Best Resorts & Hotels in Hawaii on Points

Hawaii is a stunning tropical, year-round destination that easily breaks the budget. With resort fees and high demand driving up the prices of resorts and hotels on all the islands, it makes Hawaii a great place to use points to book your stays.

Which points you use will depend on the program you would like to book with, so you’ll need to have a property in mind it you intend to collect points toward a Hawaiian vacation. I combed the reviews so you don’t have to, and selected the best each major hotel program has to offer, from Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott.

World of Hyatt Hotels

Hyatt points are best accumulated using a World of Hyatt credit card or a Chase card with transferrable points. Award stays get waived resort fees. Opening just one business or personal card could get you several nights at one of these resorts. 

• Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort– From 25,000 points/night
  • On the beach in Kauai, expansive resort with pools, slide, restaurants. Everything you would expect from a Hawaiian vacation with leis on arrival and the cute towns of Poipu and Koloa a few minutes drive away. 
  • We would definitely stay here again and it is very well suited for families. Go for the club access rooms for more points or use a club access award. This gets you free breakfast and snacks throughout the day. 
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach– From 20,000 points/night
  • A great deal for being directly on Waikiki beach and in the middle of all the action. The iconic towers are attached to an outdoor mall on the lower level.
  • I had my parents booked here, but unfortunately their stay coincided with the union hotel workers protests. The unavailability of clean rooms or staff at all the major hotels on Waikiki Beach led to our decision to relocate to the Hyatt Centric. The staff at the Centric really saved the day!
• Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach– From 20,000 points/night
  • A few minutes walk from the beach and close to lots of shopping and dining. We really enjoyed our stay here in the spacious updated rooms and enjoyed amenities like the free use of beach chairs we were able to take on our drives around the island. 
  • The pool is more like a sun shelf with a hot tub, but it is stylish place to relax. I think this is all you really need from a hotel in Honolulu, a great base to explore the rest of the island. 
  • If you can’t find availability, try playing with the dates and length of stay, I found that you needed to stay a minimum of a certain number of nights for availability to show. 
• Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach– From 15,000 points/night
  • A solid option that includes breakfast and a swimmable pool in Waikiki. 
• Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort– From 35,000 points/night
  • A stunning modern resort in Maui. 
• Hana Maui Resort– From 25,000 points/night
  • A boutique hotel with bungalows along the the road to Hana.

Hilton Honors Hotels

Get Hilton Points through a co-branded card, transferring 1 to 2 from American Express, or buying points when on sale for half a cent each. Remember that all stays on points get the 5th night free and waived resort fees. There are 26 hotels and vacation clubs under the Hilton Honors program in Hawaii, here are the ones that offer the best value and reviews:

• Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort– From 70,000 points/night
  • Large resort on a lagoon/beach with resort style pools. Watch the Friday night fireworks from your room. Geared toward families.
  • My parents stayed here our last night in Hawaii, and remarked that the hotel could use significant updating. While the hotel is worn and the layout could be difficult to navigate, the view was breathtaking and the room was spacious. Breakfast options were not well rated, so they opted for the Starbucks on property. 
• Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach– From 50,000 points/night
  • Central Location near restaurants and shops in Waikiki, with a pool. Credit toward beach chair and boogie board rental.

Marriott Bonvoy Hotels

Points prices are dynamically priced in relation to cash price so book five nights to get a free night and more bang for your points. Resort fees are not waived on award stays. The best way to get Marriott points is through co-branded cards or by transferring from Amex 1 to 1. Marriott has 41 properties in Hawaii, here are the ones that offer the best experience:

• The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay– From 94,000 points/night
  • Beautiful beachfront resort with pools in a popular snorkel spot. 
  • We stayed here and booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts to include breakfast and resort credit. The property was nice with an inviting lobby and pool area, but snorkeling was disappointing. For being a similar price point, we very much preferred our stay at the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Kauai.
  • Read my full review of the Ritz Oahu before booking!
• The Laylow, Autograph Collection– From 62,000 points/night
  • Stylish hotel in Waikiki, by the international marketplace.
• The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki- From 65,000 points/night
  • Historic Hotel right on Waikiki Beach and in the center of shops and restaurants.
• Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort– From 64,000 points/night
  • Oceanfront Resort near Diamond Head
• Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach– From 62,000 points/night
  • Iconic hotel on Wakiki beach
• Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel– From 42,000 points/night
  • Beachfront hotel in a casual setting in Kona
• Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort– From 57,000 points/night
  • Beachfront hotel with games and activities in Kauai.
• Sheraton Kauai Resort– From 74,000 points/night
  • Beachfront hotel near Poipu, Kauai
• Mauna Kea beach hotel, Autograph Collection– From 80,500 points/night
  • Secluded beachfront property being updated on the big island
• The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort– From 70,000 points/night
  • Beachfront property with impressive lobby and large pools on the big island.
• The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua– From 80,000 points/night
  • Older luxury property in Maui with great service and beach access
• Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa– From 53,000 points/night
  • Beachfront property with lazy river pool at the Black Rocks, Maui
• The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali– From 67,000 points/night
  • Luxury beachfront resort
• AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea– From 50,000 points/night
  • Walkable to shops and beaches with infinity pool
• Wailea Beach Resort, Marriott, Maui– From 64,000 points
  • Large resort with pools and slides on the beach
• Residence Inn Maui Wailea– From 52,000 points/night
  • Complimentary breakfast and local shuttle