Hale Koa Hotel

Bad customer service!!! Try to call for information and al I get is recorded information. When I finally get a live person I only get attitude!

Clearly service to your country is not valued unless u serve actively or retired I served my nation for 6 years attempted to get a room was told that if I was not 100 percent disabled I was out of luck like my service to this nation and the fact that I have done more for our nation then the majority of that staff is meaningless vet disappointed I hope one day you realize the men who made the freedom for that hotel to exist.

Although you have to book months in advance, If you’re active or retired military, you can’t get better value than Hale Koa. Rooms appear nicely refreshed since my previous visit in 2014. Despite recent cost cutting measures, service is very pleasant — although it can often be slow at the bars during happy hour (but remember that this is Hawaii, so don’t come here to rush). Housekeeping is excellent.
The grounds are beautiful, the location can’t be beat, and the prices the best anywhere in Waikiki — and there’s an exchange for shopping. They offer many of the same items (macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, T-​shirts, Aloha shirts, etc., as you’ll find in the shops next door at the Hilton Hawaiian Village — at substantial cost savings.
Money Saving Tip: Buy milk, cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc. at the exchange and enjoy one of your daily meals on your balcony as a cost saving measure. Unfortunately, their yogurt selection is from probably the most bland brand available.
Learn the happy hour routine: Start at Biba’s at 3 (the «drink of the day» is hit or miss — but you can get a 22 oz draft beer for $ 4), head to Warriors at 5, Dinner around 7, then head to the barefoot bar on the beach. Repeat daily as needed.
Breakfast at Koko’s can’t be beat (both taste and cost). Be there promptly at 0630 if you want to sit on the lanai overlooking Waikiki Beach (HIGHLY recommended) — or be there at about 0720 and request lanai seating (about the time when the first group of breakfast patrons is leaving).
Apparently, due to the aforementioned cost cutting, Koko’s no longer offers ala carte dining (buffet only — although it is good), and they’ve eliminated the awesome lunch they used to serve. For lunch, you’re lerft with either Happy’s (essentially fast food) or heading off property (or you can use the money saving tip discussed above).
Room Tips: The outer-​facing rooms in either tower have spectacular views (especially the higher floors closest to the ocean. Some of the garden view rooms offer essentially the same views as partial ocean view rooms.

I love the Hale Koa hotel. My husband and I have stayed here multiple times over the years for the submarine birthday ball, but we are staying here currently for out-​processing. The thing I don’t like is that the TLA rate is $ 192/​night, but for non-​TLA E-​5, the rate is $ 102/​night. When you have to pay up front, that sucks. However, our circumstances didn’t allow for TLA so we paid the cheaper price, anyways. :-) The beds and pillows are super comfortable. The pools are nice, and there is an 18 and over pool for hotel guests. Most of the bellhops are super nice. One was not. Housekeeping is very thorough and we had high-​speed internet for our whole stay. The PX on the ground level is very nice, as well. You can find all of your souvenirs here for cheaper prices than in gift shops along Waikiki’s hotel strips. Our patio was pretty private with chairs and a table.
They have a Mongolian BBQ on Fri-​Sat-​Sun nights from 1700 – 2100. It’s $ 1,65/oz, so eat everything you take ;-) I like being able to season my food exactly how I want, but I always seem to get sick from Mongolian BBQs, so it’s not just this one.
I’m so glad the bulk of our hotel stays this week were here at the Hale Koa! I highly recommend it to DoD and their families.

After three years in Hawaii, I have nothing but great things to say about the Hale Koa. Amazing location right on Waikiki beach with the awesome barefoot bar (and plenty of other amenities). I stayed at the Hale Koa, probably, ten or so times while I was on island, and it was tough checking out for the last time to PCS yesterday. If you’re prior or current military, don’t stay anywhere else. Period. You will not be disappointed.

What a great hotel if your military and able to stay here.
Out stay was just short of amazing… with no issues.
The room was basic, but with so much to do on this property and around Waikiki, it was no issue.
The property is beautiful, the beach is close, and they have a NEX onsite.
All the staff was friendly & professional.
The Luau was terrific, both the show & the food.
A must stay in Honolulu.

The fact that this is a military resort is amazing! For those who are eligible (see their website for details) this place is a deal and feels like a home away from home. Everything one can need is here:
PX Shopping Store: Tourist gifts, swimwear, aloha shirts, dresses, umbrellas, guava juice, 100% Kona coffee, liquor, wine, beer, snorkeling gear, boogie boards, beach towels, jewelry, Ray-​Ban & Oakley sunglasses, pre-​made sushi, sandwiches, other grocery items and more.
Sundries store: snacks, cheap sunglasses, tourist gifts, etc.
Salon: Hair cuts, colors, etc.
Spa: Massage, facials, mani/​pedi
Fitness Center: Gym equipment, showers w/​provided soap, etc., daily lockers to store items
Free Wi-​Fi
They have five restaurants on premises! Bibas is a nice restaurant in the lower level courtyard area that is great for casual dining. Koko’s has a great breakfast every day that we actually like better than the Sunday Brunch offered in a different part of the hotel. The Warrior Lounge is a nicely done sports bar. Happy’s is ultra-​casual deli-​style takeout on the way towards the beach. The Barefoot Bar is on the beach and offers a walk-​up food counter to order simple fare like nachos, hot dogs, burgers, etc.
Being on the beach, next to the Hilton and paying such low rates is a huge deal! Every Friday night the Barefoot Bar is the best spot to see the fireworks at the Hilton.
The Luau is a great experience. We’ve seen it twice now and it never fails to impress. We went because we had guests who hadn’t seen it before. I don’t know if I’d keep going for myself though. Once you’ve seen it once you’ve seen it all. They had changed the show a little in the two years since our first visit, but not by much. The food isn’t spectacular; you’re there for the overall experience, which is great.
Pro Tip: If you have an evening flight, check out of the hotel and ask the front desk to provide you a key card to the fitness center that will last until you have to leave for your plane. This way you can use the shower and change after being at the pool, beach, etc. Leave your luggage with the bell desk and get it when ready. You can store your change of clothes, shoes, etc. in a locker in the fitness center.

Stayed here thanks to my step son who is in the Navy and sponsored us! Built in the 70’s it has not been remodeled, but it is clean and affordable with a fantastic location! Pools are clean and perfect, loved the salt water adult pool. Barefoot bar was nice to stop by for a drink, and just outside you can rent paddle boards, aqua bikes etc to enjoy the beautiful ocean!

This review is for their **** Christmas Brunch Buffet****
Decided as part of mom’s Christmas present is to take her to a Christmas Brunch. Nothing too elaborate so we settled on Hale Koa because it is fairly priced, $ 38pp, for the military and their dependents.
Parking is not real close but I seem to get parking fairly close to the elevator\stairs to the exit right by the crosswalk. You can get validation depending what you are going there for. Check with the front desk.
Crossing the street I go up the stairs into the hotel and straight back behind the registration desk to the room where the buffet is at. We were running late on our 10:30am reservation. M and mom were waiting for me, so was our staff person to walk us to our private table.
You do need a CAC card or military card to participate with any activity or event at the hotel. Mom is getting coffee and I carry it for her as our staff person is getting real antsy. Wouldn’t you know it, we were placed at table #13. Feeling ominous but I brush it off. Then our staff person explains where everything is in a nice demeanor and that we can go up any time as much as we want. There is a drink menu on the table and the bar is also open (cash only).
Prime rib and ham were on the cutting block as usual. I had all the red meat last night. I wanted seafood today. I gorged on fresh oyster squeezing lemon and hot sauce. I love the taste of the ocean. Salmon sashimi was pretty fresh and the ahi poke was good, could have used a little bit more shoyu and seasame oil. Didn’t care for the cocktail shrimp. The fruits were good. Sweet pineapple, melon, black berries and raspberries. It was the dessert that was the hit. And there was so much of it. I filled one plate and ate it all. Sure I could’ve gone up a couple more rounds. Forget it. Didn’t want to get bloated. The list of the food available fills 2 columns on a single page. I was going to provide the link but it has been taken down. Sorry.
Our staff person was spot on constantly filling for water and coffee and took all the pictures I requested. She was pleasant making an effort for conversation to make us laugh.
We actually stayed there for 2 hours eating away. I can’t believe that. Watch must be broken.

We have been guests here for quite a handful of times over the last 20 years. I’d say our stay this 2015 Honolulu Marathon weekend was the best. The weather could not have been more perfect, too. No rain. Nice breeze. Just sunshine, blue skies, and a turquoise ocean while checking into the open air lobby.
I booked our room 6 months in advance for 3 Adults (1 night deposit required). I received a welcome email one week prior and it included a list of events during our stay. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for any, but they sounded great (Canvas painting & Pacific Fleet band).
Upon check-​in, which was about an hour too early, the front desk was warm and friendly. She was able to find a room for an adjusted party of 2, which brought the rate down by $ 15. We found out the room was 2 queen beds, which would have worked out for 3 people. So, I asked if a King size bed was available. Sure enough, they had one available. Honestly, I think they accommodated us since we were staying for 2 nights. We were then moved to the new tower with a garden view, but the balcony wrapped around so we could see a partial ocean view. Score!
The interior of the room is definitely not 5-​star status, but it had all the right amenities. I liked the pillows, crisp white linens, the flat screen tv, the small fridge and safe.
I wish the hotel offered room service (I was barely mobile after the long run), but I highly recommend Koko at Kalia restaurant for the breakfast buffet. It’s located in the refurbished tower. For $ 14.95 (or less depending on rank or age), it was great. Scrumptious breakfast, spacious dining area, and awesome views of the beach!
Parking is a little bit of a bummer. It’s across the street. But for $ 7/​day, what a deal.
I hear the luau is not much to rave about if you’ve been to something like Paradise Cove, but it’s held on the beautiful grounds of the hotel, surrounded by the tropical garden. Waikiki Beach is right off the property and they have a nice barefoot bar for Mai Tai’s and live music.
If you just want to hang out on the beach, they offer umbrella and chair rentals at the Koa Beach Rentals shack along the boardwalk. For 3 – 4 hours, it’s $ 20 (pay less for a shorter stay). Rental rates for the general public are a little higher.
This is an Army MWR property, so you either have to be Active Duty, Retired, or sponsored to be a guest at the hotel or to dine at the restaurants. Great rates for a few days in paradise.
Enjoy!

When it comes to places that are affordable to stay in Waikiki, this place comes to mind. Plus, it’s Military friendly and is an all around beautiful location. So, I’ll list the cons first, but don’t let these sway you from staying here. I think this place is worth a visit.
1. Parking — It’s across the street from the hotel, which is HUGE, so if you have a lot of stuff with you, like we did because we have 2 small kiddos, then you are going to have to drop your stuff off, and then someone will be waiting solo while the other person goes to park, look for a spot and then walks alll the way back. There is no valet!
2. The pools — One pool is adults only, which is rad, because at one point in my life I was kidless and I didn’t want to be around them. Also, old people — A LOT — of old people are at this place and they just want some damn peace and quiet.
The other pools, well one is a baby pool and the other is closing every 20 min because someone is probably shitting in it. Seriously, I have no idea what was up with the bigger pool, but for the 2 days we were there, they closed it both days for contamination. The baby pool is then FLOODED with bigger kids who are unsupervised and want to be in the water. For someone who now has kids, that’s really REALLY annoying. So, they need to fix the pool situation.
Other than that, this place is fantastic. The rooms are very clean, as is the entire grounds. The staff was nice, the restaurants were really nice, and for what you can order, they are priced very affordable.
I really enjoyed our stay here, and I know I’ll be back in the spring to stay another weekend.
If you want to make reservations, I suggest doing it a head of time when you know you’re going to be visiting, otherwise the rooms book up fast and the reservations desk is a pain in the ass to get ahold of.

My husband called Hale Koa this past May to get information on having our wedding there (less than 100 people) for September. The lady he spoke with said that the date we wanted was available and we needed to set up a date to come down to discuss everything, he stated that he would check with me and give them a call back. After discussing our schedules with each other he attempted to call them back multiple times and left messages.
I attempted to call them myself and got through, the person working there tells me that they aren’t holding any events until January because they’re doing renovations, I even stated to her that we spoke with someone prior that the date was available and she told me that they weren’t holding any events…
Mind you with social media today, I’m seeing many people attending weddings at the Hale Koa, even though I was told no events were being held until January!!!
If I could I would give this place ZERO stars!

FYI… the rooms vary widely. We had to change rooms after the 1^st night because the room was so bad. (they would have changed the 1^st day but they were sold out). At least they changed us though and the 2^nd room was far better! There is a lot of construction going on next door and I overheard a few people complain about their partial ocean view only looking onto that construction site. But you can’t beat these prices and no resort fees. Plus, they have all the amenities and probably an even better gym than any 5 star hotel.
Rooms come with a small refrigerator and a coffee pot. Hale Koa is also right on the beach and has many dining venues. Rooms book quickly but it’s not impossible to book a vacation here. Also love the mini exchange attached.

Pretty sweet deal for military. Location is great and price isn’t bad at all. Rooms have a mini-​fridge in them that you can stock. Grounds are fairly nice with a special adult pool. You need an ID or a key card to enter the pool. Pretty decent breakfast buffet available at the hotel restaurant. Great location, within walking distance of a lot of great restaurants and is right on the beach.

I have been to the Hale Koa many times but have never stayed there until now. I had moderate expectations and was completely blown away with the experience. Just about everything with the hotel experience was great. There were a few glitches like the main pool being closed for a few days early in the stay due to a mechanical failure with the pump. We had room 603 and it had a very nice view of the Hilton and the beach/​ocean. The room cleaning service was very good. I think the only downside to the hotel is the bell staff. They appeared to always be grumpy and never went out of their way to help people. The rest of the staff was very friendly and a lot of them have been there a long time. The lady who checked us in has worked there for 20 years and really enjoys her job.
I would stay here again as the place is a real gem. It is amazing how much land they have compared to the other places. We normally stay at the Hilton next door and the Hale Koa is probably about half the price and no fees or taxes.
The restaurants and bard are nice but we chose to eat at other places most of the time. I really like the $ 7 daily parking fee. It is hard to get a spot at times in the garage but we always found one.

This hotel is strictly for Military and DOD. It is is beautiful and has a secluded beach.
The lobby is open air and has a great layout with perfectly manicured landscaping.
All rooms have a view of the beach!
I’ll stay here next time when my active duty friends and family can hook it up!
Parking is easy as they have a parking garage located directly across the street.
You feel especially safe when in the area as they have Active Military Police protecting the hotel and surroundings.

We were able to come with my father-​in-​law, a retired lieutenant colonel. Because of his rank we paid more than people with lower rank, and still it was an incredible bargain. The hotel room was clean and comfortable. The location is amazing. It has two big pools and a small that my daughter absolutely loved. It’s about a foot and a half deep, just perfect for a two-​year-​old. There’s a koi pond that the children love to look at. Right next to the property as a public park with a small playset that also got heavy use. It’s a bummer there’s a smoking pavilion right next to it. Nothing like having your children play next to the carcinogens.
The staff at the hotel were overall pleasant and helpful.
You can’t beat the price, convenience, and it’s a very low-​key place. On a sidenote, I have never seen so many pregnant women in one place in my life. Perhaps it’s a combination of the age range of most people in the service, and maybe the women don’t tend to work during that time because they’re moving around so much, but wow, there were a lot of bellies there. It was nice to see.

The Hale Koa Hotel is a beautiful venue for a wedding. My sister got married here last month. I say she was fortunate to get this venue. If you weren’t aware, the Hale Koa is owned by the US Department of Defense. So if you don’t work for this branch of the government or are currently or have served in the armed forces, you need a sponsor.
The hotel is located right next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Though the parking structure is actually off of the hotel property. There is a parking structure about a block away. If you are visiting the Hale Koa for an event, make sure to get it validated. Though you still have to pay a nominal fee for parking.
Not sure if they have a beachfront wedding area, but my sister’s wedding took place in this garden cove area on the hotel property. Getting married at the hotel was pretty convenient as the wedding reception was just a short walk away inside one of the hotel’s event rooms. Easier for wedding attendees than having them drive from a church to the reception venue.
The wedding reception took place in DeRussy Hall which is a nice size room that can hold about 200 and which has room for wedding music performers/​DJs to the side and a dance floor. The wedding buffet food was delicious with plenty of variety. There were local style entrees like haupia and mochiko chicken which allowed guests from the Mainland and from other countries to try the food of the islands.
There was a bar at the wedding, though it was not an open bar as there was a ticket system setup for guests who wanted alcoholic drinks. I had a couple of mai tais and have to say that they were great. Though that is something you would expect given that you are in paradise.
If you are thinking about having a wedding in Hawaii, the Hale Koa is worth looking into for a venue for its convenience to hold the wedding and reception in the same place.

This place absolutely kicks ass! Is the décor outdated? Yes. Do they have room service? No. Then why is this place so kickass? because of its location and the insanely cheap prices for military families. Now you don’t have to be military to walk on to the premises, but you do if you want to stay the night. And since we had to hook up and the rates were so cheap, we stayed 2 nights. Nowhere else in Waikiki can you stay on the beach for two nights and under $ 250. it’s a fucking steal.
There are two bars on site with views of the beach. One is for mature crowds and the other is a little younger in vibe. There are two snack bars down by the beach. They have a luau twice a week. There is a miniature sized Post Exchange on site. And there are two restaurants. What more could you ask for for the price and the location? The answer is NOTHING.
Book today!

Yes, this is a 3-​Star Resort. Sure, there are some amenities, though they are not «special». A store (military only), a gym (small and limited), a restaurant (never open when I’ve been there), and a few pools. The rooms are barren of any personality. They have very, very basic offerings. It’s like they made an effort to be «efficient» and took all the fun out of staying here.
The Front Desk is great and the Bell Hops are very nice. The facilities are really clean, though for a resort on Waikiki Beach… I expect an effort made to improve the desolate rooms and have a restaurant OPEN during the day and not ONLY for meal service. You are forced to walk blocks to find something on Lewers Street when they are closed… or get a Chilli Dog for $ 2.50 at the market on site. Not much an option there.