Sheraton Princess Kaiulani

The boy-​o and I stayed at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani for our first night of our trip, thanks to a deal I scored online (thanks, KAYAK!). Unilocal seems to be especially harsh on hotels, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but we had a pretty pleasant stay here. The lobby and downstairs area is much more modern than any of the upper floors, which was a bit of a surprise, but just keep that in mind.
OVERALL.
~ $ 25-​ish resort fee required of all guests (but it includes parking, so that’s something)
~ Solid cocktail bar on the bottom level (get their Chi Chi drink, it was a knock-​out!)
— Very matured rooms in terms of décor, interiors, etc. But at least in my case, we got what we paid for
~ Elevators can get pretty crowded, and the guests seem to enjoy packing in, so prepare yourself
+ Working AC in every room (that auto-​turns-​off if you open the balcony door)
+ Live dancing and music out by the poolside each night
+ Got a free upgrade to a room with a view!
I wouldn’t mind staying here again with a deal (although I gotta say, the whole area it’s located in is a complete tourist-​packed area, so for something nicer/​quieter, maybe look elsewhere).

I frequent this hotel when I visit for work and absolutely love it. The staff and management are so welcoming and always make me feel right at home. I love their breakfast and the location is great! This will always be my preferred hotel when I visit Waikiki!

The pool and restaurant area are pretty new, but the hotel shows its age once you get into the rooms. Weathered wallpaper and chipped wood and paint everywhere. Water ran brown the first time when I turned on the water in the shower, but cleared up for the rest of our stay.
That being said, the drinks are cold, the pool is delightful, and there was live entertainment every night we were there. Also got a free upgrade so we had a decent view of the beach and ocean from our balcony. Nice place to put your feet up or get some shuteye after a long day of exploring.
Bonus tip: Bartender taught us that the difference between a Pina Colada and their Chi Chi is that the former is made with rum and the latter with vodka. Learn something new every day!

I stayed here this past summer and I enjoyed it. I think the price was a little much for what I got, but it worked!
I was upgraded to partial ocean view upon arrival which was very much appreciated!
Rooms are outdated, but when in Hawaii, who’s really spending time in their hotel room? So, I didn’t mind.
The only things that I wasn’t a huge fan of was that beach chair rentals had to be brought back at 6pm. I am a huge beach person and like to be on the beach till the sun goes down, so that was the only thing that I didn’t like. Also, the pool closed early, but again staying at the beach all day, it didn’t bother me too much.
Overall, it was a good experience. I wouldn’t mind staying here again.

The food options are only buffet or poolside and it’s pricey. The food is horrible and there is zero room service. The lobby is cozy but, the pool isn’t heated and zero spa. The plus side the hotel is close to the beach. We stayed for a week and it takes about 15 minutes for a room to be cleaned. The elevators are teeny and become easily overpacked. The staff is rather jaded to boot, but I have to give props to Angie who works poolside/​Splash. She was a warm friendly face to deal with.

It’s an older hotel, but the room was, by and large, free from deodorizer and chemical scents. There’s a bit of wear all around the room – no question about that, but we found it to be pretty nicely maintained. Once we found our way around the place, it was pretty easy to get from here to there.
The elevators can get pretty crowded at times, and you’ll get on one only to have it stop on every floor to pick up people – not necessarily the way you want to go if you’re in a hurry. If your room is close enough to the elevators, you’ll hear them whir all night, but they’re not that intrusive.
The food is pricey, so be prepared for that when you go here. Breakfast buffet for three was about $ 60. Our room had a tiny refrigerator and no microwave, so you can save money by going to one of about a dozen ABC stores nearby to pick up salami slices, cheese, and bread to munch on for breakfast. That’s expensive too, like just about everything in Honolulu, but you’ll save a few dollars nonetheless.
Overall, a pleasant stay in comfortable beds. We liked it, and no major issues popped up. Maybe a lot of the places are just like this, but I stayed here, so this is the spot that gets the four stars.

Lobby looks nice and comfortable
Elevators need cleaning and shinning. Looks dingy, carpet old and interior has wear and tear.
The hall ways look clean but the smell is not as fresh as you would expect. The wallpaper shows signs of age.
Tiles in bathroom floor look dingy. Same as the lanai area.
Stay was pleasant.

Let’s be honest, this hotel is old and tired. The service and star try really hard and almost admit how bad this place is, pretty funny. EVERYTHING is old. You pay for central location and that is it. Don’t expect any miracles here

This review is strictly for the public restrooms in the lobby.
I was going about my day and everything was perfect. Had my cup of coffee, acai bowl, and had breakfast too I believe. Everything was running along smoothly, when suddenly I felt a pinch and burn in my lower adomen and stomach. I didn’t want to believe it and pushed through. Kept walking. We were heading towards the beach on this nice sunny day.
After awhile, I realized I couldn’t hold it much longer and started to panic — we were far away from our place and every restaurant required a customer-​only for their restroom usage. We found Sheraton Princess Kaiulani and I prayed the bathroom was available.
The restroom was quiet, private, in a corner, and CLEAN. I felt just at home. THANKS Sheraton for allowing outside people (I hope) to use your restroom. YOU SAVED LIVES (my bf went too).

I’m a huge fan of low-​stress travel and the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani made my stay in Waikiki effortless. From booking to check-​in to check-​out, everything went well. The ease of everything enhanced my trip.
Here’s what I loved:
1. The room — well appointed, balcony with a south facing view, 42-​inch flat screen high def TV, private, small fridge, desk and a full-​size dresser.
2. Wi-​Fi — decent internet speed was accessible everywhere on the property.
3. The location!!! The hotel is caddy-​corner from Waikiki Beach. This means the hotel is next door to the best shopping in the Hawaii, and about a 200 — 300-​foot walk to Waikiki Beach sand and water.
4. Outside services — the pool and outside services are in front on the hotel but surrounded by tropical gardens, walls, and a black lava koi pond. The outside team assists with the pool, but more importantly you can check out then take your towel and a foldable chair to the beach. This process was really easy, and there was never a wait. We changed towels multiple times per day as we transitioned from beach to pool and vice versa, and it was never an issue.
5. The lobby of the hotel is expansive and Lanai style so you constantly get to feel that warm Hawaii air.
6. The pool is warm and clean and there are plenty of chairs. I really liked how the pool had a real deep end that was over 8 feet.
7. My wife and I work out almost daily so having a real gym was awesome. They had high-​end treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines, but what I thought was great that not a lot of hotels have, is free weights.
8. Water! The hotel has a water dispensing service that is sourced from an artisan well off-​site. We were able to fill up our water bottles with delicious Hawaiian spring water, so we saved a ton of money on not buying bottled water — we also received 2 complimentary bottles in our room per day.
9. The Elevator — my wife loved this; the elevator close door button works! As soon as you push button or select a floor the doors close and you’re on your way. We probably saved 30 minutes over the course of our trip by never having to wait on our elevator.
10. Parking — parking was convenient and included in our resort fee. The parking is not on the main street that goes up Waikiki, it and the formal entrance are on a side street which means getting in and out is a lot less stressful.
11. Communication — I communicated with the hotel via email, over the phone, and on Social Media. Every communication was prompt, and courteous. Because they were so attentive on Social Media when I was trying to decide where to stay, I chose this hotel. Shootout to Esther for making this happen.
My stay here was fabulous, and pricing was so much less than adjacent properties, and there was so much more included in terms of services than condo rentals I was considering. It was a real resort experience, with all the amenities and convenience that comes with it. The only downside is that I didn’t have more time to stay there (we were only in Hawaii for one week), but two weeks or ten days even at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani would have made this Hawaii trip even better.
I can’t wait to come back!

They renovated the lobby area with new light fixtures and seating areas which was nice but did nothing to the tired old musty rooms. A lamp didn’t work, walls had cracks and peeling paint. Get the picture?
The hotel is great for location but not much else.

This Sheraton harkens back to 1960s glamour with an outdoor courtyard, pool side room check-​in, and welcoming koi pond, but for all the glitz on the outside, the rooms look like they haven’t been renovated since the 60s. The view is still incredible and for being across the street from the ocean you cannot beat the price. They do charge a controversial «resort fee» and I’m not exactly sure what amenities you get for this extra $ 20 a day– maybe beach towels, but that is the price of being so close to paradise I guess. You also now get an additional 250 SPG points for paying this mandatory fee, so it’s not a complete loss.

We were on an overnight night stay between flights out of Honolulu and selected the Princess as having the best rates out of the Starwood properties. The folks out front were not the most welcoming but that changed once we met the ladies working the front desk. They took good care of us and had us quickly on our way for our brief stay.
The lobby area looked to be fresh and newly renovated. Can’t say as much for our room but was told those are up next for updating. Our room was tired and the bathroom looked very dated. That said our view was spectacular, the AC strong and our bed comfortable.

I stayed here on a business trip to Waikiki. The location of the hotel is excellent. While not right on the beach, it is right across the street from the beach.
The service at the hotel was decent. Unfortunately if you have questions and ask the front desk, they just refer you to the concierge who wasn’t always available.
The rooms are very dated, but not in an unclean way.
The internet wasn’t very good, just acceptable.
For the Waikiki area the hotel was a decent price, but as with the entire hotel industry nowadays they screw you with a «resort fee». If it is a mandatory fee, build it into the price of the room.
I didn’t try any of the dining options at the hotel, as I typically avoid hotel food like the plague. If you go into the back streets you can find some good local restaurants with local food.

We got a pretty killer deal to stay here, which made any issues pretty easy to take in. I feel like most Waikiki hotels are dated and not nearly worth what you’re paying, especially compared to other resort towns. I tend to avoid staying in Waikiki for exactly that reason, but here’s what worked and didn’t work for us at the PK:
+ Cost. Just over $ 100 a night, we were ‘upgraded’ to a partial ocean-​view that just happened to be adjacent to construction of the new International Marketplace. I honestly didn’t mind the noise, it felt far off and I’m okay with the sounds of the city when staying in a city, but I’m sure that’s a dealbreaker for many.
+ Location. Super central, we were able to walk anywhere around Waikiki without it feeling like much of an effort.
+ Resort fee. While resort fees are complete bullshit, this one at least got us both wi-​fi AND parking, which in a $ 30−40/night parking city is not too bad. We had no problem getting in and out and about.
+ Common areas/​staff. The lobby and pool area were very nice, and actually tricked us into thinking we were really getting a crazy good deal when we first arrived. I liked the open pool, bar, and ability to walk in and out of the property so easily, and the person who checked us in was very friendly and helpful.
— Room. Dated as mentioned, just nothing special, not really a huge minus if you’re not spending much time in your room but worth mentioning that the rooms feel less Sheraton than Holiday Inn.
We went in not expecting any view at all, so we feel like we came out ahead in the end, and one nice thing about the ‘city view’ of International Marketplace is that it’s very expansive, like you’re not right up against another hotel, so I would likely return for another value deal at a value resort like this one, and throw the extra dough into food/​experiences.

Things have changed a little bit from the last time I was here. The rooms still have nice views, and the desire and bath hardware is still from the 80s. There are no complimentary check-​in drinks, and the breakfast buffet is still overpriced, but I was given complimentary continental breakfast coupons that were basically discount coupons for the main buffet. The parking is still good. The staff is still pleasant.
I think I’ve stayed at better hotels, though, and it’s clouded my view of this one. Is the pool as grand as other hotels? No, but it’s good and has lots of seating nearby. Is the buffet the best? No, it doesn’t have the selection of some others, but it’s good, and all are pricey in this area. Are the rooms fully up to date? No, the rust around the non-​working tub drain and lack of outlets in the room belies that. But the rates are good, the beach is across the street, and if you get one of their beach chairs, they will bring out fruit and water twice a day to their area.
I guess the best thing to ask is «Would I come back», and that answer is still yes.

If your room isn’t quite ready upon arrival, the Splash Bar & Bento is a great place to grab a bite and hang out next to the pool. «Flavors of Hawaii» Volcano Chicken Salad sautéed in a special marinade with lettuce, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, bell pepper, seasonal greens tossed in oriental dressing, and garnished with papaya and crispy taro chips. The salad is a good mix of local vegetables and fruits. The chicken would be better grilled than sautéed to help caramelize the marinade. Rating: ⁴⁄₅
Kalua Pork Sandwich is smoky pulled pork served on focaccia bread with homemade BBQ dipping sauce, a trio of melted cheeses, and served with celery, carrot sticks, and ranch dipping sauce. If you like BBQ pork sandwiches, this sandwich is for you. I am more of a purist when it comes to kalua pig and like it plain or with cabbage. The BBQ sauce is overpowering. The portion is also huge so sharing would be more than adequate. Rating: ³⁄₅
Waikiki activities to do/​visit within walking distance (if you don’t have a rental car):
* Waikiki Beach is right across Kalakaua Avenue.
* Kings Village Shopping Mart is across Kaiulani Avenue. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, there is a farmer’s market with fresh island fruits and local artisanal foods for purchase. Eat some while you’re walking or take back to your room for a snack later.
* Honolulu Zoo
* You can also purchase tickets for the Waikiki Trolley with unlimited boarding privileges with four different routes and over 30 stops.
Ainahau Tower has cozy rooms with balconies and all of the creature comforts of a resort hotel: comfortable beds, air conditioning, mini refrigerator, TV, in-​room safe, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, ice bucket and drinking glasses, and internet access. The room itself is a little small but the balcony helps open up the space. In the afternoon/​evening, live Hawaiian and contemporary music from the pool can be heard in the High Ocean View, Tower Partial Ocean View, Pool View, and Deluxe Ocean View rooms. Relax on the balcony with a drink, let the ocean breeze erase the cares of the day and listen to music, all in the comfort of your own room.
Pikake Terrace has a wonderful dinner buffet with flavors that will make everyone in your party happy. Here are some items you might find on the buffet: snow crab legs with drawn butter, grilled steaks, kalua pig and cabbage, Caesar salad, ahi poke, and haupia for dessert. The culinary presentation itself, is a visual feast. The mix of local food and continental cuisine is perfect. Hopefully, your tummy will tell you when to stop. Rating: ⁵⁄₅

I wish I could give them zero star!!!
I don’t usually complain. But, couldn’t hold on to this.
Found bedbug right before checking out. That means we slept with this thingy without noticing it. Pretty disgusting!!!
talked to housekeeping manager and floor manager that morning. They wrote down my contact information and promised me to contact before I leave this island which is 8pm. However, I haven’t heard anything from them. Talked to staffs again and they didn’t know what to do about it. I did not get any refund or any forms of credit. Now I am leaving hawaii with good memory of this and not gonna come back to this hotel!!! Very very disapointed not only what happened, but how they handled this thing.
Very unprofessional!!! Go to other hotel!!!

Whenever I am off from work and want to have a stay vacation in Waikiki the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel always hit the top of the list. Here’s my experience of the hotel stays before the $ 25 resort fees took in effect.
I remember one year I reserved a room for a few nights expecting it to be a standard room and when I checked in I had been upgraded to a ocean view room at no extra charge. Awesome! Checking in was very quick and the hotel desk clerk did a wonderful job.
Another year I treated my mom and her companion to a few nights stay at the hotel. It was her companions birthday. My mom mentioned to me «There’s a gift basket in the room with fruits». She was surprised as hell about it.
One thing I love about staying at Sheraton Princess Kaiulani is that you are able to enjoy the nightly entertainment whether your chilling by the pool side, having the buffet dinner, or from the comfort of the balcony overlooking the pool. I also love the idea of staying at one of the Sheraton hotels and dine at any of the other Sheraton hotels. Example would be having dinner at the Beachhouse at the Moana & the Veranda which is located on the premises of Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel and charging your meal to the room at Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel.
I love it when the holiday seasons come because you’ll be able to look at the beautiful gingerbread city display. The chef and his helpers do a remarkable and wonderful job in creating their winter gingerbread city.
If there was an option of not having the resort fee when checking in then the hotel would receive the 5 stars. I am not one to use all the amenities that the hotel has to offer. Just having lunch and a drink from Splash Bar or playing some pinball in the game room if they still have it.

I think 3 stars for this place is a very fair score, as there are some good and not-​so-​good qualities to this place. Here’s my story.
I stayed here in November for 2 nights for work. The last time I was in Honolulu I stayed at the Waikiki Hilton. Since the prices are very comparable, here’s why you may want one over the other.
I got a great rate on this place, which had me a little worried. (Booked on Cyber Monday for $ 161 per night.) One thing that annoyed me was the $ 25 resort fee. The resort fee includes: parking for one car, internet, newspaper, local phone calls and an hour of long distance. The parking is fine if you have a car, if you don’t it’s a complete rip off. I actually ended up renting a car, which last time I didn’t do. (No resort fee at Hilton, but parking is more expensive I believe.) The internet is okay, faster is available for purchase. Not sure who would actually take them up on the phone calls, but go for it! Newspaper is a waste of the paper it’s printed on. I wish they would give you the option to opt out of resort fee, especially if you don’t have a car.
The parking lot is annoying. You basically go around the back of the hotel and park in an old parking structure. If you park on the very top there is supposedly an elevator, but most likely you are carrying all of luggage up and down several flights of stairs.
The lobby looks much newer than the rest of the hotel. Fast and friendly check in, plus they give you 2 drink coupons for either juice or a Bay Breeze (vodka, cranberry and pineapple juice). Normally Bay Breezes aren’t my thing, but they are super good here because of the fresh Hawaiian pineapple juice.
My room, was a little rough. Luckily I got an awesome view, but these rooms look like they haven’t been updated since the 70s. The rooms at the Hilton looked much nicer and are significantly better. They really should update the rooms here, but I guess they don’t have to since they seem to be busy. The walls are very thin. The room next to me decide to conduct some business at 7am, the loud talking woke me up and I couldn’t get back to sleep. They also have alarm clocks in the room, which the a-​hole in the room before me decided to leave set for a 5:30am wake up. So you may want to check those before you go to bed!
Instead of working from my room, I chose to sit down at the pool and get all of my emails done, which was quite nice. I didn’t eat at the restaurant after reading the reviews, but there were many great places across the street or a few blocks down.
The gym was pretty good, newer equipment and pretty good size.
If you are planning to spend a lot of time relaxing in your room, stay at the Hilton or pay the big bucks to stay at a Westin or something. If you want an inexpensive room that is close to everything, this is a good option. The Hilton is a bit farther away, and for that reason I will probably choose this hotel over the Hilton even though it was a little nicer.