Halekulani, which means 'House befitting heaven', is one of the top hotels in Hawaii, if not the world. This once private estate has been welcoming the discerning traveller since 1917, and endeavors to live up to its name, and its excellent reputation.

One of the hotel's very special services is its in-room check-in, there is no queuing at reception or waiting around after your long journey!  You are escorted straight to your room, where check-in formalities are completed.

The hotel has 453 rooms offering Garden Courtyard View, Partial Ocean View, Ocean View, Oceanfront and Diamond Head Oceanfront room categories to select from.  All the rooms are beautifully appointed and were refurbished in 2012.  The ensuite bathrooms come with both a glassed-in shower, a deep soaking bath, bath robes and complimentary toiletries. The rooms are larger than those found in most other deluxe properties in Hawaii, giving you 420sqft/39sqm of elegantly decorated space, with 1 King or 2 Twin beds, plantation-style shutters, air conditioning, telephone, workdesk and chair, sitting area with sofa, coffee table and chair, TV with all major channels & on demand movies, alarm clock/radio with Ipod dock, in-room safe, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, minibar/fridge with free bottled water, twice daily maid service, nightly turndown service with a little gift or token each night, complimentary newspapers and a huge 100sqft/9sqm private balcony with table chairs and sun lounger.  Additionally, all guests receive a welcome bowl of fresh fruit and Halekulani chocolates.

The Halekulani also offers spacious suites, ranging from 720sqft/67sqm Junior Ocean Suite, with great ocean views and 2 balconies, and the spacious 1-Bedroom Pool View Suites, located right above the pool deck, facing the ocean, right up to the opulent 4,000+sqft Royal Suite, with 2 separate bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, dressing room, kitchen living room and even its own private butler!

In the middle, you have the option of the large, 1-bedroom Luxury, Diamond Head and the Executive Suites, all offering elegant, spacious accommodation and luxurious, exclusive amenities.

The dining experience at the Halekulani is one of the best to be found on Waikiki and will delight the most discerning gourmet.  There are 3 very different restaurants at the Halekulani, each with their own distinctive style and ambiance.

For luxurious, gourmet, fine dining, the French-inspired La Mer is Hawaii's longest, consecutively ranked AAA Five Diamond Restaurant.  The menu bestows fresh fish, meat and fresh island vegetables with wonderful ocean views and a formal dining dress code.

Orchids delivers casual, elegant dining right on the oceanfront.  Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as award-winning Sunday Brunch and classic Afternoon Tea, Orchids menu offers fresh fish, meats, salads and vegetables, all locally sourced if at all possible.  Informal resort attire is acceptable for day time dining, but smart dress is required for the dinner service.

The House without a Key Restaurant, named after the first Charlie Chan detective novel, provides relaxed, casual dining, either inside, or out on the open air patio, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  Cocktails and nightly live Hawaiian music under the old Kiawe tree, is an age-old tradition that is faithfully preserved here, with the amazing sunsets as a backdrop.  The menu offers more casual fare, with sandwiches, snacks, seafood, steaks and salads, accompanied by fresh vegetables, and delicious desserts.

The Halekulani Hotel facilities include a beach-front swimming pool, with dedicated pool attendants, who will seat you at your lounger, after covering it for you, and taking your food and drink orders, so you can just lay back and relax.   There is also a well-equipped fitness centre and business centre, a selection of shops and boutiques, a relaxing Spa offering a selection of treatments and massages in a calming, serene atmosphere, a comfortable hospitality suite, with lounge, showers and complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits, for guests to use before check-in or after you check-out, if you need to waste time before your transport arrives.  All local phone calls are free, as is the complimentary high speed internet access.

The Halekulani has managed to create a very intimate atmosphere that belies its size.  They have a very formal and cultivated ambiance that may not suit everyone, especially if you are looking for a fun and casual holiday, this may not be the hotel for you.  But if formality is what you desire, then the Halekulani can deliver with ardor.

So if you are looking for that somewhere very special to spoil yourself, and be waited on hand and foot, right in the heart of Waikiki, then look no further than the historic Halekulani.

Click HERE to visit the hotel's own website