Oahu Revealed - Royal Hawaiian (Sheraton)

Update: From June 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008, The Royal Hawaiian will temporarily close its doors to undergo a complete renovation. The hotel will reopen January 1, 2009. Though they hope to be open by Christmas instead, we were told. The closure effects their lu'au and all restaurants as well.

525 rooms, pool, 24-hour room service, free room safes, coffee makers in rooms with free coffee daily, hi-speed Internet access in rooms, Wi-Fi in public areas. valet parking, dozen shops, day spa, restaurant, lu'au. There are almost 100 places to stay in Waikiki, but if pressed, we'd have to say the Royal is the premier property. Back when they built this place in 1927 there was only one other hotel--the nearby Moana. Royal's developers had their pick of where to build, and they chose this part of the beach. And no wonder--this is probably the best stretch of Waikiki--surfable waves offshore and sandy nearshore waters. (Though the water tends to be oddly cloudy here.) Also, this area is the heart of Waikiki with tons of stuff to do nearby, yet it's insulated from busy Kalakaua Avenue by the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. By location alone they stand apart. But it gets even better when you add the fact that it's a 6-story, low-rise building with no lanais (except for the 17-story "new tower" built in 1969 with lanais), and the pretty grounds have plenty of breathing room, dominated by some old, meandering trees. The result is a less bustling atmosphere than many of the nearby tower-dominated resorts.

Known locally as the Pink Palace, every shade of pink imaginable is represented--that's their trademark. Of the two buildings, we recommend the "historic" low-rise. Although the rooms are slightly smaller than the 350 sq. ft. tower rooms, they're more quaintly decorated in early 20th century style. At press time, renovations were planned and they are scheduled to close from June to the end of 2008. Some people may feel sorry to see them changed, but the renovations were overdue.

The "luxury" category adds a lot of extra square footage for about $30--worth the upgrade. Suites are very roomy.

If you want your ocean views a bit more unobstructed, go with the tower rooms. They're comfortable. (Though the plumber must have been a munchkin because they mounted some of the showerheads at 5 feet.)

It can take up to 20 minutes to get your car from valet ($25 per day), so call them way in advance or simply park yourself for $15. They have a lu'au Mon. and Thur., but it's surprisingly bad. Their Mai Tai Bar is right next to the beach, and, unlike other resorts, they have a roped-off section of sand where you can legally drink your mai tai.

Overall, it's true that you might find crisper service at some other resorts. (Laundry is coin-op at the Sheraton next door.) With a location like this, they can pretty much charge what they want and they'll get it. But staff does a reasonable job. Their restaurant, the Surf Room, has a great breakfast buffet, though pricey at $28. You also have signing privileges at all the Sheratons in Waikiki.

Rates are expensive, but you can always get a discount if you ask for the "escape rate" or by becoming a Starwood member. Rooms vary in size from around 330-540 sq. ft. and are $465-$805. Suites (604-2,000 sq. ft.) are $950-$4,500.