When people think of Hawaii, they tend to conjure Kauai’s jungles or Maui’s white sand beaches. But it’s Honolulu on the island of Oahu where most locals live and work, yielding a dynamic and complicated scene where Indigenous culture converges with Asian influences and midcentury Americana, and energetic food and arts scenes unfold against a backdrop of warm beaches and lush forest.
Wayfinder opened a year ago on the relatively quieter side of Waikiki, fronting the Ala Wai can (but still an easy walk to the beach). Rooms contrast a Brutalist exterior with playful interiors that combine checkered palaka print pillows and shower curtains emblazoned with humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a, the state fish. In addition to rooms in the main building, Wayfi also has larger studios with bungalow vibes in a three-story walk-up adjacent to the pool. Rooms start at around $300.
36 Hours in Honolulu
The New York Times