Not great, but got the job done. Felt like the hotels we stayed at on family vacation in the 70s. But it was a condo with full kitchen and separate bedrooms. I like the area in terms of getting where we need to go. The other time I went to Maui I stayed at the Grand Weilea, as my buddy's employer at the time (Salesforce) paid for the trip (I was his plus 1). I very much suggest the Grand Weilea if someone else is paying for it or you have infinite money. https://www.guestreservations.com/aston-maui-banyan/ We took a trip to Haleakala the morning after we got in (they pick you up at 2:30 am, so we just went when our body's timing was already fouled up). Breakfast was great and it got us into the NP even though I forgot to sign up for entry passes. https://www.tourmaui.com/tours/haleakala-sunrise-tour/ Then we did the beach one day and the Road to Hana the third day. Our favorite Maui place to eat was the food trucks at: https://www.southmauigardens.com/foodtrucks The teenagers could get whatever they wanted and it thereby minimized complaining, which is the Kryptonite of every middle age dad. Of course we found it the day we were switching islands. Otherwise, we would have eaten here every day. Then on to Kauai and Hawaii.

That takes care of Oahu. On Maui the Ritz Carlton would do nicely.

Those are more likely to be a block or several blocks away from the beach, in case it helps you search. Beach front is going to be traditional hotel usually. Where to stay on Oahu really depends on what you want to do. The North Shore has great beaches, but is somewhat remote from the city of Honolulu. North Shore is also where surfers go because it gets the big waves. I've heard the Kailua side on the east coast has nice beaches. Really anywhere other than Honolulu will have quieter vibes and less development. But there is lots of traffic everywhere so factor that in. Honolulu itself is fairly walkable from what I remember. I haven't been to Maui so I can't help there. But everything is close for island hopping and I do suggest taking a day for another island if you have the time. I enjoyed Kauai and I've heard great things about the big island of Hawaii.

I was asking for recommendations for places to stay - I've got the other stuff down

Spend a half day at Waikiki but no more. You can hike up Diamond Head. Pearl City is a must see. You can drive up toward Wahiwa and do the touristy Dole Plantation on your way to the North Shore. Circle around to Haliewa then on to Waimea. The Polynesian Cultural Center is pretty cool but kind of expensive. Hanama Bay is amazing snorkeling with Blowhole not far from there. Makapu'ua Lighthouse is also pretty cool. Oahu is not that big. You can easily see most everything in a couple days. I've done the counter-clockwise circle from Waikiki around the island a few times. But whatever you do, if you find an idol in a cave, do not remove it!

************this blows my mind************** from grok The original inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands were Polynesians who arrived between roughly AD 1000 and 1200 (most archaeological, linguistic, and genetic evidence now points to around AD 1100–1200 as the primary settlement period). How they got there 1. From the Marquesas Islands (and later Tahiti) The first settlers almost certainly came from the Marquesas Islands (in today’s French Polynesia), approximately 2,400 miles (3,900 km) to the southeast. A second wave, a few centuries later, came from Tahiti and the Society Islands and largely replaced or absorbed the earlier population culturally and genetically. 2. Voyaging canoes They traveled in large double-hulled sailing canoes (called waʻa kaulua in Hawaiian or similar designs elsewhere in Polynesia). These vessels were 60–100+ feet long, could carry dozens of people, live animals (pigs, dogs, chickens), planting stocks (taro, sweet potato, banana, coconut, etc.), and enough food and water for weeks at sea. 3. Navigational skill (wayfinding) Polynesian navigators used an extraordinarily sophisticated non-instrument navigation system: *Star paths (especially the rising and setting points of stars) *Ocean swells and wave patterns *Flight paths of birds *Cloud formations over islands *Changes in water color and marine life *No magnetic compasses or charts were used; everything was memorized and passed down orally. 4. Deliberate two-way voyaging at first Evidence (computer simulations, linguistic similarities, shared artifact styles, and modern recreations with the canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hawaiʻiloa) shows that the initial discovery and settlement were not accidental one-way drifts. Polynesians were deliberately exploring and maintained contact between Hawaii and the southern islands for a few centuries until long-distance voyaging largely ceased around AD 1300–1400. Timeline summary *~AD 300–800: Polynesians settle the Marquesas, Society Islands, and other central East Polynesian islands. *~AD 1000–1200: First successful voyages reach Hawaii from the Marquesas. *~AD 1200–1300: Second wave from Tahiti/Society Islands; Hawaiian culture as we recognize it begins to crystallize. *After ~AD 1400: Long-distance voyaging between Hawaii and the rest of Polynesia stops (reasons still debated—resource limits, social changes, loss of navigational knowledge, etc.). So in short: Polynesian navigators intentionally sailed enormous double-hulled canoes thousands of miles across open Pacific using only natural signs, reaching and settling the Hawaiian Islands around 800–1,000 years ago.

It was still cool to see. It looked like a different planet. We also drove up to Iao Needle, which was alright. We couldn't do road to Hana because my wife was newly pregnant, and couldn't handle the drive. Lahaina was cool, but this was well before the fire. No clue how well it has recovered. It was a "free" trip, and we stayed at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. It was awesome, but I imagine crazy expensive. I really liked Maui. I don't feel a need to ever go back to Oahu.

No sense spending a premium for prime beachfront or get hit with add on resort fees. Rent a car and drive Oahu. Easily doable in a day. Better yet, split your stay with a place around Honolulu and then another on the North Shore. A must: time your travel around morning and afternoon work day travel. Normal traffic is a bear; throw in an accident and it’s unbearable. Above all, go to Leonard’s Bakery and get a box of malasadas. Shaved ice from a food truck on North Shore too. Yum!

There is a hotel on Waikiki that's similar to Shades of Green in Disney World.

If you've never been to Oahu, I'd recommend the following: 1. Pearl Harbor - Allow yourself almost the whole day. Don't skip the aviation part. Definitely take the Top of the Tower tour. really great perspective and gives you a great view and understanding of everything that happened. 2. Diamond Head State Park - Absolutely stunning views. Can get a little crowded. 3. Hanauma Bay - Great safe snorkeling location. Also can get a little crowded. 4. Koko Crater Stairs - A tougher test than the Diamondhead hike, but very cool. 5. Doors off Helicopter tour - The only way to do a helicopter ride in Hawaii. Those are some of our favorite things to do. I'd skip the Dole Plantation. I can tell you all about Kaui too, but have never been to Maui.

AZ memorial is one of those things you'll remember forever. Maui- Hana road. Make many stops! Drive it all the way around. Not as bad as people say. Stayed in cool Airbnb in Hana. Hike to waimoku falls. Also stayed in Airbnb in Kihei, cool town. If possible hit Big Island.

In addition to the above, I would also recommend a drive up Haleakala at sunrise.

...Shore, but unless it has big waves, you won't see much. The prettiest part of the island is probably around Kane'Ohe, where the foliage is rich. One thing you'll notice on the Hawaiian Islands is the "north" side is usually the most lush, where the southern side is more arid.

a long time ago and ventured up. The waves were 14'. Crazy to see.

I would park my butt on the beach and watch the surfers who know what they're doing.

near Pearl Harbor since his then wife was in the Navy. Those idiots all tried to go out and swim in it. They are lucky they didn't die. I got knocked down in knee deep water and decided that was enough. Another issue besides the waves is the beach is kind of steep.