A few months back, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of nights on the North Shore of the Hawaiian Island of O’ahu. It’s a place that feels worlds apart from the busy paradise that is Waikiki – and it’s not a quick commute, either. The North Shore of the island is at least an hour drive from the popular tourist destination. But if you want to experience all the beauty and culture that Hawaii has to offer, no trip to the island is complete without a visit.
From incredible beaches like Sunset Beach (pictured below) – which, as the name suggests, is one of the best places in the whole State of Hawaii to watch the sun set (and catch a wave while doing it) – to the education and immersion of the Polynesian Cultural Center. From the settlements of food trucks that produce unforgettable meals for locals and tourist alike, to the Kualoa Ranch famed for its use in Jurassic Park and Lost. There is something for everyone here.
However, there have never been many hotels to cater to tourists in the area. In fact, there’s only two. There’s the upmarket Ritz-Carlton O’ahu on the northern most point of the island, at Turtle Bay. And then there’s the Courtyard Marriott, which recently underwent a US$7 million renovation, completed at the end of last year. The 144-room hotel sits next door to the Polynesian Cultural Center, and has historically played host to families visiting students at BYU Hawaii. But it serves as an entry point for the entire region; and an alternative to making the daily commute from the other side of the island. And with the recent upgrades, a beach right across the street, and a pool on site, you may not want to commute anywhere at all once you get here.
Let’s take a look at this excellent accommodation option in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Checking In & The Lobby
We were greeted by a friendly and uncomplicated check in, before we found a place to park our car rental from Discount Hawaii Car Rental, right near our room. The car park extends around the building, to accommodate its multiple entry points.
The lobby felt brand new, with artwork running throughout. The idea in their update was to bring the destination into the hotel, and move away from being “just another generic hotel”. For one, in honour of Hukilau, you’ll notice big nets sitting in the lobby, with a “Hawaiian Fishing Village” theme on display.
Eriki Marchand, a Tahitian artist who studied at BYU, was responsible for the major artwork in the hallway near the lobby, pictured below. Called The Hope of a King, and commissioned for the opening of the renovated hotel, the mixed-media piece tells of King Kalākaua’s first visit to Laie, which is the North Shore town in which you’ll find the hotel. I loved how he uses the grain of the wood to depict the sand.
The Room
While most rooms have a king bed, there are some rooms in the building that have two queen beds – which we were lucky enough to enjoy.
The bed and its pillows were very comfortable, while a sofa also sat in the space. And you can tell the sofa is part of the renovation, as it has phone chargers built into it, including USB-C. And there are plenty of charging points throughout the room. It also doubles as a pull out bed! The fern-heavy backdrop art is consistent through all the hotel rooms, and sets a warm tone.
The bathroom was well lit, with a decent amount of room. The water pressure was excellent, and there were plenty of towels ready for us.
There were also a number of unexpected treats for guests in the bathroom. We found cleansing bars, makeup removal, as well as Lani’kea Bamboo Face Masks, all giving guests the option of some added relaxation and comfort. There were plenty of hooks both in the bathroom and the hallway outside, which was fantastic. It’s become a pet peeve of mine at hotels that there’s just the one hook for one towel – and the rest end up on the floor. Here, whether you need to hang your towels from the bathroom or the beach – or anything else for that matter – there was plenty of room to do so.
Just outside the bedroom was a closet with a two way mirror, and a decent amount of storage space.
It was easy to log into the flat screen LG TV and watch Netflix. It was also in a movable wall unit, so you could swivel and angle it as needed. And given we could have watched it on the sofa, or one of two queen beds in the room, this flexibility was appreciated. Underneath the TV, you’d find a desk, fridge, as well as a set up for tea and coffee. There’s also a microwave in there which was a very welcome addition to the space. Especially in one that would often be occupied by families.
We could see the ocean from our window, as well as some of the local residents of the area.
This is only a three story building – so they’ve done well to limit its size and how it affects local residents and traffic. It does make such a difference to feel like you’re part of a community, rather than just a run of hotel and apartment buildings.
Though most rooms in the hotel are fairly standard One King or Two Queen bedrooms, we also got a peak into one of the seven suites in the hotel, which comes complete with full kitchen and living area. The full kitchens were added as part of the recent renovation, with the sofa also offering a pull out bed to ensure it’s a room suitable for the whole family. Though it’s worth noting that even the smallest King Size room can accommodate four people with its own pull out sofa.
Four of these suites are made especially for families, with two sets of twin bunk beds also in the space. Although that will be just as good an option for a group of friends on holiday. And unlike pretty much every other hotel on the island, there are no resort fees, nor are there any extra person charges.
Hotel Amenities
Though we did enjoy the water views, there are no balconies in this hotel. So they have placed additional focus on their outdoor area, with more social space for guests to enjoy.
There’s a pickleball court, a volleyball court and space for cornhole. And there’s a 24 hour gym. But the centrepiece of the area is their large pool, which comes with a hot tub and a wading area for the little ones. They offer efficient drying towels for the pool area, which are complimentary as long as you bring them back by 10pm. There’s also day beds that can be reserved and plenty of other seating areas to lay in the sun, or eat your meal from the local restaurant.
The onsite restaurant is called The Bistro. This isn’t a gourmet spot – they have gone for reliable and affordable options that the whole family can enjoy. Breakfast is served until 11am, and they also offer lunch and dinner, as well as Starbucks. They do include some local favourites amongst the menu, including the Loco Moco, a popular brunch dish with rice, burger patty, a fried egg and gravy. You can see I purchased one myself, below.
For more food variety, you can head next door to the Polynesian Cultural Center, who offer a number of dining and food truck options. There’s no cost to visit this part of the centre. There’s plenty of shopping there, too! Though it’s worth noting that the PCC is run by BYU which is a Mormon-led University also near the hotel. As such, both the hotel and the PCC are dry. So you won’t be able to purchase any alcohol here. Though you would be welcome to bring your own alcohol to enjoy in your own room.
On Site Activities
As many hotels and resorts in Hawaii offer, the Courtyard have a number of free cultural activities on site. For starters, there’s live music several days of the week, from 630pm to 830pm. You can see the schedule on a wall in the lobby, which updates regularly.
There’s also cultural activities on most weekday mornings, where guests are invited to “Holoholo” with Aunty Kela. While we were there she was offering Hula and Ukulele sessions, where guests were able to learn two of Hawaii’s most iconic traditions.
Here we are learning hula, above, and you’ll see me on the Ukulele below.
Though bookings are recommended to ensure you have a spot, all of these activities are free, which is particularly impressive given there are no resort fees.
About The Area
A short walk next door to the hotel you’ll find one of the most popular tourist attractions on the North Shore, the Polynesian Cultural Center. Here, you can explore six Polynesian nations in one afternoon. You can read more about this experience in Hollis Brunt’s article from earlier in the year HERE.
The PCC is also home to the stage show Ha: Breath of Life, which is typically performed five nights a week, featuring over 100 dancers, musicians, and acrobats. The show comes as part of your ticketed experience at the PCC, and the hotel offer discounts to those who want to visit. So be sure to ask at the front desk for more details.
Across the street you’ll find ʻŌnini Beach, which is named after the ʻŌnini reef. It was windy when we were there, and in general this part of the island has less predictable weather and waves than Waikiki. Which is why surfers love the area. But be sure to come prepared for any weather.
A three minute drive from the hotel you’ll find a supermarket, post office and a Long Drugs. You’ll spot plenty of road side stops along the way too, for fruits, food and coconuts.
Keep driving, and about seven minutes north from the hotel (56-505 Kamehameha Hwy) you’ll find some of the most iconic food trucks on the island. Da Bald Guy, who was in the Hawaiian episode of Street Food: USA on Netflix is here. There’s the Ono Yo frozen yogurt and acai stand, which provides some delicious and healthy sweet treats that look as good as they taste.
Arguably the most well known food truck on the island is Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, which is most famed for its plates of garlic shrimp. While there are three on the island of O’ahu, this spot on Kamehameha Hwy was its first permanent location, and has been there since 1996.
While they serve more than just garlic shrimp, it’s hard to not get the dish that made them famous. It’s just that good. They have stations to wash your hands afterwards too. Because you’ll need it.
If you keep driving north from this food truck sanctuary, you’ll make your way past Turtle Bay and eventually to Sunset Beach, sitting on the North West side of the island. It’s a little slice of paradise that is worth the trip to the region alone. Those are truly some spectacular sunset views.
Getting There
From Australia, you can get a direct flight from Qantas, Hawaiian Airlines or Jetstar between East Coast cities and Honolulu. From Mainland USA and Canada, almost all major airlines will fly between the West Coast and Honolulu. Hawaiian also offer a direct flight from New York with great transfers through to Australia. I’ve spoken about that one in the past.
If you’re renting a car – we rented ours from Discount Hawaii Car Rental – it will take a little over an hour to drive to the hotel from the airport. Once you’re at the hotel, parking is available for $20 a day. There are also tour operators that will take you over to that side of the island, and a public bus network. For the latter, you’ll want to make your way to the 60 bus, not far from the airport. That one runs every 30 minutes during peak hours – though the whole commute will take at least two hours going by that method.
Final Verdict
While I never stayed at the hotel pre-renovation, it’s safe to say that they have done a wonderful job here.
This is a perfect four star hotel, with a lot to offer and reasonable prices for the region. On a quick look through their official site, rooms were under US$400/night, including tax. And the fact that they don’t charge for extra people in your room, or any resort fees, makes this particularly noteworthy.
There’s a pool that begs you to enjoy it, and plenty of comfort throughout. The on site food options are tasty and reliable, and there’s plenty of other food within walking distance or a short drive. Not to mention the beach!
And while there are plenty of resort features in spite of the lack of fee, like Aunty Kela’s morning cultural lessons, they aren’t trying to compete with the likes of the nearby Ritz-Carlton. Their goal is to provide a comfortable, family friend stay, with enough amenities on site to keep you around, but not enough that you’ll never want to leave. The North Shore of Hawaii begs to be explored, and this is certainly the hotel to stay in when you want to do just that. I’ll definitely be back.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Courtyard Marriott Oahu North Shore
Address: 55-400 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie, HI 96762, United States
Phone Number: +1 (808) 293-4900
Official Website: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/hnloa-courtyard-oahu-north-shore
The author stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Oahu North Shore for two nights, as a guest of the hotel. We rented a car via Discount Hawaii Car Rental. All prices in USD and were correct at the time of printing. Visit their website for the most up-to-date prices. Photos by Larry Heath unless otherwise credited.
