Best Kid-Friendly Hotels in Hawaii

At this gorgeous property in the Ko Olina resort complex, service is excellent, the food is delicious, and the kids always come first. The pool area is gorgeous, and includes a lazy river, two waterslides, and a manmade reef. Even better? The lagoon cove offers families a chance to swim in calm ocean waters. It should come as no surprise that the Disney Aulani delivers when it comes to family fun. Classic movie characters wander the grounds, posing for photos with kids of all ages, decked out in aloha shirts for that extra island flair. Dance parties at the pool happen daily. Keiki (kids) menus are available at every restaurant, be it sit-down or quick-serve. The spa offers treatments for everyone in the family (even toddlers!), or the whole family can enjoy a treatment together in the 'Ohana suite. Rooms are also incredibly family-friendly, with spacious layouts and mini-fridges in every room.

The Grand Wailea Resort may be the most kid-friendly resort on Maui. Its biggest selling point has to be the one-of-a-kind pool complex with some pretty awesome features: a lazy-river pool, four waterslides, a rope swing, and a water elevator at the center of a faux volcano. The resort also has one of the best kids camps we've seen in a while. Camp Grande is a 20,000-square-foot facility with a video arcade, pingpong and foosball tables, a PlayStation room, a mini movie theater, and an activity room for kids 5-12 (seasonal activities available for teens). As if that's not enough to keep your kid busy, the beach has great waves for body-surfing and stiller areas for snorkeling. Even the rooms are geared towards families: standard rooms are huge and connecting rooms are available. There are also great kid options on restaurant menus.

The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is a beachfront luxury property with plenty for kids and adults alike. That includes seven standout pools and a large stretch of sandy beach — the seawater-filled Ocean Pool is particularly popular with little ones and sometimes sea turtles show up. There's also a kids' pool and a free kids' club, while the Cultural Center offers full-day activities for kids ages 5 to 12 and an activity center geared toward teenagers. The Beach Tree restaurant here also offers a kids' menu with mac and cheese and mini pizzas, and beachfront family dinners can be arranged. This is definitely a spot for families looking to bond, as the vibe is entirely more low-key than some of the other top entries on this list.

Guests never run out of things to do at the Hyatt Regency Maui, which can feel like a zoo, waterpark, mall, and food court all wrapped into one. It can get busy, but that only speaks to the Hyatt Regency Maui's family-friendly credentials. With flamingos, cranes, parrots, and penguins on-site, great beach activities like kayaking, snorkeling, and windsurfing lessons, and various Hawaiian-themed kids activities, children will never be bored. And, like many other resorts on our list, the pool complex is impressive, to say the least. There's a children's area, rope bridge, and 150-foot waterslide. Most of the hotel's restaurants offer kid-friendly options and rollaway beds can be provided in the large Standard Rooms.

Like sister property the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea breaks the mold of the typically crowded, noisy and bustling kid-friendly hotel. Come for a relaxing escape that encourages family bonding. While parents indulge in the great adult amenities the hotel offers, kids can participate in the resort's free kids' club, go to the game room for video games, ping-pong, and pool. There are also more active options, including golf, basketball, tennis, or croquet, not to mention the Four Seasons Wailea's three pools. It also sits on one of the best beaches in the area, which is great for body boarding, paddle boarding, Hobie Cat sailing, and snorkeling. Kids under five eat free at two of the Four Seasons' restaurants, and all restaurants — plus room service — provide kids' menus. A children's welcome program includes free cribs, high chairs, toiletries, and bathrobes, and a room can be child-proofed in advance upon request.

The rooms at the Montage Kapalua Bay alone make it one of the best Hawaii family hotels. Each comes with its own kitchen and up to four bedrooms, giving adults and kids plenty of space to spread out and unwind. This luxury resort has also gone to great lengths to make a stay fun: kids can even earn merit badges for engaging in different activities, summer-camp style. The pool is a highlight for guests of all ages, with multiple levels connected by cascading waterfalls and a shallow kids' pool at the base. There’s also a lovely stretch of sand just below the resort, with calm waters that are ideal for swimming and snorkeling. The kids' club here, Paintbox, offers an array of educational activities as well as evening programs on Thursdays and Fridays for parents who want to get away. Hourly, half-day, and full-day rates are available.

This beautiful Grant Hyatt Kauai hotel offers spacious rooms and all sorts of great recreational opportunities for families and kids, many of which are culturally immersive. The pools are a big highlight here, with a lazy river and a waterslide that descends into an activity pool. Alternatively, guests can head to the manmade saltwater lagoon, complete with a sandy beach for sandcastle making and enough space to kayak or take scuba lessons. There's also a kids' club for guests ages 3 to 12 featuring all sorts of activities, many of which focus on Hawaiian culture (think: hula lessons and lei making).

The Sheraton Waikiki is the place to be if you're an avid people watcher. It's one of the largest hotels in Hawaii, meaning you can expect to find a shocking amount of amenities as well as plenty of lively action around every corner. Children under 17 stay for free, which can help cut down on costs (though you'll have to pay for rollaway beds). The bustling pool complex is impressive, with two connected pools, fountains, a hot tub and a waterslide. Children can also enroll in the kids' camp where they make leis and go to an aquarium, among other activities. You might consider a trip to the adults-only pool while your kids are occupied. Have a picky eater? Don't worry, because the Sheraton has some of the best kid-friendly options of any Hawaii hotel.

If you're after a busy, bustling vacation, this is the resort for you. The massive Hilton Hawaiian Village is the largest in Hawaii and consists of five towers of rooms plus dozens of bars and restaurants, not to mention extensive shopping options. Many guests here find little reason to live, which is precisely the Hilton Waikiki's appeal for families. It’s right on a sandy stretch of shore with calm waters that are sectioned off for safe swimming, and there are plenty of pool options; the largest one has a shallow play area for kids. The resort offers all sorts of activities, from twice-weekly screenings of family-friendly movies to evening luaus and fireworks displays, and there's a kids' club, Camp Penguin, with full- and half-day programs for children ages 5 through 12.

Honua Kai Resort & Spa is a condo-style property with generally large rooms that attracts families looking for self-catering accommodations, ideal for parents of picky eaters. It's right on a section of Kaanapali North Beach that's known for its good snorkeling-- you may even spot a sea turtle. The pool complex here includes slides, waterfalls, whirlpools, a lazy river, and other aquatic spots that are known kid-pleasers. For adults, it's worth heading to the spa for some of its pampering treatments to make sure vacation helps you unwind as well. 

The Marriott Kauai is a beach bum's paradise. With one of the best beaches on Kauai, kids will never be bored playing in the calm water. And that's not the only reason this is a great hotel for families: It also has one of the biggest single-level pools in Hawaii, with five whirlpools and waterfalls. The Marriott also makes it easy to stay with your kids; the standard room can sleep up to four people, rollaways, cribs, and high chairs are free, and Marriott's Activity Zone Experience offers age-appropriate kids activities.

On the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, the family-friendly Westin Hapuna Beach offers plenty for kids, with a large Family Pool, a kids' club for guests ages 5 through 12 (for a daily fee), and a good range of activities to keep teens and adults occupied, from scuba diving to mountain biking. Multiple dining options are available, from buffets to grab-and-go set ups, and there's a weekly crab feast with discounts for kids. Rooms are fresh and modern, making this a pleasant option for adults as well, and the beach is one of our favorites on the Big Island.

The upscale Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa is one of the most popular Maui family hotels. It's full of activities for adults and kids, from a small putting green to a giant Connect Four game along with all sorts of family-friendly entertainment options and classes; they even offer beach-side s’more roasts. The beach here offers great snorkeling and generally calm waters, and there's a massive lagoon pool with a waterslide that's busy with families throughout the day. The Sheraton is also home to the Maui Ocean Center’s Hawaiian Marine Life Hale, an educational marine center where guests of all ages can learn about life under the sea.

Ho’olei at Grand Wailea is a great choice for families wanting home-like comforts with lots of fun water activities for kids. The rooms (dubbed villas) are huge, with multiple bedrooms, open-plan dining and kitchen areas with lots of cookware, and lanais with grills, plus full-sized laundry rooms and even garages. It's a short walk from Wailea Beach, with calm, kid-friendly waters and there's a lagoon pool with waterfalls, caves, and a shallow beach-style entry that's great for kids. The biggest draws for families, however, is access to the water park at the main Grand Wailea resort.

The Waikoloa Beach Marriot Resort is a great choice for families, with a prime location right on a white-sand beach and plenty of cultural activities suitable for guests of all ages, including regular luaus. The resort also offers three pools (one of which has a waterslide) and a variety of dining options, including a shaved ice stand. Adults can opt to golf at one of two nearby courses, or head to the beautiful Mandapa Spa for treatments and massages.