Great staff, great location, mildly over-priced.

You can get more bang-for-your-buck on Oahu in Waikiki or Ko'Olina... but Kahala is away from the hustle-and-bustle of Waikiki, but close enough to the action for a short taxi ride away if that is your thing.

Dolphin show is great for the kids, beach is nice, protected unless there is a big south swell. Average grounds- it's Hawaii, but I've seen better landscaping at similar class resorts.

Did I say a great staff?

The server at the lobby bar/lounge area open in the evening I found to be a little on the salty side, but by and large everyone else at this resort was great.

As a local I've stayed at resorts on Maui, Big Island, Kauai and Oahu, and do so fairly regularly for work so I feel like I've got a good grasp of the market and what is available here.

Stayed one night for a sunrise wedding on 12/12/12, and I don't think you could ask for a better staff to plan your wedding- Amy, the wedding planner, is VERY good, and for someone coming from the mainland, she will make your special day a true delight. Highly recommend her.

Otherwise, it's all about the name at the Kahala- it's pretty much the top name resort you can stay at on Oahu, but that's more because of the location and heritage. (Kahala neighborhood is one of Hawaii's wealthiest)

As other local reviewers have noted here, it's really not that special... there are better beaches, better sunsets, and better locations, but the Kahala has a special feel to it and has played host to a number of celebrities over the years, probably more because of it's seclusion yet proximity to town. (Check out the wall of celebrities- it seems like every A-list actor from Hollywood present or past has stayed here)

Looking for 'The' name-brand high-end resort on Oahu? This is it. Looking for the best in value amenities, sunsets and beaches? There are better, newer resorts... but this one will certainly do... just be prepared to pay a premium for the name.

It has been a few years since we've traveled to Honolulu, but have always stayed at the Kahala (since I was a child and it was the Kahala Hilton) and have seen it undergo many changes. However, during this most recent stay we were not disappointed - it is still my favorite place to stay when visiting Oahu. The location is perfect - away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki yet a short, convenient drive to the action there. The dolphin lagoon is always a pleasure to observe and the pool area and beach are perfect for relaxing. Dined at Hoku's, which is a true culinary experience and I do not plan on waiting so long in the future to return to the Kahala. A perfect few day get away from the pace of everyday life.

This hotel is beautiful and the people here are so friendly and helpful... A place you must stay at!!!

The breakfast was to die for, it had everything you can image. The lobby was decorated with Christmas trees and it looked great. The rooms are big and very clean.

Beautiful spot, so booked and identified it as my wife's birthday. Advertised as a seafood buffet with lobster and crab work station. In fact the work station was seafood pasta. No lobster, no crab. Lots of mussels. Cost of $55 each is expensive for a pasta dinner. Buffet items overall flavours quite similar, lots of cream sauces. the starch was fried rice! Nothing done about the birthday event. Finally, we were sitted near the bar and smokers light up just outside a nearby open door, which filled our area with smoke. Hawaii is like France in that non-smoking is a very poorly understood principle. Never going back. Much, much better seafood buffet is on weekends at the Prince Waikiki. On a birthday they will give you a small cake with a candle.