Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach

It’s so relaxing to just sit on the rocking chair on the Veranda facing Kalakaua Avenue at night with the cool night breeze. You can kick back with your beverage and watch the Night Life go by. The ambience of the Hotel makes you forget it’s 2016. It’s such an elegant hotel that has retained the old Hawaii of yesteryear.
There are many more things to do at this hotel. Warning, sometimes it’s hard to get a rocking chair because so many people just love to sit down and relax.

I usually shun fancy beach hotels, but tourism is part of Waikiki and you might as well spend at least one night of luxury here. This hotel has been around for ages, since 1901 actually, and this one is simply awesome.
The entrance is just amazing. You get to see an immediate view of a giant tree and the ocean, and it just brings a wow moment straight out of a movie. Very beautiful.
Comparatively, don’t expect the same greatness from Moana Surfrider on the North Shore from say something like Turtle Bay Resort, which pales in comparison in quality and even just placement. I’d recommend staying at a small rental house type of place on the North Shore, so plan ahead. Waikiki? Moana Surfrider is a must visit.
Great service and everyone is friendly and helpful. A slight bummer is that their food is a bit expensive, but it’s a tourist spot and hotel food, so deal with it. Otherwise, I recommend going for a decent walk or short drive to explore what Waikiki has to offer, and there are some great nearby food spots depending on your taste. Try to avoid the chains and do something new.
Parking? Eh… it takes getting used to, but there is a nearby garage for hotel guests shared by another hotel. It’s a little confusing to find at first.
A great visit and place to stay.

Known as the First Lady of Waikiki, the Moana Surfrider was the first hotel built in Waikiki in the early 1900s and is a historic sight. I’ve walked past the Moana many times in the past and am always in so much awe of the dramatic colonial architecture, I promised myself I’d stay here next time I visit Waikiki.
The façade of the hotel is breathtaking. It looks regal with the towering ionic columns and grand foyer that opens to a perfectly framed view of the prodigious banyan tree and Waikiki beach. The rocking chairs on the porch give it a old-​timey feel.
I love that this hotel has direct access to the beach, and towel rentals are conveniently located in the pool area. You can also rent an umbrella (though prices are steep at $ 50+ per day). It is also centrally located and within walking distance of in infinite amount of shopping and good eats! The Beach House, located on the lobby level of the hotel is one of my all time favorite places in Waikiki (see separate review). It is worth staying here for the sake of convenience.
I was rather unimpressed with the room, however. We stayed in the Banyan area, the oldest section of the hotel, and my first impression when entering the room was the stuffy smell. This hotel smells like old, haunted house. The smell is faint in the hallways, but overpowering in the room. I agree with other Unilocalers that the size of the room is extremely small. I’ve stayed at less expensive hotels in Waikiki with much larger rooms. This felt like a small college dorm. Counter space was extremely limited and there are hardly any usable electric outlets. I’m a gal who needs a large spread for all my cosmetics and hair tools, and I hardly had room to even lay a hair curler.
Service is hit or miss. Check-​in left an initially bad impression on me. The gentleman who helped us was unwelcoming and wouldn’t even make eye-​contact. I would expect and could forgive this kind of service at a three star establishment, but not at a Westin resort. This guy could learn a thing or two from the reception team at the Royal Hawaiian next door on hospitality, who made me feel like a celebrity on my last visit. Check-​out was the exact opposite. The gentleman who helped us had so much aloha spirit and made sure we had everything we needed to get back home.
Overall, it was an above average experience and I would stay here again because it is centrally located. Be sure to visit the museum on the second floor! Lots of cool relics from the early twentieth century, including an article regarding a famous murder mystery at the hotel!

Absolutely breathtaking hotel with a jaw dropping banyan tree in the middle of the outdoor area that is encircled by the bar, restaurants, pool and live entertainment. It really does feel like you are surrounded by paradise. It’s a very romantic feeling hotel, so don’t expect to come here for the nightlife.
We had the most amazing oceanview from our room. Great shower, great service, great free water bottles in the room (Starwood preferred guests).
Only complaints are that the first day there was bass blaring from the Indian wedding right outside our window. It didn’t go that late but we were trying to nap because of the time change. Also, the pool really is small, people aren’t exaggerating and there is no hot tub unless you pay for the spa daily. We were happy with just the ocean. Finally, the umbrella chairs on the sand are $ 50 for the set per day. A little steep.

Rock’n Chair
Upon arriving to the Moana one of the first things you will notice are the HUGE slight off white pillars surrounding the structure, Italian Renaissance architecture, folks in there comfy rocking chairs on the front verandah and white… everything is white (props to keeping it so clean) the hotel definitely stands out on its own compared to others on the strip, it definitely gives the feeling your walking on an antique.
It’s the hotel that every tourist knows about, constantly being referred to as «The big white building» the Moana truly lives up to their name and reputation as a unique landmark in waikiki and the great customer service from the staff.
The Moana opened on March in 1901 and since then has had a ton of history to go with it, staying in the first hotel built in Hawaii and also using the first electric powered elevator in Hawaii was a cool feeling of how much history this building has seen and had, I wish it was still the opening price of $ 1.50 per night though.
The outdoor dining area featuring the statement banyan tree, sets the mood for an elite dining experience and what a view looking over Waikiki beach, perfect to sink down as many alcoholic beverages as you can and wake up in the tree. The live music is really good and gets a nice size supportive crowd.
Our room seems to be on the smaller side but we do have a king size bed, they also have very recent movies to order which are all just out of the cinema. The bathroom is a decent size and they offer free New Balance gym sneakers and clothes to hire for $ 5 if you want to workout and burn the calories gained from mai tai’s and cakes.
The Moana Surfrider is a classic, classy, historic and accommodating hotel. I would stay here again without a second thought.
Pros: convenient location, great service, dining experience, bespoke hotel, movie selection, amenities
Con: you can see the age in some places but that’s character, room size, lighting in the room is dim, bathroom isnt very big

This is an absolutely beautiful and elegant hotel but has that low key down to earth friendly vibe. Located pretty much right in the middle of the Waikiki strip this is a hot spot for grabbing a bite and their beach bar or late night drinks at the same beach bar. Walking through the hotel to get to the bar/​restaurant at the back (the more casual beach bar is straight at the back, a more fancier restaurant is at the back and to the right).
I’ve been here a few times and it’s never been a disappointment for me… in fact I make it a point to grab a drink/​bite whenever I am in Honolulu. The beach bar is laid back vibe where you can grab a table or sit at the bar (no reservations needed). I choose poke (pronounced poh-​kay) which is basically ahi tuna. It was… delicious. Service is on point — but to be honest in Honolulu and Hawaii in general they pride themselves on service so it would be tough to find poor service.
Sitting back and eating/​drinking an enjoying the sun and being able to look out towards the beach is ever so relaxing. Music playing puts you in the mood to sit back and order another drink.
At night of course it’s a bit more lively — but day or night this place is a must.
The hotel itself is clean and elegant and looks oh so very expensive (which I’m sure it is!) If I could ever afford to stay here I certainly would.

Awesome place to stay right in the heart of Waikiki.
Although we’ve been to the island in the past, we’ve never stayed at this particular hotel. I remember walking by it every time and just thinking that the architecture was very attractive and gave off a classic island hotel feel. Although the outside and lobby of the hotel have the classic feel, the rooms are updated with modern amenities and newer bathrooms. Everything was well maintained and clean, waters were complimentary and replaced daily. Sheets are replaced if you place the placard on your pillow. As with all SPG properties your membership perks are in full effect here as well, the parking was included with our resort fee and valet was optional at $ 15 a day with in and out privileges for that day.
We had a great time and would definitely come back to stay at the Moana.

Best resort for a first timer in Hawaii. Aloha!
Everyone on the resort were friendly and more than helpful in any way possible.
Amazing view of the ocean.
Great food and drinks just a few steps away.
Had no issues with the room or housekeeping. I wish I could give more than 5 stars because 7 days at this resort felt truly like paradise.
From check in to check out… I felt like royalty every second. From the valet to the housekeeping, to the beach lounge service.
They have a gym, spa, and nail salon. But you’ve got to try it out for yourselves!
It’s worth every cent to stay at this resort compared to others. Right in the middle of the Waikiki strip too. Steps away from the beach. Every employee had a big smile and genuine kindness.
Mahalo!!!

I come to HNL monthly on business and always stay at the Surfrider. Love the location (very few hotels are actually on the beach in Waikiki) and it’s right in the middle of all the action. Great amenities and if you’re a platinum member you have free access to their Beach Club (amazing value). They have 3 different buildings — the original (Banyan) is the oldest and has amazing history! (First hotel in Waikiki) — the rooms are typically smaller but comfortable and quaint (only con is they can be noisy as this property hosts A LOT of weddings and receptions will run until 10 – 10:30 at night and if you’re here on business that may be later than you want to stay up. This is the only reason for 4 vs 5 stars).
Best wing is Tower on a high floor with an ocean view. Views are of course amazing! But they’re also quite and large. Overall — especially if you’re a platinum member you get the «treatment» and great upgrades whenever available.

Take a look at this hotel from the mauka side of Kalakaua Avenue. Imagine you are standing in a dirt path worn by mules, later to be an H. T. & L Co. electric street car line and roadway for Model A’s. Imagine the land behind you is a swamp of duck ponds and taro fields that will become rice paddies. Before you is a row of fancy homes for Honolulu’s wealthy and Hawaiian royalty, some could be considered mansions even by today’s local standards.
Walter Peacock had one such home here near a pier built in 1890. He conceived of «The First Lady of Waikiki» — so named not because it was the first hotel ever built in this area, but because it was the first intended to cater to wealthy foreign tourists who had heretofore commuted from Honolulu on day trips — in 1896, two years before Hawaii’s annexation to the U.S. Thus, the Moana’s opening in 1901 marks the beginning of Waikiki as a world-​renowned tourist destination.
An early plan by architect Oliver G. Traphagen, who Peacock’s The Moana Hotel Company, Ltd. had hired for the project, envisioned renovating the Peacock mansion and expanding the property’s capacity and amenities through separate additions. Instead the mansion was relocated along the beach in the Diamond Head direction, and a single four-​story building was constructed by the same contractor that built ‘Iolani Palace (The Lucas Brothers).
It opened near the turn of the last century equipped with modern technology, including elevators, rooms with telephones and private baths, and its own power plant for lighting, refrigeration, ice-​making, and laundry service. The furniture on each floor were of different hardwoods: second floor, oak; third, mahogany; fourth, maple; fifth and sixth floors, koa.
Local songwriter, drummer, pianist, and bandleader Johnny Noble entertained Moana’s guests in the 1920s with hits like «Hula Blues» and «Ala Moana» (he is buried at Oahu Cemetery in Nu’uanu; listen to his music at
). The guest list included the Prince of Wales, who enjoyed «Hula Blues», Amelia Earhart, Walter Chrysler, and later (?) Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball, among others.
A year before Peacock died, he sold the property to Alexander Young, who died a few years later. Matson bought the hotel in 1928, a year after Matson’s lavish Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Waialae Golf Course (now Waialae Country Club) opened and the same year Walter Dillingham completed the Ala Wai Canal.
Demand prompted the hotel to add two wings, which opened in 1918 and created a beach-​front courtyard anchored by an Indian banyan that was gifted to Peacock by the Paty family in 1885. The tree today bears the official City designation of «Exceptional Tree».
At some point, cottages were constructed on the present site of the Princess Ka’iulani Hotel, initially to house workers, then for guests. These are gone now, as are the waterfront restaurant, bathhouse, and pier.
Webley Edwards hosted «Hawaii Calls», a radio show aired (live?) on 750 stations around the world at its peak, broadcasted from the Moana’s Banyan Courtyard from 1935 to1975 (Here’s a brief clip:
).
The Moana continued to operate throughout the war. There is war-​time memorabilia (menus, money, etc.) and photos in Cohen’s book «The First Lady of Waikiki: A Pictorial History of the Sheraton Moana Surfrider», which I believe they have for sale in the hotel (possibly in the spa).
The Jet Age transformed travel, and Matson ended up selling the hotel to the Sheraton, which later sold it to Kyoya, who contracted with Sheraton to manage it, who’s parent company Starwood was just bought by Marriott.
The hotel went through major architectural alterations over the years, from deco styling to the replacement of the port cochère with a (green?) awning. In the 1950s, the eight-​story SurfRider Hotel was built on the Diamond Head side of the Victorian-​era structure on land that had been deeded in 1839 to a missionary doctor by Kamehameha IV. This was later renamed the Diamond Wing because a new twenty-​one-​story TheSurfrider was constructed in the 1960s on the ‘ewa side of the Victorian-​era structure. This tower is now called the Tower Wing.
The entire property underwent a $ 50 million restoration in the late 1980s that is said to have taken longer than the original construction. The port cochère was rebuilt using original 1915 plans of the 1918 additions found at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Porthole windows and other architectural elements were uncovered or reconstructed. The Victorian-​era core structure is on both the Hawaii and National Registers of Historic Places. The pool is a modern addition.
Great guided tours of the property and second floor small museum at 11 am every M, W, and F are free and recommended. Self-​guided tours can be done any other time. See Cohen’s excellent book mentioned above and the Moana’s website for more history.

Beach front patio for drinks
Drinks were awful, tasted like sugar water for $ 15, skip this place

We attended a wedding reception and dinner here. The view is beautiful and the hotel itself is gorgeous; it really stands out from the rest of the buildings in the area!
The dinner and reception took place on the 6^th floor in one of the smaller banquet rooms. We also had free reign of two balconies just off of the room, from which we could catch a glimpse of the beach and the sun setting.
The reception included an open bar and a small selection of hors d’oeuvres. The servers did a great job making sure everyone had a drink in their hand and worked quickly to clear the reception area of abandoned plates and glasses. I tried a couple of the drinks off the menu (which didn’t look like it had been personalized for our event in any way) including the mai tai and the piña colada. The piña colada was really delicious, but the mai tai was a little lackluster and tasted watered down.
The service during dinner was good. We had a really old gentleman as our waiter who was quite unstable on his feet, which made me a little concerned throughout the night as he had to weave between tables to pass dishes to the individuals seated further away from the center of the room. It was a little painful to watch, but I must give him major props for working hard and staying on his feet all night!
The food wasn’t *spectacular* in terms of banquet meals, but everything tasted fresh and I enjoyed my entrée choice.
I’m not sure how simple or stressful it was to coordinate the reception/​dinner here, since I wasn’t the one getting hitched, but I wouldn’t mind attending another special event at this Westin location!

Somehow eating alone on a business trip at a bar in Savannah, GA in the beginning of February led to a six day vacation in Hawaii in the end of February. Still trying to process that one…
Gentleman caller and I arrived in Honolulu on a Saturday afternoon and immediately checked into our room at the Moana Surfrider. I had been to Waikiki before with my family, so I knew off the bat to be excited to be staying at this hotel. It is absolutely stunning from the outside. The hotel itself is 115 years old and truly beautiful vs. a lot of the other Waikiki high rise hotels that scream 1960s. Plus, you can never go wrong with the Westin in general.
We had an ocean view room on the historic wing of the hotel. This is the only complaint I had the whole trip was that the room was TINY. Granted it’s Hawaii so you’re not doing anything other than showering and sleeping in your heavenly bed, but it was noticeable small. It was of course very nice, minimalist, and white like all Westin rooms are. The bathroom was super up-​to-​date with a glorious overhead shower. We had a mini refrigerator, king size bed, two bedside tables, large flat screen, and closet all overlooking the ocean.
As for the rest of the hotel itself, it’s stunning. In between the rocking chairs out front, the beach bar, the spa, and the in-​house restaurant, they were all top of the notch. Service was phenomenal from every employee we ever encountered. I kind of want to move into their beach bar. I would absolutely recommend staying here if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Waikiki. Aloha y’all!

After extensive research and the want to fulfill my fiancé’s one request to stay on the beach, we booked the Moana Surfrider for 3 short nights on our pre-​honeymoon celebration. The drawing factors for this hotel were the location, parking (it’s included in the resort fee which actually offers a lot of other things like yoga, hula lessons, a free picture by the banyan tree, welcome lei, etc) and its history.
Upon arrival at 12:30pm, we received lei’s and the bellman took our bags as we were directed to the front desk. This was the ultimate «aloha» we were looking forward to. Hubby parked the car and I went for check in. It was still a little early to check in but I wanted to test my luck. I’m going to be completely honest, God was on our side at check in! There was no wait and I was greeted with a smile by Noy at the front desk. Noy is a blessing sent from above! He kindly checked me in and told us that our room was not yet ready and offered a honeymoon special rate to upgrade from the room we booked, Banyan City Room, to an Ocean Tower Room for $ 80/​night that was ready at that moment. We declined and said we would wait.
After a short 3 hour wait, we went back to check in and Noy was there to greet us again! He handed us our keys and said he wanted to help make our first trip/​honeymoon stay a little more special and directed us to the tower elevators. I immediately flipped out when he said «tower». (Many reviewers have said the old building rooms are small and cramped and with the tower, you get a balcony and more space.)
Oh man oh man oh man! Noy is THE MAN! The room was more than anything we could’ve imagined. We were in room 610 facing the ocean and banyan tree courtyard. The room, the view, the balcony, listening to the live music every evening from our balcony, the bidet, the heavenly bed, the service from the bellman to the valet to the concierge and the cleaning ladies. PHENOMENAL! The Moana Surfrider was by far one highlight of our trip.
If there’s one area for improvement for this hotel, it would be the weird B.O. smell in the 6^th floor hallway.
We had an amazing stay at the Moana Surfrider and we will definitely be coming back! Thank you, Noy for making this one hell of a trip! You da man!

The BF and I had a great stay at Moana! The staff are all very courteous and helpful. We arrived early and our room was not available yet and we needed to change into our bathing suits for a surf lesson. The person assisting us at the front desk overheard and offered us their courtesy guest room to freshen up. The room was very basic, no bed, but there was a bathroom. It seemed that it was just used as everything was in disarray and the shower was wet, but this wasn’t a problem for us because we didn’t need to use the shower.
We loved that it was centrally located right smack-​dab in the middle of Waikiki. Surrounded by loads of shopping and some excellent eateries. I woke up daily and just walked a couple blocks to get great coffee and delicious musubis!
It was also nice just to go down to the beach bar, have a few drinks, and just lounge. You could walk right out to the beach and their portion of Waikiki Beach is well kept. It’s a world of difference because the public entrances to Waikiki have super rough and congested sand that hurt my feet! You can borrow towels at the pool.
The room was nice, spacious and clean. The bed and pillows were comfortable. And… I finally found out what the clothes line thing was in the shower/tub…lol. I always wondered what it was for! There are free water bottles, which was very convenient as we didn’t have to go out and purchase them. Although, there are many ABC stores around so it wouldn’t have been that difficult to procure.
I liked that we had a balcony area with seating, but the view was obstructed by the hotel building. I did have a sliver of a view of the beach so we’d come out sometimes to enjoy it. Most of the time during the day there was lots of construction noise as they are building an international marketplace across the street.
Note that they do have self parking, but it’s across the street at their partner/​sister hotel, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. There is valet available and they offer free water to guests.
Overall, great stay. I would definitely recommend this hotel!

Well this was my home for the five short days I was here and I absolutely loved it. This hotel was very well planned and built really nice looking like a plantation. With the front door wide open just like the back you can literally see right through to the beach and the beautiful ocean. The rooms are nice with spacious ceiling and soft sheets. Wish I could’ve spent more time at the hotel but I found myself within the island more.
The hotel bar was right on the beach and I managed to catch a sunset one night while sipping some Mai-​Tais. Nightly fares are reasonable and the ocean view suites are quite costly.

the entire staff at the Moana was super friendly and accommodating during my stay. I had an ocean front suite and enjoyed the luxurious amenities that came with the room. one of such was the club lounge which had light breakfast and evening snacks. Minor issue I saw was people walking into the place that might not have been given official access and rampaged the snack area.

What a beautiful hotel! Love the lobby area, lots seating area with nice tropical style furniture. nice balcony area with comfy chairs. Great place to people watching!
They have their own beach front. Nice place to dine or just sit back and relax. The view is just gorgeous! There is also a pool right before you walk down to the beach.

Over the top resort in Hawaii!
Classic roman architecture with chandeliers on the inside and hall of mirrors awaits you!
The outside area is incredibly nice. With the view of the beach and palm trees surrounding the area, it is relaxing.
You get to see Diamond Head in its vicinity.
Sweep me away here anytime!

This hotel is beautiful. Though it shows its old, it is picturesque. From the moment you walk into the lobby you know you’re in luxury. The small details show and the staff are welcoming. The pool is beautiful and well maintained. Next time in town, I’ll probably stay here. It’s one of the only hotels that doesn’t charge it’s guests to use the beach chairs, which is a dying breed. The location is center strip and valet is the only option.
Be sure to tip well as travel is pretty much the industry here and the state’s main source of income.