Hotels with balcony in Onna

I come to Okinawa almost every winter for vacation and have stayed at many ocean-view hotels here. Halekulani Okinawa stands out for both its significant strengths and weaknesses. **Pros:** (1) As a newly built hotel, the facilities are much newer than other hotels. The rooms even have smart tablets to conveniently book restaurants and check out various amenities. (2) Although the restaurant prices are noticeably higher than other hotels, the quality of both the buffet and à la carte restaurants, and even room service, is excellent and worth the price. (3) The service is very good. If you're taking public transportation when checking out, they'll even provide a car to take you to the station. (4) If you skip breakfast, you can change it to lunch, which is convenient for those who like to sleep in. **Cons:** This seems to be a common issue with Western hotel brands. Halekulani Okinawa, along with two other Hilton hotels here, shares the following problems. I believe this might stem from differences in Western brands' operational philosophies. However, for a hotel like Halekulani, which costs more than double other ocean-view hotels, these shortcomings are quite unacceptable. (1) The hotel lacks a well-stocked convenience store and souvenir shop. Other Japanese-owned ocean-view resort hotels usually have one or two such stores with a wide variety of items. Here, there's only one shop selling some Halekulani branded merchandise and a very limited selection of ”eco-friendly, natural” snacks, with hardly any beverages. If you want something to eat, you have to walk a few hundred meters outside the hotel to a chain convenience store. (2) The mini-bar drinks in the room are chargeable, and the prices are 4-5 times higher than at outside convenience stores. Considering this hotel is 2-3 times more expensive than others, and many other hotels often offer free mini-bars, this difference is quite significant. The main issue is the lack of an internal convenience store, forcing guests to frequently go out to a convenience store a few hundred meters away for a wider selection of drinks and snacks. Not to mention, it's truly unpleasant to go out when it's rainy or windy. For someone like me who enjoys staying at a comfortable and convenient hotel for several days or even a week, it's hard to stay long if a resort can't meet all my needs in one place. (3) The price for the self-service laundry and dryer (700/800 JPY) is also about three times higher than at other local ocean-view hotels (200/300 JPY). While the hotel's price is more than double that of others, the convenience and comfort aren't significantly higher (aside from newer facilities). Coupled with a mini-bar and self-service laundry that are several times more expensive, and the need to go outside to buy necessities due to the lack of an on-site convenience store, it feels like they're trying too hard to squeeze every penny. It's more suitable for a short, 'check-the-box' experience rather than a prolonged, relaxing stay. The quality of the seawater is also just average compared to hotels in Onna Village and Cape Zanpa.

The check in was very easy, as was finding the location along of the villa on the beach. The condo/villa is absolutely stunning with a view of the ocean that cannot be beat. We appreciated the gorgeous sunsets, the pool and soaking tub on the 2nd floor balcony, and the outstanding views of the beach and island (Yojima) in the distance. The beds were some of the most comfortable we slept in while in Japan. We deeply appreciated the amenities - breakfast and food delivery (sausages, veggies, fresh bread, eggs and drinks) upon arrival, and found the layout of the house was fantastic for our family of 5. With two sleeping areas downstairs (kids), and an upstairs master bedroom (parents), we had MORE than enough space. One thing we would have liked about the location description online is an understanding that there is VERY little near by in terms of restaurants, convenience stores, etc. Depending on the weather, not much is walkable within 15-20 minutes. We ate at the Taco Rice restaurant, and walked 30 minutes to a local supermarket, and we drove the other places we needed to go. Also, the general impression we got from the website was that you can access the beach directly from the villa - sort of a, ”walk out to the sand” idea. You cannot. There is a 6-foot wall that separates the bottom floor of the villa with the actual beach area (needed for water level rising during storms, we get that :))... but there is no way down without jumping, nor a path to the beach (from our #3/C Villa, at least). We ended up jumping down the retaining wall using their small gate, walking around to a local business area that had a clear path, and accessing the beach that way. This was fine, don't get me wrong. Also, while the view is spectacular (and it really is), there is a TON of rebar from a former construction project (unfinished, we asked around) that sticks up out of the ocean at low, or extremely low tide (both of which we experienced while visiting - the extremely low tide happens each new/full moon, we were told). When this occurs, the beach stretches for 550 yards. We were able to ”walk and explore” (careful of course of the coral!), but for 1.5 days, we had a view of tons and tons of rebar sticking straight out of the sand, that stretched for 100s of yards in each direction. Again, this did not ruin anything, but it would be nice to know when booking a pricey room. I think the views are outstanding, given the timing you take the photo :) Overall, we would likely not stay again for the price, but it was a relaxing and splurge-y way to get that Okinawa sunset in at the end of long trip (5 weeks) in Japan. We are grateful for this adventure and my shared experience in this review is simply to help families understand more about the property. We traveled in mid-July. Thank you!

The hotel has a minimalist design. We were upgraded to a lagoon view room, and the water was beautiful on a good day. There are two small, enclosed beaches, but the sea was still quite cold in May. The two pools close early and apparently won't be open late until September. There are a few massage hot spring pools which are quite comfortable. For breakfast, sometimes you have to get a number and wait for a table. The French toast with cream and jam was super delicious, the bread was so soft it melted in your mouth. The pudding bread was also good. Overall, the desserts and bread were outstanding. The dishes varied daily. On the first day, there was freshly grilled steak, and the bitter melon scrambled eggs were very tasty. On the second day, there was Agu pork hotpot.

Totally enjoyed the stay. View from balcony and outdoor jaccuzzi was perfect. The many bath salts offered also added dimension to the jaccuzzi. Evening drinks coupled with live wind instruments was fun and relaxing too. Close enough walk to many restaurants nearby, a leisurely 10-20mins walk. They were also able to help make a dining reservation at a nearby restauant.

This hotel is split into two buildings: a hotel wing and an apartment wing. The hotel wing boasts incredibly spacious balconies, which is a huge plus! Even though the weather wasn't great, the sea view from the room directly overlooked a stunning 'glass sea,' which was absolutely delightful. While some facilities are a bit dated, they are very well-maintained and you'll find everything you need. The decor has a strong Southeast Asian resort vibe, truly enhancing the vacation experience. You can book the airport limousine bus through the hotel's front desk; they only accept cash, but it's very convenient. The bus arrives punctually at the main hotel lobby. The breakfast selection on the first floor is limited but sufficient for basic needs, and they even serve alcohol!

While the location is a bit out of the way, since we had a rental car, it was convenient for traveling between the northern parts of Okinawa and American Village. The rooms were surprisingly spacious and clean for a Japanese accommodation. It's definitely a family-friendly hotel. The facilities were also very satisfying. The pool was a bit small but still enjoyable. We barely saw any Koreans; the guest demographic seemed to be mostly Japanese, followed by Chinese (or perhaps *********), Westerners, and then Koreans, in that order. Most guests were clearly families. Everything, from the value for money to the facilities, was perfect. If I had to point out a drawback, it would be the lack of things to do or see right around the hotel, haha. Only a Lawson convenience store and a couple of restaurants are within walking distance. However, we were happy because we could buy groceries at the nearby Aeon MaxValu and prepare simple meals. We will definitely stay here again on our next trip to Okinawa. Highly recommended!

It was the perfect environment for a hotel getaway. Since we had young children, the hotel's pool and activities were excellent and very helpful. We used the buffet restaurant all day, and the availability of sofa seating was a great help! I highly recommend adding Club Savvy benefits. The food and drinks in the lounge and the concierge service were simply fantastic. The exceptional hospitality made me want to return.

Excellent! Spacious room with a beautiful view of the pool and the sea. Responsive staff. Wonderful, delicious dinner. We booked this hotel because of its location. It was convenient and quick to get to the Blue Grotto diving spot by taxi. The hotel has its own beautiful beach. I want to come back!

The service was excellent, and the hotel environment was fantastic! The breakfast and dinner were standard buffet style, with above-average quality. However, the staff at the small shops might need more training, as they were unhelpful and seemed clueless, which is not the standard of service expected from a top-tier hotel.

This hotel is great, with a good location and a reasonable price. It is definitely worth it. The breakfast is also very rich. The bathrooms are separate and have a disinfection system. The family stayed for two nights and everyone was very satisfied