Destination: the North Shore at Kahuku, HI on the island of O'ahu
Date: February 2017
Hotel: Turtle Bay Resort
Address: 57-091 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, HI 96731
Brand: none
Elite Status: none
# of travelers: 2
nights: 2
Making the Decision
There aren't many hotel options available in north O'ahu. And this hotel was blue.
Other benefits?
+ Being able to rent or borrow a GoPro from the hotel.
+ The possibility of having a photographer take our photo on the beach in the North Shore
+ Horseback riding
We didn't really get to explore all that Turtle Bay had to offer, but all that they had available made it seem exciting!
Getting There & Self Parking
Justin and I had spent the day driving around O'ahu from Honolulu starting in the southeast and working our way east all the way to north O'ahu. Obviously, if you have the time, I would consider breaking that trip up over two days. We did not have the time to do that, though.
Another option would be to fly into HNL and drive to Turtle Bay directly. It takes an hour to drive there, but Turtle Bay and the north shore is far more peaceful and enjoyable than what you will find in Honolulu. The hotel has a shuttle service they work with to provide transportation to and from the hotel, Honolulu, and the Polynesian Cultural Center (which offers a luau). The shuttle service costs upwards of $100 and may not be worthwhile unless you intend on spending your entire time at the Turtle Bay Resort without leaving to go anywhere else on the island. (So, while you can get by without a rental car in Honolulu, I would not recommend visiting the north shore without one.)
As for parking? When my husband and I went, self-parking was free. It was a bit of a walk from the main building to the parking lot, but the $20 for valet parking that we saved felt worth it. Starting this month (April 2018), the hotel will begin charging $15 for self-parking so it may not be as worth it for you to self-park. The valet service seemed to be pretty on top of it, getting cars as needed … and quickly.
Checking In & Customer Service
Check-in was a little slow when we arrived and customer service was mediocre at best. But! They did give us a room upgrade to a partial ocean view which we were thrilled to have!
Room, View, & Bathroom
Our last night in Hawai'i was done right with turquoise walls contrasted with brown linens and crisp white sheets. We had plenty of room to spread out, and we did! And the view from our room was spectacular! We loved opening the sliding glass door to our lanai and hearing the waves crash against the shore as we fell asleep our last night in Hawai'i!
The bathroom was also not short on space. I thought it was particularly nice that there was a sink both in the bedroom (separated by a wall from the bed) and in the actual bathroom. How easy would it be for multiple people to get ready at once with easy access to the sink and lots of privacy?! Toiletries in the room consisted of regular soap, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. There was also an iron and ironing board, hangers in a small closet for clothing, a safe, mini fridge, AC, a blow dryer, a telephone that allowed you to make local calls for free, Keurig coffee maker, and free wifi.
Other Amenities
Beyond what could be found in the room, the hotel also offered a pool and hot tub, an ATM, gift shops (including one that sold surf gear and GoPro accessories), a GoPro that can be borrowed (signed out through the front desk), a fitness center, a spa, elevators, laundry room, a concierge, and so much more!
They had endless activities you could book through them:
- helicopter tours
- surf lessons
- disc golf
- horseback riding
- segway tours
- kayaking tours
- pilates classes
- yoga classes
- golf
- barre classes
- live music at the pool bar
- a non-denominational church on the property with services every Sunday
and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Definitely, check the hotel's website if there is something, in particular, you are interested in doing. Whatever it is, they probably have it!
Food Options
My husband and I took advantage of two of the hotel's dining options: The Point (the pool bar) and Kula Grille.
Overall Review
★★★★ (3.75, above average)
While our stay at Turtle Bay was far from perfect, we enjoyed the area enough to want to return in the future. I have a love and hate relationship with the hotel being so far away from everything; it makes it hard to do anything unless you have a car. It is nice that there aren't so many people around to crowd up the beach, though. Of course, this also makes things like food more expensive because there are few local competitors.
Being upgraded to a room with a view helped to make our stay at this hotel a more enjoyable experience. I don't think back on our stay at Turtle Bay remembering views of the parking lot and hearing cars coming and going; instead, I remember cozying up in my room on my last night in Hawai'i drinking a Lava Flow from The Point and listening to the sound of the ocean. Who wouldn't want that?
Would I stay again? Probably not. There are so many cute Airbnb in the area that I would love to try out! And given that parking has gone up in price, plus the extra $40 in resort fee you pay, I feel like a better deal could be found elsewhere.
I won't say that I recommend staying here if you are planning to visit the North Shore, but I wouldn't shy away from it either. It's a decent hotel option if you don't have time to research or any airbnbs with which you want to choose. And let's be real: there is no "hotel bar" at an Airbnb. So the drink I enjoyed in my room while listening to the ocean? It's not possible unless you have all of the ingredients and someone in your party who knows how to make it. #lessrelaxing
Your Turn
Even knowing all of the downfalls, have you ever stayed at a hotel just to see what it was like? Would you consider a hotel like Turtle Bay where prices are high but other hotel options are few and far between?
It's day twenty-four in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my five year anniversary in Hawai'i – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and O'ahu Island!
Other benefits?
+ Being able to rent or borrow a GoPro from the hotel.
+ The possibility of having a photographer take our photo on the beach in the North Shore
+ Horseback riding
We didn't really get to explore all that Turtle Bay had to offer, but all that they had available made it seem exciting!
Getting There & Self Parking
Justin and I had spent the day driving around O'ahu from Honolulu starting in the southeast and working our way east all the way to north O'ahu. Obviously, if you have the time, I would consider breaking that trip up over two days. We did not have the time to do that, though.
Another option would be to fly into HNL and drive to Turtle Bay directly. It takes an hour to drive there, but Turtle Bay and the north shore is far more peaceful and enjoyable than what you will find in Honolulu. The hotel has a shuttle service they work with to provide transportation to and from the hotel, Honolulu, and the Polynesian Cultural Center (which offers a luau). The shuttle service costs upwards of $100 and may not be worthwhile unless you intend on spending your entire time at the Turtle Bay Resort without leaving to go anywhere else on the island. (So, while you can get by without a rental car in Honolulu, I would not recommend visiting the north shore without one.)
As for parking? When my husband and I went, self-parking was free. It was a bit of a walk from the main building to the parking lot, but the $20 for valet parking that we saved felt worth it. Starting this month (April 2018), the hotel will begin charging $15 for self-parking so it may not be as worth it for you to self-park. The valet service seemed to be pretty on top of it, getting cars as needed … and quickly.
Checking In & Customer Service
Check-in was a little slow when we arrived and customer service was mediocre at best. But! They did give us a room upgrade to a partial ocean view which we were thrilled to have!
 |
| view from our room |
Room, View, & Bathroom
Our last night in Hawai'i was done right with turquoise walls contrasted with brown linens and crisp white sheets. We had plenty of room to spread out, and we did! And the view from our room was spectacular! We loved opening the sliding glass door to our lanai and hearing the waves crash against the shore as we fell asleep our last night in Hawai'i!
The bathroom was also not short on space. I thought it was particularly nice that there was a sink both in the bedroom (separated by a wall from the bed) and in the actual bathroom. How easy would it be for multiple people to get ready at once with easy access to the sink and lots of privacy?! Toiletries in the room consisted of regular soap, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. There was also an iron and ironing board, hangers in a small closet for clothing, a safe, mini fridge, AC, a blow dryer, a telephone that allowed you to make local calls for free, Keurig coffee maker, and free wifi.
Beyond what could be found in the room, the hotel also offered a pool and hot tub, an ATM, gift shops (including one that sold surf gear and GoPro accessories), a GoPro that can be borrowed (signed out through the front desk), a fitness center, a spa, elevators, laundry room, a concierge, and so much more!
They had endless activities you could book through them:
- helicopter tours
- surf lessons
- disc golf
- horseback riding
- segway tours
- kayaking tours
- pilates classes
- yoga classes
- golf
- barre classes
- live music at the pool bar
- a non-denominational church on the property with services every Sunday
and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Definitely, check the hotel's website if there is something, in particular, you are interested in doing. Whatever it is, they probably have it!
Food Options
My husband and I took advantage of two of the hotel's dining options: The Point (the pool bar) and Kula Grille.
 |
| a beer and a Lava Flow |
The Point
Hours:
cocktails 10am-10pm
food 11am-7pm
 |
| corned beef hash, sunny side up egg, and hash browns |
Kula Grille
Hours: 6:30-11am, 5:30-9:30pm
Other dining options available to guests include Pa'aki, Roy's Beach House. Surfer (a bar), Lei Leis, and the lobby lounge.
★★★★ (3.75, above average)
While our stay at Turtle Bay was far from perfect, we enjoyed the area enough to want to return in the future. I have a love and hate relationship with the hotel being so far away from everything; it makes it hard to do anything unless you have a car. It is nice that there aren't so many people around to crowd up the beach, though. Of course, this also makes things like food more expensive because there are few local competitors.
Being upgraded to a room with a view helped to make our stay at this hotel a more enjoyable experience. I don't think back on our stay at Turtle Bay remembering views of the parking lot and hearing cars coming and going; instead, I remember cozying up in my room on my last night in Hawai'i drinking a Lava Flow from The Point and listening to the sound of the ocean. Who wouldn't want that?
Would I stay again? Probably not. There are so many cute Airbnb in the area that I would love to try out! And given that parking has gone up in price, plus the extra $40 in resort fee you pay, I feel like a better deal could be found elsewhere.
I won't say that I recommend staying here if you are planning to visit the North Shore, but I wouldn't shy away from it either. It's a decent hotel option if you don't have time to research or any airbnbs with which you want to choose. And let's be real: there is no "hotel bar" at an Airbnb. So the drink I enjoyed in my room while listening to the ocean? It's not possible unless you have all of the ingredients and someone in your party who knows how to make it. #lessrelaxing
Your Turn
Even knowing all of the downfalls, have you ever stayed at a hotel just to see what it was like? Would you consider a hotel like Turtle Bay where prices are high but other hotel options are few and far between?
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It's day twenty-four in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my five year anniversary in Hawai'i – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and O'ahu Island!
