The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay

Hotel Description

You know what surprised me most about The Ritz-Carlton at Turtle Bay? It’s actually tucked away on O’ahu’s North Shore, which means you’re trading the hustle of Waikiki for something way more laid-back – and honestly, that’s exactly what makes this place special. I mean, when you pull up that winding road through all the ironwood trees, it feels like you’re discovering some secret hideaway that the tour buses haven’t found yet. The property sits right on this gorgeous stretch of coastline where you can literally walk from your room to watch the sunrise over the Pacific, and trust me, those North Shore sunrises hit different than anywhere else on the island.

What really gets me is how they’ve managed to keep that classic Ritz-Carlton elegance without feeling stuffy or out of place in such a relaxed setting. The lobby opens right up to these sweeping ocean views, and there’s always this gentle trade wind breeze flowing through – you’ll actually find yourself just lingering there with a coffee, watching the waves. The rooms are genuinely gorgeous (that 9.2 rating isn’t just for show), but it’s the little details that stick with you. Like how they’ve positioned everything so you wake up to water views, or how the bathrooms have these deep soaking tubs that are perfect after a day of exploring the island. Parking is straightforward, which I always appreciate, and the check-in process was smooth – none of that standing around waiting that you sometimes get at busy Honolulu hotels.

But here’s the thing that really sold me on this place: the location gives you the best of both worlds. You’re close enough to all the famous North Shore spots – Sunset Beach, the Polynesian Cultural Center, those incredible food trucks in Haleiwa – but when you want to retreat, you’ve got this five-star sanctuary waiting for you. The pools are never crowded (probably because most tourists stick to the south side of the island), and the beach access is just phenomenal. I spent hours just walking that coastline, especially in the early morning when it’s just you and maybe a few local surfers checking the waves. Even during peak season, it maintains this peaceful vibe that’s honestly hard to find at other luxury resorts on O’ahu. If you’re the type who wants luxury but also craves that authentic Hawaiian feel – you know, where you can hear the ocean instead of traffic – this is your spot.

Rooms

• King Room with Sofa Bed and Ocean View with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Queen Room with Two Queen Beds and Ocean View with 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Bungalow – Club Lounge Access for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Bungalow with Sofa Bed – Ground Floor for 2 adults, 1 child
• Queen Bungalow with Two Queen Beds and Sofa Bed – Ground Floor for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Suite with Sofa Bed and Balcony – Oceanfront for 2 adults, 1 child
• Standard Room – Club Lounge Access for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Room – Club Lounge Access with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Queen Room with Two Queen Beds and Partial Ocean View with 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Bungalow – Club Lounge Access for 2 adults, 1 child
• Premium King Room with Oceanfront – Top Floor with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Resort with King and Sofa Bed – Partial Ocean View with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Resort with King and Sofa Bed – Low Floor with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Resort Queen Room with Partial Ocean View – Low Floor with 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Room with Ocean View and Non-Private Sofa Bed with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Queen Room with Ocean View and Balcony with 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Premium Ocean Front King Room with Ocean Facing View with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Oceanfront Suite with Two Queen Beds with Sofa Bed and Lanai for 2 adults, 1 child
• Oceanfront Suite – Top Floor/Club Lounge Access for 2 adults, 1 child
• One-Bedroom Ali’i Suite – High Floor/Club Lounge Access for 2 adults, 1 child
• Resort Lanai, Guest room, 1 King, Sofa bed, Low floor, Lanai (Mobility Accessible w/ Tub) with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Room with Ocean View and Sofa Bed – Mobility Accessible with Tub with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean Front Queen Suite with Sofa Bed – Mobility Accessible with Roll-In Shower for 2 adults, 1 child
• Queen Room with Ocean View and Balcony – Mobility Accessible with Tub with 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Premium King Room with Ocean Front Lanai – Top Floor/Mobility Accessible with Roll-In Shower with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean Front Bungalow with One King Bed/Sofa Bed/Patio – Mobility Accessible with Roll-In Shower with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Room with Ocean View Lanai/Sofa Bed/Ocean View – Mobility Accessible with Tub with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean Front King Suite with Sofa Bed – Mobility Accessible with Roll-In Shower for 2 adults, 1 child
• Resort Lanai King Room with Sofa Bed – Low Floor/Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Tub with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• King Room with Sofa Bed and Ocean View – Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Tub with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Lanai King Room with Sofa Bed and Ocean View – Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Tub with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Lanai Queen Room with Ocean View – Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Tub with 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Premium Lanai King Room – Top Floor/Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Roll-In Shower with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean Front King Suite with Sofa Bed – Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Roll-In Shower with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean Front Queen Suite with Sofa Bed – Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Roll-In Shower with 2 sofa beds and 2 large double beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean Front King Bungalow with Sofa Bed and Patio – Mobility/Hearing Accessible with Roll-In Shower with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child

Reviews

• Byeong from South Korea (10/10)

  The staff. View. Dining. Great pools. Strongly recommend staying here

• Holly from United States (10/10)

  I was impressed with my entire experience. Wonderful staff throughout the resort, beautiful ocean views, great food and beverages. Very clean and accommodating

• Marissa from United States (9/10)

  The bungalow room we stayed in was beautiful and clean and had the most stunning view of the water! The bathroom was great with a huge soaking tub. Staff was friendly and grounds were really lovely to walk around. They had golf cart rides from the bungalows to the main property to cut down on walking if you requested which was amazing!

• Jeffrey from United States (9/10)

  The views are amazing…great inside and outside..great food options

• Andrew from Australia (10/10)

  Great location as well as having great facilities, staff made us feel very welcome

• Lainie from Australia (10/10)

  room was incredible and the facilities are excellent. I wish I could have stayed longer.

• Thomas from United States (9/10)

  Beautiful hotel with great service. everyone was very friendly and helpful. the only downside is the high price. The remodel has really taken the pmace a level up. The rooms are a bit small but that’s just how this place was built originally. The service everwhere was very attentive, far better than the typical Ritz resort factory experience. This is likely because the hotel used to be independent and the same folks are in charge regardless of the rebranding.

• Leona from United States (9/10)

  I’ve been there several times and it is consistently very well done. Great gym with views of the ocean and surf riders!

• Donna from Australia (10/10)

  Fabulous location and beautiful facilities

• Vanessa from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Definitely the place for us to stay in Oahu. We looked at Waikiki and am so glad we chose to stay here. Two very different places but for us if you are going to the island we wanted to enjoy the natural beauty. The hotel has a great vibe and has lots to choose from. A number of different activities, great gym, lovely walks around the surrounding area, some nice shops and a number of different of eating options. Definitely book ahead if you are going at a busy time as the beach restaurant as an example gets booked out quickly. Bookings are on “Open table.” Rooms were lovely and really well designed.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities