Ritz Carlton
Turtle Bay Resort
November 2024
Previously known as the Turtle Bay Resort, this iconic hotel in Oahu’s North Shore offers guests a getaway from the bustle of nearby Waikiki. Turtle Bay completed a renovation during the pandemic and was rebranded to a Ritz Carlton property in August 2024.
What stood out:
The property is expansive; the lobby is breathtaking with its contemporary furnishings and open air architecture, providing amazing views of the North Shore.
Shared areas such as the pool and beach can get crowded, with lounge beds at first come, first serve basis.
Generally helpful service, with accommodating front desk staff when there was a problem with our room (see below)
Booking and arrival
In spring of 2024, it was announced that the Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu’s North Shore would be transitioning management to become a Ritz Carlton property. Prior to the transition, we booked a 3 night stay through the Turtle Bay website, for approximately $500 a night. After adding resort fees and taxes, our 3 night stay cost approximately $2100.
To avoid having to rent a car as we did not anticipate leaving the resort property during our stay, we arranged for private transfer through the Turtle Bay website, which cost $100 a person, per ride.
The lobby is open-air with beautiful views of the North Shore. The decor focuses on natural materials so there is a lot of wood furnishings and accents throughout. There is a lot of seating available and although we stayed during near full capacity, we never found the lobby to be overcrowded. We especially enjoyed sitting in the fire-pit lounge during sunset.
Room
Due to our Marriott status, we were upgraded to an ocean view room. Our Ocean View room had a full view of Kuilima Cove and Turtle Beach, with a small balcony sitting area.
The only hiccup during our stay was that on the evening of arrival, we noticed ants in our room, particularly near one of the nightstands. Turns out there was an ant trial that ran along the floor wall from the restroom to the nightstand. We went downstairs to the lobby to speak with the front desk. Initially, they offered to call housekeeping to deal with the ants. We instead asked if we could switch rooms instead. The front desk did end up finding an open room with the same ocean view, so we packed our belongings and switched rooms. We were also offered $100 resort credit for our inconvenience.
In general we found to room to be spacious with decor fitting a Hawaiian resort. However we were surprised to see signs of aging throughout the room, especially since the hotel had undergone a renovation during the pandemic. The walls had paint cracks along the floor with rusting and stains throughout. The toilet and shower were older in model. The towels were old and faded. The soap, bath wash, shampoo and conditioner were of average quality. Overall not typically what we expect from a Ritz Carlton.
Dining
Beach House by Roy Yamaguchi
Located off Turtle Beach, Beach House is open for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended for dinner service, which we were able to make quite easily a few days prior. The food served is a fusion of Asian-Hawaiian flavors.
Off The Lip
This is the hotel bar, which alongside drinks, also serves snacks and desserts throughout the day. We came here for some pre-dinner snacks while watching the sunset. In the evening, the bar area lights up with mood lighting and most nights there is live music for guests to enjoy.
Alaia
Alaia is the main restaurant on property, serving breakfast and dinner. We ate breakfast here one morning - there was an option for the breakfast buffet or a la carte dining - we opted for the a la carte option - the food portion was generous and filling.
Ho’olana
Ho’olana is the on-site coffee bar, offering take away food and snacks, including quick breakfast and lunch options. We found that most guests would opt to get breakfast here rather than Alaia, so in the mornings the line can be quite long.
Amenities, Activities, and Experiences
The resort has 3 pools, one adult infinity pool, and two traditional pools for all guests. The loungers are first come, first serve. We were there during a high occupancy weekend, but there were usually always a few open. There are cabanas that guests can rent as well; most of these remained empty throughout the day. Complementary towels and sunscreen is offered.
All beaches in Hawaii are public beaches, and Turtle Beach at Kuilima Cove located on property is no exception. Guests on property can use the loungers for free; otherwise they can also be rented from anyone visiting. Kuilima Cove is a nice place to snorkel; we were able to see a sea turtle while snorkeling during our first day.
The gym is open 24 hours a day and has a good variety of workout equipment. The best part is the view of the North Shore through the glass walls!
Last Thoughts
The Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay is a stunning property, with amazing views of the North Shore and outstanding features including beautiful lobby, multiple pools, convenient beach access with snorkeling. However the room we stayed in did show signs of aging.
The property is relatively secluded and quiet compared to popular Waikiki; as such there are not many options for activities or off-site food/beverage within walking distance. Renting a car is required for those interested in off-site activities.
Overall, Turtle Bay Resort is an excellent addition to the Ritz Carlton portfolio and is worth a stay when visiting Oahu!