While it certainly would not be accurate to call it a secret to visitors, Kaimana Beach is still a place where you will often encounter more Hawaii residents than tourists.
Where Is Kaimana Beach?
One of Oahu’s most popular stretches of sand for locals, Kaimana Beach sits at the foot of Diamond Head on the easternmost edge of Waikiki.
The sprawling beach is fronted by a frequently calm swath of clear, blue water — thanks to protection provided by an offshore reef — so it’s typically a terrific place for kids to play in the warm ocean. Just across the street from a green space outfitted with picnic tables and barbecues, Kaimana is also a regular magnet for family gatherings — especially on weekends — and routinely fragrant with the mouthwatering smells of outdoor grilling.
A 10-minute walk from the busier resorts, shops and restaurants that make up the familiar skyline of iconic Waikiki, Kaimana Beach is situated in a more residential neighborhood on Oahu’s south shore, where the vibe is a little sleepier and agendas seem far less frenzied. So much so that the beach itself has also been referred to for years by the nickname Sans Souci — a French expression meaning without worry.
Where to Stay: Kaimana Beach Hotel
Travelers looking to soak up a little of that more-relaxed atmosphere on their next Oahu visit, but who still want to be relatively close to the excitement of Hawaii’s most urban destination, may want to consider a stay at the Kaimana Beach Hotel, a 122-room property first built in 1963 that completed a substantial refresh in February 2021 and now features a new feel.
According to Haaheo Zablan, the boutique property’s general manager, the first-floor lobby underwent a dramatic overhaul, and the popular open-air Hau Tree restaurant, situated just steps from the sand, was revitalized with a redesign and a brand-new menu. Zablan said the Kaimana Beach Hotel’s 48 ocean-view suites and guestrooms also received substantial upgrades.
The Kaimana Beach Hotel finished a substantial refresh to its 48 ocean-view suites and guestrooms in February 2021.
Credit: 2022 Kaimana Beach Hotel“Basically, we touched everything in the room except for the carpet and the furniture,” he explained. “We repainted, we replaced all the soft goods, including bedding — the pillows, mattresses and bed skirts. We added new accent pillows to connect a little bit more to the lobby. We added artwork in a salon-wall fashion, somewhat similar to what you now see down in the lobby.”
Zablan said the Kaimana Beach Hotel was purchased about four years ago by BlackSand Capital, a Honolulu-based real estate private equity firm, and the Waikiki boutique is now managed by the Private Label Collection, which also runs the Hotel Wailea, a Relais & Chateaux property on Maui.
“We learned very quickly that there was very high demand for our ocean-facing rooms, which directed us to work on putting some improvements into those options,” Zablan said, noting future improvements to the rest of the property’s guestrooms are being discussed, but no timetable has been set for those upgrades.
The recent refresh has certainly altered the feel of the property’s first floor, where, during my visit earlier this year, there were many local folks and visitors enjoying the hotel’s energetic new lobby bar and the bustling Hau Tree restaurant. Views from the Kaimana Beach Hotel’s ocean-facing lanais have always been some of the best on Oahu, but the improvements in those rooms have certainly added a pleasing, relaxed-chic aesthetic.
Guests looking to enjoy VIP treatment at Kaimana Beach should note that the boutique property’s $25 Kaimana Club daily resort fee includes access to top-notch service there from hotel staff.
“They will set up chairs and umbrellas, and provide beach towels,” Zablan said. “Then, they will check on [guests] throughout the day to see if they need anything, like water or sunscreen. Or, if they want to order food, our staff can facilitate the order from Hau Tree.”
Other perks included with the resort fee are yoga and fitness classes, as well as lei-making and hula lessons and free standup paddleboard or surfboard rentals from the on-property Pro Surf School Hawaii, run by longtime Hawaii pro surfer and celebrated longboard rider Kai Sallas.
The Kaimana Beach Hotel is in many ways an outstanding option for visiting surfers. The beachfront property sits right in front of several surf breaks that can offer fun waves during the frequent swells that make Oahu’s south shore so popular for board riders. What distinguishes Kaimana, however, is that the breaks there tend to be significantly less crowded than those along the frequently bustling shorelines of the more iconic districts of Waikiki.
The many surf breaks in front of the Kaimana Beach Hotel are frequently less crowded than those found elsewhere in Waikiki.
Credit: 2022 Kaimana Beach HotelStill extremely popular with a faithful collection of regularly returning West Coast guests who have been visiting the property for years, Kaimana Beach Hotel is also expanding its market share, according to Zablan, who said the boutique property is seeing more millennial and Gen Z travelers seeking a bit more authenticity during their stay. And he was quick to note business has been very good in recent months.
“In many cases, we’ve been seeing sell-outs on weekends,” he said, noting occupancy for the property has regularly been better than 85% this year. “So far in 2021, there has been improvement — fairly large improvements in ADR [average daily rate], as well as occupancy — over 2019.”
