After the Aloha State lifted COVID-19 restrictions, Travel + Leisure readers — particularly families and couples looking for a solid yet remote vacation destination — eagerly returned. The best resorts in Hawaii have kept pace with renovations and updates, making this famous archipelago in the Pacific more appealing than ever.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.
Oahu, Hawaii’s most populous (and popular) island, is home to seven properties on this year’s list, including Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani (No. 2). Still fresh off its opening in 2019, it features a neutral, calming design scheme that provides a serene retreat from the frenetic atmosphere of its Waikiki location. Its sister hotel, the iconic Halekulani (No. 9), debuted its own refurbishment in October.
Over on the Island of Hawaii, the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection (No. 6), impressed readers with its “gorgeous remodel,” referring to the hotel’s reopening in 2020 after a massive overhaul. “The staff are attentive and gracious,” one voter added. “The views are spectacular, and the resort amenities are plentiful, so you don’t feel the need to leave the property.”
Kauai, meanwhile, had three hotels on the list, including Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort (No. 7), on the island’s famed Poipu Beach. “This is our favorite place in Kauai, if not all of Hawaii,” enthused one reader. “The location is beautiful, the team is amazing, and the food is incredible. The Lomilomi massage in the spa should not be missed.”
It was Maui’s Hotel Wailea, though, that earned the top spot. Read on for more about what made it the favorite, as well as the full list of the best resort hotels in Hawaii.
- Hotel Wailea, Maui
Elliott Chau/Courtesy of Hotel Wailea
“Hotel Wailea is heaven on Earth,” according to a reader. The 15-acre, adults-only property is unique among the nearby resorts in that it’s not beachfront — but that’s a good thing for guests who prefer the quiet that comes with a location high on a hill, overlooking the sea. Because there are no children, the atmosphere leans toward the “relaxing and romantic,” as one reader described. Others loved the oversize guest rooms, which come with big balconies and are “nicely furnished, with a clean, contemporary feel that’s also cozy.” While the huge pool deck (fringed by cabanas, lush greenery, and the poolside café) is a big draw for hanging out, beach access is available anytime during the day via the hotel’s shuttle, which can whisk guests to Maui’s picture-perfect shores in just two minutes. Several readers also mentioned the outstanding service: “Every member of the staff makes you feel at home.”
Score: 94.86
Book on Tripadvisor
- Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani, Oahu
Courtesy of Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani
Score: 94.59
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- Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Maui
Courtesy of Four Seasons
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 94.20
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- Prince Waikiki, Oahu
Courtesy of Prince Waikiki
Score: 93.90
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- Montage Kapalua Bay, Maui
Courtesy of Montage Kapalua Bay
Score: 93.38
Book on Tripadvisor
- Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Island of Hawaii
Courtesy of Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
Score: 93.18
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- Ko’a Kea Resort on Po’ipu Beach, Kauai
Courtesy of Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.95
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- The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, Oahu
Don Riddle/Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach
Score: 92.87
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- Halekulani, Oahu
Courtesy of Halekulani
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.72
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- Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Lanai
Courtesy of Four Seasons
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.68
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- Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Island of Hawaii
Courtesy of Accor
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.56
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- Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Island of Hawaii
Nikolas Koenig/Courtesy of Four Seasons
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.44
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- Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, Oahu
George Russell/Courtesy of Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
Score: 92.38
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- The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Oahu
Courtesy of The Kahala Hotel & Resort
Score: 91.38
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- Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection, Island of Hawaii
Zach Stovall/Courtesy of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection
Score: 91.29
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- Hanalei Colony Resort, Kauai
Courtesy of Hanalei Colony Resort
Score: 91.06
Book on Tripadvisor
- Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Kauai
Courtesy of Hyatt
Score: 90.86
Book on Tripadvisor
- Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, Maui
Courtesy of Hyatt
Score: 90.84
Book on Tripadvisor
- The Laylow, Autograph Collection, Oahu
Ramon C. Purcell/Courtesy of The Laylow, Autograph Collection
Score: 90.73
Book on Tripadvisor
- Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui
Courtesy of Accor
Score: 90.69
Book on Tripadvisor
After the Aloha State lifted COVID-19 restrictions, Travel + Leisure readers — particularly families and couples looking for a solid yet remote vacation destination — eagerly returned. The best resorts in Hawaii have kept pace with renovations and updates, making this famous archipelago in the Pacific more appealing than ever.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.
Oahu, Hawaii’s most populous (and popular) island, is home to seven properties on this year’s list, including Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani (No. 2). Still fresh off its opening in 2019, it features a neutral, calming design scheme that provides a serene retreat from the frenetic atmosphere of its Waikiki location. Its sister hotel, the iconic Halekulani (No. 9), debuted its own refurbishment in October.
Over on the Island of Hawaii, the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection (No. 6), impressed readers with its “gorgeous remodel,” referring to the hotel’s reopening in 2020 after a massive overhaul. “The staff are attentive and gracious,” one voter added. “The views are spectacular, and the resort amenities are plentiful, so you don’t feel the need to leave the property.”
Kauai, meanwhile, had three hotels on the list, including Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort (No. 7), on the island’s famed Poipu Beach. “This is our favorite place in Kauai, if not all of Hawaii,” enthused one reader. “The location is beautiful, the team is amazing, and the food is incredible. The Lomilomi massage in the spa should not be missed.”
It was Maui’s Hotel Wailea, though, that earned the top spot. Read on for more about what made it the favorite, as well as the full list of the best resort hotels in Hawaii.
1. Hotel Wailea, Maui
“Hotel Wailea is heaven on Earth,” according to a reader. The 15-acre, adults-only property is unique among the nearby resorts in that it’s not beachfront — but that’s a good thing for guests who prefer the quiet that comes with a location high on a hill, overlooking the sea. Because there are no children, the atmosphere leans toward the “relaxing and romantic,” as one reader described. Others loved the oversize guest rooms, which come with big balconies and are “nicely furnished, with a clean, contemporary feel that’s also cozy.” While the huge pool deck (fringed by cabanas, lush greenery, and the poolside café) is a big draw for hanging out, beach access is available anytime during the day via the hotel’s shuttle, which can whisk guests to Maui’s picture-perfect shores in just two minutes. Several readers also mentioned the outstanding service: “Every member of the staff makes you feel at home.”
Score: 94.86
Book on Tripadvisor
2. Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani, Oahu
Score: 94.59
3. Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Maui
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 94.20
4. Prince Waikiki, Oahu
Score: 93.90
5. Montage Kapalua Bay, Maui
Score: 93.38
6. Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Island of Hawaii
Score: 93.18
7. Ko’a Kea Resort on Po’ipu Beach, Kauai
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.95
8. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, Oahu
Score: 92.87
9. Halekulani, Oahu
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.72
10. Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Lanai
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.68
11. Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Island of Hawaii
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.56
12. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Island of Hawaii
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 92.44
13. Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, Oahu
Score: 92.38
14. The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Oahu
Score: 91.38
15. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection, Island of Hawaii
Score: 91.29
16. Hanalei Colony Resort, Kauai
Score: 91.06
17. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Kauai
Score: 90.86
18. Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, Maui
Score: 90.84
19. The Laylow, Autograph Collection, Oahu
Score: 90.73
20. Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui
Score: 90.69
