Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Ka La’i Waikiki and I cannot express enough how fantastic our experience was, mainly because of their outstanding staff and impeccable service plus the hotel is centrally located and just a 2-minute walk from the beach. From the moment we walked through the doors, we were greeted with warm smiles and a genuine sense of hospitality by Aaron at valet and team. The front desk staff were extremely welcoming and ensured our check-in process was smooth and stress-free. There was a bit of a hiccup with our first room and the manager Ling Ling went above and beyond to take care of the issue and even walk through and thoroughly inspected the next room for us. The housekeeping staff, checked in on us all the time to make sure we have everything we need for a comfortable stay and we always came back to an immaculately cleaned room, which was very important to me as I have horrible allergies. The service throughout the hotel was exemplary. It’s evident that the staff is well-trained and committed to providing guests with an exceptional experience. This hotel’s management deserves special mention for their attentiveness to the needs of guests. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a stress free and memorable stay!

Ka L’ai Waikiki Beach, a part of Hilton’s premium LXR collection, is an exceptional place to stay in Honolulu, conveniently located within walking distance of the beach, luxury shopping, and a variety of dining options. Ka L’ai rises above the melée of the city both, literally, as one of the tallest buildings in Waikiki next to the relatively placid Fort Derussey Beach Park, but also, by providing, an elevated luxury experience that stands out above other options in Waikiki. We were impressed by the spacious suite at Ka L’ai with its full kitchen and sizable living room area. Of course, we also appreciated the large bathroom tub, perfect for soaking. Our balcony and windows provided beautiful views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Bay. We felt like we were on top of the world with glorious views of the skyline, the feeling of being above the bustling city below, and wonderful views of the sunrise over the ocean. At In-Yo Café, we started our day right with a gourmet breakfast featuring traditional breakfast fare alongside Hawaiian favorites like spam and tropical fruit. We also enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Wai‘olu Ocean Cuisine, certainly one of the premier dining spots in Honolulu. Our appentizers included a wonderfully innovative crab crepe in curry sauce and a flavorful pear brie and macadamia nut flatbread. Our main courses included the miso roasted black cod and the daily special—a roasted duck with couscous and a citrus salad. We recommend dining on Fridays to view both the sunset and the weekly fireworks show at the nearby Hilton Hawaiian Village resort. A true Hawaii experience must include some time in the iconic Waikiki neighborhood. We enjoyed shopping, strolling the beachwalk, lounging on the sand, and dipping our toes in the water. We also hiked Diamond Head for wonderful views of the city and the entire east side of O’ahu (reservations required). Ka L’ai is also a great base for excursions to other parts of O’ahu whether exploring KoKohead and the gorgeous Wamanalo Beach or adventuring to the North Shore. Of course, we were sure to sample the Waikiki nightlife, dancing well into the early morning before retiring to the quite and plush comforts of our Ka L’ai suite. Ka L’ai is the perfect place to allow you to both enjoy and retreat from the bustle of Waikiki.

Last week was our first time staying at an LXR Hotel. Year after year, for many years, we have stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and enjoyed our experiences there. Still, we decided to try something new with this new Hilton location in Waikiki, and they impressed us so much! We'll be back. When we arrived at the hotel, we realized the only parking option was valet, and by the end of our stay, we were so thankful for this option. Through the chat feature of the Honors app, I would ask for our car to be ready at a particular time each morning, and each morning, the car was there, prepared for our use. Even on one morning, I asked to have four beach towels, four beach chairs, and a pair of beach umbrellas loaded into the car so we could be ready for our day at Hanauma Bay, and the team pulled it off with a warm Aloha greeting and smiles on their faces. I'm a Lifetime Diamond member, and I was thanked for my status upon arrival, at check-in, and during my interaction with their team. This acknowledgment was so impressive because we had just been at another luxury Hilton property in Maui, where there was never any appreciation for our loyalty or thankfulness for choosing their property. Our feeling at the Ka La'i is that their team members appreciated our business and enjoyed their time working at their hotel. Our room (1515) with a view of Waikiki Beach was amazing. The bed was comfortable, and the team members who cleaned and maintained the room were top-notch. Their attention to detail did not go unnoticed. Forgetting that I had made a note on my reservation asking for a couple of cans of Diet Coke to be placed in the room, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. The Diet Coke was there with a brief note welcoming us to the hotel. Every member of their team was friendly and greeted us with Aloha each time we interacted with them. We enjoyed the hot tub and pool one evening and, yet again, were amazed at the team's professionalism in ensuring we had towels and enjoyed our experience. Although we didn't meet the hotel leadership face-to-face, Scott Dirks, their General Manager, and Scott Ingwers, their Managing Director, should be proud of and celebrate their success because it's clear their hotel is well-run and well-maintained. Most importantly, their team members enjoy providing 5-star service to their guests. Thank you ~ we noticed your commitment to excellence!

Booked our vacation package via Costco Travel (first time ever), part of the vacation package included our hotel stay at Ka La'i Waikiki Beach. As we pulled up to check-in we were greeted immediately and the bellman assisted us with getting our luggage to our room as we checked into the hotel which was on the 6th floor. The check-in process was seamless and they thoroughly explained the amenities that the hotel provided. When we got to our room the room size was perfect and roomy we even had a fully functioning kitchen including a Nespresso machine. The bathroom was large which included a self warming Toto bidet, a huge tub and shower. We had a partial ocean view w/ a lanai which was a added perk. We ate at the Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine restaurant and the food was delicious and the wait staff was attentive. We also used their concierge service whom was very informative and professional. The valet & hotel staff was awesome as well always greeting us when you leave and arrive on property. Overall I think the property was wonderful one recommendation would be to have a bigger pool/spa for the large property and also to have more choices for dining at the hotel would be great. The location of the property was perfect within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, beach, bars and etc. Aside from that I would definitely recommend and hopefully will be back next time we are in Honolulu.

PROs: *Great location, 5 minutes walk to the beach and plenty shopping and food options nearby. *Room service was exceptional and extremely quick to respond. A special mention to Rona, who did a wonderful job servicing our room with the necessary things we required and always with a smile. *Majority of the staff was friendly and helpful. *Quick check-in and check-out. *Room was spacious, clean and a great view of the ocean and the Friday fireworks. *Staff was very prompt and efficient. *Unlike other hotels around the area, this property did not look old and dated. *Decent breakfast options. *Good size heated pool and spa. CONs: *Absence of showers and change rooms in the pool area, which meant we had to go to our room after each pool session. *The hallway temperature on our floor (and I'm assuming other floors too) was really cold and often we would be shivering heading to our room. Overall, Ka La'i was an amazing experience and we would definitely stay here again.