Want to take advantage of Marriott STARS benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked. This is valid for paid stays at BVLGARI, EDITION, Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and St. Regis.
Several weeks ago, we learned how one of Oahu’s more luxurious hotels would become a Ritz-Carlton, which is great for those looking to earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy® points. There’s now a major update, as this property has now been reflagged as a Ritz-Carlton, so we now have a sense of what pricing is like (in both cash and points).
Turtle Bay Resort Oahu sold, rebranded as Ritz-Carlton
Host Hotels & Resorts, which is the largest lodging real estate investment trust in the United States, has acquired Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Most interesting is that as part of this purchase, the new owners have turned this property into a Ritz-Carlton. As of August 2024, the property is now known as the Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay.
Host Hotels & Resorts has acquired this property for a total of $680 million — that includes $630 million for the 450-room property, plus $50 million for a 49-acre land parcel which can be developed.
The resort is situated on 1,180-acres on the North Shore of Oahu, with five miles of beach and coastline views. All rooms feature ocean views, and there are also 42 bungalows with direct beach access. The property also has six food and beverage outlets, a club lounge, seven retail spaces, a spa, a fitness center, two golf courses, seven beaches, four resort pools, tennis and pickle ball courts, an equestrian center, 12 miles of oceanfront trails, and more.
Turtle Bay Resort was closed for a renovation from March 2020 until June 2021, and that renovation included just about all aspects of the resort.
The press release mentions how “in connection with the rebranding, Marriott provided key money and favorable modifications on several existing management agreements.” That’s interesting — so clearly the owners got some concessions on their other Marriott branded properties in exchange for making this a Ritz-Carlton. For what it’s worth, this property hasn’t just been reflagged as a Ritz-Carlton, but is now also managed by Marriott.
Ritz-Carlton Oahu Turtle Bay rates & points requirements
With the Ritz-Carlton Oahu Turtle Bay now operating as a Marriott, what are rates like? As you’d expect, they vary seasonally, and can be steep. Currently I’m seeing rates starting at $665 per night, though they go up significantly from there.
If you are going to book a cash stay, I’d highly recommend doing so through the Marriott STARS program. This will score you perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 food & beverage credit, a room upgrade subject to availability, and more. Ford and his team are happy to help with these requests, and can be reached at [email protected].
For those looking to redeem Bonvoy points, I see points rates starting at 84,000 points per night, and going as high as 132,000 points per night. I’d say those points redemption rates are fair but not terribly exciting. Of course using Marriott’s fifth night free benefit can add more value. For what it’s worth, I value Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each.
My take on Hawaii’s new Ritz-Carlton
I’ve been intrigued by Turtle Bay Resort, simply because it has a unique location on Oahu’s North Shore. There aren’t many other resorts in the area, and this is quite secluded, so that’s fun. At 450 rooms, this is no doubt a “resort factory,” but then again, that’s what I generally expect from the Ritz-Carlton brand.
A few thoughts:
- On the one hand, it’s great that it’s now possible to earn and redeem Bonvoy points for stays at the new Ritz-Carlton in Oahu
- On the other hand, this will no doubt over time lead to higher rates at the property
- Ritz-Carlton isn’t terribly generous when it comes to benefits for loyalty program members, as Platinum Elite members and above don’t receive complimentary breakfast at Ritz-Carlton
- Host Hotels & Resorts isn’t exactly known for being the most elite-friendly hotel owner out there, so I also would expect a lot of nickel-and-diming, and limited elite recognition
But hey, on balance I’d say this is good news. Hawaii doesn’t have many luxury points hotels, so more options are a good thing.
Bottom line
Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu has been sold, and has now become a Ritz-Carlton. The property underwent a renovation in recent years, so no major changes have been made. It’s nice to have a unique points property in Hawaii, though given that it’s a Ritz-Carlton, we’ll manage our expectations when it comes to elite perks.
What do you make of Hawaii’s new Ritz-Carlton?
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