If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram looking for Honolulu hotels, you’ve seen the windows. Huge, floor-to-ceiling glass panels that slide open to let the Pacific breeze right into your bedroom. That is the Prince Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii. It is a bit of an outlier. While every other resort on the strip is fighting for a tiny patch of sand on Waikiki Beach, the Prince decided to plant its feet at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.
It feels different here.
Most people think "Waikiki" and imagine the chaotic hum of Kalakaua Avenue. They think of the Duke Kahanamoku statue and the wall-to-wall umbrellas. But the Prince Waikiki is situated at the gateway. It’s technically Waikiki, sure, but it breathes a lot easier than the hotels closer to Diamond Head. You aren't stepping over sunbathers the second you leave the lobby. Instead, you're watching yachts. It is a mood.
The "Every Room Has an Ocean View" Promise
Honestly, the biggest lie in hotel marketing is "ocean view." Usually, that means if you stand on your tiptoes on the balcony and crane your neck at a 45-degree angle, you can see a sliver of blue between two other concrete towers.
The Prince Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii actually delivers on this.
Because of the way the two towers are angled, every single room faces the water. There are no "city view" rooms where you’re staring at a parking garage or a dumpster. The floor-to-ceiling windows are the main event. When they renovated a few years back, they got rid of the traditional balconies. Some people hated that. But in exchange, you get an expansive living space where the window basically is the wall. You can slide it open, sit in the little nook, and listen to the masts of the boats clinking in the harbor. It’s weirdly hypnotic.
The interior design is a nod to the area's history. Before it was a harbor, this spot was where the Piʻinaio stream met the sea. You’ll see muliwai (estuary) themes everywhere—hand-painted hinana fish on the walls and ceiling installations that look like shimmering water. It isn't tacky tropical. It’s sophisticated. It feels like a place where a local executive might actually have a meeting, rather than just a place for tourists to burn through their points.
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Why the Location at Prince Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii Is a Strategic Win
Location is everything. But "good" is subjective.
If your goal is to be five steps away from the Cheesecake Factory and the international marketplace, you might find the Prince a bit far. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the heart of the Waikiki action. For some, that's a dealbreaker. For others, it's a godsend.
Being on the western edge means you are right next to Ala Moana Center. If you like shopping, you know that Ala Moana is the promised land. It’s the largest open-air shopping center in the world. You can walk there in ten minutes. You’re also right next to Ala Moana Beach Park. This is where the locals go. The water is calmer because of the reef, the crowds are thinner, and there's actual grass to have a picnic on.
The Harbor vs. The Beach
- The Harbor: You get the sunset. Every single night. Because the hotel faces west over the Ala Wai Boat Harbor, the sunsets are legendary.
- The Accessibility: It’s way easier to get an Uber or a rental car in and out of this end of town. Traffic in central Waikiki is a nightmare. Here? It’s manageable.
- The Vibe: It’s quieter. You don't have the street performers and the 2:00 AM shouting matches that sometimes haunt the main drag.
The Pool Situation (And Why It’s Famous)
Let’s talk about the infinity pool. It’s probably the most photographed pool in Honolulu.
It’s on the fifth floor. It looks out over the harbor and the ocean beyond. When you’re in the water, it looks like you’re just floating above the masts of the sailboats. It’s spectacular. Honestly, though, it can get crowded. Because the hotel is popular with both Japanese travelers and West Coast vacationers, the prime cabanas go fast.
If you want a spot, you have to be strategic. The pool deck also features the Muliwai Deck where you can grab a drink. It’s not cheap—nothing in Hawaii is—but the view makes the $20 cocktail feel a little more like an investment in your mental health.
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Dining: Beyond the Buffet
Most hotel food is forgettable. The Prince Waikiki has 100 Sails Restaurant & Bar, which is actually a local favorite. Their buffet is famous on the island. People come here for the crab legs and the prime rib.
But if you want something more "insider," you look at Katsumidori Sushi Tokyo. It’s on the ground floor. There is almost always a line. Why? Because it’s some of the best value-for-money sushi in the city. It’s fresh, it’s high-quality, and it doesn't have the 500% markup you find at the fancy omakase spots down the street. It’s the kind of place where you see families and business people eating side-by-side.
Then there’s the club lounge. If you can swing the upgrade to a club-level room, do it. The "Prince Waikiki Club" lounge isn’t just some sad room with crackers. It’s an indoor-outdoor space on the pool level with a full spread of breakfast, afternoon snacks, and—most importantly—beer and wine on tap in the evenings. For a lot of travelers, the savings on food and drink alone cover the cost of the room upgrade.
The Golf Factor
You can't talk about the Prince Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii without mentioning Hawaii Prince Golf Club. It’s not on-site. It’s out in Ewa Beach, about a 30-40 minute drive depending on how bad the H-1 traffic is feeling that day.
It was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay. It’s 27 holes, which is rare for the island. The hotel runs a shuttle, so you don't have to navigate the highway yourself if you don't want to. It’s a challenging course with a lot of water hazards, but it’s generally better maintained than many of the public courses closer to the city. If you’re a golfer, this hotel is usually your top choice because of the stay-and-play packages.
Addressing the "No Beach" Elephant in the Room
Here is the thing. The Prince Waikiki does not have a beach.
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If you walk out the front door, you see a sidewalk and a harbor. To get to the actual sand, you have to walk about 5-7 minutes to Kahanamoku Beach (the one in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village).
Some people find this disappointing. They want to walk out of the lobby and have their toes in the sand. If that's you, you might want to look at the Moana Surfrider or the Outrigger. But the trade-off at the Prince is that you get a much more modern, clean, and spacious room for often the same price (or less) than an aging "beachfront" room elsewhere. It’s a choice between "proximity to sand" and "quality of room."
Practical Insights for Your Stay
Don't just book the cheapest rate you see on a third-party site. Check the resort fee. Like almost every hotel in Hawaii, the Prince has one. It covers things like the shuttle service, internet, and some bottled water. It sucks, but it's the reality of modern travel.
Parking is also a thing. If you’re renting a car, be prepared for the daily valet or self-park fee. Honestly, if you’re staying at the Prince, you can get away without a car for a few days. The hotel shuttle goes to Ala Moana and various spots in Waikiki. Between that and the occasional Uber, you might save yourself $50 a day in parking fees.
Check the "Prince Prefers" program too. It’s their loyalty program. It’s free to join and sometimes gives you late checkout or a slightly better rate. It isn't as robust as Marriott Bonvoy, but every little bit helps when you're paying Honolulu prices.
Actionable Steps for Booking:
- Request a High Floor: The views of the harbor are great on any floor, but above the 20th floor, the noise from the street disappears entirely and you can see all the way to the horizon.
- Time Your Arrival: The lobby is open-air and beautiful, but check-in can be a crunch at 3:00 PM when the big flights from the mainland arrive. If you get in early, head straight to the 5th floor, drop your bags with the bell desk, and grab a drink at Muliwai.
- Friday Night Fireworks: The Hilton Hawaiian Village does fireworks every Friday night. You can see them perfectly from the Prince. You don't even have to leave your room—just open that big window and enjoy the show.
- Walk the Park: Take the back exit toward the harbor and walk over the bridge to Ala Moana Beach Park at sunset. It’s one of the most beautiful walks in the city and way less crowded than the Waikiki beach walk.
- Explore the Art: Take a second to look at the art in the lobby. It’s not just "hotel art." Most of it was commissioned by local Hawaiian artists to tell the story of the land.
The Prince Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii is for the traveler who wants the Waikiki experience without the Waikiki exhaustion. It’s for the person who values a killer view and a fast elevator over immediate beach access. It’s a bit more "adult" in its vibe—sleek, efficient, and very cool. If you go in knowing that you're a ten-minute walk from the sand but a world away from the noise, you'll probably love it. It’s basically the smart play in a city that can often feel like a tourist trap. Stay here if you want to feel like you’re actually in Hawaii, not just in a crowded theme park version of it._