This resort is located on a secluded crescent beach in Kahala, just east of Diamond Head; five spa rooms offer private gardens, soaking baths, and pampering.

Guests can swim and interact with the hotel's dolphins, who share residence with exotic fish and sea turtles in a 26,000-square-foot saltwater lagoon. 

Opened in 1964 and frequented by Hollywood's elite (Frank Sinatra, Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfeiffer), entertainment notables (Faith Hill, Luciano Pavarotti, Billy Joel), every US president from Nixon to Clinton, and royalty (Queen Elizabeth, Princess Grace, the Dalai Lama), this resort attracts the rich and famous and the discriminating and sophisticated. Ordinary families cavort next to the glitterati. Consistent awards prove this resort is among the world’s best .

For a modest fee, guests (kids, too) can swim and interact with the resort’s most loved residents, the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Emphasizing education, Dolphin Quest scientist/trainers run the program in the 26,000-square-foot salt-water lagoon.

Every imaginable facility and service is available for a relaxed, luxurious vacation: a fitness center offering personal training, aquatic exercise, and yoga, with separate men's and women's quarters with saunas, steam rooms, and spas; a Keiki Club for children ages 5–12, offering half- and full-day sessions of Hawaiian culture and activities; exclusive shops and boutiques; complimentary shuttles to nearby shopping; and complimentary activities such as lauhala weaving.

Hoku's - Hoku's consistently wins acclaim for its contemporary Island cuisine, which melds Hawaiian, Asian, and European flavors prepared with finesse and served with style. Renovated June 2006, the hotel features bright furnishings, Italian bone china, and Christofle silver. 

PlumeriaBeach House - Renowned for its Kahala Burger, this casual beachside café features bountiful buffets and off-the-menu choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with live Hawaiian music at sunset.

Tokyo-Tokyo - Inside or outside by a garden, this stylish Japanese restaurant serves dinner either robata style or in tatami rooms.

The Veranda - Embodying the graciousness of plantation-era Hawaii and offering panoramic ocean views, afternoon tea, cocktails, and live-music dancing in the evenings, The Veranda supplies tradition and romance by day, sunset, or moonlight.

Seaside Grill - With a direct view of the Pacific Ocean, this restaurant offers intimate dinners and social gatherings.

Honu Bar & Terrace - Located next to the turtle ponds, Honu (Hawaiian for "turtle") serves lunch, evening appetizers, dinner, and tropical drinks.

This beachfront hotel offers 364 rooms, located in two 10-story towers and a two-story Dolphin Lagoon Terrace. Rooms average 550 square feet. Some have furnished sit-down balconies; others have Juliet balconies with sliding glass doors and wrought-iron railings. Views are of the ocean, dolphin lagoon, or mountains.

Decor includes teak parquet floors and mahogany furniture. Rich fabrics and hand-woven Tibetan carpets contribute color. Dressing areas are furnished with mahogany-and-red-marble vanities, and huge bathrooms recall grand Hawaiian plantations.