Turtle Bay Resort (DNU)

If you've never been to this property let me give you some background. It is located in a beautiful spot. Thus everyone who lives on the island plus those on vacation enjoy the location. It is easily accessible by car to anyone who lives on Oahu. There is also a bus stop along the highway at the entrance to the property. The ample free parking is available to all Oahu residents. By the looks of the trashy cars parked in the parking lot it appears MANY locals drive up to spend the day.. The property is not fenced so anyone (along with their cousins, friends, schoolmates) can drive up and spend the day. What could go wrong? Expect screaming kids everywhere, multiple cousin Eddie's from the movie Christmas vacation, twenty somethings with coolers, surfboards and dogs in tow, 3 generations of families hogging pool chairs, etc. If you think you will be enjoying the resort with only people who paid $1,000 per night, think again. Those people will be there too but you'll also be elbow to elbow with the trailer park gang. No thanks!

We had the perfect experience at the Ritz Carlton at Turtle Bay. First, the natural beauty of its location is unsurpassed. There are nature trails through the forest that take you to hidden beaches, and every room in the hotel has a view of the ocean. We had ocean front connecting rooms, which were beautiful. The recent renovation of the property was transformative and all rooms are fresh and updated. The common spaces are open and airy, with high ceilings and views of the water from every direction. But of particular note is the incredible service at this property. Whatever you need is at your fingertips and the staff are uniformly friendly and supportive. The vibe is informal, which is our style, and the service is never intrusive nor is there a sense that those who are helping you are simply in it for the tip. A particular commendation is deserved by the VIP manager, Alfonso Arcolas. He anticipated our every need, and when we had a small issue, he solved it in a creative manner. He really went the extra mile for us. Glenda was our housekeeper for the week and she was so kind and couldn’t do enough for us. Taylor in housekeeping helped me to recover a lost bracelet. Angel at the front desk was welcoming upon our arrival. Darei at the pool was fantastic, and I had a wonderful pedicure with Jessie in the spa. Many thanks to our travel agent, Richie Massa of Whatahotel for working with the property to find us the perfect rooms. They were among the most beautiful rooms we have ever stayed in, including in any property throughout Hawaii and its outer islands. We will be back!

Day 1 started out very well with a friendly and helpful greeting from Sean at the front entrance. He quickly took care of our car and directions to check in. Check in was also wonderful with friendly service, Leis and clear room directions and check in. We were told we had to pay $40/day for parking. I have since heard that it is free at beach access and mixed information on whether it would be towed over night. Upon arriving at our room, the phone was ringing, as I ran to answer, I hit my toe on the corner of the base of the bed that was sticking out, and believe I broke it. I mentioned it to the manager and showed a picture of the bed and the base, and was told this is normal and he offered me ice to be brought to my room. I’m not sure what I expected? But I felt a bit let down. We had dinner at Alaia and found the food excellent, however value for the portion was not great. As well my husbands tenderloin was over cooked. We did not complain, as it was his birthday, and didn’t want to ruin the evening with negativity. The jumbo prawn add on he had, while good, was again not our idea of good value with 3 prawns for $18.00. We are enjoying our room with an ocean view balcony and the beach. There is coffee and tea in the room, which we also appreciate. Hoping the rest of the stay is better than day 1!

Ritz Carlton and 4 Seasons Hotels/Resorts usually guarantee 5 star service. While the setting (the old Turtle property) is unbeatable, and the common areas of the hotel meet expectations, that's where the positive reviews end. Our room was typical for what one would expect from an airport Hilton Hotels, with the exception that the soft products were totally unacceptable: single-ply toilet paper, rough tissues (which were not replaced when they went empty), small non-plush towels, and no bathrobes. I noticed that checkout time was 11am. Our conference finished at noon, and I asked if I could check out at noon instead of 11am, and was flatly denied the 1 hour grace period. While the setting is perfect, the Ritz Carlton experience was totally missing.

This is a stunning resort in a beautiful location. The facilities are top notch and the fittings and furnishings are first class. We had a beautiful top floor club room with amazing views. We particularly enjoyed using the club facilities. On the negative side we were really disappointed not to be able to get a decent meal on the day we arrived as the only restaurant was fully booked and had to settle for bar snacks. The wifi in our room was hopeless (room 619) and ended up using the hotspot from my phone. The service too was poor with staff overstretched but doing their best even in the main restaurant. Overall we really enjoyed our stay and don’t mean to be hypercritical but expected just a bit more from a Ritz Carlton.