What it is

The classic Old Hollywood getaway of Doris Duke and Clark Gable, and every bit as cinematic today.

What it isn't

Surfer-dude casual. Pack your pearls; this has been a sophisticated (yet unpretentious) scene since 1917.

What we think

Guests of Halekulani know that the name translates as “house befitting heaven”—and that’s exactly why generations of well-heeled families return here, again and again and again. It’s nirvana incarnate, on five manicured acres. The freshwater pool glimmers thanks to 1.2 million fragments of South African blue glass; most of the 453 rooms and suites have ocean and Diamond Head views (and all are decked in a serene palette of whites, sand and turquoise); and you’ll have gratis admission to the island’s top cultural offerings, including the 1845 Iolani Palace and Honolulu Museum of Art. The seafront La Mer restaurant is a timeless icon on these shores—order the seared foie gras with pineapple coulis—and the live entertainment at the House Without a Key is as classic as the bar’s mai tai recipe.

You're here because

It’s among the most elegant hotels on earth, and retains a level of hushed privacy you covet on holiday.

The Moment

Snorkeling with 300 species of Technicolor fish on Hanauma Bay is perhaps the nearest you’ve ever been to Utopia—until you return to the hotel for a mai tai and coconut cake, two of the hotel’s classic signature recipes.

Restaurants & Bars

La Mer - French-style cuisine infused with fresh, local, tropical ingredients

Orchids - Enjoy al fresco dining in Waikiki in a casually elegant setting

House without a Key - A distinctive indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant providing more casual fare and nightly Hawaiian music

L’Aperitif Cocktail Bar - Signature combinations of flavors and freshness with "Haute Couture" cocktails

Lewers Lounge - The perfect place for early evening or after-dinner drinks

Location

Set directly on Gray’s Beach, just 25 minutes from Honolulu International Airport and steps from the buzzing nightlife in Waikiki. The centuries-old archeological sites of Waimea Valley are a photogenic hour’s drive away.