Prince Waikiki Review: All Ocean Views, No Beach (2026)
9 min readYndira W. Tonin
The short version of this Prince Waikiki review, it is the best hotel in Waikiki not on the beach. A twin tower on the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor next to Ala Moana, it is the only hotel in Waikiki where every single room faces the ocean.
The one thing the name promises but does not deliver is the sand, because you cannot walk out the front door onto Waikiki Beach. Every price, fee, and detail here was checked against the hotel and recent guest reviews, current as of 2026.
Here is the honest verdict up front. If you want floor to ceiling ocean views from every room, a quieter base away from the Kalakaua Avenue crush, and a genuine four diamond hotel for often under 300 dollars a night, Prince Waikiki is a quiet bargain. If your whole trip is about stepping from your room straight onto the beach, book somewhere else, and read on to see exactly why.
Table of contents
01
The catch, it is not on Waikiki Beach
This is the thing every honest Prince Waikiki review has to say first. The hotel sits at 100 Holomoana Street, on the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor at the Ala Moana end, across the canal from the main Waikiki strip. There is no beach in front of it.
The nearest sand is Kahanamoku Beach by the Hilton Hawaiian Village lagoon, about a 5 to 10 minute walk along the marina, and the wide Ala Moana Beach Park is about 10 minutes the other way. Central Waikiki Beach is a full mile off, a 20 to 25 minute walk.
The numbers behind the review
One 2026 update the old reviews get wrong, the free Waikiki Beach shuttle is gone, discontinued with no plans to bring it back. The only complimentary shuttle left runs to the Hawaii Prince Golf Club, a 27 hole Arnold Palmer course out in Ewa Beach. The hotel's position is that the beach is close enough to walk, and otherwise it is a 15 dollar rideshare to reach the heart of Waikiki.
Now the payoff, and it is real. Ala Moana Center, the largest mall in Hawaii, is a 5 minute walk across the street, the restaurants and street art of Kakaako are a short stroll, the airport is only 20 minutes away, and the whole area is quieter and far easier to drive in and out of than the Kalakaua gridlock. For the sand actually worth the walk, our best beaches in Oahu guide ranks the island's shorelines, and our things to do in Honolulu guide maps the rest of the neighborhood.
How far is Prince Waikiki from everything
02
The rooms, every one faces the ocean
Prince Waikiki is Waikiki's only all ocean view hotel, and that is the whole pitch. All 563 rooms and suites sit in two connected 33 floor towers, the Ala Moana Tower and the Diamond Head Tower, and every one has floor to ceiling windows with marina views facing the Pacific and the yacht harbor, with no building in front to block the view (the view is the amenity you pay for here, and it earns its keep). The hotel opened as the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki in 1990, and a 55 million dollar renovation in 2017 gave it the Prince Waikiki name, a copper lobby sculpture, and modern bathrooms, leaving the rooms feeling, in the words of many guests, virtually brand new.
The entry Ocean View room runs 385 square feet, the Oceanfront categories 414, and the suites climb from 838 to 1,221 square feet, with a Lanai Suite that adds a private rooftop terrace. The top floor Club Premier rooms add the Prince Lounge, which serves a daily breakfast and all day food and drinks.
Two honest notes. The Ala Moana Tower rooms are the bigger ones, so ask for that side, and despite the wall of glass, no room has an actual balcony, though guests love that the upper half of the window opens to let the trade winds in.
The scores back it up. Prince Waikiki holds around 9 out of 10 across the booking sites, a 94 out of 100 on Costco Travel, and ranks tenth of 114 Honolulu hotels on Tripadvisor. This is a genuinely well run hotel.
03
The pools and the harbor deck
The action is on the fifth floor Muliwai Deck, and it comes with a catch for families. There are three water features, an adults only infinity pool that spills toward the harbor and is restricted to ages 16 and up, a keyhole shaped saltwater pool where kids can actually swim, and a hot tub. The pools run from 7am to 10pm, and you can rent a cabana or daybed from late morning.
The infinity pool with the harbor view is the money shot, and it is genuinely lovely at sunset. But be clear on the tradeoff. If you are traveling with young kids, the big beautiful pool is off limits to them, and the family pool is the smaller one.
A couple more honest gripes from guests, the single hot tub is too small for a hotel this size (one tub, 563 rooms, do the math) and gets crowded, and the Hinana poolside bar closes at 7pm, so you cannot grab a drink by the pool for the actual sunset.
04
Where to eat, the buffet and the sushi
The on site dining options are a real strength. 100 Sails Restaurant and Bar is the signature room, an open, harbor view space known for its buffet, a spread with a prime rib station, a sushi station, fresh seafood, and dessert. It runs breakfast and brunch, and new for 2026 it added a weekday dinner buffet.
Katsumidori Sushi Tokyo is the quiet flex, the Tokyo sushi brand's only location outside Japan, with fish flown in from Japan and a 90 minute seating system. Honolulu Coffee Company handles the Kona coffee and pastries, and the Hinana Bar covers the poolside drinks. For meals beyond the hotel, our best places to eat in Oahu guide reaches across the island.
05
Parking, the resort fee, and what a night costs
Here is where you do the real math, because the room rate is only the start.
Room, resort charge, parking, and tax
Self parking is about 45 to 47 dollars a night, valet about 50 to 52, both with in and out privileges and a 6 foot 1 inch height limit. On top of that sits a mandatory resort charge of 45 dollars a night. Unlike a lot of resort fees, this one earns some of its keep, since it bundles real amenities, the wifi throughout with no separate charge, admission for two to the Honolulu Museum of Art, a Bishop Museum family pass, fitness center access, a Waikiki Trolley pass, 20 percent off green fees at the Hawaii Prince Golf Club, and a small spa discount.
As for the room, Ocean rooms start around 219 dollars, dip into the high 160s on a slow date, and typically land between about 196 and 320, with suites past 478. Add Hawaii's 18.712 percent lodging tax to all of it. For a four diamond hotel with an ocean view in every room, under 300 a night is a genuine Waikiki value, and the nearby markets in Waikiki keep the food budget down.
06
Kamaaina rates, the local deal
If you have a Hawaii ID, Prince Waikiki is one of the better kamaaina plays in town. Resident rates start around 209 dollars, and the standout is the 2026 Kamaaina Sizzling Summer offer, Ocean rooms from 219 dollars with the resort charge waived and 50 percent off parking, bookable from May 19 to August 18 2026 for travel through late 2027.
A Wine and Dine package adds a 75 dollar dining credit on a three night stay. Bring your driver's license to check in, the rare moment a Hawaii address pays off at a Waikiki front desk.
07
Who should book Prince Waikiki, and who should not
Prince Waikiki, book it or skip it
Book it ifOur pick
the fit
- An ocean view from every room matters
- You want quiet over the beach crowds
- Ala Moana shopping at the door
- You are here to golf
- You want four diamond under 300
Skip it if
the mismatch
- You want to step onto the sand
- You need a room balcony
- You want the beachfront resort scene
- Kids need a big pool and the beach
- You will not want to walk to swim
Book Prince Waikiki if you want an ocean view from every window, a calmer base a short walk from the beach rather than on top of it, Ala Moana shopping at your door, a golf trip, or simply a four diamond room in Waikiki without the four diamond price. It is a couples and adults hotel at heart, and it rewards travelers who value a quiet harbor sunset over a crowded beach towel.
Skip it if stepping straight onto Waikiki Beach sand is the entire point of your trip, if you need a balcony, if you want the buzzing beachfront resort scene, or if you are a family whose kids need a big pool and the beach out front. None of that is a knock on the hotel, it is just honest about what a harbor hotel is and is not.
FAQ
Is Prince Waikiki on the beach?
No, Prince Waikiki is on the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, not the beach. The nearest sand is Kahanamoku Beach, about a 5 to 10 minute walk, and central Waikiki Beach is roughly a mile away, a 20 to 25 minute walk. The old free beach shuttle was discontinued in 2026, so plan to walk or take a short rideshare.
How much is parking at Prince Waikiki?
Self parking runs about 45 to 47 dollars a night and valet about 50 to 52, both plus tax and both with in and out privileges. There is a 6 foot 1 inch vehicle height limit in the garage, and EV charging is available.
Does Prince Waikiki have kamaaina rates?
Yes, Hawaii resident rates start around 209 dollars a night. The 2026 Kamaaina Sizzling Summer deal offers Ocean rooms from 219 dollars with the resort charge waived and half off parking. Bring a Hawaii ID to check in.
Is the Prince Waikiki pool family friendly?
Only partly. The large infinity pool with the harbor view is adults only, ages 16 and up, so children swim in the smaller saltwater pool instead. Families that want a big pool for the kids should know that going in.
Is Prince Waikiki worth it?
Yes, if you value ocean views and quiet over beachfront. You get a four diamond hotel where every room faces the water, strong service, and rates often under 300 dollars a night, in exchange for a walk to the beach. For couples and view seekers it is a real Waikiki value.
Cover photo, nicosmit99 on Unsplash.
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