At the time it was built in 1955, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani was the largest hotel in Hawaii. Its grounds were once the entrance to the Ainahau Estate, former home to Hawaii's beloved Princess Victoria Ka`iulani, from whom it takes its name. Historic photographs of the princess and the royal monarchy can still be seen on the walls throughout the resort.
Today, the property is owned and operated by Kyo-ya Company Ltd., a division of Kokusai Kogyo Company Ltd., which belongs to the Starwood Hawaii Hotels & Resorts group. With 1,152 rooms and 14 suites, it is Sheraton's second largest Waikiki location, surpassed only by the beachfront Sheraton Waikiki.
Depending on the wing where it is located, each guest room occupies 299 to 348 square feet of space, balcony included, while suites start at 735 square feet. The rooms are equipped with two doubles, one queen or one king size bed. Air conditioning, a room safe, telephone, radio, color/cable TV with remote, refrigerator, coffee maker, towels, escorted check-in and in-room video check-out come standard.
The views from the Ainahau Tower, added in 1970, take in the Pacific Ocean, the Koolau Mountains, Diamond Head and the shimmering lights of Honolulu. Within easy walking distance are all the attractions of Waikiki, nightlife, dining and shopping, including the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and International Marketplace.
On the resort premises, guests can take advantage of a freshwater swimming pool, a beach activities desk, and tours of the historic property, daily newspaper delivery, laundry facilities and dry cleaning services. There are boutique shops, a concierge and dining reservations desk, multilingual staff, valet and self-parking, and a voice mail message center, too.
The Olakino Fitness Center promotes personal wellness on the second floor of the Ainahau Wing. Babysitting and limousine services are also available, and a "Doctors on Call'' 24-hour Medical Clinic is located on the property.
Although the resort does not front the ocean, a crosswalk from the entrance leads just a few steps to Waikiki Beach. Staff can help arrange activities ranging from swimming and surfing to outrigger canoe paddling, snorkeling expeditions, scuba diving, and catamaran charters.
For dining and entertainment at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, guests have several options. Poolside dinners by torch-light are the specialty of the Pikake Terrace Buffet and Broiler, which also serves al fresco breakfasts daily. For authentic Japanese cuisine with tableside culinary demonstrations, Momoyama offers exotic dinner combinations as well as an extensive selection of sushi. And for quick meals and take-out orders, the Minute Chef Food Court has menus covering everything from hamburgers to stir-fry.
Each evening at the Lava Rock Stage, poolside entertainment is performed by Hawaii's top entertainers. Or for a complete dinner and cocktail show, the theatrical production known as "Creation - A Polynesian Journey'' takes place in the Ainahau Showroom from 6pm on Tuesdays and each Thursday through Sunday night.
The hotel is located on the corner of Kalakaua and Kaiulani avenues at 120 Kaiulani Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815. As part of the Starwoods Hawaii group of hotels, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani is a sister property to the nearby Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider, as well as the Sheraton Waikiki. By simply showing a room key, guests can access the facilities of all four properties and charge purchases to their accounts.
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