Oahu is amazing, but it comes with a red flag. As the main tourist destination in Hawaii, it can often feel like the island version of Disneyland, with dozens of cookie-cutter hotels that pack tourists in like sardines. But don’t get us wrong, Oahu is still completely romantic and luxurious—if you plan it right.
Fortunately, newlywed couples are a top priority at many resorts, especially these five, which are dedicated to over-the-top luxury suites where couples can feel worlds away far from the crowds, in total honeymoon bliss.
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Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, Olani Street, Kapolei, HI, United States
When Four Seasons opened in Oahu last year, it brought a whole new level of glam. Honeymooners who book here are treated like celebrities. As soon as you arrive at the airport, your hotel transfer is either a helicopter or a private yacht, something you won’t get from any other hotel on the island. It only gets better once you arrive. The secluded, 650-acre resort is protected with white sand lagoons (so expect calm waters), and has five beaches from which to choose. There’s a sunset-facing, adults-only pool that makes the perfect sanctuary, and a 35,000-square-foot spa that feels like a palace. The most basic suite, Resort Junior Suite, averages 1,000 square feet. For $1,000 a night, it’s well worth it. If you want to splurge, the Oceanfront One-Bedroom Suites (1,400 square feet with contemporary Hawaiian-themed décor) have the best views in the house (so they get booked fast). They start at $2,500 a night.
secluded | pricey
Ritz Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, Kalaimoku Street, Honolulu, HI, United States
All 307 rooms at the Ritz Carlton in Waikiki are private residences, so you’re basically staying in a condo, but it operates as a hotel, and the perks and amenities are incredible. All rooms are ocean view, with floor-to-ceiling windows, furnished balconies, washer/dryer, and kitchens. There’s a killer sushi joint, a BLT Market, and a Dean & Deluca on the premises, as well as round-the-clock in-room dining. Throw in an infinity pool, spa, fitness center and 24-hour concierge and it’s as good as it gets. It also doesn’t break the bank: one-bedroom suites start at $649 a night.
private residences | ocean view | spa
The Kahala Hotel & Resort
The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Kahala Avenue, Honolulu, HI, United States
At The Kahala Hotel & Resort, you get the royal treatment, and we mean that literally. This famed hotel has housed visiting royalty (like Princess Diana), celebrities (like The Rolling Stones) and every president from Lyndon B. Johnson to George W. Bush. You are going to be pampered, wined and dined, and spoiled at The Kahala. The Oceanfront Lanai Suite is incredibly romantic and cozy at $945 a night, and the patios are so spacious there are actual sunbeds. Or, check into the signature, 2,200-square-foot Imperial Suite on the top floor which, for $2,500 per night, comes with a Jacuzzi tub, a built-in library (for aesthetics, of course) and a million-dollar view.
royal treatment | romantic and cozy
Halekulani Resort
Halekulani Resort
Halekulani is the grand dame of luxury resorts in Oahu. It is unquestionably a storybook hotel experience with butlers at your beck and call, incredibly posh rooms, and the perfect on-the-beach location. It’s the only Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond hotel in Hawaii. Standard guest rooms (all of which are elegant and refined enough to rival pricier options at other locations) range from $500 to $1,000. Of course, considering how frequently guests slap down their AmEx here without hesitation, there are almost as many suites as standard rooms, and they start at $995. You can find the most famous honeymoon suite in all of Oahu here, the 2,365-square-foot Orchid Suite, at $6,000 a night. Not only does this suite have a home theater and massive private lawn, it also has its very own plunge pool inside the bathroom. Do you need a plunge pool inside your bathroom? Absolutely. You absolutely do.
luxury | on the beach
Turtle Bay Resort
Turtle Bay Resort, Hauula, HI, United States
About an hour north of Waikiki is the extremely secluded and ruggedly beautiful North Shore–a paradise for surfers due to its perfect waves, but also a magnet to honeymooners, thanks to the overwhelming natural beauty. If you and your wife are planning to surf at all, this is obviously your destination. North Shore is completely removed from the tourist crowds, and the only hotel you should book is Turtle Bay Resort. The five-star resort is visually stunning and oh-so-Hawaii, which is why movies film here all the time (most of Forgetting Sarah Marshall was filmed at Turtle Bay). You get five miles of beach, a sprawling rainforest in the backyard, two landscaped pools, a golf course, tennis courts. If you book the Vista Ocean View King on the top floor, you get tons of benefits, like daily breakfast and dedicated concierge, but the views alone are worth the $519-a-night room rate. The Ocean Villa Studio is spacious at 673 square feet (and the soaring ceiling makes it feel bigger) for $729 a night, but to get the most out of Turtle Bay, book a Beach Cottage ($669 a night). They’re situated on the west shore and are super-luxurious (these are the rooms Jason Segel and Kristen Bell’s characters stayed in).
removed from tourist crowds | surfing | rainforest in the backyard
