Aloha! Mahalo, from the new Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii! I recently spent a few days in paradise at the inaugural Classic Vacations E3 learning conference! This great learning opportunity was held at the recently opened Alohilani Resort. While in the heart of Honolulu’s chic beach district, I learned from some of the top travel advisors who specialise in Hawaii, dined at some fantastic restaurants, and simply soaked up the sun. I also wandered the beach promenade and people watched – this is a great place to do that! The sun rose dramatically over Diamond Head and set serenely into the Pacific Ocean. Surfers congregated before the sun rose and the beach was awash in people from all over. But what about the hotel? Well, it was chic, contemporary, and classy. It’s also in the heart of the district with access to all the wonderful attractions of Waikiki Beach.
Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
If you’ve ever been to Hawaii, you know that the trip down is taxing. I landed just at the start of rush hour, had to wait twenty minutes for a taxi, and then sat in traffic for forty minutes. After my rather insane and exhausting travel day, all I wanted was to crawl into my bed and sleep for twelve hours. Luckily, that is exactly what I did.
When I arrived at the Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, the doorman took my bag from the taxi and led me straight to the reception desk in the airy foyer of the hotel. Check in was quick and within minutes I had my room key in hand. As I walked through the spacious and airy lobby to the elevators, I noted the chic, modern furnishings, the two storey tall aquarium, and the gentle sounds of live music coming from the bar.
I stepped off the elevator on the 33rd floor to silence, and gratefully entered my Seaside room. After dropping my bags, I opened the door to my spacious balcony and let the cool Pacific Ocean breeze wash over me. The sun was just about to set over the horizon and the sounds of a Waikiki evening floated up to me.
My room was bright, with floor to ceiling windows and a balcony. It overlooked Diamond Head and the beach, yet it was quiet and peaceful. In the morning, when I opened the curtains, the sun rose directly into my room, which was the perfect way to properly wake up.
Dining at Alohilani Resort
At the moment, the Alohilani Resort has two dining options, although they are in the process of opening up three more. The O Bar is in the lobby, and serves daytime coffee as well as evening cocktails. At check in, all guests receive a coupon for a complimentary mai tai from the O Bar.
Breakfast and lunch are served in Lychee, which is on the second floor. This fairly large space serves buffet style meals.
Popular Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is opening two restaurants at Alohilani. The first is a high end sushi joint, while the second is a beer garden and casual eats. Expect these in early 2018. The third new opening is the Swell Pool Bar, which will be at the pool on the fifth floor. Swell should be open as of this article, although it was not when I was there.
Over the course of the weekend, I experienced the fantastic local cuisine of not just the Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach but also pupus at the Hyatt Regency across the street and the outstanding food from two other Classic properties, the Modern Honolulu and The Laylow. The International Marketplace, with popular restaurant The Street by Michael Mina, is about a ten minute walk away.
Amenities at Alohilani Resort
As of the writing of this post, the two Morimoto restaurants were not open, nor was the pool, however by the time its live they likely are. We did get the chance to tour the pool deck though, and it is lovely. There is a large infinity pool, plenty of loungers, and several private cabanas with their own pools. There’s a bar, Swell Pool Bar, as well.
On the third floor, near the conference facilities, there is a spa and fitness centre. The fitness centre is small, and has no windows, although it’s good in a pinch or bad weather. For a more scenic workout, hit the beachside promenade or go for a run up Diamond Head.
Waikiki Beach
Popular Waikiki Beach is only steps from the Alohilani Resort! There’s great shopping, wonderful dining options, and plenty of sun and sand. Waikiki Beach has long been the popular tourism spot on Oahu and caters to all budgets, lifestyles, and ages!
The Alohilani Resort is not a Virtuoso property, but Classic Vacations is one of our preferred partners. What this means for my clients is that booking a hotel through Classic Vacations awards you certain perks and privileges you can’t get anywhere else!
**I received nothing in exchange for this post. I was required to stay at Alohilani Resort during this professional development course, and did pay a discounted advisor rate.**
