The First Lady of Waikiki, opened 1901. The banyan tree in the courtyard has shaded it for over a century. History you can actually book.
The Moana Surfrider is the First Lady of Waikiki: the first hotel built on the beach, opened in 1901, now a historic Westin resort of around 790 rooms wrapped around a landmark banyan tree and a beachfront veranda. Book it for genuine Waikiki history, central beachfront and afternoon tea under the tree, not for a secluded resort away from the crowds.
Independently scored on Room & Design, Service and Location on a 10-point scale for a 9.1 aggregate, lifted by a prime central-Waikiki beachfront and held level by historic rooms that vary in size. See our scoring methodology.
Stay here for the history you can actually sleep in. The Moana opened in 1901 as the very first hotel on Waikiki Beach, a graceful Beaux-Arts building at the water's edge that was, for decades, the most luxurious address in the Pacific, and it has been known ever since as the First Lady of Waikiki. Its beachfront veranda and the enormous banyan tree that has shaded the inner courtyard for more than a century are among the most photographed features on the beach, and in March 2026 the resort celebrated its 125th anniversary. Recent renovations, including a refresh of the historic Banyan Wing, have kept the old building comfortable without stripping away its character. It is now run as a Westin resort under Marriott, so the heritage comes with modern service standards.
What makes it special is that the history is not a museum piece; it is the everyday backdrop to the stay. You check in beneath the banyan tree, take breakfast looking straight at the ocean, and step off the veranda onto the oldest hotel beach in Waikiki. For travellers who want central Waikiki, a genuine sense of place and a price that usually undercuts its grander neighbours, the Moana is the most characterful choice on the beach.
Start with the wings, because they define the experience. The resort spans three: the historic Banyan Wing, the original 1901 building, which is the most atmospheric but has the smaller, older-footprint rooms; and the larger, more contemporary Tower and Diamond wings, which hold the roomier accommodations. For space and a view, book an ocean-facing room in the Tower or Diamond wing, where you get the beach and the water from your lanai; for history, book the recently renovated Banyan Wing and accept a cozier room in exchange for standing inside the 1901 landmark. The gap between an ocean-view and a city-view room here is significant in both price and experience, so decide which matters more and specify the wing and outlook clearly at booking. Families should ask about connecting configurations in the Tower and Diamond wings.
The signature ritual is afternoon tea on the Banyan Veranda, served beneath the great tree with the beach beyond; it is the most charming thing to do on Waikiki, open to non-guests by reservation, and worth booking even if you are staying elsewhere. For meals, the resort's oceanfront restaurant sits right on the terrace above the sand, essentially a dining room on the beach, and handles breakfast through dinner with the ocean as the view. The Moana Lani Spa, a Westin-branded beachfront spa in its own space, is well run and one of the few spas on Waikiki with a genuine oceanfront setting. Between the tea, the beachfront tables and the spa, the resort gives you plenty of reasons to slow down without leaving the property, which is unusual for a hotel this central.
The Moana produces an anniversary stay at a price below the Royal Hawaiian and Halekulani, with a historic setting those hotels can match but not exceed. The Banyan Wing rooms, the afternoon tea beneath the tree and the oldest hotel beach in Waikiki combine into an anniversary that is genuinely rooted in Hawaii's history rather than manufactured for it. See all anniversary hotels →
The Moana's central beachfront, its calm stretch of sand for swimming, its children's activity programme and its connecting-room options in the Tower and Diamond wings make it one of the best family hotels in central Waikiki. The beach immediately in front is among the gentler swimming spots in the corridor, and the shops and dining of Kalakaua Avenue are on the doorstep. See all family holiday hotels →
Waikiki has three historic beachfront hotels, and the Moana is the value-and-history pick among them. Here is how the choice lines up.
| Option | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Moana Surfrider (First Lady, 1901) | The most history, central beachfront, banyan tea, value | Historic rooms are small; central Waikiki is busy |
| The Royal Hawaiian (1927) | The iconic Pink Palace look and a lively beachfront | Pricier; a different, pinker aesthetic |
| Halekulani (1917) | The most refined service and the orchid mosaic pool | Quieter and pricier; less of a family scene |
Read that as a decision. If you want the polished, hushed option, book the Halekulani; if you want the iconic pink landmark, the Royal Hawaiian. If you want the oldest hotel on the beach, the banyan tree and the best value of the three, the Moana is the pick. For a resort away from the Waikiki crowds entirely, the Four Seasons at Ko Olina is the alternative.
The Moana's central location is its best feature and its biggest compromise at once: this is dense, busy, tourist-heavy Waikiki, not a secluded resort, so the beach in front is public and crowded, and the shopping strip of Kalakaua Avenue is right outside rather than a private enclave. The historic Banyan Wing is full of charm but its rooms are on the small side and the old building has the quirks of its age, so anyone expecting a large modern room should book the Tower or Diamond wing instead. Ocean-view rooms carry a steep premium over city-view, and as with every Waikiki resort there is a nightly resort fee and expensive valet parking on top of the rate. The property is large and can feel busy in its public areas, especially around the popular afternoon tea and at check-in. And if your image of Hawaii is an isolated, quiet beach, this determinedly urban stretch of Waikiki is the wrong setting and a resort like the Four Seasons at Ko Olina will suit you better. None of this diminishes what the Moana uniquely offers; it is simply the trade for staying in a living landmark in the middle of Waikiki.
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Because it was the first hotel built on Waikiki Beach, opening in 1901. Its Beaux-Arts building, beachfront veranda and courtyard banyan tree have been landmarks ever since, and it marked its 125th anniversary in March 2026. It is now a Westin resort under Marriott.
The historic Banyan Wing (1901) is the most characterful but has smaller rooms; the Tower and Diamond wings are larger and more contemporary. For space and views, book ocean-facing in the Tower or Diamond wing; for history, the renovated Banyan Wing.
Yes. Central beachfront, a calm swimming beach, connecting rooms in the Tower and Diamond wings and a children's programme make it one of the better family choices on the beach.
A traditional tea on the Banyan Veranda beneath the courtyard's great banyan tree, facing the beach. It is open to non-guests by reservation and is one of the most atmospheric things to do on Waikiki.
Rooms generally start around 300 US dollars for a city-view room and rise well beyond for ocean views and suites, plus a resort fee and valet parking. It usually undercuts the Royal Hawaiian and Halekulani.
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