I paid $530 for one night in Hawaii's famous pink hotel. I was so excited, but I wouldn't stay there again.
I dreamed of staying at The Royal Hawaiian, the "Pink Palace of the Pacific," and although its location near Waikiki Beach was great, the room wasn't.
Andrew Woodley/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
- On a recent Hawaii trip, I stayed in the most affordable room I could find at The Royal Hawaiian.
- I spent $530 total to stay one night at the iconic pink beachfront hotel.
- I enjoyed the location and its famous mai tais but found my room to be dated.
My mother and I recently visited Hawaii for the first time.
While there, we stayed at The Royal Hawaiian, nicknamed the "Pink Palace of the Pacific," a place I'd long dreamed of seeing in real life.
The iconic 528-room hotel is famed for its pink facade and mai-tai cocktails. It also happens to be one of the first hotels in downtown Honolulu in the heart of all the action of Waikiki Beach.
Plus, The Royal Hawaiian is part of Marriott International's Luxury Collection, meaning it's considered an especially world-renowned and unique spot.
With all that in mind, my expectations were high for the five-star resort — but I'm not sure my stay was worth it.
Carly Caramanna
I chose to book the cheapest room available, which ended up being a standard room with two double beds in the hotel's Historic Wing.
The room cost $480 for one night, plus a $50 mandatory resort fee.
Once I saw my room, I wasn't impressed. It looked very basic and quite dated — especially because of the patterned carpet. I also found it to be lacking in natural light.
I was a bit disappointed at what I got within my budget, even though the room wasn't exactly cheap. It paled in comparison to rooms I've stayed in at other luxury hotels, like the Four Seasons.
Carly Caramanna
The bathroom felt more modern than the rest of the room with its marbled tile and glass shower doors, and I appreciated the mirror with built-in lights.
But it was still quite small, making it difficult for two adults to use it while getting ready for the day.
Carly Caramanna
I loved exploring the grounds of the hotel, which anyone can probably do without being a guest there.
With high ceilings and beautiful artwork, the hotel's main lobby area has an especially grand feel. I also loved the open-air areas that provide stunning views of the nearby beach and ocean.
Carly Caramanna
The green landscaping and florals around the property felt super lush.
I also liked enjoyed seeing the hotel pool, which is surrounded by iconic pink and white lounge chairs, cabanas, and umbrellas.
Carly Caramanna
We took advantage of The Royal Hawaiian's location directly on the beach. Unfortunately, our resort stay didn't come with private beach access since just about every beach is public in Hawaii.
The beach ended up getting very busy during our weekend visit. The sand and water were beautiful, though, and I loved seeing Diamond Head (a cone of volcanic ash on Oahu) in the distance.
That said, I was also disappointed to learn that beach-chair and umbrella rentals were not included in the resort fee I paid to stay at The Royal Hawaiian.
Instead of paying extra for rentals, I used towels provided by the hotel.
Carly Caramanna
One of the main reasons I wanted to visit The Royal Hawaiian was for its famous mai tais.
According to Eater, the original mai tai was said to be invented in 1944 by Victor J. Bergeron. When he brought his recipe to Hawaii in 1953, it was tweaked to offer a fruitier flavor perfect for tourists on vacation.
The Royal Hawaiian is said to be the first to serve the Hawaiian version of the mai tai, which is now the most famous drink on the islands.
Fortunately, the Royal Hawaiian's mai-tai bar is right on the beach, so it comes with sweeping views of the island.
During my trip, I ordered the classic Royal Hawaiian mai tai for $20. The price was comparable with what I paid for other mai tais on the island, and this rum cocktail was one of the very best drinks I tried during my trip.
Carly Caramanna
I enjoyed the short walk from our hotel to Waikiki's vibrant dining and shopping options. We made a few visits to the famous beach restaurant Duke's Waikiki, which was just next door.
Although The Royal Hawaiian has several dining options, we chose to have several meals at Duke's because the food was more affordable.
Carly Caramanna
Overall, I spent $530 on my one-night stay at The Royal Hawaiian, and I don't think I can justify staying there again.
The hotel's location was nice, but I wasn't impressed with my room, which felt very dated. For the same price or a few hundred dollars more, I could stay somewhere with more luxurious-feeling rooms, like Disney's Aulani or a nearby Four Seasons.
Maybe I would've felt differently if I'd stayed in the other section of the hotel, the Mailani Tower. It's decorated differently, and I've heard from friends the Tower's rooms are nicer and more modern.
Although rooms in the Historic Wing and Mailani Tower can have comparable prices, a room in the tower was pricier when I booked my trip.
Even so, I think the best parts of the resort, like its nearby beaches and mai tais, can be accessed by the general public. I'll definitely return to The Royal Hawaiian's bar for mai tais, but I won't be staying again as an overnight guest.