Loved the Moana

Stayed in the Moana for our honeymoon in September. Fantastic hotel with lots of charm and character one of the best hotels in Waikki.

Stayed in the historic Banyan wing agree with previous reviews that the rooms are smaller than your average room in American hotels but think this just added to the appeal and charm of the hotel. Pool area is a little small but then who needs a pool when the ocean is only 10 feet away. The staff were all very friendly and most helpful. Particulary enjoyed the evenings under the Banyan tree drinking those excellent Mai Tai's and watching the Hula dancers before heading out for dinner.

Would definately recommend this hotel to anyone travelling to Oahu.

One of the world's best- in its own gracious way

We had stayed at this hotel three years ago and loved it- so very Hawaiian. But on this trip, my husband wanted to use Priceline for Oahu and he did and we sadly got the Marriott Waikiki Beach- which of, course is not actually ON a beach and is in the middle of renovations(but that's another story). We arrived at night- stayed at the Marriott and the next day walked to the Moana. My husband was so overtaken by its charm, he booked us in for that night- so we got a little bag and moved in-spent all day and the next day at the pool and beach. Waikiki is a very hectic place- its not for everyone, but as part of a larger trip, its a wonderful first venue. The Moana has been tastefully and authentically restored- a treat to be in the historic part- and paradise to be sitting under that great Banyon tree watching the world walk by. There's nothing like it! So much atmosphere- wonderful public spaces (although small) in this hotel. The rooms are fine- tiny but cute bathrooms- good ammenities- Only bad thing is that the dinner food(beautiful porch setting) is not good at all and pricey...I mean really not good- so just have drinks there and go on. But this is a very charming-best location on Waikiki Beach- and should be at the beginning of one's trip before one is jaded by the likes of the Ritz or Four Seasons.

Location, Location, Location!

My husband and I travel to Hawaii every year. This year we decided to stop over in Oahu for a week. We are really glad that we did. The Surfrider has the perfect location. The ocean is right at your feet where you may swim, surf, or take a ride on a catarmaran 2 steps from the hotel. You're across the street from the "International Marketplace" as well as walking distance to the high end designer stores. If your package includes breakfast, be sure to check out the other Sheraton restaurants. It was nice to have variety and the food was very good. The conceirge was very helpful in getting us reservations and making suggestions to wonderful restaurants. Hope you enjoy your stay!

LOVE OAHU & THE MOANA SURFRIDER

I lived on Oahu for 9 years and never went inside the Moana but last year we went back for a visit and decided to stay there. What a WONDERFUL experience! The rooms are beautiful and the staff couldnt be nicer or more helpful. We stayed in historic banyan wing over looking the banyan tree. There was Hawaiian music each night right out side our room. I would highly recommend this beautiful Hotel and the island Oahu to anyone who loves to have fun and enjoy the beauty of Hawai'i. We'll be there in a few weeks and can't wait!!

Nice Hotel in the Middle of a Mess

Oahu sucks. I hated it. There were too many people, cars, pigeons, buildings and roads. But, if you have to go there, stay at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. We stayed in the old part (center section of the hotel) and while our room was small, it was very cool and had lots of character. The staff was very nice to us. The beaches at Waikiki are terrible in general. In fact, most of the hotels we went to didn't have any respectible piece of beach at all. The Moana's beach was the best we saw at Waikiki. Our room was located in the front of the hotel which meant we had to deal with lots and lots of noise, all night long coming from the street out front. If you are picking islands to visit. Skip Oahu and go to Maui or Kauai instead.

Good hotel, poor sea view

Nice hotel. We stayed in a historic banyan wing sea view room, however, the only down point was that the sea view wasn't very good. It was more of a "partial" sea view at best (probably not worth the money for the upgarde to sea view over a standard room.) Apart from that it's a very nice hotel with great location. A word of warning if you're planning on getting married there though - over the weekend it seemed like there was a production line of weddings going on (we counted at least 8 couples during the day!) so it's probably not a very personnal occasion if that's what you're looking for.

LOVE IT!

We go to Oahu every year and have always stayed at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. We absolutely love the hotel, the location, and the Diamond Head view you get from many of the Tower rooms (we've stayed in the older, original part of the hotel as well, which is quite charming, but the Tower rooms are quieter and the view can't be beat).

If you are traveling with children, they also offer a child care program for kids ages 6 to 12. We have used this program and really recommend it. Our son loves the activities and it gives us a chance to chill out in the sun with a book.

The courtyard with the Banyan tree is lovely and there is always music in the evenings which wafts up the rooms. The overall ambience of the hotel is "old Hawaii" and the staff does everything they can to make sure you have a great stay.

Five stars! You won't be disappointed!

Stay in the old wing

This hotel is truly one of a kind. Starwood Hotels, which owns several of the hotels along this strip of Waikiki Beach, have been careful to preserve the ambiance, elegance and charm of a colonial hawaiian mansion. The courtyard has one of the most incredible banyan trees in the world, which makes sitting underneath it at night, listening to the evening's entertainment an absolute must. To truly experience this, I recommend getting one of the rooms in the old wing that faces the courtyard and the ocean.The drawbacks, of course, are the pool, which is outdated and lacks a jaccuzzi of any kind and the prices for drinks and food, which outpace other hotels in Waikiki.Though friends of ours were'nt pleased with their stay in the hotel's Tower section, we stayed in the old wing, with its 10 foot ceilings and charming bathrooms. They said our room was a city view upon checkin (it wasn't!), but we really enjoyed the charm of the hotel itself. I believe I will come back as often as I can.

Quite lovely, it is

the sheraton truly stands out from the crowd of architecturally uninspired skyscraper hotels that overpopulate waikiki, and is certainly a delight to the eye. my friend and i, taken with the exterior, stepped into the lobby to explore this gem. we found that they hosted a daily afternoon tea in their lovely banyan veranda, and parttook on a saturday. they served us delicious finger sandwiches, scones, and desserts, gave us prompt and sincere attention in a totally non-snooty atmosphere with a beautiful view of the ocean. highly recommendable!

Best Hotel Experience Ever!

This charming and delightful hotel exceeded our expections. Several friends have stayed at the Moana and recommended it for our recent visit. The hotel itself is beautiful, not the standard cookie-cutter high rise hotel found elsewhere in Honolulu. The staff was gracious and very helpful. We stayed in the restored Banyan wing and were lucky enough to get a room with a deck (you can request a deck but it depends on availablity). The room was very clean and comfortable with many amentities including plush bathrobes, slippers, a mini-fridge, detachable showerhead and a wide variety of toliteries. A bit on the small side, but the 4 of us did fine with the space. The view from our deck was outstanding, overlooking the courtyard area with it's 100 year old banyan tree and ocean. The courtyard area serves as host to a delightful cocktail/bar-b-que area and a variety of hawaiian music each night until 10:30. The pool area was small, but hey, the beach is only steps away. We saw many weddings take place during our 5 day stay because of the hotel's historic decor and furnishings. The staff was top-notch and we found everything to be 5 star. A great hotel located in a great location (in the heart of downtown) with a great staff. What more do you need?? We plan on staying again at the Moana during our next trip to Hawaii.