24 Hours at The Kahala Hotel & Resort

Sometimes the best vacations are the ones where you don’t have to leave the resort. 

That’s easily done at The Kahala Hotel & Resort on Oʻahu. 

Tucked away in an upscale neighborhood just 5 miles east of Waikīkī, the resort, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, is truly an escape. Private and secluded—yet only a short drive to the shops and restaurants of Waikīkī and Ala Moana—the hotel sits on an 800-foot stretch of pristine, white-sand beach that’s never crowded. 

And there’s so much to do without ever leaving. 

Here’s how you can spend a glorious 24 hours at The Kahala Hotel & Resort: 

Photo: Courtesy of The Kahala Hotel.

Sunrise

Wake up and catch the spectacular sunrise over Koko Head from your spacious, well-appointed guest room. Maybe you’ve been up awhile and hit the newly renovated fitness center, which opens at 6 a.m. Or maybe you slept in. We won’t judge. 

Early Morning

The hotel offers complimentary yoga classes daily on the oceanfront lawn. Classes are an hour long and all levels are welcome. Or take a stroll on the hotel’s pristine 800-foot-long sandy beach, outfitted with complimentary beach loungers and towels.

Breakfast

Head to breakfast at the laid-back, open-air Plumeria Beach House. The buffet opens at 6:30 a.m., with everything you could possibly want for brunch: made-to-order omlets, mochi waffles, fresh fish, soba noodles, eggs, breakfast meats, salad, muffins and a carved beef action station. Or order à la carte from the restaurant’s extensive menu, which features sweet butter-poached lobster Benedict, island-style avocado toast and more. The freshly pressed juices are great, too.

Photo: Courtesy of The Kahala Hotel.

After Breakfast

Spend an hour learning how to make a haku kupeʻe bracelet, weave lau hala, or husk a coconut at The Vernanda. The hotel offers a variety of cultural classes that help guests learn more about and appreciate the Native Hawaiian culture. 

Daytime

Catch a complimentary shuttle from the hotel to nearby Kāhala Mall, Ala Moana Center or Waikīkī and wander the local shops and eateries in these areas. 

Lunch

Relax at the hotel’s temperature-controlled swimming pool—or lounge at the beach—and order a casual lunch from the Seaside Grill. Dine on poke bowls, island-style fish tacos or a grilled taro burger. For drinks, the Kahala Mai Tai is the perfect poolside cocktail—a favorite since 1964. Or splurge on the Royal Pine, a refreshing rum-based cocktail served in a fresh pineapple. 

Photo: Courtesy of The Kahala Hotel.

Afternoon

Head to the Kahala Spa for some much-needed self-care. Its signature spa experiences include the 120-minute Oli Oli LomiLomi enhanced with warm pōhaku (stones), a māmaki mud leg wrap and ʻawa sclap soothing massage. The spa also offers a 90-minute hemp CBD recovery remedy treatment that relaxes stiff joints and relieves inflammation and pain. 

Early Evening

Enjoy live music at The Veranda—6 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday—with a craft cocktail or a glass of wine from top vintners. Better yet, order one of the hotels’s 60th anniversary cocktails, including the Millennium Star, a unique and exclusive martini named after the only diamond in the world that is rated both internally and externally flawless. 

Photo: Courtesy of The Kahala Hotel.

Dinner

Indulge in award-winning cuisine at Hoku’s, a fine-dining restaurant featuring global Hawaiian cuisine, ocean views and tasting menus created by executive chef Jonathan Mizukami. The menu boasts local ingredients and innovative dishes you can only find here. 

After Dinner

Walk the beach, enjoy a cocktail at The Veranda or head back to your room for a much-earned rest. It all begins again tomorrow.  

For more information or to make a reservation, visit kahalaresort.com.