By Sheila Beal
When you're looking for a great Hawaii hotel for the family vacation, it's easy to become overwhelmed with all the choices. In general you can't make a bad decision as most Hawaii hotels make great vacation bases whether you are looking for a romantic trip for two or a family fun vacation.
When planning a family vacation to Hawaii, we think one of the most important aspects to consider is to find a hotel that offers safe and fun water sports. In this list, we've put an emphasis on hotels situated beside sheltered ocean swimming spots and/or have outstanding pools.
So there are a lot of great family-friendly Hawaii hotels, but the following hotels are the best of the best, in our opinion.
— Oahu —
Where: Oahu's west coast is an outstanding resort for families.
Reasons families like it:
- The resort offers an amazing waterpark that's fun for kids of all ages.
- Aulani was built by one of the sheltered Ko Olina lagoons which is much safer for kids to splash around in the ocean.
- The resort operates a complimentary kid's club plus activities for teens.
- There's a mix of rooms and villas at the resort. The villas have full kitchen's and a washer and dryer.
- They offer an onsite hula show.
Reviews: See our Aulani review and reviews from TripAdvisor
Nightly rate: starting at approximately $375.
Where: Waikiki
Reasons families like it:
- Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon offers sheltered swimming.
- Some of the best pools in Waikiki
- Onsite kid's club (fee required)
- Fireworks show every Friday evening.
- They have an onsite luau.
Reviews: See our review of Hilton Hawaiian Village and reviews from TripAdvisor
Nightly rate: starting at roughly $225
— Kauai —
Where: Kauai's east coast near Lihue airport.
Reasons families like it:
- Located on sheltered Kalapaki Beach
- One of the largest resort pools in all of Hawaii
- Located on the east side of Kauai making it convenient for sightseeing around the island.
Reviews: See our review of Kauai Marriott and read reviews from TripAdvisor.
Nightly rates start at roughly $275.
Other noteworthy Kauai hotels/locations
– Hotels and vacation rentals in the Poipu area are worth considering because of the sheltered kiddie beach at Poipu Beach Park.
— Hawaii, the Big Island —
Where: Located on the luxurious Kohala Coast.
Reasons families like it:
- This resort has many fun pools and one with a large waterslide.
- The resort has a sheltered lagoon that's fun for waters sports, snorkeling and seeing sea turtles.
- Waikoloa makes a great base for a Hawaii Island vacation with several restaurant and shopping options plus free entertainment.
- Dolphin Quest is located onsite where you can view and swim with dolphins.
- They have a kid's club available for a fee.
- They have an onsite luau.
Reviews: See our review of Hilton Waikoloa Village and read reviews from TripAdvisor.
Nightly rate: starting at just under $200.
— Maui —
Where: in sunny Wailea on South Maui.
Reasons families like it:
- The resort has very fun pools plus waterslides and a water elevator.
- There's an onsite luau.
- The resort offers fun activities for kids and teens for a fee. See this link for more information.
Please note that there isn't a sheltered ocean swimming spot. So check conditions before allowing kids to play in the ocean.
Reviews: See our Grand Wailea review and read reviews from TripAdvisor.
Nightly rate: starting at approximately $575.
Other noteworthy Maui hotels/locations
– Honua Kai is an upscale condominium-style resort with full-sized gourmet kitchens and washer and dryers which families love. They have several pools including a fun pool with a waterslide. See our review of Honua Kai and more reviews from TripAdvisor. Please note that there isn't a sheltered ocean swimming spot. So check conditions before allowing kids to play in the ocean.
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What other family-friendly Hawaii hotels do you recommend?
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