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When comparing the best Marriotts in Waikiki; Sheraton Waikiki to Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, it is immediately worth mentioning that both hotels are located on the beach.
We have stayed in Waikiki on several occasions and have stayed in both of these hotels. Neither hotel is our number one choice in Waikiki. If you can stretch to it we love the Halekulani and Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki and the Four Seasons Oahu beyond Waikiki.
1. Location: Sheraton Waikiki Or Moana Surfrider
Sheraton Waikiki is brilliantly located between the Halekulani and the Royal Hawaiian on the beachfront in Waikiki. These hotels are in the center of the action, and it’s easy to grab a coffee at the Royal Hawaiian 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.
The same can be said for the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa. It is brilliantly located a few hotels down from the Sheraton, and both hotels are right in the center of the action.
2. Beach & Pools
Neither hotel’s location is on the widest part of Waikiki Beach. The Sheraton Waikiki has relatively slim sands in front of it, and The Moana Surfrider has a much wider golden sand beach in front of It. 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 Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa. The Moana Surfrider also has a decent pool area, which is a traditional rectangular design with steps at one end and loungers flanking the sides, set in the tree-filled beachfront grounds of the hotel.
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.
Honestly, the Sheraton is more suitable for adults, and the Westin Moana Surfrider is more suitable for families.
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 in Honolulu, Hawaii, 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 huge 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.
At the Moana Surfrider, the main foyer is set in its original building, which is around 6 storeys in height. This historic building offers low-rise rooms, but because of its design, these rooms don’t have balconies.
Next door to the main Moana Surfrider building is a larger, higher block that runs at right angles to the beach and offers large rooms with balconies. In total, the hotel offers 791 guest rooms and suites spread across its main building and adjacent Diamond Wing. The Diamond Wing is much taller than the historic building, which houses the foyer, but it is less high than the Sheraton. It also has the advantage of balconies in each room so you can sit out and enjoy the sunshine from your room.
4. Atmosphere
Both hotels are huge, but the foyer and grounds of the Moana Surfrider feel historic and magical. They enable you to step back to a time when Waikiki was a desolate strip of beach. I really love the foyer of this hotel. It is probably my favorite in Waikiki. The Royal Hawaiian is also worth stopping by from a historical perspective.
The building housing the Moana Surfrider foyer was the first hotel in Waikiki Beach and opened on March 11, 1901. This building is around 6 storeys high and has a terrace outside where you can sit on rocking chairs and watch the world go by. It is evocative of past times and gives the hotel’s communal areas an atmosphere. It is worth walking through even if you don’t stay at the hotel.
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 to use the pools).
The Moana Surfrider is a proper resort hotel that feels more grounded and traditional, with a traditional reception foyer and grounds. The Sheraton feels like it offers rooms with incredible views on top of a mall. It lacks the communal areas and grounds you might hope for from a Hawaiian hotel, although its infinity pool is really nice.
5. Club Lounge
The Sheraton Waikiki and Moana Surfrider both have some of the best club lounges in Waikiki.
The view from the club lounge is excellent at the Sheraton Waikiki, although it is just a crowded room (often full of kids). It offers a decent breakfast and light dinner with snacks and free-flowing self-service wine and beer in the evening. It lacks much of a Hawaiian feel. The club lounge at the Moana Surfrider feels more Hawaiian and has an outdoor area but lacks the views.
6. 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 complimentary benefits).
7. Conclusion
Pick Sheraton Waikiki for the views from its rooms and club lounge, location, and superb infinity pool, but remember its beach is lacking and is just a ribbon of sand.
Pick Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, for its location, historical significance, grounds and a lovely beach.
That said, both hotels offer a great luxury base on Waikiki Beach.
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