Home Sweet Hotel: Prince Waikiki
There’s nothing like a few nights in the lap of four-star luxury to make you feel fully relaxed. Calling the Prince Waikiki home for a few nights came at a perfect time, after a stressful business trip and in the middle of a whirlwind week at POW! WOW! Hawaii. As soon as I made it from the lobby to the 24th floor in a stunning glass elevator overlooking Honolulu and mountain backdrop behind it, I realized Prince Waikiki was exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for.
Central Waikiki, while dreamy and charming as ever, is a bit of a hike from Kaka’ako, where POW! WOW! headquarters is located. Prince Waikiki, located right on a stunning marina, is directly next door to The Modern Honolulu, which is a POW! WOW! sponsor and where most of the artists stay, so Prince Waikiki was in an ideal location. And, 100% of the rooms offer an oceanfront view, so you can't go wrong.
My first morning kicked off with a luxurious in-room breakfast courtesy of the hotel, which was exactly what I needed. I had been craving pancakes for two days, and there happened to be a stack of three under one of the tray covers on the table delivery table. They must have had a sixth sense. The pancakes came with a magical, sweet, coconut cream icing type of topping, which I decided was a Hawaiian delicacy, and I now crave almost every morning. Also in the line-up was a delightful acai bowl, a plate of fresh fruit, and absolutely divine avocado toast with a poached egg on top. I was pretty impressed with myself eating at least half of every plate.
While breakfast left a lasting five-star impression, Prince Waikiki has dozens of other features that make you feel like you’re in a better version of home. For one, upon meeting marketing manager Shayneh, I was so impressed to learn about the stories behind the art pieces in the lobby. There is a huge copper installation in the lobby designed by local artist Kaili Chun titled Hulali i ka lā, using over 800 pieces of copper contributed by hotel guests, associates, employees, and local artists. The paintings scattered throughout the hotel are even done by a POW! WOW! artist, who happens to be one of my favorites—Solomon Enos.
On a more trivial note, one thing I never take for granted in a hotel is remote-control drapes. If I can click a button and be in blackout darkness ten seconds later, you can bet I’m planning a return trip before I even check out, especially when the view outside is a happening marina with dozens of boats to look out on. From where my room was located, I could see Ala Moana Park and even a bit of Kaka’ako. Growing up in Seattle, I'm a huge fan of marinas. I often stroll them for inspiration, picturing myself manning my own craft out on the open water—it's the perfect place to daydream, and I could do it right from my window.
I spent most nights in watching the Olympics and ordering room service. Whenever I stay in a truly nice hotel, it's almost hard for me to go where I need to go and do what I need to do because I don't even want to leave the room!
When I did get out, I even had a great parking experience at Prince Waikiki. Parking in the garage beneath the hotel was so convenient—I always found a space at the front right when I needed it, and it’s super easy to go in and out with a ticket that you can just charge to your room. It’s little, seamless things like this that can make a difference on just how relaxing your vacation ends up.
I was so grateful for the time I had at Prince Waikiki—it was the most relaxing three days of my time on Oahu. The renovations they've clearly dedicated a ton of time and planning to were worth the wait time for reopening. The spirit of aloha is alive and well at Prince Waikiki, and I can't wait to come back next year.
Thank you to Prince Waikiki for hosting my stay.