Raised in Hawaii, travel and hospitality veteran Lynette Eastman knows a thing or two about Waikiki — she lives in the district and has overseen the Surfjack Hotel and Swim Club since its debut. The 112-room property is celebrating its 10th birthday this month, and as its general manager, Eastman couldn’t be prouder.
“People are very happy with the Surfjack, and that's because of the way we make the people feel,” she said. “When they go home, they're not thinking about what you said — what they remember is how you made them feel. That's what we live for, and that's what we've worked for.”
Many guests arrive at the Surfjack eager to meet Jack, the half-French, half-English bulldog that Eastman adopted during the pandemic. Jack is onsite daily as the hotel’s “Ambassador of Aloha.” (Of course, the hotel is pet-friendly.)
The tiled pool at the Surfjack Hotel and Swim Club
Credit: 2026 Surfjack Hotel and Swim ClubWhen Eastman steps away from her desk, here’s where she (and usually Jack) like to head.
Go to the beach to: watch a regatta, a series of boat races right off the shore. I tote my folding chair to the beach — we call it a kapuna chair, for us elders — dig it into the sand and keep my toes in the water as I cheer. My grandchildren are canoe paddlers now, and it is so exciting to watch them race.
There are races throughout the year, including every July 4, when the Outrigger Canoe Club hosts the Walter J. Macfarlane Memorial Canoe Regatta at Waikiki Beach. Or, catch the Royal Regatta, hosted by the Waikiki Yacht Club in honor of both King David Kalakaua and Hawaii’s canoeing legacy. It takes place Nov. 14 this year (it’s always around the King’s birthday, Nov. 16).
Eastman highly recommends watching canoe races.
Credit: 2026 Maridav/stock.adobe.comIf you want to canoe yourself, visit Faith Surf School, which offers guided outrigger canoe surfing sessions from the beachfront Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort.
For a taste of Waikiki luxury, and a snack: visit the iconic International Market Place. There are high-end boutiques here, from Burberry to Balenciaga, and a big food court. I always stop at Liliha Bakery, which is known for Coco Puffs (puff pastries stuffed with pudding), ring-shaped poi mochi donuts and loco moco with fried rice.
Liliha Bakery is famous for its delicious pastries, including poi mochi donuts.
Credit: 2026 Liliha BakeryWhat surprises people is: the cultural opportunities in our malls. The International Market Place hosts the free O Na Lani Sunset Stories Hula Show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night. Then, just down Kalakaua Avenue at the Royal Hawaiian Center, are more shops, plus ukulele and hula lessons and musical performances.
Hot places to go include: the new Cirque du Soleil show, “Auana,” which takes place at Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, and Earls Waikiki, a restaurant and lounge that opened last October and is always buzzing and full of beautiful people.
The Green Raja cocktail at Mahina and Suns
Credit: 2026 Lauren Anthony Photography/Surfjack Hotel and Swim ClubDon’t miss: the Surfjack’s own bar and restaurant, Mahina and Suns. Our “bar czar,” Christian Taibi, makes incredible creative cocktails. My top pick is the Green Raja, a gin-based drink with lime cordial, aquafaba foam and edible flowers. Because of Taibi, we’ve been named one of the top bars in the entire state.
Hoshino Resorts
The Surfjack Hotel and Swim Club is part of Hoshino Resorts, which operates more than 70 properties in Japan and beyond. Hoshino Resorts was founded in 1914 and remains family owned.
