Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach

Those who gave a 5-star review must not have ever stayed at a luxury hotel or are Marriott bots. I’m not sure what the point of this review or any survey is due to all of the copy and pasted responses from “Hotel Executive Offices”. *No Titanium Elite upgrade at check-in despite the fact that website showed availability. *CHEAP FOAM PILLOWS and no more feather pillows provided at hotel. This is completely offensive. Having not slept well for 3 nights was ALMOST the final straw. *Tired looking rooms in need of renovation. Dirty and badly stained carpet getting off elevators. *Water to be shut off in our block of rooms from 9-3 (all-day) with apparently “no other rooms available.” *Hotel had power outage that lasted for a few hours. Had to shower in the dark on the day water was supposed to be off. *Could not open balcony door for fresh air. I understand not being able to use the balcony but the rooms were stuffy. *Constant jackhammering heard all over the beach and pool. *The FINAL STRAW: day 3 with another notice that the water was being shut off again from 9-3.

I recently stayed at the Westin Waikiki, and it was an absolute dream from start to finish. The moment I stepped into the lobby, I felt welcomed by the warm, professional staff who went above and beyond to make my stay memorable. My room was spacious, beautifully designed, and offered a breathtaking view of Waikiki Beach—waking up to the sound of the waves was pure bliss. The amenities really set this place apart. The pool area was pristine, with plenty of comfy lounge chairs and a friendly poolside bar that served refreshing drinks and tasty snacks. The on-site restaurants were also excellent, featuring a great range of menu options and fresh, local ingredients. After a day of exploring or lounging on the beach, I loved coming back to relax in the spa—highly recommend booking a massage! Above all, the location is unbeatable. You’re steps away from the iconic beach and within easy walking distance of top-notch dining, shopping, and nightlife. If you’re looking for a luxurious, hassle-free stay in Waikiki, the Westin absolutely delivers. I can’t wait to visit again!

This was a poor experience overall, and not what one expects from a supposedly luxury hotel. Read the RECENT reviews, not old ones---all the negative reviews are correct. We paid a bucket to stay here and it resulted in a disappointing vacation. 1) Expect NOTHING from being a Marriott member, even if you're Platinum or Titanium. Our "room upgrade" was to a tiny room with a partial view that was VERY noisy. There are NO quiet rooms in this hotel; you either face the courtyard with loud music until 10 PM every night, or the equally noisy rooms facing the street and other hotel properties. For a luxury property, rooms are merely average (if that). They did offer us an upgrade in the wing undergoing renovation---with a water cutoff from 9 am to 3 PM every day! 2) The "free Continental breakfast" for platinum+ was the worst I've had on ANY Marriott property, even their lower-end hotels (e.g. a Fairfield). You get a regular croissant, an egg-and-sausage croissant, plain yogurt, and mainland fruit (e.g. unripe strawberries and melons, not local papaya or mango---which is available on the buffet, but not for you!). No choice of pastry. No cereal or oatmeal, which certainly wouldn't cost them much; instead they choose to antagonize loyalty members. 3) They do indeed nickel and dime customers. The continental breakfast issue is apparently to force you to upgrade to their expensive breakfast buffet at an additional $28 per person. They also charge a non-negotiable daily resort fee for things that no one wants (like free yoga lessons) even if you don't use or want any of those services. 4) They have no club lounge (which would have solved the breakfast problem) --having closed it, nor do they have a hot tub ("because we're an old hotel"), nor do they have a free coffee station in the lobby (like most other luxury hotels), nor is the pool usable for relaxation given the significant noise of renovations. 5) With a few rare exceptions, the employees are either disengaged, unempowered or unhelpful. I was told that they don't let guests choose their own continental pastries (as at all other Marriotts I've been to) because they are "not owned by Marriott, but only managed by them"---the same as 96 to 99% of ALL OTHER Marriott-logoed hotels! He also said that "in his 15 years employed here I was the first one to complain about the Continental breakfast" when, if you read even a few of the other reviews here, you can see that it is a frequent source of complaint. Apparently Platinum+ members can't be trusted to select their own pastries and fruit here, as we can at pretty much all other Marriott hotels. If they would prefer to alienate their best customers over something as small as a pastry, just think what the rest of your experience is likely to be. I did ultimately succeed in securing oatmeal as an alternative breakfast (by speaking to the restaurant manager) but it shouldn't have been as much trouble as it was, for something as minor and inexpensive as oatmeal. 6) Worst of all, on the day it rained buckets, and everyone was pretty much confined to the hotel, they closed EVERY BAR AND RESTAURANT IN THE HOTEL from 3 to 5:30 PM. Competent managers would have maybe looked at a weather report, and planned accordingly to move the bar inside in advance with appropriate staffing. Employees (gathered around the inside bar talking and joking with each other) were clearly uninterested in helping out; some said they had to "set up for dinner" and others said they were having a "staffing changeover". One pays for a luxury hotel precisely to avoid such shoddy customer service. The Moana is nearly 125 years old and is a beautiful old hotel. So of course it needs maintenance. But they shouldn't charge the prices they do WHILE that maintenance is ongoing. Avoid this hotel until at least July 2025, when the noisy renovations are supposed to be done. I normally stay at Marriott brands so that I can enjoy Platinum benefits, but I could have easily stayed at the nearby Hilton (where I am a gold member) and been treated better than as a Platinum member at this hotel.

This report is located right on the famous Waikiki Beach and that’s about it. Nothing special here other than just being overpriced for a run down older hotel. The food is not good at all and I found better options just walk across the street. Beach is always crowded and the parking is valet only.

The Veranda Restaurant at the Moana Surfrider has an amazing Classic Plantation Style High Tea Service and Menu. You may upgrade your meal and beverage service. Everything is thoroughly explained by our server Daniel. Also, the restaurants manager Ms. Kala is friendly, kind and proficient at her position. The cuisine is executed perfectly! Cheers!