Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, Honolulu
Expert reviews
“In a quieter zone between the Ala Wai Canal and busy Waikiki, the midcentury design Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club charges $29 a day to each room for access to treats like hotel-branded bicycles, free morning coffee in the lobby and use of a beach tote and towels.”
Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Honolulu.
What guests liked
- Excellent location
- Comfortable beds
- Friendly staff
- Great food
All you need to know
Located around the best tourist spots of Honolulu, the Surfjack is within 15-minute walks to Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikiki Aquarium, and other tourist attractions. Free bicycles are provided for easier travel accommodations. With raging reviews and guaranteed satisfaction, this hotel promises gratification
The incentive of having Downtown Honolulu is very near to the hotel is a mere invitation to experience vibrant art and culture. A similar place that exhibits the heritage of the city is Kaka’ako, Chinatown. Arguably Waikiki’s most famous tourist point is The International Market. The nightlife and feasting close to the lodging are likewise worth encountering, and a walk around the Waikiki seashore will leave you yearning a greater amount of the excellent city.
Each enchanting guestroom is intended to completely suit visitors with luxuries, for example, cooling appliances, Wi-Fi, a private gallery, and hand cleanser from The Indigenous Soap Company. Visitors can likewise move up to lodge style rooms updated to provide the true Waikiki experience with contemporary touches and beach culture vibes.
The Swim Club has a sun deck and an open-air pool to house all sorts of social engagements. A well-known Café Mahina and Suns, run by the prestigious chef Ed Kenney offers a more outdoor feel and additionally has a bar.
Location
Recent guest reviews
26 January 2026
If your priority is on price, it’s a good choice.
good location and staff were very pensionable
The inside of room is so old, and smells like moldy. The TV is not smart, and no Type C charger.
26 January 2026
Exceptional
Very clean friendly staff guest stay to them selves
N/a-pool wasn’t 24hrs
24 January 2026
It was great! We’ll be back!
Retro style and staff
17 January 2026
A Gem
This was our third time and we really like it here. This smaller, less pretentious and less expensive, low-key boutique hotel has a retro, relaxed vibe and is within easy 10-minute walk to the Waikiki beach and also close to tons of grocery stores and shops, but without the hordes of tourists. Our local friends stay here with their pooch and told us about it; its half the price of the bigger skyscrapers the beach! Big pluses are the coffee shop right next door, the cute pool, attached restaurant, and nightly live music (acoustic crooners and the like). We tried a giant hotel last time and we're back to Surfjack!
The shower pressure and aim wasn't A+, but we were on the 8th floor (and we were upgraded, an awesome surprise ) so no real complaints!
4 January 2026
Great hotel to stay at
Great hotel and got it at a great price. Close to shops and walking distance to the beach. Room was clean. Friendly staff
Nothing :)
3 January 2026
Had a great stay
Staff was phenomenal, especially our housekeeping lady, maintenance guys and our bartender! Good location. Loved the night entertainment by pool.
Mattress not great, hallway sounds were loud in room. Especially with dogs barking. Front staff not particularly helpful finding parking structure
1 January 2026
Very good
Great communal facilities & lovely room with a balcony. The staff were lovely, we were even offered a Christmas cupcake at reception ☺️
N/A
1 January 2026
Excellent hotel with helpful staff, many amenities and a positive vibe.
Accommodated a large group well. Positive vibe, comfortable. Many amenities including life music daily.
Mattresses and pillows were a little hard.
31 December 2025
Lots of good, some inconveniences
The location was convenient, large lanai overlooking the pool, comfortable and plentiful shared seating areas, quiet room, they brought up a microwave so we could reheat leftovers. Nice water refill station. Comfortable pillows. No carpet in the room!!! No "resort fee." Clean. Friendly staff.
The pool was so cold we couldn't go into it, which made the whole point of finding a hotel with a pool irrelevant. No great places to hang towels, swimsuits, etc. Strong smell of bathroom/portapotty type cleaner on the way to the elevators. Bed was very soft--neither a pro nor a con but something to be aware of. Hot water very slow to arrive.
20 December 2025
Great quick stay.
Whitney was exceptionally helpful.
Room was a little worn and need of some repairs.
18 December 2025
Would recommend
Awesome pool! Nice additional touches - e.g. free bags, cabanas, events. Cool water in lobby area. Great location.
Some staff members were a bit grumpy, one day our room wasn't cleaned, no safe or much storage in the room.
17 December 2025
The coolest vibe in Waikīkī!
Amid the high rise hotels and tackiness of Waikiki, Surfjack stands out for its mega cool vibe. As a dog lover, the pro dogs policy is a big plus.
Not applicable
17 December 2025
Exceptional
Can't say enough good things about this hotel! We really enjoyed our stay. The staff are welcoming and accommodating, it's in a great location and the facilities are lovely.
12 December 2025
A truly welcoming stay in Waikiki
The location is excellent – perfect for walking around Waikiki and exploring the area on foot. Parking is conveniently arranged in a nearby garage just two streets away, which actually makes for a very pleasant short walk from the hotel to the car. The staff at the reception – and in general throughout the hotel – are incredibly friendly, helpful, and welcoming. Every morning there is complimentary coffee or tea in the lobby, which is a great way to start the day. In my opinion, the value for money is more than excellent. We had a small issue with the room on the first day, but the staff reacted immediately and professionally and arranged a new room for us without any hassle. Perfect service. The hotel was exceptionally clean, which is very important to us. As a nice bonus, there is a food truck across the street with excellent burgers. Overall, the friendliness and attitude of the staff truly exceeded all expectations – a level of hospitality that is very hard to find in Europe.
Absolutely nothing
11 December 2025
Great
Location, clean room, kind staffs
No hot water. Sometimes hot water didn't work and had to take a shower with cold water.
10 December 2025
Exceptional
Location, very friendly staff, cleanliness, style/design
7 December 2025
Very good
Location
27 November 2025
Perfect Hotel for Honolulu city trip
We enjoyed our stay very much, the hotel itself and where it’s located is perfect for a city stay. We loved our room with balcony, very clean and cozy. But we also enjoyed the facilities like the pool and the bar very much during our stay. 100% recommend and we will definitely come back!
Nothing we had a great stay
25 November 2025
Best place to stay in Waikiki is the Surfjack
Everything. The staff are so friendly. The front desk, maintenance workers, house keeping. Everyone is just great and so accommodating. There’s a pool and amazing bar/restaurant on the property. The best tiki drinks I’ve ever had. The bartenders feel like they’re your friends. Also it’s a great location. They give you towels for the beach. Cheapest parking for your car. Also it’s dog friendly! So there’s always cute pups walking around.
I like everything
25 November 2025
Unexpectedly awesome.
The pool was spectacular
24 November 2025
Great location - would stay here again!
Location was great, friendly staff. Daily housekeeping was appreciated.
No issues
24 November 2025
Exceptional
Great vibe. I liked the location to get most anywhere. An oasis off a busy street. Great Happy Hour and my room was super comfortable, including fridge and ceiling fans. a/c good. front desk helpful, fresh water station. Very safe city!!
17 November 2025
We Miss the Surfjack Already
Awesome overall layout and vibe. Central pool surrounded by onsite coffeeshop, great tiki bar, and restaurant. Rooms are minimalist and great, and ours had an enormous patio.
17 November 2025
We will be back again!
Comfortable and convenient. Great staff!
Parking off site but not bad!
15 November 2025
I am SO GLAD I found/chose to stay at Surfjack. I would have loved it regardless, but they randomly upgraded me to t
Gorgeous!! Love the mid century beach vibe. Not your typical hotel— cute art prints on the walls, unique furniture and lighting fixtures, etc. Cute pool. Perfectly located in a great part of Waikiki, easy/short walk to everything. Great staff!
I just wish I’d had a longer stay!
13 November 2025
Family vacation , we had great time
The location is fantastic 5 star The front desk people 5 star Atmosphere 5 star very cute Lot cute dogs 5 star
Unfortunately some of the rooms are outdated and smell . We had to change my cousin room. . Also the mattress was so uncomfortable and old it was one of the worst mattress I ever slept on. Also we had ask to change the sheets when we arrived . The biggest issue we had it was cleanness of the rooms , stains , hair , sand when we checked in . The biggest issue were the house keeping otherwise , I would of give 5 Star
12 November 2025
Great time in Waikiki, would love to come back to this hotel again - just fix the shower water temp!
This place was fantastic to get two rooms for a Waikiki trip - one for my partner and me, the other for my mother. The staff were absolutely fantastic and overall vibe exactly what we were looking to enjoy. It is such an easy walk to all the main Waikiki tourist spots and the pick-up for many tours over on Royal Hawaiian Ave while feeling a bit set away from the big hotels and crowds. The size of the complex made it really nice and manageable to enjoy. The other people staying in the hotel seemed to be a mix of young and old, families and couples and several people who seemed to be a bit longer-term tenants/military service people, many with dogs which you get to see walking in and out of lobby when hanging by the pool (loved this).
Our room showers just wouldn't get hot, they got luke warm when running for a very long time. It didn't seem right to waste all that water having to run it for just luke warm at best. We asked staff and they seemed very suprised but seemed ready with a diagram and everything on how to use the shower system. They also said to just let it run for 5 minutes to let it get warm. If this was fixed I would be giving this place a 10/10.
9 November 2025
A great short stay hotel for a few days in Honolulu.
Great location, nice swimming pool, onsite bar & restaurant.
5 November 2025
Very family friendly
I loved how family friendly the property is overall. Great location. Beautiful pool.
I can’t think of anything.
30 October 2025
Very good
Friendly staff, the pool and bar area very relaxing.
No microwaves or coffee pots in the room
28 October 2025
Great spot great staff
Location and availability of water
Pool closing at 5.30pm
22 October 2025
Had a very nice stay
Very friendly front desk and good parking option. We also got up upgraded to a two bedroom suite which was really appreciated. Would recommend!
21 October 2025
Very good
Hotel is good value with Hawaiian standards! Great location. Walking distance everywhere in the center. Great front desk staff! Poolbar/pool. Pet friendly place!
No breakfast at the hotel restaurant.
20 October 2025
Boutique hotel in waikiki with a no resort fee and walking distance to everything waikiki.
Location makes it convenient for walking around waikiki. Within reach to attractions, luau, stores, restaurants, beach, groceries. Staff were friendly and helpful. It also has a great vintage boutique vibe. Pool looks great. Very instagrammable. No resort fee and parking is offsite but still walkable.
Nothing really.
19 October 2025
Nice Pool, friendly staff, great atmosphere.
We were upgraded to suites. The hotel was beautiful and the staff very friendly. The pizza was delicious.
There wasn't anything we did not like about the hotel.
13 October 2025
Lovely hotel with very friendly staff in a great location
Great style, staff and quiet rooms
No shower to use after checking out
10 October 2025
Nice stay with a great location and comfortable room
We had a nice stay overall. The location was great, close to everything and perfect for exploring. The room was a good size, the bed was really comfortable, and it was cleaned every day, which we appreciated. They even surprised us with champagne for our anniversary, which was such a thoughtful touch.
It felt like a typical Hawaiian hotel, relaxed and welcoming, though a few small things could have been better. The room floor was quite cold, and there were no slippers provided, which would’ve helped. It also got a bit noisy at times because of a dog barking. Still, we had a good experience overall and enjoyed our stay.
10 October 2025
Good vibes
Very stylish hotel with good vibes in good location. Although you're in the middle of Waikiki, it's quiet and not too busy. The pool area is very cool and I liked hanging out there. The food in the restaurant is great as well. The hotel is in need of a renovation, but nevertheless I really enjoyed staying there. It takes about 10 minutes on foot to get to the beach. Shopping and restaurants/cafes are around the corner. I did not notice much about it being a dog hotel, it felt like a normal hotel to me, so please come even if you don't have a dog. Would definitely visit again!
The showers really need an update. The water takes several minutes to get hot and the temperature isn't steady while you're taking a shower. The water pressure could be better as well.
2 October 2025
Fabulous
The staff was very friendly. The room itself is very spacious. The location of the hotel is good. Everything is in walking distance.
1 October 2025
Pleasant stay
We stayed only one night, but the place was great! Perfect location, nice room, and a swimming pool. We were able to store our luggage after check-out until the evening.
29 September 2025
Awesome stay we enjoyed it!!
Decor and rooms
The parking
24 September 2025
Very good
Charming pool, bar and restaurant. Loved the shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Celing fans helped alot. Staff upgraded due to cold showers. Parking offsite $20 a night.
Couch and bed were too hard for me.
16 September 2025
Lovely lively hotel
The location the staff and the ambiance of the place …
No kettle in the room
15 September 2025
Decent stay, would book again for convenience and pet friendly.
Conveniently located with stores and eateries nearby or a quick walk away. Pet friendly- our dogs were welcomed and enjoyed the attention.
Elevators could have been cleaner and in better condition. Took a while and you can feel how dated it is. No valet or on site parking. Parking available is a bit of a walk and not clean.
15 September 2025
Great stay in Waikiki
Great two night stay in the one bedroom suite for 2 people. We were on the 8th floor, so no noise issues. Plenty of space. Water filter in the lobby and free coffee/tea in the morning as well. Staff was very friendly. Convenient location for Waikiki. I was initially concerned about the cleanliness based on some of the reviews, but it was clean to me.
Parking is about a 5 minute walk, but can’t complain since it’s only $20 a night.
14 September 2025
Fabulous
The hotel was very centrally located. The staff was very friendly, and the room was spacious and clean.
14 September 2025
Great place with a fun and relaxed vibe.
Pool, bar, costumer service, location, relaxed vibe.
Room was comfortable and clean but a bit dated. Some fixtures could use a refresh.
11 September 2025
Perfect hotel to stay in Waikīkī
The room was large and modern & the pool was great!
11 September 2025
Embracing the Aloha Spirit
We had a truly wonderful experience. The staff, at any hour of the day or night, was always incredibly helpful, kind, and highly professional. Even when we faced a couple of small setbacks, they handled everything perfectly and always helped us find the best solution with patience and a smile. The rooms are simple but very nice, with a relaxed style that perfectly matches the island vibe. After a minor issue, we were given an amazing upgrade: a suite with two bedrooms, a spacious living room, and a view of the pool. Absolutely stunning—we felt genuinely taken care of from start to finish. An outstanding hotel that combines warm hospitality, professionalism, and an authentic atmosphere that makes it truly special. Mahalo a hui hou! 🙏
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
- - Coffee house on site
Services
- - Room service
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Luggage storage
- - ATM/cash machine on site
- - Daily housekeeping
General
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Designated smoking area
- - Paid WiFi
Outdoors
- - Outdoor pool
- - Outdoor pool (all year)
- - Outdoor furniture
Activities
- - Nightclub/DJ
- - Evening entertainment
- - Happy hour (additional charge)
- - Live music/performance
Parking
- - Parking garage
- - Accessible parking
Accessibility
- - Wheelchair accessible
- - Toilet with grab rails
- - Lower bathroom sink
Pool and wellness
- - Pool bar
- - Shallow end
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Swimming pool
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - Key card access
- - Smoke alarms
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Access to health care professionals

More photos

27 January 2026
Fabulous