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When comparing Sheraton Waikiki to The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki, it is immediately worth mentioning that both hotels are located on the beach and in the heart of Waikiki’s nightlife and action.
We have stayed in Waikiki on a number of occasions and have stayed in both of these hotels. We particularly love the Halekulani and Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki and the Four Seasons Oahu beyond Waikiki.
1. Location: Sheraton Vs. Royal Hawaiian
Sheraton Waikiki is brilliantly located between the Halekulani and the Royal Hawaiian on the beachfront in Waikiki.
The Sheraton and The Royal Hawaiian hotels are in the center of the action, and it’s easy to grab a coffee at one of the other hotels or an evening cocktail at Halekulani Hotel’s famous House Without A Key Bar from this central location. Dukes Canoe Club, the Cheesecake Factory, and almost every shop and fast food restaurant are nearby.
2. Beach & Pools
The Sheraton Waikiki has relatively slim sands in front of it. The Royal Hawaiian has a much wider golden sand beach in front of it, offering gorgeous beach loungers with umbrellas. However, the Sheraton enjoys a beautiful new beachfront semi-circular infinity pool, which partially makes up for the fact that there is very little to no sand actually in front of the hotel.
So, for the best beach, you must pick the Royal Hawaiian.
For the best pool but a very poor ribbon of beach, pick the Sheraton Waikiki. Here, the new Infinity pool is completely stunning and ideal for Instagram shots – check out where we’ve been lately on our own Luxury Travel Diary Instagram – but if you are traveling with your family, you might be disappointed with the lack of beach.
The Royal Hawaiian has a large freeform pool and a round pool, both surrounded by palm trees, so there is plenty of beach and pool space at the Royal Hawaiian.
The Sheraton is more suitable for adults, and the Royal Hawaiian is more suitable for families because of the larger beach and more traditional pools.
If you want the best hotel on the island of Oahu, it has to be Four Seasons Oahu which is one of the best Four Seasons on Hawaii and is not to be missed. Four Seasons Oahu is not in or even near Waikiki but is on a glorious beach in a beautiful setting.
3. Accommodations
The Sheraton Waikiki is a colossal high-rise that was built in 1971. It’s probably the most prominent hotel on famous Waikiki Beach, offering stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head crater.
It offers over 1,600 guest rooms and suites, providing a range of accommodations, including oceanfront rooms. Sheraton Waikiki features modern and comfortable guest rooms and suites, many with balconies offering some of the best ocean views in Waikiki. You are virtually hanging over the beach from the Sheraton ocean view rooms.
This hotel is enormous and massively high, so the superb views are because your room will be found in a tower block. The advantage of this block is that every ocean-facing room has a beautiful balcony.
The Royal Hawaiian, sometimes called the Pink Palace, was built in 1927 and is famous for its distinctive pink exterior and luxurious accommodations. It has since been extended to include more modern rooms with balconies.
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel covers approximately 14 acres of prime beachfront real estate along Waikiki Beach. The hotel itself is grand in scale, featuring a main building with multiple wings and additional bungalows spread throughout the meticulously landscaped grounds.
With over 500 guest rooms and suites, as well as various restaurants, bars, pools, and recreational facilities, the Royal Hawaiian offers a spacious and opulent retreat for its guests. It is worth mentioning that the historic rooms in the main building do not usually have balconies. You need to book rooms in the newer wing for balconies, so watch out for this.
The Royal Hawaiian’s Spanish-Moorish architectural design, highlighted by its distinctive pink facade, reflects the elegance of the early 20th century. It is a landmark in terms of size and iconic appearance along the Waikiki coastline.
4. Atmosphere
Both hotels are huge, but the foyer and grounds of the Royal Hawaiian feel historical and magical, and overall, the hotel feels more intimate and boutique. The foyer is so significant that tour groups often stop by to marvel at its beauty, and when you check in, you feel like you are in the original, unspoiled Hawaii.
The Sheraton entrance is reached via a Shopping Mall, similar to the Hyatt Regency around the corner, which we’ve also compared to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. This gives the hotel’s communal areas a transient feel, as anyone who walks through the mall can use the restaurants and communal spaces (although you must stay if you want to use the pools).
5. Best Way To Book
Book any of the best Marriott hotels in Hawaii with our luxury travel concierge to get free benefits including prioritized room upgrades, free breakfasts resort credit, and more. We also apply your Bonvoy loyalty number to your bookings so you can still collect your points and miles when you book with us (if you book via a third-party automated agency, you will not get your loyalty points or our benefits).
6. Club Lounge
The Sheraton Waikiki and Moana Surfrider both have some of the best club lounges in Waikiki, but the Royal Hawaiian does not have a club lounge.
The view from the club lounge at the Sheraton Waikiki is excellent, although it is a crowded room (often full of kids). The lounge offers a decent breakfast, light dinner with snacks, and free-flowing self-service wine and beer in the evening. However, it lacks much of a Hawaiian feel.
7. Conclusion
Pick the Sheraton Waikiki for the views from its rooms and club lounge, location, and superb infinity pool. However, remember that its beach is lacking and just a ribbon of sand. The Sheraton Waikiki is also usually cheaper than the Royal Hawaiian.
Pick the Royal Hawaiian for its brilliant beach and “step back in time” setting, which will blow you away. It is also brilliantly located for its location, historical significance, grounds, and lovely beach.
That said, both hotels offer a great luxury base on Waikiki Beach.
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