Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

6283 reviews

• 

  Pricey but great stay

  We were set to stay in Kauai but the hurricane hit. We scrambled and decided to go to the big island and choose the Fairmont. Upon arrival and listening to our story, they automatically upgraded us to a suite. The resort is beautiful and staff are very friendly and accommodating. The water stations around the resort are so handy and a great idea! We did eat at the breakfast buffet once because it is $55 per person. The onsite deli is where we got most of our meals. It’s less expensive, plenty of food options and you can grab and go. It opens earlier than everything else too. There is a grocery store within walking distance or 3 minutes drive. The resort has a small but acceptable beach with a cove for easy swimming and snorkeling but can get a little busy during peak hours. My only issue was that the $50 per night resort fee didn’t cover the water toys on sight. We had to rent a kayak for $50 an hour. In my opinion it should be included in the resort fee. Other than that small detail we loved it. It’s pricey but we would go back.

  Sep 24, 2026
• 

  Sweetest hotel staff ever in my life

  I stayed at the Fairmont Orchid from September 8–13, and I can honestly say I had the most amazing hotel experience of my life. I truly had the sweetest and happiest birthday I’ve ever had, and so much of that is thanks to the incredible people at this resort who went above and beyond to make me feel so special. First, I have to recognize Pua. From the moment we arrived, she went out of her way to make sure I had the most wonderful birthday experience. She checked in with me every day, always responded with the sweetest messages, and went above and beyond to make sure my stay was perfect. The extra birthday treats were such a thoughtful touch, and I genuinely felt cared for throughout my entire stay. Then, on the way to our luau, I somehow managed to trip and fall (I’m a very clumsy girl!). Alana, who was in the valet area, noticed that I had fallen and cut my knee. She immediately came over with such kindness and true aloha spirit and helped me with bandages so I wouldn’t get blood all over my dress. I was already so touched by her kindness, but then she showed up at my birthday dinner with the most beautiful shell necklace. It was such a thoughtful and unexpected gesture that made me feel incredibly special. I will never forget that moment. We also had the opportunity to take a canoe ride with Kaiahi in the beach area, and he was absolutely wonderful. He was so happy, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable about Hawaiian history and culture. I love historical facts and learning about the places I visit, so I was completely fascinated by everything he shared with us. He made the canoe ride feel so magical and memorable, and it was one of my favorite experiences of the trip. We stayed in an oceanfront room, and the complimentary water bottles were such a thoughtful touch, especially with how hot it was. I also loved that there were water stations throughout the property, which made staying hydrated so easy. The entire property is absolutely beautiful. The pools were gorgeous and perfectly clean and maintained, the bars had amazing drinks (the ube piña colada was incredible!), and the landscaping was stunning. I especially loved seeing all the beautiful fish throughout the ponds. Even the stone jacuzzi was beautiful to look at, although unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to use it. And the breakfast… PHENOMENAL. Truly, this was the best hotel breakfast I have ever had. The restaurant staff were so kind, welcoming, and genuinely happy to be there. They made my birthday morning extra special with a birthday treat and were so warm and smiley. The food was easily a 10/10. Dinner at Brown’s Beach House was just as beautiful. Our waiter was incredibly kind and helpful. I unfortunately forgot his name, but he gave us so many great recommendations and tips about the area that made our trip even better. The hotel did let us know there was construction happening during our stay, but honestly, I barely noticed it. I didn’t hear any construction noise and actually slept better than I ever have at a hotel! Pua, Alana, Kaiahi, and truly everyone at the Fairmont Orchid made my 30th birthday one I will never forget. I came to Hawaii hoping for a wonderful birthday, but I never could have imagined how special the entire experience would be. I never knew a hotel stay could be this fabulous. The Fairmont Orchid has my heart, and I cannot wait to come back. Mahalo nui loa for making my 30th birthday so incredibly special! 🌺🌺🌺

  Sep 17, 2026
• 

  Surprise Construction, Disappointing Honeymoon and Inconsistent Service

  We chose the Fairmont Orchid for our honeymoon based on the many positive reviews, but unfortunately, our experience was a major letdown. Our #1 goal was to relax after our wedding, but loud construction near the pool made that nearly impossible, which we were never warned about beforehand. Concrete sawing and jackhammering went on for hours every week day, so loudly that we couldn’t have a conversation at the pool. I had to walk all the way to the lobby just to take a phone call. I’ve included videos from three separate days but tripadvisor doesnt allow videos. The construction was so disruptive that I cried to an executive director (Connie) on our first day, expecting that this was going to be significantly disruptive for our once hopeful pleasant relaxing getaway. We were told construction would pause on weekends and were offered a daily credit and a beach day bed to encourage us to stay. We decided to make the best of it rather than deal with the cost and hassle of switching resorts last minute. Unfortunately, we never received the credit, and Hurricane Lowell resulted in a beach closure, leaving us with no real escape from the construction. The beach day bed also wasn’t what we expected—it’s essentially a wooden chair with a cloth shade, not a cabana or anything particularly special. The complimentary pool chairs and umbrellas were actually nicer. Service was another area where the experience fell short of five-star expectations. The breakfast buffet had several surprisingly chaotic logistical issues: our table was double-seated by the staff while we were getting food, resulting in awkward and disruptive confusion for everyone; on another day, a party was seated under our room number, causing a significant wait for us, and further confusion for the staff. We also were concerned we’d end up getting charged for someone else. There was also a time they left a note at our room indicting they were sending a special gift to us, which was nice of them. However, it ended up being a major time waste and distraction just trying to receive said gift. It required three phone calls and a virtual chat with the concierge before it was finally delivered (apparently they delivered it to the wrong room, potentially 3 times). It’s hard to complain about a gift, but we were just waiting (for over an hour with each attempt that ended up spanning multiple days). This was just another logistical failure causing us time lost and unnecessary toil. If it were just one of these things (aside from surprise construction) we could have overlooked it, but it seemed every day it was something. To avoid harping on the negative, the resort itself is beautiful, the beach is gorgeous, and the snorkeling just beyond the protected area is nice. We appreciated the complimentary daily one-hour snorkel rentals and the shuttle to the Mauna Lani area. The staff were consistently friendly and apologetic about the construction and the other instances where we had issues. Ultimately though, the combination of significant construction noise, inconsistent service, and the failure to follow through on the promised credit made this a disappointing honeymoon experience. In hindsight, we wish we had switched resorts on day one.

  Sep 16, 2026
• 

  Glorified Motel with Disappointing, Inconsistent service.

  We chose the Fairmont Orchid for our 6-night honeymoon because it looked luxurious and welcoming, but after just a few nights, I was seriously debating asking for a refund to move to a different hotel. Coming straight from the Four Seasons on Maui, the difference is night and day. For $600-$800 a night, you expect luxury and exceptional service. Instead, this property feels outdated, with half-assed, tired service that makes you want to leave the resort entirely. I would never stay here again and will warn people off. I would gladly pay double to stay at the Four Seasons for less time, or pay less and stay in Kona where at least I can go have lunch and dinner somewhere nice. The Positives: * Arrival & Room: The front desk was incredibly welcoming, and the housekeeping team has been great. Our room is comfortable with a pretty view overlooking the neighboring property and a glimpse of the beach. * Valet & Room Service Delivery: The valet staff has been great so far (though we did notice a large scrape o on our rental car, it's hard to prove where it happened). The room service delivery staff was also very friendly and helpful. *luau was super fun and had fantastic food but no signage anywhere so we walked around the whole property before finding it. Tickets didnt say anything about tennis courts either. The Dealbreakers & Service Failures: * Shocking Customer Service: Service here is wildly inconsistent and often feels like an inconvenience to the staff. The absolute lowest point was at the beach rental shack. The two girls working the booth (Kila and Kristin?) were outright rude, condescending, and made me feel uncomfortable. I have no idea why they directed such a weird, personal, and hurtful attitude toward a kind guest just trying to enjoy a honeymoon. * Safety & Maintenance Neglect: The beach cove is cute for snorkeling, but the area directly outside of the cove is full of sea urchins. There are zero warnings posted, and the rude staff at the shack certainly won't warn you. Furthermore, our shower was completely clogged and flooding, and despite calling it in two days ago, nobody ever came to fix it. * Stomach-Turning Cleanliness: There was what appeared to be blood on one of the elevator buttons that stayed there for days. We had to avoid it entirely and started jokingly calling it the "blood elevator." It's insane that a luxury hotel misses basic biohazard cleaning. The tables at both breakfast and our first dinner were dirty and had streaks on it with food debris. Our in room menu also had food caked on it. When all these things and more are going on together it just underlines that this place is dirty. * Terrible Food Options: Lunch options are highly limited to a few pool bites and a taco truck. Room service doesn't start until 5:30 PM. The property deli is horrible- serving dried-out sandwiches and overpriced $16 salads that are just bare leaves with zero protein. * Binchotan Fly Infestation: We ate at Binchotan for our first dinner. While the food and service were good, the restaurant is outdated and had an unbearable fly infestation. We literally had to pack our food to go and finish our first honeymoon meal in our hotel room. * Lack of Luxury Amenities: There is no laundry service available. When I asked, I was told to use the guest laundry machine on the 3rd floor. There is only one machine, and it was taken. I do not want to compete for a single washing machine on my vacation. To be fair I think there are more throughout the property, but I’m not interested in hunting down another free one. I think you get the point. Our honeymoon here has felt like a series of unfortunate events. The Fairmont brand should represent top-tier luxury, but this property is severely lacking. Save your money and go elsewhere. Like literally anywhere else.

  Sep 14, 2026
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  Mahalo Grace!

  We want to give a very special shout-out to Grace, our housekeeper at the Fairmont Orchid. ❤️ We appreciate Grace more than we can say. We actually request to stay on her floor every time we visit because of her! She goes above and beyond in ways that may seem like little things, but those little touches are exactly what make such a big difference to us. Grace has a way of making our room feel extra special. She notices the little things, adds thoughtful touches, and takes such pride in what she does. It’s something that truly stands out compared to any other housekeeper we’ve ever had. And beyond her incredible work, Grace is just such a wonderful, personable person. She always makes us feel welcomed and cared for, and seeing her is one of the highlights of our stay. Grace, we love and appreciate you so much! ❤️ Thank you for everything you do and for making our stays at the Fairmont Orchid even more special. You are truly one of a kind, and the Fairmont is incredibly lucky to have you!

  Aug 31, 2026