Prince Waikiki
Overview
Prince Waikiki occupies a prime harborfront position at the western gateway to Waikiki, overlooking the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor and the vast blue Pacific beyond. Unlike the densely packed resorts along Kalakaua Avenue, this 563-room tower delivers a quieter, more sophisticated experience—yet Ala Moana Center and Waikiki Beach are both within a 10-minute walk. Owned by Japan's Seibu Holdings, the hotel blends Japanese precision and hospitality with Hawaiian warmth.
What truly sets Prince Waikiki apart is its all-oceanfront design: every single room faces the ocean, a rarity in Waikiki where many hotels sell "city view" rooms at the same price point. The floor-to-ceiling windows in each room frame sweeping views of the harbor, the Friday night fireworks, and fiery Pacific sunsets that turn the sky orange over the Waianae Mountains.
The hotel underwent a significant $55 million renovation completed in 2017 that modernized every guest room, reimagined the pool deck, and introduced new dining concepts. The result is a property that feels far more current than its 1990 opening date might suggest, with clean lines, premium finishes, and a contemporary art collection displayed throughout the public spaces that rivals a small gallery.
Accommodation Options
All 563 guest rooms and suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows with ocean and harbor views, spacious bathrooms with separate soaking tubs and walk-in showers, LCD Smart TVs, wireless internet, and minifridges. Standard rooms start around 300 square feet—modest by resort standards but efficiently designed with quality furnishings. The higher floors (25 and above) offer particularly dramatic panoramic views and are worth requesting at check-in.
Suite options include Junior Suites, One-Bedroom Suites, and the top-tier Prince Suite. The suites add separate living areas, upgraded amenities, and wraparound views. Every room category benefits from the hotel's all-oceanfront commitment, so even the most basic room delivers the sunset views that other Waikiki hotels reserve for their premium inventory.
In-room amenities include complimentary coffee and tea service, a reusable water bottle (with purified refill stations throughout the hotel), and access to 7,000+ digital newspapers and magazines through PressReader—all bundled into the $45 daily resort charge.
Pools, Beaches & Activities
Prince Waikiki features two distinct pool experiences on its fifth-floor pool deck. The signature adults-only infinity pool offers a sleek, tranquil setting overlooking the yacht harbor—complete with a whirlpool spa alongside. At just three feet deep, it's designed for lounging and socializing rather than lap swimming, and the infinity edge creates the illusion of merging with the harbor waters below.
The saltwater pool welcomes guests of all ages and provides a more traditional resort pool experience with poolside food and beverage service available daily. Private cabanas can be rented from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM for those wanting a VIP poolside retreat. Both pools operate from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and the pool deck's elevated position gives it a breezy, uncrowded feel compared to the packed ground-level pools at many Waikiki competitors.
While Prince Waikiki isn't directly on the sand, Waikiki Beach is a comfortable 10-minute walk, and the adjacent Ala Moana Beach Park—a favorite of locals—offers calmer waters and far fewer tourists. Guests can also access complimentary beach gear through the resort's activity desk.
Spa & Wellness
Naio Bliss Spa, located in the hotel lobby, combines the latest Japanese spa techniques with modern salon aesthetics. The treatment menu focuses on facials, massages, and body treatments including scrubs and wraps. The spa's Japanese heritage is evident in its meticulous attention to detail and calming ambiance, making it a standout among Waikiki hotel spas that tend toward generic Hawaiian-themed offerings.
The spa operates daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and advance reservations are strongly recommended—especially for the popular couples massage (80 minutes). Guests benefit from a 10% discount on couples massages, any single 80-minute service, and retail products when the resort charge is included in their booking. The 24/7 fitness center on the fifth floor in the Ala Moana Tower rounds out the wellness offerings with treadmills, elliptical trainers, strength machines, free weights, and scheduled yoga classes.
Dining
The culinary centerpiece is 100 Sails Restaurant & Bar, an oceanfront venue serving island-inspired cuisine with panoramic harbor views. The restaurant earned its name from the sailboats visible from its terrace, and the menu emphasizes locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients with Asian and Pacific Rim influences. Children 5 and under eat free when accompanied by a paying adult—a surprisingly generous perk included in the resort charge.
Katsumidori Sushi Tokyo brings authentic Edo-style sushi to Waikiki, operating as a Tokyo import that serves remarkably fresh fish. It's one of the few hotel sushi restaurants in Hawaii that serious sushi enthusiasts actively seek out rather than defaulting to standalone restaurants. For a casual coffee and pastry, Honolulu Coffee Company occupies a convenient lobby-level spot perfect for a quick morning fuel-up before heading to the beach.
Hinana Bar serves craft cocktails and light bites in a sleek, contemporary setting that draws both hotel guests and locals. The bar's harbor-facing position makes it an excellent sunset spot, and the cocktail program incorporates Hawaiian botanicals and Japanese spirits in equal measure.
Golf
The Hawaii Prince Golf Club, designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay, sprawls across 270 acres on Oahu's sunny Ewa Plain with commanding views of the Waianae Mountains. The championship layout features 27 holes configured as three interchangeable nines—A, B, and C courses—allowing for variety on repeat visits. Each nine plays to par 36, creating six possible 18-hole combinations with varying character and challenge.
Hotel guests enjoy a 20% discount on green fees (typically $135-175 for visitors) plus complimentary driving range balls and complimentary roundtrip shuttle service to the course, a 30-minute ride west of Waikiki. The shuttle eliminates the need for a rental car on golf days and runs on a scheduled basis. Birds of Paradise restaurant at the clubhouse serves a solid post-round meal with views across the fairways.
Nearby Attractions
Prince Waikiki's western Waikiki location puts it within a 5-minute walk of Ala Moana Center, Hawaii's largest open-air shopping mall with over 350 stores including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's. The adjacent Ala Moana Beach Park is a local favorite for its calm, protected waters and uncrowded shoreline—a welcome contrast to the tourist-packed sands of central Waikiki Beach.
Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown are a quick 10-minute drive (or pleasant 25-minute walk along the waterfront), offering access to Iolani Palace, the Hawaii State Art Museum, and the bustling food stalls of Chinatown's open-air markets. The hotel's resort charge includes complimentary admission to both the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Bishop Museum—two of Hawaii's premier cultural institutions—saving guests up to $60 per couple.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a 25-minute drive west and remains the island's most visited attraction. For outdoor adventures, Diamond Head State Monument is a 15-minute drive east, and the hotel's concierge can arrange hiking, surfing, snorkeling, and catamaran cruises on short notice.
Tips & Good to Know
Request a room on the 25th floor or above for the most dramatic harbor and ocean views—the higher floors also catch better trade wind breezes, which can reduce the need for air conditioning. Odd-numbered rooms on the ocean side tend to have slightly wider vantage points of the Friday night Hilton fireworks display, visible directly across the harbor.
The $45 daily resort charge is unavoidable but delivers genuine value: the golf discount alone can save $30-50 per round, the museum admissions save another $30 per person, and the PressReader digital newspaper access is worth $15/month on its own. Factor these savings into your rate comparison when shopping against competitors.
The best time to visit is April through June or September through November, when rates drop 20-30% from peak winter pricing and the weather remains excellent. If you're a golf enthusiast, consider the hotel's golf packages that bundle the room with discounted rounds at Hawaii Prince Golf Club—they typically offer better value than booking separately.
Location
100 Holomoana Street, Honolulu, HI 96815
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