The other day, I walked through Waikiki at just the right moment.

The sun was low on the horizon, the clouds were puffy, and the land was illuminated by a soft, golden light. Standing under a massive banyan tree, I could hear hundreds of birds chattering in the branches above. I looked out at the surfers enjoying the last waves of the day; the sky was full of colors, pink, blue, purple, orange, and red. Behind me, Diamond Head Crater glowed high above, its slopes green. It was absolutely beautiful.

It’s been a while since I felt that way. Normally, I am sprinting through Waikiki running errands for my guests or nodding my head in agreement as friends and colleagues complain about the area’s traffic, congestion, and development. Some suggest that its natural beauty has been lost entirely.

But on this calm evening, I knew there was more to the story. Sure, Waikiki is busy and congested, but there are still parts of it, and moments therein, that reflect the beauty, tranquility, and local vibes that initially made it famous. You just have to know where to go.

A Long History Of Beauty

It may be hard to believe now, but Waikiki was once a royal retreat, and also an agricultural area, during the days of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Even after the U.S. takeover and tourists from America started coming to the islands, Waikiki was a pretty chill place. It was mostly small cottages—the first hotel, the Moana Hotel, opened in 1901. The second, the Royal Hawaiian, didn’t open until 1929.

There’s a small, free museum on the second floor of the Moana Hotel, and I visit from time to time with my guests to show them what Waikiki used to look like. Browsing the old photos, we talk about what it might have been like to walk the shores here in the early 20th century, what it would have felt like to stay at a small cottage, a couple blocks from the beach, sitting beside a small garden, an unobstructed view of Diamond Head to the east.

Back then, you could probably see it from just about everywhere, and you could probably see the stars overhead at night as well.

A Modern Metropolis

Here in the 2025 version of Waikiki, we can only imagine what a trip would have been like back then.

Today, though Waikiki is technically a neighborhood of Honolulu, it is essentially a small city on its own, full of high-rise condos and hotels, boasting more than 20,000 rooms for rent.

In many cases, you can no longer see the ocean, even if you are just a block away, thanks to the wall of buildings that now lines the coast.

But visitors can discover a completely different side of Waikiki, one where green space, ocean views, and local daily life still dominate.

“East Waikiki”: The Softer Side Of Waikiki

Many visitors walk the beach path that traverses between the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and Kapahulu Drive. This is a popular part of Waikiki because the coast is relatively undeveloped there, and, unlike most of the area, you can actually see the ocean from the sidewalk.

Though the beach path continues east past Kapahulu Drive, the crowd really begins to thin out in this direction, and here we enter my favorite part of Waikiki, where most of the development gives way to green space or beach parks. The beaches here, including Kaimana and Queens, attract more local people, and they butt up against Queen Kapiolani Park, a massive green space where residents flock for walks, exercise, sports, and picnics.

There are three hotels located in this area, which I will call “East Waikiki”: the Kaimana Beach Hotel (4-star), the Lotus Hotel (4-star), and the Diamond Head Beach Hotel (2-star). While any of these three would achieve the goal of staying in the lesser-visited “East Waikiki” and provide similar access to the surrounding parks, the Kaimana Beach Hotel is the only one with unobstructed views looking west back on the Waikiki skyline, and the only one actually on the beach.

Inside The Kaimana Beach Hotel

Stepping into the Kaimana Beach Hotel feels less like entering a resort and more like walking into a breezy, sunlit beach house. The lobby is bright and open to the coast, allowing the ocean air to drift in, and it features a color palette that mirrors the view outside: soft sand tones, pale blues, and warm wood. Additional color and style bursts from the large gallery wall that hangs above the common area. It immediately signals that this is not high-rise Waikiki; rather, this is Waikiki’s slow(er) lane.

One of my favorite parts of the Kaimana Beach Hotel is how seamlessly it connects you to the outdoors. You can walk barefoot from your room directly onto Kaimana Beach, a small crescent of sand that tends to attract local families, outrigger canoe clubs, residents walking their dogs at dawn and dusk, and ocean swimmers heading out for their daily laps. There’s no maze of pool decks or manicured lawns between you and the ocean—just sand.

The hotel’s signature restaurant, Hau Tree, sits under the shade of its namesake tree and offers front-row views of the beach and ocean. It’s one of the only truly beachside restaurants in Waikiki, and in my opinion, the most scenic. Brunch is popular here—perhaps after a morning swim or surf lesson—but it’s also lovely in the evening, during the sunset.

Upstairs, the rooms reflect the same beach-house simplicity as the lobby. The design leans minimalist but warm, with light wood accents, soft linen textures, rattan details, and local artwork that makes the space feel airy and bright. But what makes the rooms at the Kaimana especially appealing is that they offer three distinct experiences, depending on which direction your windows face.

Rooms facing Kaimana Beach offer a unique, mixed view: the calmer shoreline below you, the changing colors of the ocean throughout the day, and the soft glow of the city lights in the evening. It’s a wonderful feeling to look west and see the skyline of Waikiki, still feeling like you’re part of the action without actually being in it.

Rooms facing Diamond Head feel completely different, with dramatic views of the crater’s steep, green slopes filling the window. These rooms catch the morning light beautifully, and the sight of Diamond Head rising over Kapiolani Park gives the entire space a peaceful, grounded feeling. If you’re someone who prefers nature views to ocean views, or you enjoy waking up with the sun, these rooms are a good choice (also, less expensive).

And then there are the ocean-facing rooms, where the horizon becomes the entire show. These overlook the open water directly, a wide expanse of blue that changes hour by hour as light and wind move across the surface. In the evenings, the sunsets from these rooms are some of the best in Waikiki. Depending on where exactly your room is, you may also be able to see the city skyline to the west.

Each view offers something different—beach, crater, or ocean—but all three give you a sense of what makes this corner of Waikiki special, and a reminder that you’re staying in the part of Waikiki where nature still leads the way.

Give It A Try At A Discount

My bet is that you will feel hesitant to walk back into the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, but it’s there if you feel so inclined, close enough when you want it, but blissfully removed when you don’t.

The best news for travelers: Between now and December 3rd, you can score 30% off a stay in 2026 as part of the on-going Black Friday sale, a generous discount given its location.