Looking for a bit of luxury and privacy in Paradise? Then look no further than Oahu’s Turtle Bay Resort.
Located on the North Shore of the Oahu island in Hawaii, and only 50 minutes away from Honolulu, the luxury resort sits on 858 acres of ocean-front with uninterrupted views. Turtle Bay is home to 410 newly renovated oceanfront guest rooms and suites, 42 Beach Cottages, 3 and 4-bedroom Ocean Villas, two golf courses, two pools and spas and a variety of restaurants.
A few months ago I was asked to go to Hawaii and was lucky enough to stay here.
THE ROOMS
The hotel offer three types of accommodation – Guest Rooms (inside the hotel), Beach Cottages and Ocean Villas. I went with the Beach Cottage.
Situated along the west shore of the resort, the Beach Cottages are grouped in clusters of six. Whilst connected, the cottages feel incredibly private and you could easily forget you have neighbours.
After checking in, I was taken to the Beach Cottage by golf cart and not long after was greeted by my exclusive cottage concierge, who was there to tend to my every need. Bottles of water and buckets of ice are delivered to the room daily by the concierge team and they’re also on hand for recommendations and to book-in activities.
As soon as you walk into the cottage you can see the incredible views out the front.
To the right is a very large and very beautiful marble bathroom with a deep soak tub, freestanding shower and a private enclosed toilet.
Just past the bathroom is the rest of the multi-level beach retreat with 15-ft ceilings and a king poster bed. The bed is divine, the perfect level of softness and an assortment of pillows to choose from.
The room comes with all the bells and whistles including TV, bar fridge, desk, separate seating areas, Internet access, room service and so on.
Each cottage has a little verandah with a dining area and a rocking chair. I spent A LOT of time rocking away and taking in the breathtaking view.
… and the view is definitely the best aspect of the Beach Cottages. From my verandah I had incredible views of the ocean and if I looked up to the right I could see the hotel. I was steps away from a large hammock and had direct access to a beach. The beach in front of the cottages is a little too rocky to swim at, but it’s perfect for sun baking and turtle spotting!
HOTEL FEATURES AND ACTIVITIES
If lying in a hammock, lounging by the pool or swimming in the ocean isn’t your thing, there’s plenty more to do at the resort, including:
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle-boarding
Segway Tours
Helicopter Tours
Hiking
Biking Trails
Horseback Riding
Fitness Classes
Hula Lessons
Lei Making
Fishing
Tennis and much, much more.
Whilst I wouldn’t recommend swimming in the beach out the front of the Beach Cottages, the hotel has its own private beach on the East side of the resort. The beach is protected from large waves and surf, perfect for snorkelling and splashing about.
Find a spot to lay your towel, or hire a sun-lounger and umbrella.
Always dreamt of eloping in Paradise? Turtle Bay has the most gorgeous little chapel and sprawling grounds which are ideal for a romantic destination wedding.
Oh and the pools! Turtle Bay’s main pool and hot tubs all have views of the ocean, the swaying palm trees and tropical flowers.
The main pool is surrounded by deck chairs and umbrellas and are a hop, skip and a jump away from the two hot tubs and kiddie pool, which comes complete with a waterfall and waterslide (though I think I saw more adults on the slide than kids).
I love a hotel pool with pool-side service and Turtle Bay’s is exceptional. Rarely was I by/in the pool without a Pina Colada in hand or munching on some sweet potato fries.
And whilst the Pina Colada is my drink of choice, apparently the most popular cocktail at the resort is the Mai Tai with a huge 13,415 being consumed monthly.
DINING
There are 6 restaurants and a coffee shop on location at the resort. They are:
PA’AKAI
For a more formal dinner head to Pa’akai but be sure to make a reservation as they are always busy. Here I consumed plenty of fresh seafood and a mean dessert.
NORTH SHORE KULA GRILLE
You’ve got options here at the Kula Grille, you can check out the buffet or order from the menu.
THE POINT
The Point is located in the pool area and serves a delicious assortment of cocktails. Here you can also get burgers, sashimi, salads, light bites, tacos and more. I probably ate here more than I ate anywhere else.
THE SURFER BAR
The Surfer Bar is a fairly casual restaurant located inside the lobby of the hotel. It’s a great place to hang out after a day in the sun to sip on a cocktail (yes another one) and enjoy a few share platters whilst listening to live music. Come Saturday night and it becomes like a bit of club with great music and a lot of people of dancing.
LOBBY LOUNGE
The lounge was my first stop in the morning for a coffee or juice. They also serve pastries and fruit.
LEI LEI’S BAR & GRILL
Lei Lei’s is a little bar and restaurant located on the resorts golf course.
OLA’S RESTAURANT
Swimming and sun baking can be tiring work. Take a break from the sun at Ola’s Restaurant which is located on the beach and offers contemporary Hawaiian Cuisine.
Just in case my photos haven’t yet tempted you to book in that dream Hawaiian holiday, here are a few more!
If you’re after peace and quiet and total relaxation then Turtle Bay is calling your name! It’s far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, but at the same time only an hour away if you’re wanting to hit up the shops or check out the sites.
Singles, couples, families and friends, this place is for everyone and whilst it is a big resort and attracts a sizeable amount of people, it never feels busy.
Turtle Bay is a beautiful getaway, where you can’t help but slow down like the locals and..well, chillax! Just writing this review has me thinking about booking another trip, it was that good and I cannot wait to go back.
Oh and a bit of a fun fact for you – Guess how many pineapples the hotel goes through a day? …. 48-60!
DETAILS
Turtle Bay Resort
57-091 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, Hawaii 96731, United States
http://www.turtlebayresort.com/
I’d love to know, what’s your cocktail of choice? Oh, and have you ever been to Hawaii?