5 Of Hawaii's Best Hotels Featured In Iconic Shows And Movies For You To Stay At

Hawaii's incredible beauty and culture mean that it's at the top of the list for many people's travel bucket list. A part of the appeal for many is that you can visit the scenes where some of your favorite TV shows and movies were filmed. You can plan your trip to Hawaii around visiting "Jurassic Park" filming locations, for example, or experience your own romantic moments at places featured in "50 First Dates."

But what if you want to go beyond just visiting the place where a movie was filmed? What if you want to stay in the actual hotel that you saw on screen? Hawaii has those places, too. Whether you're a fan of romantic comedies or binge-worthy TV dramas, these five Hawaiian hotels are particularly special because they were so much more than just a pretty backdrop. They were all vital to the plot in some big (and small) screen productions.

Some things to note: if you're not planning to check in at one of these hotels, you might still be able to take a look around, but ask first at the front desk for what you're able to access if you're not an overnight guest. And, more broadly, while traveling responsibly is important no matter where you go, it's particularly important in Hawaii since the islands have fragile ecosystems and a unique, living culture.

The Ritz Carlton Oahu Turtle Bay (once simply Turtle Bay Resort; it was made a Ritz Carlton in 2024) is a huge 1,300-acre property set on Oahu's most beautiful stretch of scenery. It's been used as a film set for a number of different projects, and if you get a chance to stay in Bungalow 142, you'll be in the exact room that was featured in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." If you've seen the movie, you first see the bungalows when Jason Segel's character happens upon his ex-girlfriend (Kristen Bell) making out with her new boyfriend (Russell Brand).

Bungalow 142 is one of 42 bungalows that are separate from the main hotel building, and they're literally steps from the beach. If you stay at the bungalows, you have access to a private pool where you can get drinks and snacks, including free champagne every day. You won't find any other places to stay on the island where you're sleeping this close to the waves. Current zoning laws mean structures have to be farther from the beach; however, since this hotel was built in the 1970s, the bungalows and their amazing oceanfront access were grandfathered in.

Even if you can't stay in the famous Bungalow 142, the 450-room property has been used as a film spot for a range of movies and TV shows. "Along Came Polly," "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," and "Magnum P.I." were all filmed here. One of its more famous spots is the banyan tree that was used in both the TV show "LOST" and the film "Pirates of the Caribbean."

The first season of HBO's "The White Lotus" was all about the lives (and one death) of hotel guests and staff at a luxury resort in Hawaii, and it all went down at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Of course, that wasn't the name of the hotel in the show, and we're hoping there's never quite that much drama behind the scenes there or anywhere else, but it sure made for a beautiful setting. The entire 15-acre resort was taken over by cast and crew while the show was being shot in late 2020.

For those who've watched the show, they know the pivotal role that the Pineapple Suite played in the plot. While it isn't called the Pineapple Suite in real life (instead it's the Lokelani Presidential Suite), you can still stay there for nearly $30,000 per night. For that amount, you get a 7,200 square foot, three-bedroom suite with three marble bathrooms and a private garden. If that's not in your budget, the resort has smaller suites along with garden, ocean, and mountain view single rooms, which all have large soaking tubs and private lanais.

For more recognizable locations from "The White Lotus," there's the hotel's infinity pool where guests Olivia and Paula, played by Sydney Sweeney and Brittany O'Grady, were frequently shown lounging, and the spa where Tanya, a rich guest played by Jennifer Coolidge, bonded with Belinda, an employee played by Natasha Rothwell. And if you were inspired by seeing Quinn (Fred Hechinger) get out on the water in an outrigger canoe, the hotel can help arrange that experience as well.

Opening in 1927 on Waikiki Beach, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, A Luxury Collection Resort is one of the oldest hotels on Oahu. Affectionately known as the "Pink Palace of the Pacific" thanks to its pink stucco architecture, this historic hotel has been featured in a number of films over the years. It was used as the wedding location for Margaret and Walter Keane (played by Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz) in the 2014 film "Big Eyes." While their marriage didn't work out, the wedding certainly took place in an idyllic place. In fact, if you're on the lookout for a fantastic resort wedding venue for a destination wedding, The Royal Hawaiian is a good choice. They have indoor and outdoor spaces, all of which are steeped in history and extraordinary beauty.

The hotel was also featured in "Punch-Drunk Love," starring Adam Sandler. A picture of Sandler's character kissing Emily Watson's character in an archway at The Royal Hawaiian was even used for the movie poster. However, Hallmark movie lovers may recognize the movie from "Two Tickets to Paradise" with Ryan Paevey and Ashley Williams. But it's not just movies that use this location. If you watched AMC's "Mad Men," The Royal Hawaiian is where Don and Megan Draper go on their honeymoon in the Season 6 premiere. As a part of their trip, they attend a luau, something you can still do there today; it's the only oceanfront luau on Waikiki Beach.

It's been frequented by celebs off-screen as well, and it's easy to understand why. The 528-room hotel has a luxurious spa, plenty of restaurants, and offers uniquely Hawaiian activities like lei making and ukulele lessons.

What's now the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina was the film location for "Blue Crush," a surfing film that came out in 2002. The movie was all about Hawaii; it starred Kate Bosworth as Anne Marie, a surfer who works as a maid at a resort where she meets (and starts to fall for) a pro football player who's staying there. While much of the film is centered around Bosworth's character surfing at Pipeline along Oahu's North Shore, the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina is actually on the west coast of the island, which means it features some stunning sunsets in real life.

If you've watched the movie, you know the iconic scene where Anne Marie lectures the football players about the mess they left in their room. That's on the Kohola Lagoon and beach, which is right in front of the hotel. The 370-room resort is certainly luxurious enough to be a place where an NFL team would stay. It has multiple pools, a spa, tennis and pickleball courts, golf club access, and more. For those inspired to take up surfing after watching "Blue Crush," the hotel can set up private surfing lessons for guests. Fans of the movie will want to make the 36-mile drive from the hotel to watch the surfers at Pipeline, especially in the winter, as it's one of several amazing experiences you can only have on Oahu.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort opened in the 1960s in a high-end Hononlulu neighborhood east of Diamond Head, about a 15-minute drive from the heart of Waikiki Beach. Hallmark fans will definitely want to book a stay here; it was featured in the 2021 Hallmark movie "You Had Me at Aloha," starring Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith. The next year, it was the setting for "Hidden Gems," starring Hunter King and Beau Mirchoff. Then in 2023, they used it for "Aloha Heart," starring Taylor Cole and Kanoa Goo, where it was called the Hale HoAloha Hotel.

All three movies immerse you in the beauty of this beachfront hotel and its surroundings. Plus, if you stay here, you're not just walking in the footsteps of Hollywood royalty, but actual royalty. Queen Elizabeth stayed there for two nights in 1975, and a decade later,Prince Charles and Princess Diana made it their Hawaii home for a bit.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort has 338 rooms and suites with ocean or mountain views, as well as plenty of free cultural experiences like hula classes and lei-making. Plus, there are activities like SUP yoga, including a cool nighttime session with boards that light up, though if you've seen "Hidden Gems," you'll know to leave your rings in a safe place. For maximum indulgence, book a treatment at the spa and dine at Hoku's, their fine dining restaurant.