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Travel Newsletter
Hawaii doesn't need a hard sell. The islands do that on their own. What matters is where you stay—and whether the property actually connects you to the place or just puts you near it. This issue covers five hotels across three islands that do it right: two on Maui, two on Oahu, and one on the Big Island. From a sacred retreat in Kapalua perched atop a cliff to a surf-culture stronghold on Waikiki Beach, a lū'au on the lava coast of Kona, and a quieter stretch of Diamond Head, Hawaii has a lot to offer. These five make the most of it.
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The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
Kapalua, HI
Twenty-two thousand acres of pristine island, and The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua sits at the center of all of it. The property maintains the Honokahua Preservation Site—a recognized sacred Hawaiian site adjacent to the resort—which sets the tone for an experience committed to the land on which it stands. Newly redesigned suites open onto balconies with tropical views, while one- and two-bedroom residential suites add kitchen facilities and room to settle in. Six restaurants and bars run the range from ocean-view breakfast to reimagined steakhouse cuisine, with locally sourced ingredients throughout. The monthly Kapalua Wine & Chef Series pairs world-class wines with guest chefs at Banyan Tree, making it worth planning around. The Club Lounge at the Anuenue Room handles elevated service for those who want it. Hawaiian cultural experiences, a concert series, and fitness programming fill the calendar year-round. Kapalua is a different kind of Maui—quieter, more considered, and even harder to leave.
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Twin Fin Hotel
Honolulu, HI
Oceanfront on Waikiki Beach with mid-century modern bones and surf culture running through everything—Twin Fin Hotel is Waikiki without the pretense. Rooms and suites face the water directly, with front-row views of the break that made this stretch of Pacific coastline famous. The Coconut Club handles breakfast 21 floors up, with panoramic views of Diamond Head and the ocean beyond making it the right way to start any day. Tiki's Grill & Bar brings live contemporary Hawaiian music every night alongside a casual Pacific-Rim menu, and Sunrise Shack keeps the organic smoothies and acai bowls flowing steps from the beach. Sin-Ice-Stir takes shave ice seriously—chef-curated flavors, rotating menu, and a premium take on a Hawaii staple. The Collective, the hotel's group of local surfers, creators, and influencers, keeps the property genuinely connected to the community it sits in rather than just borrowing the aesthetic. For a hotel that treats surf culture as identity rather than decoration, Twin Fin Hotel delivers.
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Park Shore Waikiki
Honolulu, HI
On the Diamond Head end of Waikiki Beach—quieter than the strip's center, steps from the Honolulu Zoo, and with direct ocean access—Park Shore Waikiki positions itself as the right base for guests who want to actually use Waikiki rather than just look at it. Beach Candy Waikiki, the hotel's on-site outfitter, handles complimentary gear rentals for guests, covering surfboards, paddleboards, snorkel sets, and more. Jamie O'Brien's School of Surf, an exclusive partner of Park Shore Waikiki, adds world-class surf instruction for every level. Blue Hawaiian rounds out the activity menu with helicopter tours, snorkeling excursions, and island-wide sightseeing. Dining covers real ground: Waikiki Walls serves fresh, local breakfast through dinner at the front entrance; Lulu's Waikiki brings market-fresh island-Asian-American cooking with a laid-back atmosphere it's maintained since 2004; and Yoshitsune handles traditional Japanese cuisine and fresh sushi for those craving something more focused. Rooms sit on the ocean side of the beach, with Diamond Head as the backdrop. For a Waikiki hotel that earns its keep through activity and access rather than just location, Park Shore Waikiki delivers.
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OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa
Kailua-Kona, HI
Perched above the lava coastline of Keauhou Bay on Hawaii's Big Island, OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa sits on ground that once served as a playground for Hawaiian royalty — and the newly renovated property treats that heritage seriously. Rooms and suites blend contemporary design with authentic island character, with oceanfront lanais and unobstructed Pacific views setting the standard. The Voyager 47 Club Lounge delivers the elevated version: private access, breakfast, and sunset appetizers and cocktails with perks valued at over $250 per night. Dining runs from PIKO, the resort's newest all-day spot built around fresh island ingredients, to the Holua Poolside Bar for mai tais and fish tacos above the lagoon-style pool. Feast and Fire, Kona's premier lū'au experience, brings Hawaiian history to life at sunset with dancers, fire, and a full feast. The resort's partnership with the Manta Pacific Research Foundation adds something genuinely rare—manta ray snorkeling nearby and Manta Talks on property, connecting guests to one of the Big Island's most extraordinary natural phenomena. A TravelAge West Editor's Pick for Best New Resort or Major Renovation in Hawaii, OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa makes a strong case for the Big Island over Maui.
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Hyatt Regency Maui Resort And Spa
Lahaina, HI
40 oceanfront acres on the quieter end of Kāʻanapali Beach, and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort And Spa fills every one of them. The lagoon pool runs a 150-foot waterslide into the mix, while the grounds host African penguin presentations, lei making, and what the property bills as Maui's most exciting lu'au—a full Hawaiian buffet followed by traditional chants, a three-man fire knife performance, and an imu ceremony. For something more intimate, Japengo's eight-course omakase at the sushi bar works through the flavors of the island one course at a time. And the only oceanfront spa on Maui handles the unwinding. After dark, resort astronomers set up high-powered telescopes for stargazing sessions on the property. Private lanais with glass balconies, ocean view yoga, and Whaler's Village a short walk away, round out a resort that earns the full-week commitment.
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