The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel provides a budget-friendly option in the heart of Waikiki. On this visit, I learned about the unique history behind the hotel along with some helpful tips for your next stay. Video included!
If you’re looking to spend some time away from the hotel during your stay, make sure to read our list of The 41 Best Things To Do On Oahu.
Location
Located just steps from world-famous Waikiki Beach and the main strip along Kalakaua Ave.
Address – 120 Kaʻiulani Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815 Map Link
Phone – (808) 922-5811
The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel is part of the Marriott Bonvoy program and if you play your cards right you can stay for free.
The Lobby
I checked in with Celeste at the front desk during a quiet time of day and we happily chatted about the hotel and travel in general. I asked her about a renovation that may be in the works.
Having been at the hotel for over 21 years and she mentioned that a complete demolition and renovation have come up several times. So I wont hold my breath but its something to keep an eye out for.
There are several spaces within the lobby with various photos and memorabilia dedicated towards Princess Victoria Ka’iulani. The location of the hotel is where her estate was located. The estate was demolished in 1925 by the owners of the Moana Hotel, located across Kalakaua Avenue, for the construction of wood frame bungalows.
Matson Line constructed the Hotel on the site, which opened on June 11, 1955
On the 11th floor you can find a poem from the famous Scottish novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson dedicated and written just for her.
The Pool
If you enter the hotel directly from Kalakaua Ave. you will pass by the oval shaped pool that serves as a calming focal point from bustling Waikiki.
There are cabanas to reserve if you desire extra shade and privacy, a simple layout justified by the fact that Waikiki beach is literally across the street.
If you come into the lobby from the car drop off port you will appreciate that its all tucked around the corner from the main strip, it can get busy.
Tip – If you are heading over to the beach be sure to stop at the towel desk, they have some really nice beach chairs for rent. If you are a Marriott Bonvoy Elite member, they are free! The chairs had some great pockets for snacks and extra clothes so keep that in mind.
The Room
We booked a standard 2 bed room but we were upgraded at checkin because of our Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, lucky indeed! We ended up in the Ainahu tower with a 2 bed partial ocean view, it was amazing and the beautiful weather made it even better.
The hotel itself is older and as such the room is quite basic, but it was clean and served our purpose for the night quite well. Wifi reception was excellent and the staff we ran into on the the floor were extremely helpful in getting us a cover for the ironing board.
The Splash Bar
I enjoyed 2 great meals at the Splash Bar where the cooks really nailed the basics.
Let’s start with breakfast, if you value a delicious Loco Moco the way I do then you will appreciate the one I had, all by myself. The combination of dark gravy, hamburger patty, eggs, and steamed rice cannot be outdone.
For lunch my son, a taco aficionado, gave a two thumbs up on the fish tacos saying the sauce was “just right”.
You cannot underestimate the enjoyment of a good meal with fresh ingredients after a long day at the beach.
Marriott Bonvoy
I booked this hotel using our free night awards which are good for point redemptions up to 35k. At the time only 2 hotels in the State of Hawaii were category 5, so we were happy to get this.
It should be noted that Marriott is making a change towards its free night award terms where you can add 15k of your own points, resulting in a 50k point redemption. This opens up several more hotels in Hawaii….buuuut we need to see how the Dynamic Pricing model from Marriott pans out.
If you are looking to book a room at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani for an upcoming stay, click here.
Click Here To See Recent TripAdvisor Reviews Of The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel
If you want to see just how beautiful the weather was you can watch the video below. We do a full walk through of the hotel, lobby, rooms, and of course Waikiki Beach.
