Royal Hawaiian Hotel Haunts
Royal Hawaiian Hotel Haunts
One of the most haunted hotels in Hawaii.
Beneath the bright sun and the gentle sway of palm trees, Royal Hawaiian Hotel hides its spooky shadows well. Known lovingly as the “Pink Palace of the Pacific,” this luxurious resort has welcomed presidents, royalty, and Hollywood stars since opening its doors in 1927. But behind its vintage charm and rosy stucco walls lies a story the hotel doesn’t often tell.
It isn’t on the brochure. You won’t find it in the hotel’s welcome packet. But it definitely is one of the most haunted hotels in Hawaii. Talk to longtime employees or listen closely to the whispers of seasoned travelers, and one room on the third floor always comes up.
Another haunted hotel in Hawaii
The hotel staff is professional, discreet—and careful with their words. Still, some admit there have been more than a few strange reports centered around that single room. Guests have called down to the front desk, confused and frustrated, saying they’re locked out of their room. But when hotel maintenance arrives to assist, the door opens without issue. Just a quiet click, as if the room decides to let them in.
Inside, the room looks like every other—immaculate and welcoming, cooled by central air. But several guests have noted something unsettling: a single cold spot in the room that never warms. It doesn’t sit near a vent. It ignores the thermostat. And even in the warmest months, the chill lingers in that one exact place, as though something invisible is standing there. Watching. But the most disturbing reports have nothing to do with malfunctioning doors or strange temperatures. They happen in the dead of night.
The Shadows of the Pink Palace
Guests have described restless sleep—tossing, turning, waking from vivid nightmares. At first, they chalk it up to jet lag. But when they roll over and open their eyes, they find a dark silhouette standing next to the bed. Always the same shape: tall, unmoving. A figure without features, positioned just a little too close.
The reaction is always the same. A startled jump. A light flicked on. A scan of the room that reveals nothing but empty space.
Security is called. The room is checked. No intruders. No malfunctioning lights. Just a shaken guest trying to make sense of a sleepless night and the weight of eyes that are no longer there.
Some wonder if this shadow belongs to someone from the hotel’s early days—someone who never checked out. The Royal Hawaiian hosted soldiers during World War II, survived decades of transitions, and remains one of the oldest hotels on the island still in operation. Its walls have seen celebrations, heartbreak, war, and wealth. Could something have lingered behind?
Of course, the hotel doesn’t comment on such rumors. For a place known for luxury and escape, stories of hauntings don’t fit the brand. Still, the third-floor room remains a topic among those who know Waikīkī’s haunted history. And in a city where tales of spirits and the supernatural are woven into local legend, the idea of a lingering presence doesn’t feel so far-fetched.
A haunting history
Aside from the fairly modern spooks, something ancient lies beneath the concrete and pink stucco. In March 1898, Colonel George Macfarlane leased some space in Waikiki to establish a seaside annex to Downtown Honolulu’s “Hawaiian Hotel.” This space was Helumoa, a huge grove of coconut trees.
In the 1600s, during the time of Ali‘i Kakuhihewa, a sixth-generation descendant of Ma‘ilikukahi, as the story is told, there was a champion fighting rooster that lived in Ka‘au, a large crater in the Palolo district, high above Waikiki. This was no ordinary rooster, however. People said this rooster was a supernatural being of half-man/half-chicken. The rooster’s name is often referred to as “Ka‘auhelemoa” or “Ka‘auhelumoa.”
One day, Ka‘auhelumoa flew down from his home and landed in Waikiki. Furiously scratching the earth, he caught the attention of Kakuhihewa, and then suddenly vanished. Kakuhihewa took this as an omen and planted niu, coconuts, where the rooster was digging.
Coconut trees were incdredibly important to Hawaiians due to their versatility and abundance. Used for food, drink, and materials for building, the niu appears in numerous legends. The water in a young coconut was even used for special blessings and ceremonies.
From Kakuhihewa’s initial planting, it is said that more than 10,000 coconut trees grew.
Golgotha at Waikiki
More than 200 years later, Japanese laborers were leveling off some mounds in this same coconut grove. In preparation for removing some of the coconut trees, they cut off the roots around the tree, and then they went to lunch.
As they were returning from their break, a gale rattled the foliage of the tall palms like castanets. The undermined trees shivered in the blast of wind and began to reel. Upon their fall, even the ground rumbled and, it is stated, the awa and mullet in an adjacent pond leaped clear out of the water.
As the workmen retreated from the falling trees, the unthinkable happened. Flung high into the air by the catapultic motion of the roots was a mass of human bones - entire skulls, femurs, vertebrae, ribs, everything. One skull struck one of the workers in the back as he ran, and when he turned to see what hit him, he almost died of fear!
There was no way to get the men back to work. The only one who returned was the foreman. He began delving in the soil when, close to the surface, he found an entire skeleton. It was in a sitting position with arms extended over the head. There was another skeleton discovered not so well united in frame.
A very aged woman named Kaohi, who was a retainer for Princess Pauahi was still living near the place. She said she was born there and there used to be a heiau on that spot. The bodies of Hawaiians slain in battle were buried within its walls.
In Hawai‘i, not all ghosts are vengeful or malevolent. Some are simply lost. Some are protectors. Others are bound to a place, unable—or unwilling—to leave. Whatever presence resides in that room at the Royal Hawaiian, it doesn’t appear to mean harm. But it does want to be noticed.
So the next time you stroll past the Pink Palace, admire its elegance. Take in its history. But know this: in one of Waikīkī’s most iconic hotels, a room on the third floor may still be entertaining guests of its own.
And if you ever stay there… don’t forget to leave the light on.
Uncover More from Haunted Honolulu
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel may be the most haunted hotel in Hawaii, but it’s far from the only one. If stories of ghostly shadows and unexplained disturbances intrigue you, dive deeper into the mysteries of haunted Waikīkī and beyond with a Waikiki ghost tour. Our Honolulu ghost tours take you through the haunted places in Hawaii that visitors rarely see, from cursed landmarks to the hidden paths of the night marchers. Whether you're fascinated by true tales of the supernatural Honolulu or simply curious about the legends that linger in supernatural Hawaii, this is your invitation to walk among the spirits.