This Luxury Hotel in Waikīkī Just Unveiled a New Bungalow—and It’s a Serene Sanctuary

The walk to the new premiere suite at the luxe Halekūlani threw me off.

Instead of walking toward the main elevators, I was led toward the hotel’s spa, then down a dark hallway and around a corner. Just outside two huge double doors was a desk outfitted with a small lamp.

“This is where your personal butler will be,” said Mark Miyashiro, director of guest experiences, pointing to the desk.

This really wasn’t going to be an ordinary hotel stay.

Earlier this year the luxury historic hotel in Waikīkī unveiled two new premiere suites: The Penthouse and The Bungalow, where I was staying.

The Penthouse is located on the top floor of the hotel’s Diamond Head wing, with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame expansive ocean views. It also boasts the property’s largest wraparound lānai—730 square feet—with a private tiki bar and personal mixologist. The suite is decorated with vintage art pieces from a Honolulu antique shop, with a retro record player and a curated vinyl collection.

The decor throughout the Bungalow is artful, thoughtful and intentional.
Photo: Courtesy of Halekūlani

But the Bungalow, though, is where I stayed. And I’m not complaining.

This grand suite is tucked away on the ground floor, very discreet and private. It felt like an oasis away from the rest of the hotel—and all of Waikīkī—except you’re really steps from the hotel’s signature Orchid Pool and its newly revamped spa. (In fact, the space where this suite is now was once part of the spa.)

And that’s the whole point. The Bungalow is supposed to feel like a serene sanctuary, an homage to Halekūlani’s original bungalows in the 1900s. Except this is luxurious and modern, with over 1,850 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space, a private lānai with a garden view, a spacious bathroom that boasts an indulgent soaking tub and a $5,000 Toto Neorest washlet (aka toilet).

The spacious bathroom boasts an indulgent soaking tub.
Photo: Courtesy of Halekūlani

It feels like home—but a better, fancier one.

The decor is worth mentioning, too. It’s artful, thoughtful and intentional. Hand-blown glass scones, bronze hammered detailing, custom Venetian plaster walls, wood trellises adorned with delicate climbing Thunbergia fragrans (White Lady) vines. There are silk and wool rubs in ocean-inspired hues, sculptural ceramic artwork, furniture and finishes in European oak, walnut, ebony and Halekūlani’s signature teak. It’s truly a work of art.

I spent a lot of time on the lānai, overlooking the garden with a half a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries and a glass of natural spring water slowly filtered through the hills of Tuscany—or at least that’s what the bottle said. My personal butler left it for me.

I really could get used to this.

The Bungalow and The Penthouse provide a dedicated personal butler, private round-trip SUV transfers, in-room guest registration, private kitchen facilities with a complete bar and complimentary daily breakfast. Rates start at $5,200 a night. For more information or to book a reservation, call (855) 969-2688 or visit halekulani.com. 

Catherine Toth Fox is the former editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine and continues to contribute to the website and print publication.