šļøMaster Key: Oahu From A Local
I grew up on Oahu, these are what I take my friends to do when we bring them out to visit
MASTER KEY - the Master Key series is a paid subscription through The Upgrade by Anne Marie Brown. This series features destination guides, itineraries Iāve built as a luxury travel advisor, and hotel brand deep dives
Oahu, Hawaii
The Insiderās Guide from Someone Who Grew Up There
I grew up on Oahu, right outside of Waikiki at the base of Diamond Head. My family had a hotel company. We go back at least twice a year to see my siblings who stayed behind, and we host friends and their families regularly there. This guide is built on a lifetime of knowing and loving the island.
Setting Expectations
Oahu does not have the hotel product to compete with the Rosewood Kona Village or the Four Seasons Lanai. If your vision of a Hawaii trip is staying at your resort the entire time and leaning into full-service amenities, Oahu is not your island. Nothing in its hotel lineup will match those properties.
What Oahu does have is everything else: the best restaurants in the state, better shopping than any other island, a huge range of activities you can easily drive to, and a genuine energy that the quieter islands do not have. The key is knowing what kind of experience you are in for.
I canāt emphasize this enough - rent a car. There is too much to see beyond Waikiki to go without one.
Hotels
From a luxury standpoint, your real options on Oahu are:
ā¢ The Halekulani
ā¢ The Kahala
ā¢ The Ritz-Carlton Waikiki (residences)
ā¢ The Jewel
ā¢ The Four Seasons Koāolina
ā¢ The Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay
Ritz-Carlton Waikiki (Residences)
The location is unbeatable, the pool is solid, and the bar is great. You will need to walk a couple of blocks to the beach, but with small children we found it completely manageable. The family suites accommodate a family of four or five comfortably, and
