Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
A high-rise across from the beach with Diamond Head views, offset by hefty resort fees and long elevator waits.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is a sprawling property located directly across the street from the beach. Guests frequently praise the spacious rooms, king-sized beds, and exceptional views of Diamond Head from private balconies. However, long waits for the elevators and an expensive $50 daily resort fee are persistent complaints. 5384
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- The location directly across the street from the beach puts guests within an easy walk of local dining, shops, and the zoo. 568
- Rooms offer ample space, empty refrigerators, massive smart TVs, and balconies with panoramic views of Diamond Head and the ocean. 347
- Staff deliver friendly service, welcoming guests with a traditional flower or shell lei upon arrival. 3
The catch
Who it's for
- — Beachgoers wanting Diamond Head and ocean views
- — Guests looking for large rooms with balconies
- — Walkers wanting close access to dining and the zoo
Skip it if
- — Anyone bothered by a $50 plus tax daily resort fee
- — Travelers frustrated by long elevator waits
- — Light sleepers staying on lower floors
Seen on camera
15 moments · 2 videos · Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“my first impression when i walk into this room is that it's very spacious and very very clean”
youtube.com1:39“one thing i have to say is the bed is very very comfortable the pillows are very soft”
youtube.com2:05“the building opposite to my room is the ashton waikiki beach hotel it was kind of loud at night because there were a lot…”
youtube.com3:23“the first balcony right here has a great view of Diamond Head and the second balcony over here has a view kind of on the…”
youtube.com9:13“looking back at the bed that's in the middle it's a nice king sized bed centered in the room”
youtube.com9:27“underneath the television there are three drawers and there is a refrigerator the refrigerator is empty for your conveni…”
youtube.com10:06“all right so let's head back into the room and let's check out the closet this is by the front door the closet right her…”
youtube.com11:33“pros I like the location on this end of Waikiki I like that is right in front of that nice swimmable Beach that I showed…”
youtube.com13:31“I also like that the rooms are a pretty good size in this hotel”
youtube.com13:43“I find that if you're in the back Tower and you're on a high floor that things are pretty quiet although there is a litt…”
youtube.com13:47“there's also the con of the resort fee the resort fee is 37 dollars a night and 2019 I just really hate resort fees and…”
youtube.com16:07“the bathroom is very spacious and the lighting in here is just amazing”
youtube.com2:21“and these are shampoo conditioner and body wash that you will be getting when you stay at this hotel i am not a big fan…”
youtube.com2:27“good morning so here's the view from my balcony in the morning it is so beautiful i wish i could stay here forever but u…”
youtube.com3:43“and the only negative thing that i have to say is the elevator it took a long time to wave for an elevator especially in…”
youtube.com6:39Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
Score breakdown
How the 74/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
82Food
90Location
85- “The Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa is an archetypal 'resort factory' with friendly staff. It's got a great location directly across the street from the beach. And the location can't be beat when traveling with a four year old, from easy access to restaurants to a zoo just around the corner.” 5
- “The classes are informative and entertaining and the location near the beach, zoo and park is perfect.” 5
Noise
84- “I find that if you're in the back Tower and you're on a high floor that things are pretty quiet although there is a little bit of city noise outside when you're up on floor twenty-seven twenty-eight twenty-nine thirty this and that it's pretty nice up here” 413:47
- “the building opposite to my room is the ashton waikiki beach hotel it was kind of loud at night because there were a lot of people down on the street and there was live music playing” 93:23
Room
75- “good morning so here's the view from my balcony in the morning it is so beautiful i wish i could stay here forever but unfortunately i can't” 93:43
- “Our room was ready, so we were able to get into our room right away. We were given room 1831 in the Kealohilani Tower. This is the tower that is closest to the beach. This room was the second closest room to the beach, but still had a fabulous view of the ocean and Waikiki Beach.” 6
Service
77Bed & Sleep
76Value
70Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-10
Where it sits
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa and the 22 other hotels we cover in Honolulu. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
Falls short of what $$ usually buys
Scores 12 points below the mid-range median of 86, across 675 hotels in the same bracket. In Honolulu it sits 10 points below the local median of 84.
- This hotel
- 74
- Bracket median
- 86
- Index median
- 86
Based on 675 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
- 2 mentions
- 1 mention
- 1 mention
- 1 mention
No location within the hotel draws repeated complaints yet.
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 96 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “The proximity to dining and shopping is great if that's what you're looking for, but I'd prefer to stay out of the city on our next visit.” 8
- “I liked Queensbreak, though. The outdoor area is nice, and the restaurant offers live music on weekend evenings.” 8
- “I did get the full breakfast buffet as a Titanium - but as Gary mentions it is pretty unremarkable.” 5
- “Great food, great service, incredible views - what more do you need?” 3
- “The breakfast restaurant is really just a large room, and breakfast itself is uninspired - and pricey for what it is.” 5
- “2) The F&B here has always sucked. In part because the restaurants, outside the pool bar and breakfast restaurant, are all outsourced.” 5
- “The restaurant was big with a nice view of the ocean.” 7
- “Food was OK, beach was gorgeous, lagoon seemed pretty but was low most of the time.” 5
- “The food selection is good. There is plenty to choose from, even for the continental breakfast, although you're short on protein options.” 8
- “The boys loved the pool and games, and the food we did enjoy on-property was good.” 8
- “When staying at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort, kids usually prefer the fine dining at McDonald's instead of the uninspired Marriott menus.” 5
- “Poolside dinner hit the spot our final night. I splurged on a cocktail. Between one other quick bite and dinner, we spent $102 on Queensbreak food.” 8
- “What irked me so much that we had to check out after just one night was the resort fee at this place.” 2
- “Agree w/others who recommended going elsewhere for breakfast-just too many options within an easy walk to pay Marriott's prices.” 8
- “Prices range from $19 (for mushroom bruschetta) to $48 (for the dry aged strip steak), which is more than reasonable for the location.” 3
- “I would rather stay somewhere amazing, but the Marriott is the only 4-star hotel near the beach that has reasonable rates.” 1
- “Not to mention the full breakfast is expensive at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort. I knew Hawaii is expensive. But $48 for the adult full buffet?!” 8
- “What was the management thinking? It's one thing to offer additional amenities for a fee, while it's another to lump the things that had always been included to justify the rip-off. To insult even further, most people weren't even able to use the things they paid for.” 2
- “The restaurant is overpriced but there is enough room in the fridge to keep food for breakfast.” 5
- “The hotel has a $50+tax daily resort fee, and it's genuinely useless.” 5
- “there's also the con of the resort fee the resort fee is 37 dollars a night and 2019 I just really hate resort fees and so frankly any hotel that has a resort fee is frankly a con in my opinion I realize that's just how life is in a lot of places nowadays I just really wish they make that in the room rate and get rid of that whole resort fee thing” On camera416:07
- “Fortunately the client had local rates that we were able to access that included parking & waived the resort fee. We always stayed on a high floor in the back tower because of street noise from Kalakaua Ave.” 8
- “There's no way around the resort fee, unfortunately, even with elite status. This is a steep $50 plus taxes at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort, so I still had to cough up nearly $300.” 8
- “The value was about par for award travel. I am too used to completely free hotel stays, so the fact that we spent nearly $500 on resort fees and food does color my perspective.” 8
- “There's nothing wrong with the buffet, other than being overpriced and mediocre and charging elite members for half of it.” 5
- “Pretty much everything else comes at a cost, which is unfortunate. With a $50+tax per day charge, you'd think they'd work that into covering these costs. If that was the case, I'd be far more understanding of the fee.” 8
- “Since we were only there for one night, we booked just a Waikiki City View room for $240.00US per night. There is also a $50 resort fee per night, and with taxes, the total came to $342.29US. So, it's not cheap, but at this point in time, all the hotels in Hawaii seem to be really expensive.” 6
- “The furniture could not be more generic - Was Wayfair on sale recently? To be completely fair, these are just minor complaints, if even complaints at all.” 2
- “While your room views are looking west, the hotel sits on the east end of the beach, right by the pools - which makes it one of the best places for the family to go for a swim.” 3
- “The bed is comfortable, with massive pillows and plenty of charging space on either side, ensuring a good night's rest. You'll find the room sits at a very comfortable temperature, and the air conditioning works wonders.” 3
- “Our room was ready, so we were able to get into our room right away. We were given room 1831 in the Kealohilani Tower. This is the tower that is closest to the beach. This room was the second closest room to the beach, but still had a fabulous view of the ocean and Waikiki Beach.” 6
- “And the recent renovations ensure that you have every creature comfort you could need - as well as seemingly endless room in your space.” 3
- “But with 3pm check in time, and my 1pm arrival, I was able to immediately approach the desk. They provide each guest with a shell or flower lei on arrival, as one has come to expect from a hotel in Hawaii, and I was grateful my room was ready and they checked me in quickly.” 3
- “Other than that, I thought the room was nice. The style is fairly bland, with the décor over the bed the one real touch.” 8
- “I do have to say that our room at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort was smaller than I'd expected for a resort hotel. It would do, but it certainly wasn't spacious for three.” 8
- “I do have to say that even though our balcony offered the tiniest of ocean views, it was a great place to start the day. Most mornings I would slip out, grab a coffee, and quietly sneak back to read on the balcony while the sun slowly rose.” 8
- “my first impression when i walk into this room is that it's very spacious and very very clean” On camera91:39
- “looking back at the bed that's in the middle it's a nice king sized bed centered in the room” On camera49:27
- “So, overall, it was a very comfortable room with a great view.” 6
- “Having recently stayed in this hotel I think you got a bad draw on the room, especially as an elite. They have huge rooms with much bigger balconies in that hotel.” 8
- “The room was definitely brand new, which was about where the good part ended. The space was poorly utilized.” 2
- “the first balcony right here has a great view of Diamond Head and the second balcony over here has a view kind of on the backside of Waikiki” On camera49:13
- “The room was not extremely big, but there was plenty of space to spend time leisurely. The design was simple, but the two windows made the room feel open and bright.” 7
- “From the lobby, I headed straight for my room, and I don't know if I've ever had quite as loud an "Oh. My. God!" response to a space as I had to this one. Firstly, the sheer size of the space feels rare for any hotel - with so much floor space for activities.” 3
- “Speaking of, the LG smart TV is massive, though I wish it swiveled better to face the bed - this room is BIG.” 3
- “Resort was clean, room had a great view, and was pretty much left alone.” 5
- “The shower room was very spacious. The window brightened the room.” 7
- “good morning so here's the view from my balcony in the morning it is so beautiful i wish i could stay here forever but unfortunately i can't” On camera93:43
- “But there was plenty of space for a standard room. And I had a desk.” 5
- “My standard room was very nice.” 5
- “Besides that, I thought our room was comfortable, albeit small.” 8
- “The room was again, more than sufficient, and I would think this hotel probably had the best rooms compared to the other dated mega resort factories along the beach.” 2
- “all right so let's head back into the room and let's check out the closet this is by the front door the closet right here it's a pretty small unremarkable closet” On camera411:33
- “I was able to enjoy the view of Diamond Head from my room. It was beautiful!” 7
- “The classes are informative and entertaining and the location near the beach, zoo and park is perfect.” 5
- “Food was OK, beach was gorgeous, lagoon seemed pretty but was low most of the time. Location was great.” 5
- “The hotel has its own Starbucks and a couple of ABC stores which are 'more than a convenience store' which is convenient, and of course it's planted right on a main street easily walkable to plenty of dining and activities.” 5
- “The beach is right across the street, and the heart of Waikiki is a short walk away. There are also a lot of restaurants and shops nearby.” 6
- “pros I like the location on this end of Waikiki I like that is right in front of that nice swimmable Beach that I showed you earlier it's really great protected from the waves that's pretty nice” On camera413:31
- “The Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa is an archetypal 'resort factory' with friendly staff. It's got a great location directly across the street from the beach. And the location can't be beat when traveling with a four year old, from easy access to restaurants to a zoo just around the corner.” 5
- “The Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa is an archetypal 'resort factory' with friendly staff.” 5
- “I was glad there was no line at the front desk, as we were able to check in immediately. It did take longer than expected, as they reassigned our room.” 8
- “Check-in was quick and we were given the option of a shell lei or an orchid lei. We chose the orchid lei. Our room was ready, so we were able to get into our room right away.” 6
- “I stayed here earlier this year and I noticed the front desk agent checking me in was a bit off. He was sweating profusely and moving very slow, almost falling asleep standing up. I kid you not, he barfed in a trash can right at the computer in front of me.” 5
- “For the remainder of our stay, there was a 15-minute wait every time to get on the elevators. I had no issue with the 1-party/2-person rule for elevators. But if the occupancy was at a level that it caused crowding issues, maybe it's wise to limit the occupancy?” 2
- “We checked in at around 6pm after a short hop from Kona. Our front desk agent Yuko was an absolute delight - she was friendly, competent and super easy to work with.” 2
- “Rooms in the older tower are larger than in the newer one, and have been renovated. They aren't especially 'Hawaiian' but they're quite nice.” 5
- “Last but not least, one of the issues with service at this hotel is unions. Marriott has had strikes here. This is a unionized hotel. So housekeepers can't do the job of maintenance and maintenance can't do the job of housekeepers.” 5
- “So, for us - as for you - the room served it's purpose, but we were very pleased at the service and how we were treated.” 5
- “Staff are friendly. We have no complaints about the experience.” 8
- “I arrive at the hotel in the morning, but I was able to check in right away. The staff were nice and polite.” 7
- “The server waved me away the first day when I said I needed to pay for one of the boys, which was very kind of her.” 8
- “Great food, great service, incredible views - what more do you need?” 3
- “When the bellman brought our bags up to the room in the afternoon upon check in, we told him of our plans to leave that night for the redeye. He asked what time we would want to leave (9pm) and he said he would make a note to come back up to grab our bags. Sure enough, he showed up at 9pm sharp, which was appreciated and impressive at a hotel of this size on a busy holiday weekend.” 5
- “There were some unhappy adults. This hotel has a good location with friendly staff, but there's little management presence or hint of apology when things go wrong.” 5
- “Housekeeping was great, changing all towels and making the beds every day. I often opt out. But it's a must on a beach vacation with kids.” 8
- “underneath the television there are three drawers and there is a refrigerator the refrigerator is empty for your convenience which is pretty nice” On camera410:06
- “And I put money where my mouth was. We talked to Yuko, the super helpful front desk agent who checked us in. She was understanding of and empathetic to our experience, and we could tell it wasn't the first time she had heard such things.” 2
- “After arriving from a shuttle out of Honolulu International Airport (which is the best way to get to any hotel on Waikiki Beach - at least until the train to the airport finally arrives!), I was greeted by a lovely check-in team at the hotel's front desk in the Nanea Lobby.” 3
- “I found the king bed to be comfortable, and aside from waking up super early (thank you jet lag), I slept well most nights.” 8
- “one thing i have to say is the bed is very very comfortable the pillows are very soft” On camera92:05
- “The bed wasn't firm enough for my liking, probably time to be changed out, and the pillows didn't provide much sup” 5
- “The bed was king size. It was big and comfortable to sleep on. Four pillows were prepared in total.” 7
- “The bed is comfortable, with massive pillows and plenty of charging space on either side, ensuring a good night's rest.” 3
- “The toilet was actually a washlet toilet, so that was a nice surprise.” 6
- “I thought the bathroom was nice. No tub, but the shower is honestly better. Especially when we were getting sand everywhere most days.” 8
- “Wall-mounted toiletries in the shower weren't tamper-proof.” 5
- “The bathroom was large enough and functional, except of course for the shower which backed up when the room next door decided to use theirs.” 5
- “the bathroom is very spacious and the lighting in here is just amazing” On camera92:21
- “We were given two other rooms, in the older tower (which is better - rooms are larger). However when we got to those rooms, the bathroom floor of one of them was flooded. There were black marks on the floor of the shower. It appeared that the drain had backed up.” 5
- “The window brightened the room. There was a rain shower and a hand shower. The water pressure was just right.” 7
- “the building opposite to my room is the ashton waikiki beach hotel it was kind of loud at night because there were a lot of people down on the street and there was live music playing” On camera93:23
- “I find that if you're in the back Tower and you're on a high floor that things are pretty quiet although there is a little bit of city noise outside when you're up on floor twenty-seven twenty-eight twenty-nine thirty this and that it's pretty nice up here” On camera413:47
- “and the only negative thing that i have to say is the elevator it took a long time to wave for an elevator especially in the evening when a lot of people came back to the hotel and everyone wanted to get on the elevator at the same time” On camera96:39
- “The hotel restaurant is a little bit sad. There are windows overlooking the street and the beach beyond, but those windows don't really bring in much light or much of a view.” 5
- “But it's the panoramic views across two separate balconies that make this Corner King Suite one of the best rooms in the hotel. They really give you ample opportunity to soak up that view, and it's hard to want to leave, whether you're on the larger balcony with a chair to lay down, directly facing the water, or on the smaller west-facing balcony with its table and chairs.” 3
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 2 sources — too thin to rely on.
- 3 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Solid coverage · 50/100We read 9 sources for this property, and pulled 117 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-11.
Watch this hotel
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Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
5 of 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 9 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 1Thoughts on the Marriott Waikiki : r/VisitingHawaiireddit.comForum thread2024-12-29Ageing1 quote used
“I would rather stay somewhere amazing, but the Marriott is the only 4-star hotel near the beach that has reasonable rates.”
Read originalreddit.com - 3Hotel Review: Does the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & ...theaureview.comReview site2023-05-18Ageing15 quotes used
“While your room views are looking west, the hotel sits on the east end of the beach, right by the pools - which makes it one of the best places for the family to go for a swim.”
Read originaltheaureview.com - 8Hotel Review: Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort & Spamilestomemories.comReview site2023-01-29Ageing22 quotes used
“The proximity to dining and shopping is great if that's what you're looking for, but I'd prefer to stay out of the city on our next visit.”
Read originalmilestomemories.com - 5Review: Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort & Spaviewfromthewing.comReview site2022-12-18Ageing34 quotes used
“The classes are informative and entertaining and the location near the beach, zoo and park is perfect.”
Read originalviewfromthewing.com - 6Review: Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort - JanetBland.comjanetbland.comReview site2022-11-21Ageing8 quotes used
“The toilet was actually a washlet toilet, so that was a nice surprise.”
Read originaljanetbland.com - 2Review - Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa - Satay Awaysatayaway.blogReview site2020-12-25Ageing8 quotes used
“What irked me so much that we had to check out after just one night was the resort fee at this place.”
Read originalsatayaway.blog
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