk into this place and you expect Clark Gable or Humphrey Bogart to come strolling through the lobby. It's as if you've been transported back to the 1920s or 1930s with everything impeccably preserved and oozing classic luxury. The feeling continues as you walk around the gardened interior courtyard.
We chose a room in the "newer" hotel tower which was added at some point as an adjunct to the original early 1900s structure, so I can't speak to the rooms in the original building. But we were thoroughly satisfied with the updated room with a view that we got. It had a marvelous view of the ocean and Diamond Head and when you got off the elevator, you were conveniently deposited at the entrance to the pool, beach access and breakfast areas. To access the wonderful Mai Tai Bar and the exclusive Azure Restaurant, you had to make your way back through the older hotel building, but you end up being happy for the experience because it turns out, there are more amazing architectural treasures revealed on the way.
The pool is small, with limited seating, but we had no problem slipping into it a couple times and there was always a spare seat when we wanted one. Marriott also runs the Sheraton next door and gives you access to its larger pool, if you care. The beach is public and gets a little crowded, but the hotel rents lounge chairs and umbrellas on it anyway and this is really how Waikiki should be experienced. I get why it's so popular now. The water is only about 3 feet deep for a very long distance away from the beach and the waves are New Jersey-style 2 or 3 footers which occasionally smack you in the back if you're not looking, but are generally just fun and easy going. You can watch the catamarans going in and out and people trying to learn how to surf while you're out there. Just swim to the side of their area and you're fine! And of course, the backdrop of all those luxury hotels and Diamond Head really makes you feel like you've just won some sort of vacation lottery.
The service here is great, as one would expect. The guy checking us in asked if we were celebrating something and when I said we were -- presto -- coupons for a free champaign toast, two free mai tais and appetizers at the bar suddenly appeared!
The Mai Tai Bar is a great place to eat, by the way. They have salads and sandwiches, all very tasty. The mai tai there is perfect -- not too bitter, a little sweet, but they definitely let the rum do the talking. Probably the best I've ever had.
Azure, the fine-dining restaurant was exquisite. Very pricey, but every round of the pre fixe four-part offering was cleverly put together in ways that are hard to experience if you aren't willing to treat yourself. We did --- again, we were celebrating! -- and we're still talking about the meal.
Can't say enough about how much we loved this place. I'm a sucker for old, historic hotels, but you never know what you're going to get. Sometimes, they're in disrepair, or under renovation. Not the RH. The Pink Princess was perfectly preserved and a hell of a place to call home for a couple nights. Highly, highly recommend.
