The Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay, reviewed

As published on the resort’s own sites, checked Sep 26, 2026. Confirm when you book.

Best for

• CouplesGreatAn adults-only infinity pool, Nalu Spa and the Ocean Bungalows.
• FamiliesGreatA kids’ pool with two slides, a calm cove and pony rides.
• FriendsGoodGolf, surf lessons and a lobby bar; Waikiki nightlife is an hour away.
• SoloGoodDaily fitness classes and 12 miles of trails, but you need a car.
• GroupsGreatThree- and four-bedroom Ocean Villas with full kitchens.

The main building holds 408 rooms and suites, all with an ocean view. Standard Ocean View rooms have one king and a sofa bed or two queens. For a straight-on ocean view, the resort points guests to the Premium Ocean Front and Club rooms on the top floors. Club rooms include the Ritz-Carlton Club lounge, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Marriott Bonvoy elite status does not include it.

The Ali’i Suite is the largest room, on the highest floors with a soaking tub and balconies facing east and west. The 42 Ocean Bungalows are single-story units a few steps from the sand, with a dedicated host and their own Tranquility Pool. The three- and four-bedroom Ocean Villas have full kitchens; most are privately owned, so book through the resort to get its amenities. For other options, see North Shore vacation rentals.

The main pool is the family hub, with a hot tub, cabanas and the Sunset Pool Bar. Next to it, the Keiki Pool has two water slides. The Adult Pool is an infinity pool with in-water loungers and its own cabanas. The fourth, the Tranquility Pool, is for bungalow guests. The main and adult pools are heated and open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cabana prices are not published.

Nalu Spa sits at pool level facing the ocean, with an outdoor healing garden and indoor saunas. Treatments use Hawaiian medicinal plants grown in the resort’s gardens, and the menu covers massage, facials, body wraps and a full salon. A 22 percent service charge and tax are added to every service. The oceanfront gym is open 24 hours.

Kuilima Cove, beside the main building, has calm water, a sandy bottom and coral for snorkeling. There is no county lifeguard tower, and winter swells on this coast can be large, so summer is the season to swim (check whether it is safe to swim today). Keiki Cove, shallow and calm year round, is about 10 minutes away on foot. The pools and beach gear are for hotel guests.

The Stables, about 10 minutes’ walk from the lobby, runs oceanfront trail rides for ages 7 and up and pony time for younger kids. Jamie O’Brien’s surf school teaches daily, including adaptive lessons. Golfers can play the Arnold Palmer course; the George Fazio course is listed as temporarily closed. There are kayak turtle tours and 12 miles of trails. The resort does not describe a drop-off kids club.

Six places to eat and drink plus a weekly luau, all on the resort’s dining page as of September 2026. Beach House by Roy Yamaguchi on Kuilima Cove is the name-chef table, and the restaurants take outside diners as well as guests.

AlaiaHawaiian comfort food

Alaia, the signature restaurant on the lobby level, cooks modern Hawaiian comfort food with produce from island farms and the resort’s own Kuilima Farm. Breakfast runs daily from 6:30 to 11 a.m., as a buffet or dishes like the crab cake Benedict; dinner runs 5 to 9 p.m., with hamachi sashimi in liliko’i leche de tigre, furikake-crusted ahi and Kahuku corn tagliatelle. No bathing suits. Dinner reservations are recommended, on OpenTable or at 808-293-6020. The online menu prints no prices, and parties of six or more pay a 20% gratuity. It suits a first-night dinner without another drive.

Beach House by Roy YamaguchiAsian fusion

Beach House by Roy Yamaguchi faces the beach at Kuilima Cove: lunch daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., bar bites 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and dinner 4:30 to 9 p.m. Dinner brings misoyaki deepwater black cod ($65), rustic spiced ahi tataki ($36) and lobster mac and cheese ($45), and the prix fixe is $86, with a vegan one at $49 (as of Sep 2026). Dress is casual; reservations are encouraged, at 808-293-7697. It suits a sunset dinner with the cove in front. The bar-bites window, at the bar and high-tops only, is the cheaper way in.

Lei Lei’s Bar & GrillAmerican

Lei Lei’s Bar & Grill sits on the Fazio golf course, which is itself listed as temporarily closed, and serves an American menu daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The resort names its host, Uncle Ian, as part of the draw. Dress is casual. No current menu is posted online, so call 808-293-2662 for the day’s dishes or a table. It suits an early breakfast before a North Shore drive, or a relaxed dinner away from the main building.

Off The LipLobby bar

Off The Lip is the open-air lobby bar, open daily from noon to 10:30 p.m., with food until 9:30 and live music Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. At sunset its infinity water feature appears to run straight into the ocean. The menu covers a shoyu ahi poke bowl, seared local fish tacos and a double wagyu smash burger, and the cocktails use fresh herbs and local fruit. Dress is smart casual. It suits couples and friends at sunset; plan a Friday or Saturday for the music.

Sunset Pool Bar on the main pool deck pours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with live music daily, Ho‘olana in the lobby opens at 5:30 a.m. for coffee and pastries, and room service is available. On Wednesdays, the Paniolo luau runs at the Stables (compare the luaus on Oahu).

Most of the famous North Shore stops are a short drive west: Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline about 5 miles, Waimea Bay about 8 and Haleiwa 11 (more in what to do on the North Shore). The Kahuku shrimp trucks are 3 to 5 miles east. In winter, check for high-surf closures on Kamehameha Highway, and read whether you need a car on Oahu before you book.

• Ocean Villas at Turtle Bay suit families and groups who want a full kitchen on the same grounds; book a villa through the resort and the Ritz-Carlton’s pools and activities come with it.
• Ke Iki Beach Bungalows is the small, low-key North Shore pick: bungalows on the sand near Shark’s Cove, each with a kitchen and a grill, with free parking and no resort fee.
• Kahala Hotel & Resort is the quiet beach resort without the hour’s drive: 10 to 15 minutes from Waikiki, no resort fee, and every room category listed at 550 square feet.

• Book villas direct. Ocean Villa guests who book elsewhere do not get resort amenities.
• Not staying? Restaurants, golf, trail rides, spa and surf lessons are open to visitors; the pools are for guests.
• Swim in summer, watch waves in winter. Kuilima Cove has no lifeguard tower.
• Plan the luau for Wednesday. The Paniolo show is a Wednesday-only dinner.
• Club access costs extra. Elite status does not include the Ritz-Carlton Club.