Average Hotel Costs in Hawaii: Complete Island-by-Island Price Guide

by Trevor Gericke April 2026

Planning a trip to Hawaii and trying to figure out what hotels will actually cost you? Average nightly rates across the islands range from around $150 to $600 or more — and sometimes that gap comes down to nothing more than which side of an island you’re staying on, or which month you book. Island, location, season and property type all play a role in what you’ll pay. This guide walks you through hotel costs across all six major islands, breaks down pricing by season and budget level, and points you toward the best value options no matter what you’re working with. Hawaii has a reputation as a luxury destination, but affordable stays are absolutely out there — you just need to know where to look.

Average Hotel Costs in Hawaii at a Glance

Note that the chart does not include Molokai or Lanai. Reason is that Molokai has so few hotels and accomoations getting accurate pricing is challenging. Lanai is dominated by the single hotel, the Four Seasons and is a high end Luxury resort.

Oahu tends to have the lowest average hotel costs because it has the largest supply of accommodations—especially in Honolulu and Waikiki—creating strong competition across budget, mid-range, and luxury options that pushes prices down. Maui on the other hand is more expense because there are fewer hotels with high demand and many are upscale resort-style properties. these tend to cost more. Kauai, one of the least developed islands has limited hotels. Many of the hotels focus on the lush and nature oriented properties that drive prices higher along with demand. Big Island, Hawaii often falls somewhere in the middle, offering a mix of budget-friendly stays and higher-end resorts spread across a large geographic area, which balances overall pricing.

Hawaii Hotel Costs by Island

Oahu Hotel Costs

There are four main tourist areas on Oahu. They are Honolulu, near the airport and in the middle of the island; Waikiki, a little to the west, with beautiful white-sand beaches and lots of tourists and the younger crowd; Ko Olina to the East and the North Shore. Each area has its own appeal and visitor types. Honolulu is an urban and business area. This area caters to business travelers, not so much to vacationers. The prices are generally lower than in the resort areas. There is a large supply and competition that keeps prices down.

Waikiki, world-famous for its white-sand beaches and bars, costs about the same as Honolulu but without the beachfront property. Prices peak in late fall and winter. Ko Olina is the most expensive place on the island, no matter what time you visit. This is a purpose-built resort-style community that typically features very upscale, high-end hotels and properties. Much more exclusive, lower availability, and people are willing to pay the premium. The North Shore has a wide range of prices by season; Winter and late spring cost more than spring and summer. Prices will spike when the surf is good or when there’s a surfing competition in town. Fall is typically the least expensive time to visit.

Maui Hotel Costs

Of the three main resort areas on Maui, Kaanapali is the most expensive. There are many beachfront hotels and fancy properties like the Ritz-Carlton to the north. Hotel costs in Kaanapali tend to vary more than in other locations. Napili and Kapalua are just to the north and offer more upscale, luxury options and tend to be more expensive. The prices are higher in the winter months and mid-summer, while spring and fall are lower.

Wailea is moderately priced. This is due to the limited number of hotels and high demand driven by good weather and little rain. Wailea also has a higher concentration of upscale and luxury hotels than other locations. Many more resort-style hotels focus on family-friendly experiences. Kihei is a long strip of beach just to the north of the more prominent Wailea. It is generally the least expensive, with more mid-range hotels, condos, and rentals. It also has steadier pricing year-round, thanks to its larger inventory and lower demand. Kihei is a great spot for budget-minded travelers looking for a good value and proximity to the many attractions.

Kauai Hotel Costs

There are three main areas on Kauai that the tourists will gravitate to. Lihue is the most affordable location because it is also the main business hub on the island, close to the airport and golf courses, and where business travelers tend to stay. There are more mid-range hotels in this area with good inventory. This keeps prices moderate compared to other locations. Poipu, on the dry side of the island, receives little rain and has great beaches. There are many upscale resorts and rentals in this area, driving the costs higher than in Lihue. Princeville is often the most expensive due to the limited number of hotels, high demand, and luxury resorts. I find it interesting, as this is also one of the rainiest locations on the island. Kauai follows other islands in terms of seasonality. The winter months are generally more expensive than the spring and fall. Lihue is generally more stable price-wise.

Big Island, Hawaii Hotel Costs

There are several tourist areas on the Big Island, Hawaii. Hilo is on the rainy side of the island and is the most affordable. There are a few resorts and many smallish, more local-style hotels catering to tourists and family visitors who don’t mind vacationing in a rain forest. The Kailua-Kona area is a long stretch of beach on the dry side of the island towards the south. There are many mid-range hotels with higher demand for the budget-minded traveler. Waikaloa is the most expensive area on the island. It is a purpose-built resort area with many high-end resort-style hotels catering to the rich and famous and family travelers. Waimea (Kamuela) is an often-overlooked area in rural Hawaii. A good spot in the northern middle of the island, making a good location to see both sides of the island. The hotels are moderately priced, as they are mid-range. Winter months are more expensive than spring and fall, and some summer months are a bit higher priced.

Cheapest and Most Expensive Islands for Hotels

• Cheapest Hawaii Island Overall is Oahu. Honolulu and Waikiki offer great prices and great locations. While Oahu is the least expensive Island, Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii, is the cheapest location in all the islands, but it’s very rainy. Perfect for travelers seeking fewer crowds and a rainforest experience.
• Best value for a classic Hawaii experience: Waikiki on Oahu is the premier place to visit in Hawaii and is generally less expensive. Note that beachfront properties will be more expensive than hotels a mile away. Kihei on Maui is another great value option, with many beaches and good weather.
• Most expensive Hawaii location: Kaanapali and its northern neighbors, Napili and Kapalua, are the most expensive. Kauai, overall, is also very expensive compared to other locations, especially in Poipu and Princeville.

Average Hawaii Hotel Costs by Season

Hotel costs in the Hawaiian Islands are highly dependent on the weather. Hawaii has warm weather year-round compared to mainland locations. People flock to the Hawaiian Islands in the winter and early spring to escape the frigid cold.

Peak Season: Mid-December to Mid-April. In general, the winter months are much more expensive than other times of the year. Hotel costs in December through mid-March are generally higher than in the other months. Average daily temperatures are around 80 F, depending on location, and rise to the upper 80s and 90s during summer months. Christmas and New Year are the most expensive 2 weeks of the year.

Shoulder Season: April–June and September–November offer the best value for visitors. The crowds start to thin out a bit, so hotels will lower prices to get bookings. April, May, September, and October are consistently less expensive than other months. This is the best time to go to avoid crowds; the weather is still nice, just at the start or end of the rainy season.

Summer: June–August. This is the time for family travel. The large resort areas see a price bump as families start arriving after school lets out. This is the rainy season, and temperatures are at their highest.

Hawaii Hotel Costs by Budget Tier

Hotel Costs in this destination

Vacation Rentals in Hawaii ($300 – $1000+) per night. The average cost for a vacation rental in Hawaii overall is about $500. This includes single rooms to multi-room luxury homes and should be used for comparison. Vacation rental prices follow the typical late-fall and winter price spike, but do not show the summer price bump as hotels do. January – March are the most expensive, and June and July are the least expensive.

Budget Travel in Hawaii ($100–$200/night). Hawaii is not a budget destination, but there are budget hotels and affordable options. The best places to find budget lodging options are the Big Island, Hawaii, and the outer reaches of Waikiki and Honolulu. Expect basic amenities, older properties, and apartment-style accommodations.

Mid-Range Hawaii Hotels ($200–$450/night), Hawaii, and an equal share of Mid-Range and Upscale hotels. The cost is generally higher in late fall and winter, and there is a price bump during peak summer months. Savvy travelers can find beachfront lodging in lesser-known areas, along with some great amenities. Most travelers choose this option based on travel and family size.

Luxury Hawaii Hotels ($550–$1,200+/night) Hawaii is known for its luxurious, over-the-top resorts and family destinations. Prominent luxury areas include Wailea, Kaanapali, Princeville, Ko Olina, and Waikoloa. Expect beachside properties, one or more pools with poolside service, beach toys, great restaurants, and babysitting for those families that want a break.

Explore Hotel Costs by Island and Location

listed below are links to related Hawaiian locations and information.

Take a look at our Oahu Travel Guide. This has great detail on additional hotel costs by location and property type, along with monthly rainfall and temperature. Honolulu Travel Guide has detailed information, things to do, and where to stay in this urban city. Our Waikiki page has local information on average hotel costs, top attractions, and things to do and see. The North Shore travel guide describes the windier, rainier side of the island and gives visitors a chance to experience a more rural setting. The Ko Olina Travel guide provides in-depth information on this purpose-built resort area just north of Honolulu.

Kaua’i, or the Garden Island, is one of the more expensive islands. Our Kauai Travel Guide shows average costs by hotel class, as well as average rainfall and temperatures. There is more information about the three main resort areas, including Lihei, Princeville, and Poipu.

The Maui Travel Guide includes hotel costs for each lodging class, along with average weather data. It includes top attractions, things to do and see, and detailed information about popular resort areas like Wailea, Kaanapali, and Kihei.

The Big Island, Hawaii, is less expensive than Kauai and Maui. There are a lot fewer tourists and active volcanoes. Our Big Island Travel Guide provides in-depth information about things to do, top attractions, and average hotel costs on the Big Island. The Hilo Travel Guide provides in-depth information on average hotel costs in Hilo, along with things to do, places to see, and foods to try. There is also information about other popular resort areas including Kailua-Kona and Waikoloa

How the data was calculated – Midrange hotels (class 3) were used in the data and charts used to compare prices by Island and Destination. Refer to the individual location pages to see the budget and luxury hotel prices for the location. The data is collected from one or more hotel and travel vendors that provide hotel prices. This data is collected monthly and aggregated. The date range used to gather prices spans a 7-day period that does not include major holidays. The prices are then normalized for a daily hotel cost. These costs include taxes and fees. Refer to how data is captured for more information about how we gather and process data.