Moana Surfrider Oahu Review

With its historic charm and excellent oceanfront location, the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa, is one of the most memorable places to stay on Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach. We’ve stayed there before years ago and when we chose to return to Oahu on our 10th wedding anniversary, we knew we wanted to be back at the Moana Surfrider – this time for a family vacation with 22 month old Little T. In this Moana Surfrider Oahu review, you’ll find details about the rooms, dining experiences, location and more.

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Table of Contents

Room Reservation

After researching various hotel booking websites, the best value I found at the time was by booking directly with Marriott Bonvoy. It’s quick, free and easy to join their loyalty program and often you receive benefits straight away. The special promotion we received was a slightly reduced rate that included breakfast for two daily (kids under 5 eat free at the hotel) which was a great value over our 14 day stay. Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program here.

Moana Surfrider Lobby

Built in 1901 as the first hotel in Waikiki, the plantation-style Moana Surfider Oahu is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and known as the First Lady of Waikiki. The Moana Surfrider has kept its historic charm through the years, while undergoing renovation, expansion and restoration projects to maintain its reputation as a world-class, luxury destination.

The Moana Surfrider’s lobby is a beautiful place to relax, with wide open doors overlooking Kalakaua Avenue on one side, and the courtyard through to the ocean on the other.

One of my favorite areas at the Moana Surfrider is the front porch with the row of rocking chairs – unusually quiet when I took this photo at about 8am.

Diamond Ocean Front Room

There are three buildings at the Moana Surfrider along Waikiki Beach: the original Historic Banyan wing with the banyan tree in the center, the Tower wing (tall, contemporary building, shown below on left) and the Diamond wing (8-storey building on other side of the Banyan wing). Within each building, there are options for city or ocean views.

Check rates and book on Tripadvisor.com

We booked a Diamond Ocean Front room, which is that same type of room we stayed in last time. The Diamond rooms have been renovated in recent years, have the very comfortable Westin Heavenly beds and gorgeous panoramic views of Waikiki Beach and even, from some rooms on the upper levels, Diamond Head.

At about 29 sq m / 313 sq ft, the Diamond Ocean Front rooms are not large. There is space for a cot or folding guest bed, so the room could fit a family with a baby or toddler but families with older children may prefer a connecting room or a more spacious room or suite.

Hotel Review - Moana Surfrider, Waikiki, Hawaii — Deluxe Diamond Ocean Front room

Each room has an LCD TV, complimentary Royal Kona coffee and select Tazo teas, a refrigerator and a granite bathroom with shower.

During our first stay at the Moana Surfrider Hotel, our Diamond Ocean Front room was on the 7th floor and the views were amazing looking out over the ocean and as far as Diamond Head.

Waikiki Beach view — Ocean view from 7th floor Diamond Ocean Front room, Moana Surfrider

Diamond Head View, Oahu — View of Diamond Head from 7th floor Diamond Ocean Front room, Moana Surfrider

We chose a Diamond Ocean Front room on the 2nd floor for our next stay at the Moana Surfrider. It was lovely at night-time listening to the waves lapping against the shore.

Looking in the other direction, the Diamond Ocean Front rooms on the 2nd floor overlook the surfboard rental shop and the view of Diamond Head is covered by the trees.

Moana Surfrider Diamond Oceanfront View — View from 2nd Floor, Diamond Oceanfront Room, Moana Surfrider Waikiki

Check rates and book on Tripadvisor.com

Moana Surfrider Resort Facilities

Little T preferred splashing around at the pool over the ocean and although the pool is pretty small and no-frills compared to other hotel pools in the area, we enjoyed spending many mornings there. The lounge chairs around the pool – especially the ones in the shade – are difficult to get! You either need to arrive very early or keep a close eye and pounce the moment someone leaves.

The Moana Surfrider Waikiki has a 24-hour Fitness Studio offering state-of-the-art equipment in the Tower Wing, along with daily fitness classes.

We didn’t manage it this time but had an outstanding experience at the spa at the Moana Surfrider, called the Moana Lani Spa, during our first visit. We both booked massages and enjoyed some time relaxing in their oceanfront lounge sipping tea. The Moana Lani Spa offer a wide range of treatments that includes deep tissue massages, facial and body treatments, manicures and pedicures and aromatherapy.

Waikiki Beach

One of the top benefits of staying at the Moana Surfrider is its oceanfront setting and direct access to Waikiki Beach which is right in front of the hotel. Book a surfing lesson, enjoy swimming in the turquoise waters or just pick a spot to relax and take in the views.

Check out the Moana Surfrider’s livecam view of the beach in front of the hotel – https://marriott.ozolio.com/moana-surfrider/

Dining at the Moana Surfrider

In this part of the Moana Surfrider Oahu review, I will go over the dining options at the hotel. The Veranda at the Beachhouse offers an excellent breakfast buffet and Sunday afternoon tea. Enjoy a casual lunch or dinner, along with a Mai Tai, with live entertainment at the Beach Bar. For top-notch oceanfront dining, book a table at the Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider, open for dinner on Wednesday to Sunday. And make sure to stop by the Vintage 1901 Wine Bar for their great selection of wine, artisan beers and light bites.

Veranda at the Beachhouse

Having free breakfast at the Moana Surfrider buffet was an outstanding value. We started each day at the Veranda at the Beachhouse, where we first ordered pancakes then loaded up our plates at the buffet.

The buffet at the Moana Surfrider Beachhouse had a selection of fresh fruit, muffins and pastries, cold cuts and salads, cereals and granola.

I loved the fresh fruit juices, often there was a new blend to try. On this day, there were watermelon basil; pineapple, mint and cucumber; guava and orange juices.

Fresh fruit juices, breakfast buffet at Moana Surfrider — Fresh fruit juices at the Veranda’s breakfast buffet

There were several options at the hot food section that included scrambled eggs, chicken sausages, bacon, salmon, hash browns or (my favorite) mixed roasted potatoes.

Breakfast Buffet at Moana Surfrider Waikiki — Hot breakfast options at the Veranda buffet, Moana Surfrider

There was also a section with traditional Japanese breakfast items, including miso soup, tofu and steamed rice.

We loved having breakfast at the Veranda at the Beachhouse, and the customer service there was the best we had at the Moana Surfrider. They were always so friendly and accommodating especially with Little T. There was plenty of selection at the buffet, that also changed slightly from day to day, so it wasn’t ever boring going there every day for two weeks. Little T loved the pancakes, sausages and fresh fruit.

The restaurant is popular especially over the weekend with outside visitors coming for brunch – and from what I remember they operate on a first come, first serve basis – so the wait to be seated can be 30 minutes or more.

Moana Surfrider Beach Bar

The Moana Surfrider’s lobby opens up to the Banyan Courtyard and its historic sweeping banyan tree, which was planted in 1904 and now stands 75 feet high and spans 150 feet.

Banyan Courtyard, Moana Surfrider — The Banyan Courtyard at the Moana Surfrider

The oceanfront Beach Bar (where the umbrellas are in the above photo) was one of our favorite places at the hotel to sit back and relax. We’d often go for lunchtime right after the pool or for drinks in the evening before dinner. There are live performances every evening at the Beach Bar, featuring local musicians and hula dancers.

Vegetable Wrap at Moana Surfrider Waikiki Beach Bar — Veggie wraps for lunch at the Beach Bar, Moana Surfrider

Vintage 1901 Wine Bar

Although we’d walk through the veranda every day, we didn’t realize until the last days of our trip that the section across from the restaurant was a wine bar in the evenings (5pm to 10pm). Vintage 1901 overlooks the Banyan Courtyard and offers a wide selection of wines and artisan beers – I wish we discovered it earlier!

We visited twice and enjoyed the selection for wine tasting. This first batch here were wines from California and Oregon: Pet Shop Boys (Go West) – Isabel Mondavi, Chardonny, California; J. Christopher, Pinor Noir, Oregon; Martin Ray, Merlot, California. $19

And on our second visit, Mr. G had the “Go West” sampling again, while I tried “Bubbles Tickle My Nose”: Zardetto, Prosecco, Italy; Bouvet, France; Poema, Cava Rose, Spain. $19

Other wine tasting selections, with prices ranging from $14 to $18, included wines by country, such as Italy, or by region – Argentina and Chile, New Zealand and Australia.

The small bites menu was great, too – we ordered the steak sliders and truffle potato tots which were delicious. In addition, there’s a dessert menu with various cakes (including Kona Coffee cheesecake), sorbet, cheese and fresh fruit, making Vintage 1901 a lovely post-dinner stop as well.

Although both times we visited the service was painfully slow, overall we really liked the selection of wine and food at Vintage 1901 and would go back next time we’re in Waikiki.

Beachhouse at the Moana

For dinnertime, the Moana Surfrider’s veranda area is the location for the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, the Beachhouse at the Moana. The best tables are right at the end of the veranda overlooking Waikiki beach. We were a few tables away from the edge but it’s still a stunning view especially at sunset – shown below is the Beach Bar with the historic banyan tree.

Some of the best dishes we had during our visit to Waikiki were at the Beachhouse at the Moana. Mr. G raved about the seafood dishes, such as the Hawaiian “Poke” starter, which was ahi tuna served with soy sauce, onion, avocado crema and spicy aioli and his entree (below), the porcini crusted ahi loin with warm barley salad and a chili vinaigrette.

Read more: Oceanfront Restaurants in Waikiki

Porcini Crusted Ahi Loin at Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider Waikiki — Porcini Crusted Ahi Loin, Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider

I had the braised short rib served with gruyere polenta and wasabi pea gremolata. The meat was very tender and the whole dish was delicious and bursting with flavor.

French Onion Soup at the Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider Waikiki — Maui onion soup with four-cheese gratin, Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider

Braised Short Rib at Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider Waikiki — Braised Short Rib, Beachhouse at the Moana Surfrider Waikiki

On the side, we ordered market vegetables and kimchi brussels sprouts – which were fantastic by the way!

This restaurant books out quickly so make sure to put in your reservation well ahead of time by calling +1 808-921-4600 or find a table through OpenTable. We enjoyed both of our experiences at the restaurant and would highly recommend it for an excellent beachfront dinner out in Waikiki.

Special Events

The Moana Surfrider regularly hosts special events and performances, usually on Friday evenings or over the weekend. The first Saturday we were there was the annual Mangoes at the Moana event, where mango producers showcase the tropical fruit in food demonstrations and workshops and local celebrity chefs create delicious mango recipes that visitors can sample (with ticket purchase or by plate).

I went back for seconds of the lamb and mango dumpling by Chef Lee Anne Wong of Koko Head Cafe – delicious!

The Moana Surfrider also regularly hosts music performances by local artists – and on our last evening, we had dinner at the Beachhouse listening to the beautiful voice of award-winning Hawaiian musical artist, Raiatea Helm, performing in the courtyard. I didn’t manage to take a photo – the hula performance below was right before Raiatea Helm took the stage.

Professional Photography

The most treasured souvenir from our trip was a 30 minute photography session with one of the hotel’s professional photographers. I’m usually the one behind the camera, so it was particularly special to have 400+ photos of the three of us, with beautiful Waikiki Beach or the Moana as a backdrop.

What I would do differently is choosing only one or two locations for the photo-shoot. We had photos taken at the beach, in the courtyard, in front of the hotel, in the lobby and on the front patio rocking chairs – and it does take extra time to settle in with a toddler each time.

I hope you have found this Moana Surfrider Oahu review helpful. Staying at the Moana Surfrider has always been a memorable experience for us – the ocean views are incredible, the restaurant and bars are fantastic overlooking the beach and the hotel itself is beautiful. For a stay in Waikiki, we would definitely stay at the Moana Surfrider again and would always make a stop to sip a mai-tai at the Beach Bar or enjoy dinner at the Beachhouse!