On our recent trip to Oahu we spent two nights and three days at the J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa - what a lovely property! The hotel itself is visually stunning, understated elegance abounds. The foyer has a gorgeous airy atrium feel. The rooms are spacious, well appointed and tastefully decorated, as are the bathrooms. Rather than drapes, the wall of windows opening to the large lanai (with a lovely ocean view)is closed off by sliding shutters, a wonderful 'tropical' touch, as well as the ceiling fan. All and all I'd call the decor a stylish updated version of Hawaiian plantation style.

Our dining experiences at the Ihilani were rather limited. We had both a dinner and breakfast at the Naupaka Terrace. Both were very good and the service was excellent. We also had lunch on our lanai through room service, which was also quite good and a very pleasant experience. The ambiance does come with a price, however. food was costly, as it tends to be at resorts but simple drinks: plain coffee - $3., a bottle of water - $3., cocktails ran around $7. The second day we headed to the local strip mall and hit Starbucks then Safeway for a supply of bottled water!

The lagoons are stunning and offer a safe swimming environment. Each day we rented a cabana at the main lagoon closest to the hotel. I would highly recommend doing so as it assures you a comfortable shady oasis on the beach for the entire day. There are three other smaller lagoons which are all worth a visit. The entire property is beautifully landscaped and truly just a slice of heaven!

Wow, the spa - what can I say but wonderful! There is a huge list of treatments and the facilities are first rate. My husband was tired canceled his Saturday tee time (he played at Turtle Bay a couple of days later) and snorkeled a bit and relaxed in the cabana while I was at the spa, but the golf course looked nice, other than the fact that construction of townhouses(?) was going on right in the middle of it.

Hints:
For a romantic getaway - get an ocean view room that does not overlook the pool (as ours did). There are a lot of families with children and the pool can be noisy. Additionally, if you're parents leaving the child(ren) at home, as did we, prepare to feel a little guilty - this is a perfect place to bring the kids and despite being a five star resort it's very family friendly!

Mountain view rooms - We didn't have one, but, unlike other areas of Oahu where the mountains look green and lush, it is not so at Ko Olina. Personally, I feel it's one of the least attractive areas of the island. Spend the extra money for an ocean view, well worth it! Shop around for rates, I paid $269. a night for an ocean view, which is listed at $434. on the Ihilani's website.

The Refinery - What exactly it is I'm not sure, but it's a big refinery looking area just a few miles down the beach (a couple of people said Chevron) We could see it from our lanai, although it wasn't overly obvious or distracting. When the time share condo construction adjacent to the hotel is completed, I believe the view of the refinery will be completely obscured.

I am saying the Ihilani is best suited for a romantic getaway because that's why we were there and I can only check one box, but I would say it is equally suited
to kids and family.

I am giving the location four stars rather than five because of the unattractive mountains and the refinery. But the resort property itself is fabulous.


Recommended: Yes