Lotus Honolulu at Diamond Head 3.5

Diamond Head, Honolulu, Oahu
The standard rooms are huge, and though they still have the W's chic decor and incredible beds, they now cost much less. For the price, you get more space and style in these rooms than you could ever find in central Waikiki.

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Best Boutique Hotels in Hawaii (18 of 18)

 The standard rooms are huge, and though they still have the W's chic decor and incredible beds, they now cost much less. For the price, you get more space and style in these rooms than you could ever find in central Waikiki.
The Hotel Hana-Maui overlooking Hana Bay delivers rustic luxury in the middle of Maui's lush, secluded east coast. Incredible service, top spa, excellent food, and only 77 rooms on 14,000 acres of uncrowded property. Guests who tire of natural beauty will find plenty to do at the hotel's two pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, shops, and excellent spa. The hotel has a remote natural setting, a faithfulness to the local Hawaiian culture, freedom from modern conveniences like TVs and alarm clocks. Spiffy clean suites that are as big and well-furnished as those at any luxury Maui hotel. The service is as good as you'll find at Maui's top luxury resorts: instant name recognition, a slew of free services, handwritten welcome notes, and fruit and snacks in the room. Some employees are second- and third-generation Hana employees. A celebrity retreat since 1964, the 338-room Kahala is quite possibly the best hotel in Oahu. Yet its vibe is more "family fun" than "pretentious glitz" -- think swimming with dolphins, not posing in lounges. Attentive service and a quiet locale separate the Kahala from its few luxury competitors in Oahu. Throw in four superb restaurants, a quasi-private beach, and the only swim-with-the-dolphins experience on the island and you have a unique Oahu experience. The rooms are low-frills for a 5-pearl hotel: amenities are pretty much limited to ceiling fans, a CD of Hawaiian slack-guitar music, and Harney & Sons tea and 10-percent Kona blend coffee (restocked nightly). But the rooms' decor and little touches (bathrobes, slippers) make up for it. Directly behind the hotel lies 800 feet of soft white sand, a small public beach masquerading as a private one. Since all coastline in Hawaii is public land, the Kahala's beach is technically open to all, but it might as well be private. The uncrowded beach is opposite, in every way, from its famous Waikiki neighbor 10 to 15 minutes up the coast. This 121-room Poipu boutique hotel offers five-star features -- rooms with fine Egyptian linens, Italian marble bathrooms, and personal espresso machines, and a free fitness center with individual cable-TV monitors. Koa Kea is for those seeking a lavishly stylish but intimate experience that's less overwhelming than staying at one of the area's mega-resorts. The hotel also offers much more personal, attentive service. Koa Kea's rooms are smaller than those at the neighboring megaresorts. But they're done up with a cozy, modern boutique-style decor and offer a few more luxury amenities, including 42-inch flat-screens and a drawer hiding an easy-to-use espresso machine A top pick for those who want more than a budget hotel but less than a mega resort, this independent 72-room affordable boutique a block from the beach is high on style. A small, but beautiful lobby, classy touches like a cold towel and fresh pineapple juice at check-in, free breakfast, and a bar with a happy hour and top-shelf booze create an upscale feel. The hotel's small staff goes out of its way to be helpful, and there are lovely, impressive service touches, given the price point. Even though there's no concierge, you won't miss it -- the front desk ably assists guests and the young, hip staff provides interesting recommendations. Fashioned by San Francisco designer Jiun Ho, the small, tech-friendly rooms are some of the most stylish on the island in any price range. With dark woods, shoji screen window treatments and mood lighting -- even in the bathrooms -- they have a relaxing, urban Zen feel. Formerly the W Waikiki, this scenic and stylish 50-room boutique hotel is about a block from the beach and a half-mile from Waikiki's crowds. Kapiolani Park, Honolulu's equivalent of New York City's Central Park, sits both across the street and adjacent to the hotel. The big, beautiful volcanic cone called Diamond Head looms over the hotel. The standard rooms are huge, and though they still have the W's chic decor and incredible beds, they now cost much less. For the price, you get more space and style in these rooms than you could ever find in central Waikiki.
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