Our ESPACIO Waikiki review verdict: ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki is the most private place to stay in Waikiki. It has just nine suites, one per floor, each about 2,250 sq ft with its own elevator entry, a balcony Jacuzzi and a dry sauna, across Kalakaua Avenue from Kuhio Beach. It is priced like a villa, not a hotel room, but breakfast, a chauffeured car, airport transfers and valet parking are included, and there is no resort fee. That makes it best value for a family or group of up to six who would otherwise book three luxury rooms.
Our Verdict: Who ESPACIO Is Really For
- Book it if you are four to six people celebrating something, want absolute privacy and butler service, and would rather share one full-floor residence than spread across separate rooms.
- Choose an Oceanfront or Penthouse level if the view is the point: floors 11 and 12 and the top-floor Diamond Suite look straight out over Kuhio Beach and the Pacific.
- Skip it if you are a couple watching value, want direct beachfront sand, or want resort facilities like a kids club, several pools and a busy lobby scene. A Halekulani or Ka La’i room will cost far less.
Compare ESPACIO and Waikiki's Other Luxury Suites
Pros
- Only nine suites, one per floor, each with a private elevator entry
- Balcony Jacuzzi, dry sauna, chef’s kitchen and washer/dryer in every suite
- No resort fee; breakfast, valet, airport transfers and a Mercedes house car included
- Forbes Five-Star hotel and Forbes Five-Star restaurant (Mugen), 2022 to 2026
- Rooftop infinity pool shared by only nine households
Cons
- Rates start in the thousands per night, before 18.712% tax
- Across Kalakaua Avenue from the beach, not on the sand
- Busy Kalakaua location: street life below the lower floors
- One restaurant, one pool and no kids club
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
What ESPACIO Is: A Rebuilt Kalakaua Avenue Tower
ESPACIO opened in September 2019 after a reported $50 million transformation of the former Aston Waikiki Beachside Hotel at 2452 Kalakaua Avenue. It sits a short walk east of the Duke Kahanamoku statue, with Kuhio Beach directly across the street, and was launched by Aqua-Aston Hospitality. The idea is simple: instead of dozens of rooms per floor, each residential floor is a single suite. You get Italian marble, Moroccan metalwork and floor-to-ceiling glass, and nobody shares your hallway.
The awards follow from that model. ESPACIO lists the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award every year from 2022 to 2026, AAA Five Diamond status, membership in The Leading Hotels of the World and Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice rankings among Hawaii’s top 10 hotels in 2022, 2024 and 2026. For the wider picture of Waikiki’s top-end suites, see our guide to the best luxury penthouses in Waikiki.
The Nine Suites: Floor by Floor
The suites are named after gemstones and grouped by height. The 2019 launch materials put each suite at about 2,250 sq ft, and the Penthouse is listed at over 2,250 sq ft of interior space. Every suite sleeps up to six. The real choice is between three bedrooms with three king beds, or two bedrooms plus a den with two kings and a sofa bed:
| Level | Suite | Layout | View category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top floor | Penthouse Diamond Suite | 2 bedrooms + den, 3.5 baths, 2 kings + sofa bed | Penthouse, over Waikiki Beach |
| 12th | Sapphire | 2 bedrooms + den, 2 kings + sofa bed | Oceanfront |
| 11th | Azul | 3 bedrooms, 3 kings | Oceanfront |
| 10th | Emerald | 2 bedrooms + den, 2 kings + sofa bed | Ocean View |
| 9th | Peridot | 3 bedrooms, 3 kings | Ocean View |
| 8th | Jade | 3 bedrooms, 3 kings | Ocean View |
| 7th | Ruby | 2 bedrooms + den, 2 kings + sofa bed | Beach View |
| 6th | Garnet | 3 bedrooms, 3 kings | Beach View |
| 5th | Coral (accessible) | 3 bedrooms, 3 kings, roll-in shower | Beach View |
Every suite includes a furnished balcony with a private Jacuzzi soaking tub, a gourmet kitchen, a dry sauna, spa-style bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, glass walk-in showers and TOTO Washlets, a wine fridge and a washer/dryer, plus daily housekeeping and evening turndown. Choosing a level is about how much Kalakaua Avenue you want in your view. The Beach View floors (5 to 7) sit closest to street level. The higher Ocean View and Oceanfront floors trade street life for open Pacific. Coral, on the 5th floor, is the accessible suite, with a roll-in shower, lowered fixtures and TDD equipment.
What Is Included in an ESPACIO Stay
ESPACIO’s inclusions are what separate it from simply renting a large condo. According to the hotel and its tour-operator partners, a standard stay includes:
- Food and drink: daily breakfast from 7 to 10 am for up to six guests (in-suite or at Mugen, alcohol excluded), daily in-suite dining, a dining credit at Mugen (Tuesday to Saturday), a Champagne welcome and a $50 card for the lobby wine dispenser.
- Transport: round-trip luxury airport transfers, a Mercedes house car with driver within central Honolulu and complimentary valet parking.
- Service: a butler, a 24-hour concierge, and beach towels, chairs and umbrellas for the sand across the street.
- Culture: complimentary admission to the Bishop Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Art. Our guides to the Bishop Museum and HoMA help you plan both.
- No resort fee: the rate plus tax is the bill for the suite itself.
The Rooftop, Mugen and the Spa
The rooftop has an infinity pool, a whirlpool and a sundeck shared by just nine suites. That makes it the quietest pool in Waikiki, but it is small, and there is no other pool or kids area. The pool was closed for a full retiling earlier in 2026, with a planned reopening on May 19, 2026. On Saturdays the rooftop hosts afternoon tea, and it can be booked privately for Champagne-and-caviar sunsets or “A Cut Above”, a five-course dry-aged tomahawk dinner by Mugen for groups of six or more, reserved 48 hours ahead.
Mugen is a 34-seat dining room led by Executive Chef Colin Sato. It mixes Hawaii ingredients with French and Japanese technique, and its dinner menu was developed with chef Alan Wong. Like the hotel, it has held the Forbes Five-Star rating from 2022 to 2026 and has won Wine Spectator awards. Dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 pm. It is open to non-guests through OpenTable, and the dress code is smart casual.
ESPACIO Spa is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Lomi lomi (Kaiholo), deep tissue (Ikaika) and Swedish (Noelani) massages cost $250 for 60 minutes or $360 for 90, and a 30-minute vibroacoustic session on a Gharieni spa bed costs $75. Treatments can be done in your suite. Compare these prices with our list of the best hotel spas in Waikiki.
What ESPACIO Costs, and When It Is Good Value
ESPACIO does not publish rates. At launch in 2019, suites were reported to start at $5,000 a night, so plan for that tier. Here is the math on that launch rate, as of October 2026, with Oahu’s 18.712% tax:
| Line item | 1 night | 3 nights |
|---|---|---|
| Suite rate (2019 launch “from” rate) | $5,000.00 | $15,000.00 |
| Tax at 18.712% | $935.60 | $2,806.80 |
| Resort fee | $0 | $0 |
| Valet parking, airport transfers, daily breakfast | Included | Included |
| Total | $5,935.60 | $17,806.80 |
| Per person, six guests | $989.27 | $2,967.80 |
Split six ways, that works out to about $990 per person per night. It is still expensive, but the price covers three bedrooms, a kitchen, a private balcony spa, a car and driver, and staff on call. For two people, it is simply a splurge. Our list of Waikiki hotels without resort fees and the Oahu hotel tax guide explain the rest of the bill.
Use the Concierge Before You Land
ESPACIO works best when it is briefed in advance. Send your flight details for the airport car, book rooftop dinners at least 48 hours ahead, and request in-suite spa treatments and the private chef before arrival. Check-in is 4 pm and check-out is 11 am. Ask about early access when you book, because a nine-suite hotel has little room to juggle.
ESPACIO vs Halekulani, Ka La’i and the Ritz-Carlton Residences
| Hotel | Area | Price level | Resort fee | Parking | Check-in / out | Booking.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki | Waikiki (Across from Kuhio Beach) | Luxury | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Complimentary valet parking | 4:00 PM / 11:00 AM | Check prices |
| Halekulani | Waikiki Beachfront (Gray's Beach) | Luxury | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Overnight parking $68/night (valet & self-parking) | 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM | Check prices |
| Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts | Waikiki West (Fort DeRussy Park) | Luxury | $40 + 18.71% tax per night ($47.48/night total) | Valet-only $55/night | 4:00 PM / 12:00 PM | Check prices |
| The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach | Waikiki Luxury Row (Kalaimoku / Kuhio) | Luxury | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Valet only $60/night + tax (no self-parking) | 4:00 PM / 12:00 PM | Check prices |
- Halekulani is the choice if you want to walk from the lobby onto the sand, with famous oceanfront dining and no resort fee. It has more rooms and more of a resort atmosphere.
- Ka La’i Waikiki Beach offers large suites with full kitchens and a bigger pool deck at lower prices, but charges a daily resort fee.
- The Ritz-Carlton Residences brings brand recognition, two infinity pools and residential suites, again in a much larger building.
- ESPACIO wins on privacy, space per party and what is included. Our Halekulani vs Ka La’i comparison covers the other two in depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many suites does ESPACIO have, and how big are they?
Nine, one per floor from the 5th floor to the penthouse. Each is about 2,250 sq ft and sleeps up to six, in either three bedrooms with three king beds or two bedrooms plus a den with two kings and a sofa bed.
Does ESPACIO charge a resort fee or for parking?
No. ESPACIO has no resort fee, and valet parking is complimentary, as are round-trip airport transfers and daily breakfast for up to six guests. You pay the suite rate plus Oahu’s 18.712% hotel tax.
Is ESPACIO directly on the beach?
No. It is across Kalakaua Avenue from Kuhio Beach, a crosswalk away, a short walk east of the Duke Kahanamoku statue. The hotel provides beach towels, chairs and umbrellas, and the upper floors have open ocean views.
Can you eat at Mugen without staying at ESPACIO?
Yes. Mugen takes dinner reservations on OpenTable, Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 pm. It has just 34 seats, so book well ahead, especially for weekends.
Is ESPACIO suitable for children and for guests with disabilities?
Children of any age are welcome, and guests 18 and over are counted as adults. The 5th-floor Coral Suite is fully accessible, with a roll-in shower, lowered fixtures and TDD equipment, and the rooftop pool has a pool lift.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Photo credits
- Photo: DestinationFearFan / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
