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Where to stay in Honolulu

Honolulu's main areas line the south shore of Oahu. Stay in Waikiki for the famous beach, surf lessons and most of the hotels; around Ala Moana for the big beach park, the shopping centre and better-value rooms; or Downtown and in Chinatown for Iolani Palace, galleries and food. Ko Olina, on the west coast, has quiet lagoon resorts. The airport is about 25 minutes' drive from Waikiki, and most visitors rent a car for the rest of the island.

Find your area, then your hotel

Tap one of our picks, or any area, to see its hotels on the map, what it costs, where we'd book and how long it takes to get around.

In short: our pick for each kind of trip. Tap one to see why.

Should you stay in

Waikiki?

The famous beach, surf lessons & sunsets

What a night costs

Budget
$235
Mid-range
$375
Luxury
$575

The dearest of the 3 areas, about $145 a night more than Ala Moana.

Where we'd book

The verdict

Honolulu's resort district, with Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head on the skyline, Kalakaua Avenue's shops and most of the city's hotels.

  • Stay here if
  • First-time visitors
  • Families
  • Couples and honeymooners
  • Look elsewhere if
  • You want a quiet, local Hawaii
  • You hate crowds
  • You're on a tight budget

Minutes to the sights

  • Waikiki Beach7 minwalk
  • Kapiolani Park13 min
  • Ala Moana Center17 min
  • Ala Moana Beach Park26 min
  • Chinatown26 min
  • Iolani Palace27 min

Stations and airports

5 min to Waikiki Beach. TheBus runs along Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues to Ala Moana, downtown and Diamond Head, the Waikiki Trolley loops past the sights, and a rental car is useful for the rest of Oahu.

  • From Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)taxi or rideshare in about 25 minutes, or TheBus 20 in about an hour25 min
Read the full Waikiki guide →

Typical rates for a double outside peak events, not live prices. Updated Oct 2026 · How we rate areas · Minutes planned with the Transitous (MOTIS on published GTFS timetables and OpenStreetMap) for a weekday, including walking and waiting · Booking through our links costs you nothing extra and may earn us a commission. Learn more

Honolulu questions

What is the best area to stay in Honolulu for first-timers?

Waikiki puts the big sights within easy reach and is 5 minutes from Waikiki Beach.

Which area of Honolulu has the cheapest hotels?

Ala Moana and Downtown & Chinatown, with budget hotels from around $175 and mid-range around $230–$275 a night.

Where should families stay in Honolulu?

Ala Moana has the best mix of parks, calm streets and sights for kids. Waikiki are good alternatives.