Halekulani Okinawa

The Halekulani in Waikiki, Hawaii has operated since the 1880s and holds a position in Pacific luxury hospitality as one of the benchmark beach hotels in the world — a property where the service culture, the view of Diamond Head, and the particular quality of the oceanfront experience have accumulated over more than a century. Halekulani Okinawa, which opened in 2019 on the west coast of the Okinawa main island, extends this legacy into a new ocean and a different cultural context.

The property faces the East China Sea from the shoreline of Onna village, a strip of coast on Okinawa's middle west coast that catches the sunsets and the prevailing westerly sea breeze. Multiple pools, a private beach, and the La Mer Spa form the operational core of a resort scaled for full-service hospitality rather than boutique intimacy. The Ryukyu cultural identity of Okinawa — its distinct music, textile traditions, and cuisine, formed by centuries as an independent kingdom — informs the aesthetic direction and some of the culinary programming.

Okinawan cooking is a significant element of the dining offer. The island's cuisine is distinct from mainland Japanese cooking: the use of pork, goya (bitter melon), awamori spirits, and the extraordinary seafood of the surrounding reefs creates a food culture that has attracted international research interest for its role in Okinawa's historically notable longevity. The resort's restaurants engage this tradition alongside international options.

For those arriving with an interest in the island's layered history — the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Second World War legacy of the Battle of Okinawa, the ongoing relationship between the island's culture and its contemporary life — Halekulani Okinawa provides a comfortable base for a journey that extends well beyond the beach.