9 Hawai‘i Hotels With Remarkable Restaurants

Since shifting from agriculture to tourism in the mid-20th century, Hawai‘i has become a haven for sun-seekers and the overworked. For food lovers, the perfect vacation here includes a hotel, a beach, and some serious relaxation. However, not all hotels excel in dining. Thankfully, on any island you visit, you’ll find at least one hotel offering both blissful relaxation and fantastic meals.

Oʻahu draws the most visitors, with its capital, Honolulu, rivaling any major city. In Waikīkī, old hotels have been transformed into stylish getaways. On Hawai‘i Island, resorts nestle along the coast, making the most of the island’s agricultural riches. Maui feels like three distinct places: the serene farms of Hāna, the bustling tourism of Kā‘anapali, and Wailea’s quiet elegance. Kaua‘i, the Garden Isle, contrasts the lush north with the arid south. Lānaʻi, with its quirky past, is largely owned by billionaire Larry Ellison and offers a glimpse of 1950s Hawai‘i alongside luxury resorts. Here are the top picks on each island. —Ann Herold

Oʻahu

Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club

The playful 'Wish You Were Here' message at the bottom of the pool sets the mood for this 1959 Waikīkī hotel, which has been transformed into a modernist retreat. Local culinary star Ed Kenney chose this spot for his first hotel restaurant, Mahina & Sun’s, where vintage textiles meet contemporary Hawaiian art. Dishes like grilled octopus from Mud Hen Water and the Kuahiwi Ranch burger from Town make the menu, but the standout is the Mahina Family Feast, featuring fried or grilled red snapper, Kualoa Ranch oysters, roasted vegetables, fern salad, and hapa rice. A portrait of Kenney’s mother, a renowned hula dancer, welcomes guests in the entry. —AH

412 Lewers Street, Honolulu | (808) 923-8882 | surfjack.com

The Laylow

Following a $60 million overhaul, the former 1960s Aqua Waikiki Wave hotel now boasts a sleek, Eero Saarinen-inspired design, especially in its Hideout restaurant. Stylish elements like the hula doll collection and terrazzo-style counters pair with the creative cuisine of Bryan Byard, a New Mexico native who once considered a career as a pro skateboarder and hip-hop DJ. His love for food prevailed, and his vast vinyl collection now complements the restaurant’s chic atmosphere.

This restaurant showcases neo-Pacific Rim cuisine, with dishes like tempura shrimp paired with cilantro slaw and macadamia nuts. Guests can also enjoy room service, poolside bites, or grab picnic baskets to go. Byard smokes his own meats, including kālua pork, which stars in the eggs Benedict at breakfast and makes its way onto flatbreads and into egg rolls for lunch and dinner. For a Pacific Rim twist on a Southwestern staple, try his wonton poke taco—Albuquerque meets Honolulu. —AH

2299 Kūhiō Avenue, Honolulu | (808) 628-3060 | laylowwaikiki.com

The Kahala Hotel & Resort

For those desiring a more private escape, this resort provides an elegant luxury experience along with excellent dining options, from the formal Hoku’s and Veranda to the open-air Seaside Grill and Plumeria Beach House, right by the ocean. The staff jokes that your meal at Hoku’s, the resort’s signature restaurant, might have been caught by chef Eric Oto himself, an enthusiastic fisherman. Expect European fare with a Hawaiian twist, like foie gras with macadamia crumble or adobo-braised osso buco.

The bar program is turning heads, led by beverage artist Julie Reiner, who’s back in her homeland after a decade teaching New Yorkers about Hawaiian flavors. At Veranda, the chic happy-hour spot with ocean views, she crafts cocktails designed to pair perfectly with pūpūs. Be sure to try the Kahalasadas, a fun take on Portuguese doughnuts dusted with li hing mui sprinkles, a sweet, salty, and sour dried plum. —AH

5000 Kāhala Avenue, Honolulu | (808) 739-8854 | kahalaresort.com

Kaua‘i

Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu

Previously a Wyndham property, this resort has undergone a chic transformation and now boasts the Holoholo Grill, Oʻahu chef Sam Choy's latest project. On the ocean-view patio, guests can enjoy Choy's signature poke, guava-glazed ribs, or a wagyu burger.

Just a short walk from the resort is the Shops at Kukui‘ula, featuring the Living Foods gourmet market with its excellent pastries. Nearby, you’ll find Dolphins café and fish market, as well as restaurants by Hawaiian culinary stars Peter Merriman and Roy Yamaguchi. Don’t miss the margaritas at Tortilla Republic, or stop by Lappert’s for a refreshing scoop of guava sorbet near the fragrant plumeria bushes. —AH

2641 Po‘ipū Road, Kōloa | (808) 240-6600 | koloalandingresort.com

Maui

The Fairmont Kea Lani

This Wailea-area resort boasts a stunning Moorish architecture, led by acclaimed chef Tylun Pang, a pioneer of sustainable cuisine. At Kō, the fine-dining restaurant, Pang sources ingredients from 16 local Maui farms under the motto 'grown here, not flown here.' His beef comes from a consortium of six upcountry ranches, spanning 20,000 acres.

Kō’s menu celebrates Hawai‘i’s rich immigrant history, featuring dishes inspired by Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino cultures, in what Pang calls plantation cuisine, reflecting the workers who once labored in the island’s pineapple and sugarcane fields. At the Ama Bar & Grill by the pool, enjoy Hawaiian classics like kālua pork with rice and macaroni salad. The Caffè Ciao Bakery + Market features the Just Juice by Kō bar, using local fruits, while the modern Luana lounge offers cocktail-making classes during happy hour, led by mixologist Aaron Alcala-Mosley. —AH

4100 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea | (808) 875-4100 | fairmont.com/kea-lani-maui

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

This Hyatt property achieves a perfect balance of grandeur and intimacy. Guests are greeted with a dramatic entrance, leading to a lofty lobby offering panoramic views of the ocean and terraced landscape. Yet the 290 rooms are cleverly designed to feel secluded and private, making it easy for guests to relax and unwind. Four on-site dining options cater to every craving.

At the beachside bar, you’ll find a casual mix of burgers, tacos, salads, and more. The lounge adds a fun twist with loco moco transformed into poutine and malassadas served alongside espresso pot de crème. Celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto’s restaurant showcases pan-Asian fusion dishes like 10-hour pork belly with congee, uni carbonara, and tuna pizza with anchovy aioli. Ka‘ana Kitchen stands out as one of the top dining spots on Maui, where chef Isaac Bancaco draws on local ingredients to craft dishes like fresh Maui fish with ginger soubise and hearts of palm, all served in a stunning open-air dining space. —Bill Addison

3550 Wailea Alanui Drive, Maui | (808) 573-1234 | maui.andaz.hyatt.com

Lānaʻi

Four Seasons Resort Lanai

This luxurious resort, renovated with a $450 million investment by owner Larry Ellison, features restaurants with stunning views of Hulopo‘e Bay, a marine haven known for its beauty. Alongside a Nobu location, there’s One Forty, a steakhouse serving local specialties like venison (discover more about Lānaʻi chef Jimi Lasquete’s deer in our profile). For breakfast, One Forty offers a diverse menu including congee, dim sum, tamago, kimchi, miso soup, and Hawai‘i’s unique loco moco, which comes with a furikake rice cake and Gouda cheese, though it still includes the classic hamburger patty and gravy.

At Kope, the gourmet coffee stand within the Sports Bar & Grill, you can enjoy a cup of Hawaiian coffee before heading to the beach, where you might catch a glimpse of the playful spinner dolphins. Alternatively, savor a fresh salad at the organic Malibu Farm cafe by the pool. —AH

Lānaʻi City | (800) 321-4666 | fourseasons.com/lanai

Hawai‘i Island

Four Seasons Hualalai

On Hawai‘i Island, exceptional dining experiences can be scarce, but guests at the premier Four Seasons Hualalai can relish exquisite meals at the Beach Tree Bar & Grill. Enjoy romantic, candlelit dinners enhanced by sea breezes, with Italian comfort food that remains light due to the use of local ingredients like Kona kampachi, Hāmākua mushrooms, and heirloom carrots. Approximately 75 percent of the menu features produce from local farmers and fishermen.

The off-menu, pre-ordered creamy paella features a delightful abundance of clams, fish, and shrimp, with just a hint of rice, while the gnocchi paired with tender wild boar ragu offers a superb alternative to traditional lū‘au dishes made with pua‘a (pig). —Meghan Miner Murray

72-100 Kaupulehu Drive, Kailua-Kona | (808) 325-8000 | fourseasons.com/hualalai

Lava Lava Beach Club

While most seating at Beach Tree is on traditional decking, the Lava Lava Beach Club takes a more relaxed approach with sand beneath your feet. Guests of this chic, boutique property—featuring stylish surfer-inspired cabanas—avoid the crowded, theme-park atmosphere of other Waikoloa resorts. Instead, they can indulge in some of the island’s finest tropical pub fare, including local beers, enormous beer-battered Maui onion rings with zesty guava sauce, burgers topped with Portuguese sausage, and coconut shrimp, all just a short stroll from your cabana or surfboard. —MMM

69-1081 Ku'uali'i Place, Waikoloa Village | (808) 769-5282 | lavalavabeachclub.com

Ann Herold, a James Beard Award-winning journalist, is based in Los Angeles and frequently visits Hawaii with her Honolulu-born husband. Meghan Miner Murray, a freelance travel and science writer, works from a Kona coffee farm.Bill Addison serves as Dinogo’s restaurant editor.