The Pink Palace of the Pacific. Opened 1927. Still the most romantic address on Waikiki Beach, and still earning it.
The Royal Hawaiian opened on Waikiki Beach on February 1, 1927, and nothing that has happened to the street outside in the intervening century — the towers, the traffic, the tourist commerce — has dimmed its authority. The building is Spanish-Moorish Revival, faced in a pink stucco that has given it the nickname "the Pink Palace of the Pacific" since its first decade of operation. It arrived on what was then a barely developed beach strip when the steamship SS Malolo began monthly service from San Francisco, and it was built to receive passengers who expected a destination rather than accommodation.
The property today comprises 528 rooms and suites split between the original 1927 building — the Historic Wing, with its arched doorways, period detailing, and rooms that retain the proportions of the original construction — and the 1969 Tower addition, which offers contemporary rooms with unobstructed ocean views. The choice between them is a genuine question of preference: the Historic Wing rooms have the character and the gardens; the Tower rooms have the views and the modern layouts. The hotel's beachfront position, at the centre of Waikiki between the Moana Surfrider and the Halekulani, is the best on the strip.
Azure Restaurant occupies the beachfront and operates as the hotel's fine dining room with a seafood-centric menu that reflects the Pacific rather than performing it. The Royal Hawaiian Bar, open-air on the beach, is the address for mai tais in Honolulu — they invented the pink variety served here. Surf Lanai, the casual breakfast and lunch venue, runs its tables under coconut palms with Diamond Head in the background. The luau programme, offered on Monday evenings in the historic coconut grove, is one of the most authentic cultural dining events available at any Waikiki hotel.
The Abhasa Spa, housed in the hotel's original garden wing, draws on Japanese and Hawaiian traditions with treatments that include volcanic stone therapies, traditional Hawaiian lomi massage, and an extensive couples' treatment menu. The hotel manages two pool areas: the quiet garden pool set among the historic grounds, and the Beach Club pool directly on the sand. The Royal Hawaiian Beach Club provides dedicated beach service with chair attendants, umbrella setup, and the kind of beach towel that actually works.
The Royal Hawaiian's argument for the honeymoon is architectural and atmospheric. The pink palace against the blue Pacific is as recognisable a romantic image as Honolulu produces. The Historic Wing suites, with their private lanais overlooking the original coconut grove and direct beach access, provide the setting. The azure sunset seen from the beachfront bar provides the moment. A honeymoon at the Royal Hawaiian is not a niche choice — it is the canonical Waikiki honeymoon, which has been the destination for honeymooning couples since Duke Kahanamoku was still surfing the break outside the hotel in the 1930s. If you want Waikiki's romantic history rather than its modern hotel stock, this is the address. Other honeymoon hotels →
Rates from $485/night. Check availability on Royal-Hawaiian.com.
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