Wayfinder Waikiki Trip Report

The hotel boasts an open-air lobby with their coffee shop and main restaurant flanking the entry area. The staff were all warm and welcoming, and the front desks offers a large selection of items to elevate guest enjoyment while out and about (beach-specific towels, boogie boards, beach chairs and GoPros, all subject to availability). The hotel itself has a main tower of rooms, as well as a three-story building for poolside suites--I experienced both sections during my stay. Located on the Ala Wai and off of the main beachfront drag of Waikiki beach, the Wayfinder is a quiet escape from tourist crowds while also being only a five-minute walk to the beach.

The main tower rooms are thoughtfully designed, with both interior and exterior hooks on the lanai to hang wet bathing suits from. As I mentioned, this was a celebratory trip, and the staff very thoughtfully presented a welcome surprise when they heard the reason for the trip, despite my not specifically requesting this amenity. The Aloha spirit is definitely present here, and the extra efforts to make the stay feel special were much appreciated. There are multiple room views available at the hotel, and while the hotel is not a beach-front property, I quite enjoyed the mountain sunsets and watching the calm water of the Ala Wai canal from the private lanai. Aside from occasional street noise during peak hours, the room was very quiet and peaceful. The room does not come with an iron or ironing board for clothes, though they are available upon request.

The poolside building houses not just the poolside suites, but the Lost + Found bar, pool showers and restrooms and the hotel gym. Upon check-in, I received a token for a welcome drink that is reimbursable for a piña colada, rum and coke or any beer on tap. The rest of the Lost + Found bar menu boasts a tasty selection of cocktail-centric drinks, all served by friendly and welcoming bar staff.

The hotel gym offers a great selection of equipment, both standard and specialty, with equipment like a water rower included in their offerings. For an active person like myself, it was exciting to see a hotel gym that covered so many bases. In addition to the gym itself, the hotel also offers special events per month, including instructed yoga and fitness classes.

The poolside rooms occupy the second and third floors of the building. Note: there is no elevator in this building, so these rooms are not a fit for guests who require accessibility, and I suggest utilizing staff assistance with carrying bags for those uncertain of their own ability to do so, as the task can be cumbersome. But for those packing light or unbothered by getting a few extra steps in, the rooms are spacious and offer added features to the tower rooms, like a high-top breakfast table, Nespresso machine, a microwave (based on availability), dishes and flatware. The couch in this room also pulls out into a bed--the luxury of sleeping on I received after losing a game of "nose-goes". As it is my responsibility to report on all aspects of a stay, I do recommend being quicker to react if your crew settles disputes in the same way as mine. For the light sleepers as well, I do caution that these rooms do experience more noise as they're next to the pool. Pool hours are 8 am-10 pm, with pool service beginning around 7 am every morning and hotel guests using every moment of open hours. If you are an early riser, though, there is something quite romantic about opening your door to the still water of the palm-flanked pool as you step out to start your day.

Speaking of the pool, in addition to the availability of poolside food and drinks, the hotel also provides pool-specific towels, sunscreen and aloe vera. The chairs fill up fast, so I recommend getting there early to secure a pool chaise. The pool water is perfectly refreshing and the hot tub is hot enough to single-handedly melt away any residual mainland worries. Check the hotel calendar as well for featured live music events, ranging from DJs to live acoustic performers.

When it comes to the food at the property, they have multiple options, from the café selection at B-Side Coffee Bar, to the menus at Redfish restaurant. Let's start with the café. B-Side has a consolidated menu of coffee that features all of the heavy-hitters, with a couple of specialty drinks. On the sweeter side, without tasting saccharine, the B-Side special was a repeat order during my stay. Food items range from baked goods to breakfast sandwiches. Redfish, their main restaurant that is open from 6 am-10 pm, with happy hour from 2 pm-5 pm, serves everything from breakfast to dinner, with options for the whole family. My breakfast favorites were the local papaya with the fresh-toasted coconut and the breakfast sandwich. For dinner, the kalua pork fried rice and the fully-customizable menu of poke bowls seemed to steal the show for my group. But where it really got good was when I ordered the rainbow poke bowl from the bar after quite literally watching another guest lick their fingers and roll their eyes in delight upon finishing it. After tasting it myself, the reaction was not as dramatic as it initially seemed.

All-in-all, the trip was very enjoyable for everyone. There was a kid's baseball league also staying at the location for a fair portion of my stay, which may be a fairly contributing factor to my review on the noise level of the poolside suites. And while there were a couple of times where I had to follow up with staff on certain requests, everyone on the whole was friendly, accommodating and quick to do whatever they could to make their hotel a positive experience for their guests.

For families visiting, or those traveling with pets, this is a hugely accommodating location to consider. For adults without kids, while this location will not fulfill any desire for an adults-only experience, it is still an excellent option for anything from a romantic getaway to babymoon to a group vacation. The rates are extremely reasonable, the rooms are aesthetically pleasing and it is close to a variety of Waikiki attractions. If you plan to rent a car during your stay, note that limited space is available with valet. It may take some effort, but free parking is also available on the Ala Wai and side streets during the evening. Be sure to read all signage to avoid any parking tickets for street cleaning/operating meter hours.

Steal my packing list for the ideal tropical getaway by visiting my LTK shop for fashion model/travel advisor must-haves, and be sure to follow me on Instagram to see where in the world I am now! xx

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Honolulu. In need of further inspiration? Check out Laura Kempe’s guide, The Local’s Guide to Dining in Honolulu.