The Pink Palace of the Pacific since 1927. Duke Kahanamoku surfed out front. The history is the point.
The Royal Hawaiian opened in 1927 as the second hotel on Waikiki Beach, after the Moana, and was immediately claimed by the wealthy and famous as the address in Hawaii. Its Moorish-Spanish architecture, painted in the coral pink that earned it the nickname 'The Pink Palace of the Pacific,' became the defining image of Waikiki for three decades. Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing, surfed the break in front of the hotel. The original building is a National Historic Landmark.
The hotel operates today as a Luxury Collection property under Marriott management, with the original 1927 building (the Historic Wing) and a 1969 tower addition (the Mailani Tower). The Historic Wing rooms are smaller but carry the full weight of the building's architecture, the pink plaster walls, the arched windows, the original woodwork. Mailani Tower rooms are larger and more contemporary, with ocean-facing views from the upper floors.
The Mai Tai Bar on the beach terrace is where the Royal Hawaiian's famous cocktail, invented here in 1953, is still served by the pitcher at sunset. Azure restaurant faces the beach from a covered terrace and serves a contemporary Hawaiian menu anchored in local fish. The Royal Hawaiian Spa in the Mailani Tower is one of the larger spas on Waikiki Beach.
The Royal Hawaiian is the most symbolically loaded honeymoon hotel in Hawaii, the Pink Palace, the beach, the original Mai Tai at sunset, and its combination of history and genuine beach luxury makes it the choice for couples who want the most iconic version of a Hawaii honeymoon. The Honeymoon Suite in the Historic Wing is the most romantic room on Waikiki Beach. See all honeymoon hotels →
Return visits to the Royal Hawaiian, for couples who honeymooned here or who have been coming for decades, are among the most emotionally satisfying hotel experiences in the Pacific. The hotel knows how to mark an occasion. The Mai Tai Bar at sunset, with the original cocktail and the view of Diamond Head, produces a milestone-appropriate moment at a lower price than the surrounding five-stars. See all anniversary hotels →
From $400/night. Check availability.
More exceptional options in the same city.
Editorial · #9 on the Top 20 Hotels in Hawaii 2026 list
The Royal Hawaiian's case for a Hawaii stay is heritage made visible: opened in February 1927 and still the Pink Palace of the Pacific, it is the second-oldest hotel on Waikiki after the 1901 Moana Surfrider, built by Matson Navigation in a Spanish-Moorish style by Warren and Wetmore, the New York firm behind Grand Central Terminal.
The 528 rooms and suites span the original 1927 wing, where the rose-pink interiors and historic suites carry the romance, and the later Mailani Tower, which adds ocean-view modern rooms.
Dining runs to the beachfront Surf Lanai, the oceanfront Azure, and the original Mai Tai Bar on the sand. Marriott's Luxury Collection has run the resort since 2008, so Bonvoy members earn and redeem here. The honest difference from Halekulani next door is scale: at 528 rooms in the middle of commercial Waikiki, the Royal trades a quiet boutique feel for history, a larger footprint, and a lower entry rate. Best for travellers who want the landmark heritage stay on Waikiki Beach.
Off peak pricing, suite upgrades, and subscriber only offers, flagged only when the value is real.
Stayed at The Royal Hawaiian? Be the first traveler to review it and earn 15 founder crowns on top of the usual reward.
Reviews are written by signed-in travelers and human-moderated. Hotels cannot pay to alter or remove them.