When it comes to dream vacations, Hawaii is always at the top of my list. From lounging on the beach to exploring lush landscapes, it’s paradise – but it comes at a cost.
Finding cheap flights to the islands is just one part of the equation. More and more, hotel stays can eat up your travel budget just as quickly. While Hawaii is home to some jaw-dropping luxury resorts, we’ve found five wallet-friendly hotels that offer serious value without sacrificing comfort, style, or location.
Here are our top five picks for budget-friendly hotels in Hawaii, perfect for your next escape.
1. Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach
Although there are plenty of places to visit in Hawaii, no island offers more flights from the mainland than Oahu. This means most travelers will be flying into Honolulu (HNL) to kick off their vacation.
Fortunately, there's no scarcity of hotel options to choose from here. Hyatt's portfolio on Waikiki Beach is often my go-to for a solid mix of luxury and affordability. While it's hard to choose between all of them, I believe that the Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach reigns supreme.
When using Hyatt points – or Chase Ultimate Rewards transferred to Hyatt – a night here will cost anywhere from 20,000 to 23,000 Hyatt points.
If you're short on points, or prefer to save them for a different stay, cash rates aren't terrible either – starting around $200 per night.
Although you might be able to get better value booking a stay at the Hyatt Regency for the same amount of points, cash rates are far lower at the Hyatt Centric. As for the nearby Hyatt Place, night here can be had for as few as 15,000 points, but the rooms and overall facilities are inferior to those of the Hyatt Centric.
All of these properties charge resort fees, you could easily get around the $40-plus charge by booking with points instead. Unlike some hotel chains, Hyatt doesn't pass that fee on to guests booking with points or free night awards.
The Hyatt Centric is located just a short walk from Waikiki Beach, Fort DeRussy Park, and the International Market Place. It features a rooftop splash lounge with a shallow pool, 24/7 fitness center, and an on-site restaurant and café. Guests can take advantage of complimentary amenities like beach chairs, towels, umbrellas, and access to cultural programming and gear rentals as well.
2. The Ambassador Hotel of Waikiki, Tapestry Collection
One of Hilton's newest additions in Hawaii is The Ambassador Hotel of Waikiki, Tapestry Collection and it's a solid choice for anyone looking to stay in the heart of the action, without breaking the bank.
Right when this property rebranded and joined the Hilton portfolio, we sent a deal to our Thrifty Traveler Premium+ Hotel Alerts subscribers letting them know about it. With cash rates ranging from $195 to $270 per night – and even some scattered dates for as low as $174 – it's a real bargain for a totally renovated property!
Rates have gone up slightly since then, but it's still possible to book this hotel for under $200 per night through the fall. Peak summer stays and dates this winter are slightly more, but even then you're getting a good deal.
If you've got a stash of Hilton points – or Amex Membership Rewards, whic transfer to Hilton 2:1 – award nights go for 46,000 to 77,000 Hilton points per night. If you're looking to plan a stay now, you might even be targeted for an up to 30% bonus from Amex, dropping the cost even further.
Using points is an even better deal for longer stays: If you've got any level of Hilton status, including the complimentary silver status you get with the *Hilton Surpass* or the gold status from *amex platinum*, you can take advantage of Hilton's fifth-night free benefit. Simply book five nights (or more) using points and every fifth night is free when using points.
Although the property is not directly oceanfront, it's located in the heart of Honolulu just minutes away from Waikiki Beach, Fort DeRussy Park, and Gray’s Beach. This family-friendly property is equipped with an outdoor pool deck, fitness center, on-site restaurant, and ocean-view rooms.
The property's $45 resort fee covers complimentary beach umbrellas, chairs, and one-hour surfboard rentals (three daily credits), as well as bicycle rentals.
3. Holiday Inn Express Waikiki
Our sleeper pick of the bunch is the Holiday Inn Express Waikiki. It's also one of the most budget-friendly options in Honolulu, period.
Don't expect high-end amenities like a spa or onsite restaurant here, but you can't beat the price. You can often book nights here for as low as $150, and even the most expensive nights rarely exceed $230 or so.
If you've got IHG points to spare, rooms here start at 28,000 points per night and rarely top 40,000 points. If you're staying four nights or more, you can take advantage of IHG's fourth-night-free benefit on award stays, dropping the points price even further. And if you've got the *ihg rewards club premier* in your wallet, you can more often than not use your free night certificate here, without having to kick in any extra points.
Our senior editor Jackson stayed here with his family earlier this year and found it to be a really good value for the money … or in his case, points. Best of all, the whole hotel is being renovated from the top-floor down so with a little luck, you might get a completely refurbished room. And even though it's not an oceanfront hotel, half of the rooms still have an ocean view. The other half look out on downtown Honolulu and the surrounding mountains.
Since it's a Holiday Inn Express, all guests get complimentary breakfast (with rotating items daily) and the hotel's $33 amenity fee provides access to a fifth-floor sky-deck with a small pool and jacuzzi, mini-golf, shuffle board, corn hole, and a kids' play area.
The property is located right across the street from The Ambassador Hotel (listed above), just minutes from Waikiki Beach and a short walk from the International Market and lots of other shops and restaurants.
4. The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort
If you'd like to book a more premium option in Honolulu, look no further than The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort.
The cheapest nights here often go for just under $500, inclusive of a $52 resort fee. But instead of paying those high cash rates, you could book a room for as little as 64,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points per night.
Or better yet, use a free night certificate from the *bonvoy brilliant* or the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card instead. Just know that whether you're using points or free night certificates, you'll still be on the hook for the resort fee .
Alternatively, you could use the annual $200 hotel credit that comes with *amex platinum* when booking through Fine Hotels + Resorts®, the $300 Capital One Travel credit from the *venture x* , or the annual $300 travel credit from the *chase sapphire reserve* to bring down the cash cost of a night here. This property is also bookable with a Delta Stays credit from a SkyMiles co-branded card.
This hotel is located right on Waikiki Beach with two beachfront pools, a full-service spa, a 24‑hour fitness center, and its own private beach area.
Cash and points bookings both include perks like morning yoga, stand-up paddle boarding lessons, ukulele lessons, as well as hula, lei, and bracelet making classes.
5. Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa
If you're looking to visit Maui (OGG), don't sleep on the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. Although it's one of the nicer options on our list, there are plenty of ways to book an affordable stay at this property!
Despite Hyatt's recent award chart changes, this property was one of the few that actually got cheaper to book with points! Nights here will now run you between 21,000 to 29,000 Hyatt points. Best of all, you'll avoid paying the $49 resort fee on award bookings, too.
Considering nights here often exceed $600, this is a great use of Hyatt points. If you're short on Hyatt points, you could offset some of the cost with a Venture X, Sapphire Reserve, or Delta Stays credit. The cheapest rates we could find for the next year start at a little over $500 per night.
This resort spans 40 acres along Ka‘anapali Beach and was left untouched by the devastating wild fire that ripped through Lahaina a couple of years ago. The hotel features a large swimming pool with waterfalls, a beachfront spa, a 24-hour athletic club, easy access to area golf courses, and plenty of dining options on property and within short walking distance.
Bottom Line
Hawaii doesn't have to be a budget-buster. From Oahu to Maui, there are plenty of great hotels you can book with points or at reasonable cash rates – no dingy motels required. These five properties offer serious value in paradise without draining your wallet (or your stash of points).
Lead image courtesy of Hyatt
