As a vacation spot, Hawaii tries to be a little bit of everything to everyone.
On one hand, they offer family vacations for both adults and their keiki (child/children). Disney took advantage of this when they opened Aulani Resort & Spa, a
However, more often, Hawaii is touted as more of a place for couples. Or at least adults. Which is reasonable. I mean, I don’t have kids, but I see Hawaii as more of a “romantic” place (maybe because Joe and I spent our honeymoon, 10th and 20th anniversaries there? LOL!) than a “family-friendly” one (because really, what 8y/o really WANTS to go to the USS Arizona? Or, more so, will understand its significance, why it needs to be a solemn place, etc.)
Adult-only hotels
To help visitors to Hawaii who are looking for an exclusively adult experience, 2 “adult-only” hotels have popped up over the years.
- Located on the small island of Lanai HI, the ultra-luxe Sensai Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort, is *almost* adult-only; guests of the resort must be age 14 or older. They start at $1,300 per night.
- Hotel Wailea, is a Relais & Chateau property located on Maui. It’s truly “adults only,” since they only allow guests who are age 18 and over. They start at $899/ni.
Now Oahu has gotten one
I’m sure both the Sensai Lanai and Hotel Wailea are lovely. But the bottom line is that most visitors to Hawaii go to O’ahu. So it would make sense for an adults-only hotel to open there. And effective June 1, one did. What’s more, it’s not geared to be high-end like the other two adult-only hotels in the state (because let’s face it…just because you don’t have big bucks doesn’t mean you wouldn’t appreciate staying somewhere that’s kidless).
Romer Hotel
Romer House Waikīkī is in the heart of Honolulu, on Nāhua Street. It’s located on a cross street between Kūhiō Avenue and Ala Wai Boulevard. It’s less than a block from the International Market Place and an 8-to-10-minute walk to the beach.
They’re calling themselves O’ahu’s adults-only neighborhood hotel.
Romer House Waikiki replaces the former Pearl Hotel Waikiki. The hotel is run by Highgate Hotels, which also renovated and opened the family-friendly Romer Waikīkī at the Ambassador last year.
Romer House Oahu has 179 guest rooms, which are described as having an “urban beach-chic aesthetic.”
PC: Romer House
When you arrive at the hotel, you’re offered a celebratory cocktail, as well as a phone number (called the “Aloha Line”) that you can call or text for personalized recommendations and insider tips about the neighborhood and getting around Oʻahu.
The second floor of the hotel houses an area they call The Backyard. It features a small pool and bar that they tout as a relaxing social hub for guests.
PC: Romer House
There’s an on-site restaurant, Izakaya 855-Aloha, that serves bento boxes (Izakaya stays open late, BTW). The bar’s daylong menu features katsu sandwiches, milk-bread bun burgers, tropical frozen cocktails, sake, etc. The splash-free pool has cabana daybeds and loungers for your comfort.
Izakaya 855-ALOHA // PC: Romer House
Romer House prides itself on serving as a steward of the King Kalākaua Park and offers various wellness amenities and local collaborations, such as pool deck wellness classes, in-room spa bundles, bike rentals and a signature house scent.
Rated as a 4-star hotel, rooms at Romer House start at $195 per night (being a few blocks from the beach grants you a lower price, LOL). A $45/night resort fee will be added, but it allows you to enjoy a drink every evening, bike rentals, daily workout and wellness classes, and use of beach chairs and umbrellas, among other benefits (about the beach chairs and umbrellas—they have a partnership with the Twin Fin Waikiki Beach Candy rental shop).
They appear to have several “deals” going on at any given time, with discounts offered and/or Amenity Fee waived for Military, locals, visiting for Pride, etc.
More info can be found at www.romerhotels.com.
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1 comment
I don’t know how much of a sell “adults only” is within the context of a high-rise city hotel, which this more or less is. The childless environment benefit pays off best at resort-style properties, where it’s reasonably expected that guests will spend a substantial amount of their daytime hours on property. Romer’s, on the other hand, is pretty much going to serve as a crash pad while guests explore elsewhere in Waikiki and Oahu by day.
I guess it’s nice knowing you won’t have to hear babies throwing fits through the walls, but I doubt many families with young kids would have been looking at this hotel in the first place. Interesting marketing either way, and I wish ’em the best!