This was published 8 years ago
Moana Surfrider review, Hawaii: Honolulu's beachside bliss with a side of shopping
By Guy Wilkinson
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa.
THE PLACE
Moana Surfrider, 2365 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.
THE LOCATION
Beachside: Moana Surfrider.
Opened in 1901, "The First Lady of Waikiki" is among Oahu's most grandiose hotels. Though it has since undergone extensive renovations, much of the ritzy, colonial air has been retained, with hardwood floors, high ceilings and a stately open-air courtyard beneath a sprawling banyan tree. Smack in the heart of Oahu's Waikiki Beach, Moana Surfrider straddles an ideal position between the central shopping district and beachside bliss.
The rear courtyard backs out onto the ocean where surfing, canoeing, snorkelling or scuba diving lessons can be easily arranged at the on-site travel desk; that is, if the nearby Beach Bar doesn't get you first. Out front there are enough high-end shopping outlets to melt the hardiest of credit cards. The international airport terminal is around a 25-minute transfer.
THE SPACE
A room at Moana Surfrider.
Since being rebranded Moana Surfrider in 2008, the hotel has undergone an extensive $20 million renovation project, completed in 2014. The overall result is a pleasing balance of old meets new. While the building's facade, lobby and courtyard retain a wonderful air of Victorian colonial grandeur, the amenities and 791 rooms are all state of the art.
THE ROOMS
Much of the renovation project focused on rejuvenating 36 suites and 522 rooms in the Tower and Diamond Wings. My room, a Tower Premiere Ocean resembles some kind of upmarket beachfront condo, tastefully decked out with beachy neutral colour schemes, outdoor balcony with views over Waikiki Beach and a king size "heavenly bed" which more than lived up to its name. A large screen LCD TV, coffee machine and functional work area compliment the airy, spacious set-up nicely.
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa.
THE FOOD
It's worth hopping in a cab to Chinatown to experience some of Honolulu's cooler dining haunts, in particular, Lucky Belly and its sister property The Livestock Tavern, but if you're content to eat in, options are plentiful. The Veranda at the Beachhouse offers decent a la carte and buffet breakfast options as well as a thoroughly civilised afternoon tea beneath the giant banyan tree if you'd like to go all Rudyard Kipling for an hour or two. Bin1901 is a slick set-up for wine tasting, complete with an esteemed resident sommelier who'll teach you phrases like "nutty yet dextrously balanced" to impress friends with back home. The Beach Bar and Surfider Cafe offer more informal dining options if you're after a club sandwich or snack. The oceanfront Beachhouse at Moana operates primarily as a steakhouse.
STEPPING OUT
Moana Surfrider: Sip a cocktail while watching the ocean.
The International Marketplace, Royal Hawaiian Centre and DFS Hawaii shopping precincts are all within easy walking distance as are the Waikiki Aquarium Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park. This is a busy, touristy area but if you're OK with that, it's undeniably convenient.
THE VERDICT
Moana Surfrider is a popular, sometimes crowded hotel, which can lend it something of a theme park air. But overall, the Westin Resort & Spa have done a decent job of marrying modernity with heritage.
ESSENTIALS
A Banyan City Room starts at US$635. Moana Surfrider, 2365 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii. A resort fee of US$31.41 is charged per room per day which covers a variety of on-site classes, internet access and more. Phone 808 922 3111 or see moana-surfrider.com.
HIGHLIGHT
Sipping a cocktail in the Banyan Courtyard at dusk while overlooking the ocean.
LOWLIGHT
The queue for check-in was akin to the road to Damascus. It took nearly 30 minutes from entering the lobby to receiving a room key.
Guy Wilkinson travelled with assistance from Moana Surfrider.
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