The OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel is a good mid-range choice in 2026 if you want the middle of Kalakaua Avenue, an easy walk to the sand and Cirque du Soleil downstairs, and you do not need a beachfront room. Expect $49.86 a night in resort fees with tax and $55 valet parking on top of the room rate. Skip it if you want a big pool, an oceanfront lanai or a club lounge: the two beachfront Outriggers do those things better, for more money.
Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber: Verdict (November 2026)
- Best for: couples, first-timers who want to walk everywhere, and anyone planning to see Cirque du Soleil ʻAuana, which plays only in this hotel.
- Real extras: a $42 daily resort fee ($49.86 with Oahu’s 18.712% tax) and valet-only parking at $55 per 24 hours plus tax.
- Room to request: an Ocean View room (floors 9–25) or a Deluxe Ocean View room (floors 17–25). The cheapest Waikiki View rooms sit on floors 2–7 and face the city.
- Timely note: ʻAuana’s published schedule has the show dark November 2–17, 2026, so it should be back from November 18 (confirm before you plan around it).
- Book a beachfront Outrigger instead if: you want to step from the elevator onto the sand, or you value a club lounge.
Compare the Waikiki Beachcomber With Nearby Hotels
This review is based on Outrigger’s fee, FAQ and fact-sheet pages, Cirque du Soleil’s show pages and recent price data, checked in November 2026. We have not stayed at the hotel; where sources disagree, we say so.
2026 Price, Resort Fee, Parking and Tax
Most reviews that rank for this hotel date from 2021–2023 and quote a $30 or $40 resort charge. Outrigger’s agent fact page now lists a $42 daily resort fee, raised from $40 on January 1, 2026 according to Air Canada Vacations. Oahu’s 18.712% lodging tax applies to the fee too, so you pay $49.86 a night. Here is what it covers:
| Included in the $42 resort fee | In practice |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi for up to 4 devices per room, plus Chromecast streaming to the TV | No separate internet charge |
| Pool, hot tub, fitness center and beach towel use | Basics most hotels include anyway |
| In-room coffee and tea; local and international calls up to 60 minutes a day | Small daily savings |
| Reef-friendly mineral sunscreen at the pool | Handy |
| Concierge in the Beachcomber Activities Lounge; live music at Maui Brewing Co. | Tour help and evening music |
| Waikiki Aquarium: one free child ticket (ages 4–12) per paying adult, or $1 off for adults without kids | Real value for families |
| Bishop Museum: free admission for up to two guests per party (up to a $77.90 value) | The best perk |
| A drawstring bag per room and a digital album by Makana | Souvenirs |
Source: OUTRIGGER agent fact page and Air Canada Vacations fee notice, checked November 2026. Air Canada describes the museum perk as two adults and two children; Outrigger says two guests, so plan on two.
Parking is valet only, at $55 per 24 hours plus 4.712% GET ($57.59), with in-and-out privileges but limited spaces ($27.50 at the kamaʻāina rate). Cars enter from Duke’s Lane. If you need a car for one North Shore day, rent it for that day only (our Waikiki parking guide lists cheaper garages).
5-night cost example
KAYAK’s price data, checked in November 2026, puts the hotel’s average at about $282 a night in November (its cheapest month) and $371 in December. The table uses an illustrative $280 rate, not a quote:
| Cost item (5 nights, 2 adults) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Room: $280 × 5 nights + 18.712% tax | $1,661.97 |
| Resort fee: $42 × 5 + 18.712% tax | $249.30 |
| Total without a car | $1,911.27 (about $382 a night) |
| Valet parking: $55 × 5 + 4.712% GET | $287.96 |
| Total with a car all week | $2,199.23 |
| Optional: two ʻAuana tickets from $86 each (taxes and fees included) | From $172, or $154.80 with the 10% Outrigger-guest discount if it still applies |
Source: KAYAK price page (November 2026), Outrigger fee and parking pages, and Outrigger’s August 2025 ʻAuana release. Rate illustrative; tax at 18.712% (room, fee) and 4.712% (parking). See our Oahu hotel tax guide for the math.
Location on Kalakaua Avenue
The hotel stands at 2300 Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s main shopping and dining street. Outrigger’s fact sheet puts International Market Place right next door and the Royal Hawaiian Center across the street, and its agent page counts about 300 steps to Waikiki Beach. In practice you cross Kalakaua and reach the central stretch of sand near the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and Duke’s in a few minutes, which is why Booking.com reviewers score the location (9.4) higher than any other part of the stay.
The downside is noise: Booking.com reviewers mention street noise at night, and this is Waikiki’s busiest block. You pay less than at beachfront hotels and are a block closer to the sand than Kuhio Avenue hotels; our Kuhio vs Kalakaua guide explains that trade-off. For evenings out, see our guide to the best Waikiki hotels for nightlife.
Rooms and Views: Which Floor to Request
The 25-story tower has 498 rooms, and every one has a lanai. It opened in 1970 as a Holiday Inn, and Outrigger completed a $35 million modernization of the rooms, corridors, pool, lobby and meeting space in April 2019. Standard rooms are compact, at 324 square feet, with one king bed or two double beds (not queens), a 55-inch smart TV and a Keurig. The view category matters more than the room type, because it decides which floor you get:
| Room category | Floors | Size | Beds / max guests | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waikiki View | 2–7 | 324 sq ft | 1 king (3) or 2 doubles (4) | City lights and neighboring buildings |
| Partial Ocean View | 5–20 | 324 sq ft | 1 king (3) or 2 doubles (4) | Glimpses of the ocean from the lanai |
| Ocean View | 9–25 | 324 sq ft | 1 king (3) or 2 doubles (4) | Ocean views over Kalakaua |
| Deluxe Ocean View | 17–25 | 324 sq ft | 1 king (3) or 2 doubles (4) | The best views of the ocean and Diamond Head |
| Junior Suite | Varies | 413 sq ft | 2 doubles + sofa bed (5) | Varies |
| 1-Bedroom Ocean View Suite | 22–25 | 532 sq ft | 1 king + living room (5) | Two balconies with ocean views |
| 2-Bedroom Suite | Varies | 1,200 sq ft | 2 kings, 2 baths, wet bar (5) | Ocean and Diamond Head |
Source: Outrigger’s Waikiki Beachcomber fact sheet (December 2021, the latest published) and the current Outrigger agent page, which lists the same categories.
- Pay for Ocean View, not Partial Ocean View, if the view matters. Outrigger itself describes Partial Ocean View rooms, which start on floor 5, as offering only glimpses of the Pacific from the lanai.
- Families of four: two doubles are narrower than the two queens most Waikiki hotels offer. Rooms take four guests at most; each extra adult costs $65 a night.
- Cancellation: cancel at least 3 days before arrival to avoid a one-night charge, per Outrigger’s agent page.
Cirque du Soleil ʻAuana, Pool and Dining
What sets the Beachcomber apart is in its own building. ʻAuana, Cirque du Soleil’s first resident show in Hawaii, premiered on December 17, 2024 in the purpose-built OUTRIGGER Theater here. It mixes acrobatics, hula, aerial acts and live music, created with a team of Native Hawaiian creatives, and the box office is in the hotel lobby.
| ʻAuana detail | As published |
|---|---|
| Performances | Wednesday–Sunday at 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM; dark Mondays and Tuesdays |
| Dark weeks in 2026 | Feb 2–10, May 11–19, Aug 10–18 and Nov 2–17 |
| Ticket prices | From $86, taxes and fees included (2026 launch price) |
| Discounts | 10% for Outrigger hotel guests; up to 30% for kamaʻāina; Family Pack up to 15% (4+ tickets); children 3–11 discounted |
| Box office | Hotel lobby: Mon–Tue 10 AM–5:30 PM, Wed–Sun 10 AM–9 PM; kiosk on Kalakaua daily 4–9 PM |
| Running time | About 80 minutes, no intermission |
Source: Cirque du Soleil ʻAuana pages and Outrigger’s August 27, 2025 release, checked November 2026. Official sales cover shows through the end of 2026; resale sites list 2027 dates, but we found no official 2027 schedule.
Pair the 5:30 PM show with dinner
The 5:30 PM show ends around 6:50 PM, leaving time for dinner at Maui Brewing Co. downstairs or at Duke’s across the street. Honolulu Magazine found Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday tickets cheaper, and Hawaii residents should ask for the kamaʻāina price before paying.
Pool: the pool and whirlpool spa are on the lobby level, open 8 AM to 10 PM for registered guests, with no lifeguard. Booking.com reviewers find it small for 498 rooms, and until December 18, 2026 Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort guests may use it while their own pool is closed, so expect it busier than usual.
Dining: Maui Brewing Co. serves lunch (11 AM–3 PM) and dinner (3–11 PM), with 36 beers on tap, live music daily from 8 to 10:30 PM and a weekday happy hour from 3 PM. Hawaiian Aroma Caffe, by the pool, does coffee and pastries. Breakfast is not included.
Beachcomber vs Outrigger Waikiki Beach vs Outrigger Reef
Of the three central Outriggers we review, two are true beachfront resorts; the Beachcomber is across the street.
| Beachcomber | Waikiki Beach | Reef | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Waikiki (Kalakaua Ave, next to International Market Place) | Central Waikiki Beachfront | Waikiki Beachfront (Fort DeRussy / Kalia Rd) |
| Price level | Mid-range | Upscale | Upscale |
| Best for | Couples, show-goers and walkers who want a central Kalakaua Avenue base for less than the beachfront Outriggers | Surf culture, Duke's Waikiki energy, stepping straight from elevator to surfboards | Peaceful beachfront setting, Voyager 47 Club Lounge, Monkeypod Kitchen & live Hawaiian music |
| Pool | Small lobby-level pool and whirlpool spa with a sundeck (8 AM–10 PM, registered guests only, no lifeguard) | Oceanfront pool beside Duke's Waikiki and the sand (pool & Duke's sun deck closed Oct 5–Dec 18, 2026 for renovation; guests may use sister Outrigger pools) | Pool up to 9 ft deep with three whirlpool spas and private cabanas (open daily 8 AM–9 PM) |
| Beach access | About 300 steps (3–5 minutes) across Kalakaua Avenue to central Waikiki Beach | True beachfront (steps onto central Waikiki surf break) | True beachfront (directly on the oceanfront next to Halekulani) |
| Resort fee | $42 + 18.71% tax per night ($49.86/night total) | $50 + 18.71% tax per night ($59.36/night total) | $50 + 18.71% tax per night ($59.36/night total) |
| Parking | Valet-only $55 per 24 hours + tax (in/out privileges, limited spaces; $27.50 at the kamaʻāina rate); no self-parking | Valet-only $60/night | Valet-only $60/night (24 hours, in/out privileges) |
| Check-in / out | 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM | 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM | 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM |
| Rates | Check rates | Check rates | Check rates |
To isolate the fixed extras, here are 5 nights at the same $300 example rate at all three:
| 5 nights, $300 example rate | Room + 18.712% tax | Resort fee + tax | Total without car | Valet for 5 nights | Status, November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waikiki Beachcomber | $1,780.68 | $249.30 | $2,029.98 | $287.96 ($55/night) | Fully open; Cirque in the building |
| Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort | $1,780.68 | $296.78 | $2,077.46 | $314.14 ($60/night) | New rooms; pool closed until Dec 18, 2026; Voyager 47 lounge due January 2027 |
| Outrigger Reef | $1,780.68 | $296.78 | $2,077.46 | $314.14 ($60/night) | Fully open, pool and Voyager 47 lounge included |
Source: Outrigger fee and parking pages and renovation notices, checked November 2026. The $300 rate is illustrative.
- Choose the Beachcomber when the nightly rate gap is large and you do not mind crossing the street. Its fixed extras are only $47.48 lower over five nights ($73.66 with a car), so the room rate decides.
- Choose Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort for Duke’s and the surf break at your feet and newly rebuilt rooms; wait until after December 18, 2026 if you want its pool (full Outrigger Waikiki Beach review).
- Choose Outrigger Reef for a calmer beachfront, an open pool and the Voyager 47 Club Lounge (Outrigger Reef review). Our Reef vs Waikiki Beach comparison settles that choice.
Is the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Worth It in 2026?
Yes, for the right trip. The hotel sells location: a few minutes to the sand, Waikiki’s busiest dining block and the island’s only Cirque du Soleil show in the same building, in modern but small rooms. It is not worth it if you would spend your days at a hotel pool, or if a beachfront room costs less than about $50 a night more. For cheaper ocean views, see our ocean-view hotels under $300.
Pros
- Central Kalakaua Avenue location, about 300 steps from Waikiki Beach
- Cirque du Soleil ʻAuana plays in the hotel, with a lobby box office and guest discount
- Every room has a lanai; high-floor Ocean View rooms see the ocean and Diamond Head
- Resort fee includes Bishop Museum entry and a Waikiki Aquarium child ticket deal
Cons
- $42 resort fee ($49.86 with tax) and valet-only parking at $55 plus tax
- Small lobby-level pool, busier until Dec 18, 2026 while a sister resort’s pool is closed
- Standard rooms are 324 sq ft with two doubles rather than two queens
- Street noise on the Kalakaua side, and a 3-day cancellation window
Who should book, and who should skip
- Book it: couples and solo travelers who will be out all day; Cirque fans; walkers who want restaurants, shops and the beach within minutes; families who will use the museum and aquarium perks.
- Skip it: travelers who want an oceanfront room or a resort pool; families of four who need two queens; light sleepers without a high floor; anyone keeping a car all week (valet adds about $288 over five nights).
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the resort fee at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber?
The resort fee is $42 per room per night plus tax, or $49.86 with Oahu’s 18.712% tax, as of November 2026. It rose from $40 on January 1, 2026 and covers Wi-Fi, pool and fitness access, beach towels, calls and museum and aquarium perks.
Is the Waikiki Beachcomber on the beach?
No, it is across Kalakaua Avenue from the beach, about 300 steps away according to Outrigger. You cross the street to reach central Waikiki Beach near the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and Duke’s. For hotels directly on the sand, see our true beachfront hotels list.
Is Cirque du Soleil still at the Waikiki Beachcomber?
Yes, ʻAuana still plays at the OUTRIGGER Theater inside the hotel, Wednesday to Sunday at 5:30 and 8:00 PM. The published 2026 schedule has it dark November 2–17, and official tickets were announced through the end of 2026, so check Cirque’s site for 2027 dates.
How much is parking at the Waikiki Beachcomber?
Parking is valet only, at $55 per 24 hours plus tax ($57.59), with in-and-out privileges but limited spaces. There is no self-parking. Check-in is at 3 PM and check-out at 11 AM per the hotel FAQ (some tour operators list noon).
Which Outrigger is better: Beachcomber or Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort?
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort is better if you want beachfront and can pay more, while the Beachcomber is better value if you are happy to cross the street. Until December 18, 2026, the beachfront resort’s pool is closed, which tips the balance toward the Beachcomber or the Outrigger Reef for pool lovers.
How we checked this guide
We checked this review in November 2026 against Outrigger’s fee, FAQ and fact-sheet pages, Cirque du Soleil’s ʻAuana pages, Outrigger’s ticket release and KAYAK price data. Rates change daily and the prices here are not live. The guide is research-based; we did not stay at the hotel.
Sources
- OUTRIGGER: Waikiki Beachcomber agent fact page (resort fee, inclusions, parking, policies)
- OUTRIGGER: Waikiki Beachcomber FAQ (pool hours, valet, check-in)
- OUTRIGGER: Waikiki Beachcomber fact sheet (rooms, floors, sizes, 2019 renovation)
- Cirque du Soleil: ʻAuana show page
- Cirque du Soleil: ʻAuana tickets and box office
- OUTRIGGER newsroom: ʻAuana 2026 schedule, prices and discounts
- Maui Brewing Co. Waikiki: hours and happy hour
- Air Canada Vacations: resort fee change effective January 1, 2026
Photo credits
- Photo: Frank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Prayitno / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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