AreaStays
The Honolulu and Waikiki skyline along the coast, with the volcanic cone of Diamond Head rising at the far end, seen from the water

Daniel Ramirez / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

United States

Where to Stay in Honolulu

Honolulu is Hawaii's capital and the gateway most visitors use to reach the islands — a city where a royal palace, a working Chinatown, and one of the world's most famous beaches all sit within a few miles of each other. This guide covers the two areas that work best as a base: Waikiki, the high-rise beach resort strip backed by Diamond Head, and Downtown Honolulu, the historic government-and-Chinatown district a short bus ride away. Don't miss the crater rim trail at Diamond Head, the only royal palace on U.S. soil at ʻIolani Palace, and — for anyone with a car or half a day to spare — the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Honolulu's weather is mild year-round, so timing mostly comes down to crowds and price. Visit in the shoulder seasons — April to early June or September through early December — for lower hotel rates and thinner crowds. The peak winter season (mid-December through March) and summer (June through August) bring the best weather but also the highest prices and the most visitors.
Renting a car
You don't need a car to enjoy Waikiki or Downtown Honolulu — TheBus, the Waikiki Trolley, and rideshare cover both well. Rent one only if you're planning to explore the rest of Oahu, like Hanauma Bay, the North Shore, or Pearl Harbor, none of which are an easy walk or short bus ride from either area in this guide.

Where to stay

Waikiki Beach lined with high-rise hotels and palm trees, with the Diamond Head crater rising in the distance

Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Waikiki

Best for: Beach time, First-time visitors, Families, Couples, Luxury travelers

The ornate Renaissance-style facade of ʻIolani Palace, the only royal palace on U.S. soil, with the Hawaiian flag flying above and palm trees beside it

Leo Carmona / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Downtown Honolulu

Best for: Architecture lovers, Budget travelers, First-time visitors

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
WaikikiBeach timeNearly all of Honolulu's best hotels, restaurants, and the beach itself are within a short walk of each other.It's Honolulu's most expensive and touristy neighborhood, and the main strip stays busy well into the evening.
Downtown HonoluluArchitecture loversReal Hawaiian history and a strong local food scene, at rates well below Waikiki's beachfront hotels.No beach within walking distance, and the neighborhood empties out in the evenings and on weekends.

Our picks for Honolulu

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickEmbassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach WalkWaikiki💰 Best valueAC Hotel by Marriott HonoluluDowntown Honolulu👨‍👩‍👧 Best for familiesEmbassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach WalkWaikiki✨ Best luxuryHalepuna Waikiki by HalekulaniWaikiki

A couple of hotels in Waikiki

Waikiki is the top-recommended area to stay in Honolulu.

Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani

★★★★
  • ✨ Best luxury

Our take A calmer, more design-focused alternative to Waikiki's high-rise resorts, with a level of quiet and attention to detail that its 284 rooms make possible in a way a 1,000-plus-room neighbor can't match.

Good for

  • Luxury travelers
  • Couples

Couples and design-minded travelers who want a quiet, polished boutique stay close to the beach without the scale of a mega-resort.

Why we like it

  • Minimalist, contemporary design that stands apart from the resort-style hotels around it
  • No daily resort fee, unlike most comparable Waikiki properties
  • Small enough to feel calm, with an infinity pool and complimentary admission to the Bishop Museum
  • About a 2-minute walk from Waikiki Beach

What to know

  • It doesn't have direct beach frontage — it's a short walk away, not oceanfront
  • With a smaller footprint than nearby resorts, it has fewer on-site restaurants and shops
Check availability on Booking.com

Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Best for families

Our take One of the more practical picks in Waikiki for families or anyone who wants real separation between a living area and the bed — helped along by a genuinely useful included breakfast and a central Beach Walk location.

Good for

  • Families
  • First-time visitors

Families and first-time visitors who want more room to spread out than a standard hotel room offers, plus breakfast included in the rate.

Why we like it

  • Every room is a suite with a separate living area, which helps families or anyone wanting more space than a standard room
  • A cooked-to-order breakfast and an evening reception are included in the rate
  • Sits right on the pedestrian Waikiki Beach Walk, a few minutes from the beach on foot

What to know

  • Rooms don't have ocean views, since the hotel is set back from the water on Beach Walk rather than facing the beach directly
  • Parking is valet-only and charged separately from the room rate
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

The US dollar is the currency. TheBus covers Waikiki, Downtown Honolulu, and the rest of Oahu cheaply and reliably. Trade winds keep humidity manageable most of the year, and brief showers pass through often but rarely last long — an umbrella is rarely necessary.

Tips

  • Book a timed-entry reservation for the Diamond Head hiking trail online in advance — walk-up spots are limited, and the earliest morning slots (before the heat sets in) go first.
  • Most Waikiki hotels charge a daily resort fee on top of the room rate — factor it in when comparing prices, since it's rarely included in the number you see while browsing.

Frequently asked questions

Where should first-time visitors stay in Honolulu?
Stay in Waikiki for beach access and the classic Honolulu experience within walking distance of everything, or Downtown Honolulu if you'd rather be near Hawaiian history and Chinatown's food scene and don't mind a short bus ride to the sand.
Is Honolulu walkable?
Waikiki and Downtown Honolulu are each easy to explore on foot, but they're about 3 miles apart, so plan on TheBus or a rideshare to move between them.
Do I need a car in Honolulu?
Not for Waikiki or Downtown Honolulu themselves — but a rental car, or a tour, is the easiest way to reach Hanauma Bay, the North Shore, or Pearl Harbor.

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