Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
There are not a lot of locations on this earth that are more famous than Hawaii, and this renown most certainly extends to the state’s capital, Honolulu. Although many people see Honolulu simply as a holiday destination, a fair amount of those appreciate it for the amazing strength of Hawaiian culture that it fuses with the modern world and the unique opportunity it presents to escape from the mainland of the USA.
The city serves as the unequivocal gateway to everything the Hawaiian archipelago has to offer, and having a hotel, there is akin to being granted the key to a time of perfect relaxation and rich cultural immersion.
Prospective travelers might wonder, however, if the state’s relaxed, glowing image extends to what it offers queer guests looking to pull up and enjoy the beaches and natural beauty. The good news is that those people will be nothing short of amazed that the potential for an amazing gay holiday and, indeed, by finding the perfect gay hotels in Honolulu.
No matter whether you’re looking for something rustic that moves away from the heart of the city and out into the scape of Hawaii that we all know and love from movies and from the image we have in our head, or if you’re the urban type who embraces modernity and lives off night scenes, then Honolulu has a niche for you to fit right into, and the diversity at the edges of each one is amazing too.
Even the world-famous, iconic Waikiki Beach is a hotspot for queer activity, and visitors can find queer bars, clubs, and eateries all through the city’s streets. There’s no shortage of places to eat, hang out, and sample the local culture and all at a level of luxury that comes to rival even some of the most refined locations around the world, such as Dubai and Monaco.
As we mentioned, the accommodation scene in Honolulu is as crucial to navigate correctly as it is varied and entrancing. Obviously, in most cases, there aren’t going to be hotels out there marketed directly towards gay people or queer people in general.
We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic. Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated.
With all that said, it’s time to pull up on the volcano-lined beaches of the States’ most exotic location and put up our feet with the sound of the ocean in our ears. There can be no progress without making that first step out into the wild, and there’s a stunning amount of natural beauty to discover in Hawaii, so let us hesitate no longer and take the chance to check out the top eight gay hotels and queer-friendly places of accommodation that Honolulu!
In this article we will cover...
Moana Surfrider
Located in the very center of Waikīkī Bay and Waikīkī Beach, the Moana Surfrider has more to offer than just a similarity in name to an animated movie – it also is the perfect start to this list and an amazing gay hotel set on the white, beautiful sands of Honolulu’s waterfront.
With its full title running as ‘Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach’, it doesn’t take long to see that this location is a little more than just your usual room and lobby hotel – instead, a full-service and exquisite resort that exists to make the very best of the beach the pristine waters beyond it, and the wonderful sea air.
When we say full service, it’s important to explain exactly what we mean. The Moana Surfrider resort truly has it all, including all of the landmarks that make an alternative different from a normal hotel and also in what makes Honolulu different from other holiday destinations around the world.
Some on-paper benefits include a free breakfast bar every morning, free parking if you have hired a car to go on driven trips around this island during the day, a spa facility so that you can truly lay back and enjoy the unique coastal atmosphere, and – last but not least – a wonderful dining experience of an evening that is sure to amaze you to no end.
When it comes to service, the Moana Surfrider has hundreds of positive reviews commending the performance of its staff, and this impression is only compounded further by the hotel’s dedication to LGBTQ+ protection – displayed very openly by the statement of queer support in its marketing package. The Moana Surfrider accepts everyone and will make you feel at home on the sunny Hawaiian beaches of Honolulu.
Aqua Palms Waikiki
Although it is located right up against the water with the large majority of the rest of the hotels on this list, the Aqua Palms makes a little bit of a detour from the usual row of accommodation locations in Honolulu thanks to the fact that it is located a little more north than its fellows.
This puts it in easy walking range of the Ala Wai Boat Harbor and the man-made wading pool named the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Lagoon in honor of the legendary surfer. It’s also only an eight-minute walk from the legendary Kahanamoku Beach, which is yet another plus on this hotel’s side!
Suppose you’re not looking to go all the way down to the shore. In that case, you’ll be happy to know that the hotel has its pool, just like the Moana Surfrider that came before it, as well as a parking lot, an on-site fitness center, and an attached golf course if you’re a fan of the sport of if you’re looking to give something new a try while you’re enjoying your holiday in the Hawaiian archipelago.
If you’re looking for some tropical-style accommodation that truly allows you to feel like you’re out on the beach while you’re taking a rest from exploring what the city has to offer during the day and would rather sit and watch over the waves and the comings and goings of people in comfort.
Speaking of exploring the city, if you’re worried about public transport or not looking to hire a car of your own while you’re in Honolulu, then you’ll be glad to know that one of the city’s ample bus stops is nearby, with connections throughout just about every part of the winding streets that wrap through the wonderful nature that comprises a good part of the city.
Hotel Renew
Coming in strong as our third entry to this list of gay hotels in Honolulu, the Hotel Renew is a trendy, modern, and up-to-date location that prides itself on the sheer number of services it provides and on having its doors open for absolutely everyone.
This point is proven by the explicit advertisement of their support for queer travelers and further agreed upon by the reviews of gay holidayers who have stayed there in the past. Nothing quite like being able to choose a hotel based on both previous experience and a charming suite of advantages simultaneously!
The Hotel Renew is especially well known for the quality of its service and the dedication of its employees, so if you’re looking for a place where you’re likely to be catered to and helped along your journey with the utmost length of care and attention to detail, then this is the hotel for you.
Staying here will also put you in direct contact with the city’s public transport grid, much as the locations of the other hotels on this list will, but this hotel has something special in the fact that it is both well-connected and just a little bit away from the main hubbub of the city, which allows for a bit more of a relaxing experience and a little bit less crowding out on the streets and beaches than one is likely to experience in the middle of the beach’s span throughout the city.
The hotel has access to its very own bar and event renting amenities, which means that if you’re looking to hold a get-together or even a wedding in the city, this is most likely the best place for you to do so! After all, why not enjoy your special moments in Honolulu?
Coconut Waikiki Hotel
A lot of the other hotels on this list specialize in niches of note, ranging from closeness to the beach to luxurious rooms and large amounts of services, but when it comes to the Coconut Waikiki Hotel, it turns out that we have something special for couples here.
There are very few destinations on the planet that conjure a more romantic image to mind than Hawaii, after all, and this is an energy and drive that the Coconut understands and has maximized to a tee. The hotel is a hotspot for love and passion, giving couples all the space they need to relax and find themselves some peace during the time they have taken aside for a getaway and all of the privacy they could wish for.
The hotel has a pool for calm, isolated swims, a shuttle ready to take you to and from the city’s international airport, and an in-house fitness center if you want to pump some iron while on holiday!
Although it’s located just a little further back from the very front of Waikiki beach than some of the other more central hotels on this list, this isn’t a problem at all if you’re prepared to hop on one of the regularly-running busses that take guests to the island down to the beach in no time at all. There isn’t breakfast or a restaurant available, so that’s something to factor into your stay here.
The walk is also incredibly beautiful, allowing you to truly soak in the essence of what it means to stay in Honolulu and all of its avenues and small neighborhoods. You never know – you and your special someone may discover your new favorite place on the island while wandering about!
Hilton Waikiki Beach
The Hilton brand is another one of those names that just about everyone on this planet knows, which, when paired with Honolulu, which almost everyone also knows, transforms into an unforgettable accommodation experience for the ages.
Supported by four well-earned stars and built upon a sound foundation of incredibly satisfied customer reviews and sound, reliable services, the Hilton Waikiki Beach is the latest location in this list to take perfect advantage of the island’s sea views and wonderful environment and isn’t at all shy to allow its hair down to better accommodate the laid-back culture of the city of Honolulu all around it.
However, not everything this hotel has is matched or mirrored in the other locations on this list. The Hilton Waikiki Beach is one of the few hotels in Honolulu to have both unparalleled beach access and private pools, which means that if you’re not feeling like going down to the sands and mingling with the public, you can always spend an afternoon or two in silence and peace upon the wonderful deck with its perfect views of the bay.
Suppose you’d rather move around a little more than either of these options. In that case, however, there’s also the city’s public transport, which has an excellent connection in the hotel region in the form of the Kuhio Avenue bus stop only a minute’s walk away.
Although it’s one of the few hotels on this list not to be explicitly marked as LGBTQ+ friendly, the message is still clear, and the quality of the Hilton name is just as easy to trust here as it is across the rest of the world. Enjoy – no matter where you come from and how long you will stay in this wonderful island state.
Shoreline Hotel Waikiki
Although a lot of hotels on the Waikiki shoreline maintain spic-and-span fronts and excellent standards of accommodation without needing stars, it’s still reassuring and impressive to see that the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki has four to its name, and it is this prestige that the hotel takes to every aspect of its operation, regardless of whether it is to do with customer service, cleanliness, or with its amenities.
All in all, for yet another officially LGBTQ+-friendly hotel on the Waikiki waterfront, it’s rather surprising that this location hasn’t received more attention to date, but this could be because it is directly next to a Hyatt hotel.
If you want a unique and stylish experience from staying on Waikiki Beach, this is the place for you. There’s nothing shabby about the Shoreline Hotel’s décor and attention to detail, which is true for both the individual rooms and the hotel’s common spaces.
Speaking of common spaces, this hotel joins the majority of the other ones on this list because it possesses a wonderful in-house restaurant for all of your culinary needs, and it also has an outdoor pool for that one more step into the world of convenience and class.
The accompanying seating area is sure to be a treat – what better place is there to enjoy the sun and the tropical vibes, after all, than laying in the sun with a cool drink in your hand and a pool at your feet?
This hotel is also fully kid- and pet-friendly, so if you’re looking to bring either kind of small companion to Honolulu, you’re in luck! As we said, the Shoreline specializes in service, and this is just another of the countless examples proving that dedication.
Park Shore Waikiki Hotel
Set in a wonderfully modern tower that truly stands out amongst the skyline all around it, the Park Shore Waikiki Hotel is the perfect choice for those who aren’t the type to cave into the laid-back air that the city emanates and would rather stay on track with the luxurious side of things.
While most of the hotels in Honolulu favor width over height, this location strikes up into the sky and allows its guests to get a wonderful glance out over the surrounding area, the nature of the island, and the serenity of the sea surrounding it on every front. The rooms are simple, well-maintained, and fill every possible need, and the hotel’s amenities are nothing short of excellent – what more is there to ask for?
The Park Shore Waikiki Hotel is yet another location on this list marked as LGBTQ+-friendly, so – as we’ve said for the other establishments – you needn’t worry about facing discrimination or awkward situations with the staff or other guests.
The entire Hawaiian archipelago is a very laid-back and culturally kind place, and it’s hard to imagine a better place to take a queer romantic holiday, whether it’s with your special someone or whether you’re alone or hoping to meet someone along the way.
Some well-reviewed factors about the Park Shore Waikiki Hotel include its private pool for guests, which – as we described back in this list’s Hilton location – is the perfect retreat from the noise of the public beaches – its fully equipped fitness center for those looking to maintain their regimes, and – of course – its excellent food selections in the form of the Japanese restaurant Yoshitsune and Tucker and Bevvy, which is a fast food restaurant with a wide range of available options in cuisine.
Vive Hotel Waikiki
Located just a few minute’s walk away from the Moana Surfrider Westin Resort & Spa, which was the very first hotel on this list, the Vive Hotel Waikiki occupies the very same position of pride overlooking the ocean as that location but stands just a little bit taller and stronger in its structure as a true hotel, rather than a resort or casual cabin experience like several of the other locations on this list.
Although the Vive Hotel only has three stars to call its own, this number – as it quite often is – means nothing when it comes to the level of satisfaction that guests feel while staying here, and this fact is demonstrated perfectly in the hotel’s almost perfect ratings across all major platforms.
The Vive Hotel includes a free morning breakfast for all of its guests, accessible rooms for those with special movement requirements and an in-house restaurant if you would rather eat in than out of an evening or afternoon.
The restaurant, in particular, is highly rated for the range and quality of its food. If transport is an issue, the hotel also offers an extremely affordable shuttle service that can take guests both to and fro from the city’s airport in no time.
Like most of the hotels on this list, the Vive Hotel is explicitly marked as queer-friendly and LGBTQ-accepting on Google and most major listings, meaning that guests will not have to fear discrimination or conflict while staying here based on who they are traveling with or any other related factor.
All of these factors build together wonderfully to form the picture of the Vive Hotel – a stately, classy way to experience Waikiki Beach from the comfort of a well-maintained and peaceful home away from home.
Gay Hotel Map Of Honolulu
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Honolulu? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Honolulu! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Honolulu.
