Aulani Resort & Spa Room Review: 1-Bedroom Villa
Aulani — A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii has a wide variety of hotel room and Disney Vacation Club villas. During our recent visit to Aulani, we had the chance to stay with friends in a 1-bedroom villa. We fell in love with Aulani, and although we certainly will be back (probably just us in a studio next time), we thought we would share a review and some photos of the 1-bedroom villa in case anyone else is considering it.
In total, there were four adults in our party, and the 1-bedroom villa was perfectly suitable for us. I think it would work well for 2 couples sharing a single room (just agree in advance who gets the master bedroom!), and would be ideal for a family of 2 adults and 2-3 kids. While there are some layout issues that I think are less than ideal in the Aulani 1-bedroom villas (see below), I think overall they are an excellent room option if you’re looking for something more spacious than a standard studio room, or want the full kitchen and ability to do laundry in-room.
For us, the big appeal of the rooms at Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa is the well-rounded design. Disney has always been faced with the task of balancing theme and luxury in its more expensive hotel rooms, and often luxury takes a backseat to theme. The same cannot be said at Aulani, where Disney perfectly performs the balancing act. In our Aulani Trip Planning Guide, we theorized that this was out of necessity. Aulani doesn’t have the “crutch” of being an on-site hotel to a nearby Disney theme park, and it faces intense competition from real-world luxury hotel brands in Hawaii and generally more discerning travelers. Thus, Disney had to hit every high note in order for Aulani to be competitive among luxury resorts in Hawaii.
Since Aulani is a true resort, and not just a hotel masquerading as a resort, we aren’t going to attempt to lump the rooms themselves with the other amenities of the hotel. There are simply too many “other amenities” and the 1-bedroom villa has enough to cover in a single post, anyway. We’ll be back with additional posts to hit on some of the entertainment and amenity options at Aulani in a future post.
With that said, let’s take a look at the various areas of the Aulani 1-bedroom villa…
The kitchen was gorgeous, but it was admittedly a bit lost on us since all we did was use the fridge to store “breakfast cupcakes,” soda, and make coffee. With that said, the kitchen is everything I could imagine wanting from a villa kitchen. The appliances are stainless steel, the countertops are granite, and the cabinets are a nice, rich wood. As you can see, it looks great.
Next to the kitchen is the kitchen table, which is nicely upholstered with a traditional Hawaiian design. The table-top itself isn’t all that interesting, but maybe plain here is better than going for another pattern. At the right edge of the frame is the closet where the washer and dryer are located.
Doing a 180 from the table is the main living area. The sofa is a queen pullout bed. All of the furniture here great texture and patterns. It all feels substantial and well made. Same goes for the carpet. I know it might seem like a stretch to praise the carpet, but it felt thick and nicely textured. Just a minor thing, but here all of the minor things add up.
There are two separate doors to access the balcony, and a total of four chairs and two tables out there. Here’s a partial look at our view from the balcony. The top photo in this post provides a better look at our view. We spent a ton of time on the balcony just looking out over the resort. We could clearly hear the live music playing below in the evening hours from the balcony, which made the balcony the perfect place to unwind at night.
Here’s a view of the master bedroom. Note the wall hangs with authentic Hawaiian designs and the detailed headboard. These stuck out as nice details, but really everywhere in the room from the fixtures to the types of wood to the trim to even the thickness of the walls, you could tell Disney did not skimp or cut corners. This is unlike Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World where you’d expect a certain quality (given the price point), but instead corners in certain places are sometimes cut. I can’t think of any cut corners at Aulani. The decor and style may not satisfy everyone, but it’s indisputable that a great effort was undertaken.
There are plenty of Disney details throughout the room, but they are mostly subtle and could go unnoticed by those not looking for them. This is a good thing, we think, as Aulani excels in its historical and cultural accuracy, and that shouldn’t be overshadowed by Mickey Mouse.
Like everything in the room, the runners on the bed are high quality, and well-designed.
This should give you an idea of the layout of the master bedroom and its relation to the main living area. Outside the frame to the right is the master bathroom.
One of the nicest in-room amenities is the set of Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa bathrobes. These things are insanely high quality. Seriously, wear one of these out on the balcony and you’ll feel like a clean version of Hef overlooking your kingdom.
The shower is incredibly spacious and features dual heads. In terms of design, it almost feels like a “spa shower,” assuming that’s a real thing.
Don’t worry Disney toiletry connoisseurs, Aulani has you covered with a slew of soaps ‘n’ stuff!
My big complaint in terms of layout is the shared master bathroom. Disney Vacation Club members are probably familiar with this design, as it was the layout used for Saratoga Springs Resort and older 1-bedroom villas at Walt Disney World. However, the newer units have gone with a full bathroom attached to the master bedroom and another full bathroom outside the main area. Really, though, this is a matter of preference. If you’re just 2 adults choosing the 1-bedroom for its additional space, you will probably like the master bathroom layout found here. If you have a herd of children or several people simultaneously jockeying for bathroom time, this arrangement will be less desirable. This is just a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things, but it’s still an issue worth mentioning. Other than that, layout-wise, Aulani’s 1-bedroom rooms are quite nice.
The question, as with any Disney hotel room, is how much all of this matters. In the case of Aulani, we think the answer is going to be “a lot” for most guests. Since Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa is a true resort experience rather than a hotel adjacent to a set of theme parks, there’s a far greater likelihood guests staying at Aulani are actually going to be staying at Aulani for a good deal of time. In other words, this resort is not just a place where most guests will shower and sleep, and there’s or part of a more comprehensive trip or experience put on by Disney, but it’s not “just” a hotel, either. The most apt comparison we can think of is to other resort complexes on Oahu, or in other tropical settings that offer a multitude of things to do on the premises, but really are best enjoyed alongside other experiences in that locale. It’s also somewhat like a cruise ship on land.
Overall, Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa ranks right up there with hotels like the Grand Floridian and Grand Californian in terms of cost (or exceeds them), but it also offers so much more than any US Disney resort-hotel in terms of quality. The rooms are incredibly nice, and successfully blend luxury with themed accommodations. This is something with which we find Disney constantly struggles, and the balance is not an easy proposition. Aulani just works in both regards and it’s clear that Disney did not approach Aulani with the mentality of trying to cut corners where it was felt guests may not notice. Here, everything is just flat-out well done. The rooms are artfully and tastefully decorated, feeling culturally appropriate, but also with the type of high quality furnishings, fixtures, and design that you’d expect of a luxury hotel. It’s exceedingly rare for us to say this about Disney hotels, but Aulani’s rooms nail both luxury and theme. Now, this isn’t to say that some people still won’t like the style of Aulani’s rooms (you should be able to easily tell by the photos), but we feel they are very well done.
Also unanswered is whether a trip to Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa is right for you and your party in the first place. Even if the room is nice and you like it, Aulani is a destination that just isn’t for everyone. To get a better idea of whether it’s for you, we highly recommend reading our Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa Trip Planning Guide.
If you are thinking of staying at Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa, we recommend that you request a quote from a fee-free Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. They can find you all of the current discounts, and help you plan the details of your trip!
Your Thoughts
Have you visited Aulani? What type of room were you in? What did you think of the room? Any other tips or thoughts with regard to the rooms at Aulani? Any questions about Aulani rooms? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments!
Hi, Tom-
Question about the pullout bed at Aulani. Is it comfortable or is there that annoying rod in your back? I feel like you never know what you’re gonna get with soda beds!
Great report of the 1 Bedroom Vila. Very informative! Can you share the specific location, building and floor #, of this room? I’ve seen some pictures where the balcony of a 1 bedroom villa consists of 2 small balconies, instead of the 1 long balcony like you show in your picture. Is there a certain way to request the longer balcony (which is my preference)? Is it possible that single/long balcony is limited to certain floors? Thank you
Hi Tom. Thanks for the review and all of the info you provide. My question is about the sleeping arrangements in the 1BR. I have a 13yr old daughter and a 16 yr old son who are now too old to sleep on the pull out sofa together. They are listed “sleeps 5”. Is there a chair that turns into a bed or a Murphy bed like they have in the new studios at Boardwalk? Can’t seem to find this answer anywhere
Walt– Yup, they miss it in the review, but the base of the living area TV unit is a Murphy bed. I don’t know about Boardwalk, but it’s just like the 1BR at the Grand Californian. My 5’8″ son prefers the Murphy bed to the foldout sofa.
Hello!
Appreciate all the info you have shared. We have a trip coming up fast, my family of 5 will be traveling to Aulani for my son’s birthday. We made a mistake and invited my teenage daughters friend with us and later realized the 1 bedroom villa only accommodates 5 people. I’m a little stressed as we want to make this a fun trip but hope we don’t have issues accessing the pool, shows, restaurants, etc.
Can you share any insights on the pools? How “strict” are they with the wristbands? Is that really enforced?
Thanks much!
Lou
I have the same question
We are debating between the studio and 1 bedroom villa for our upcoming stay at Aulani. I would prefer more space the 1 bedroom offers but it comes with a price tag of $150 extra per night.
We are staying for 5 nights (2 adults and 2 children 5 year old). Would you recommend the studio or 1 bedroom for us?
Hi there, thank you for sharing. I am thinking about getting a 1 bedroom villa for my daughter’s 5th birthday this March. I am a local so I thought about having my family come up to the villa just to have dinner, you know, sing happy birthday & have some ice cream! I know 5 overnight guests are allowed, but how many people do you think could the villa fit? Just to entertain for a few hours. I have a fairly large family and I don’t think they mind being squished but I just want to be sure we’re all comfortable for that two hours. Thanks!!!!
Hmmm…that’s hard to judge, but I think you could probably entertain around 12 people in a 1-BR villa without feeling squished. Maybe more if some people are hanging out in the bedroom.
We visited Aulani in June 2014 for our 15th Wedding Anniversary. We are DVC members, but paid cash for our room because all the studios were booked at the 7 month window. When we arrived, they upgraded us to a 1-bedroom villa. What a wonderful surprise! We have always booked a studio room, so we were very impressed with the 1-bedroom. We left our 2 boys (ages 10 and 5) at home with my parents for this trip, but had many Face Time sessions walking around the resort with them so they could see and experience it too. (I also might have a very embarrassing video of myself and a trip down the waterslide that they have watched over and over again.) Anywho…they especially enjoyed all the hidden Menehune, we enjoy looking for hidden Mickeys at the parks, and I thought this was a nice touch of Disney magic at Aluani. We totally agree, Aulani is our new favorite Disney resort as well!! Disney’s attention to detail always blow us away!
Wow…!!!!!! Its awesome post. So nice and beautiful resident. I love this, and also want to live here for few months. Keep sharing such an wonderful blog.
can’t wait for more aulani posts! will be there next month!
Beautiful photos, as always, Tom! I’m appreciative of the in-depth room tour, as I’ve been curious about Aulani…. very excited to hear that it’s a more luxurious resort than the typical Disney Vacation Club units. Also, the fuschia accent color used throughout the unit is lovely.
Agree on the color choices used at Aulani. They did a great job all around on this resort.
Aloha, Tom! I have been checking your site frequently the past few weeks, as I have been planning a trip to WDW in December. I currently live in Honolulu at Hickam AFB, and my family and I are moving to FL in about a month. I can’t wait to take my 3 very young kids to Disney for the first time. I am doing a ton of planning/research. Anyway, we haven’t made it out to Aulani yet, and probably won’t be able to, since we aren’t DVC members, and we would rather save that money to spend at WDW. We can use the beaches at Ko Olina anytime- in fact, we were there just this weekend. We did stay out at the Marriot there, without a kitchen, and hated paying so much for the food in the resort area. Thanks so much for all of the great advice on your site!
Just wanted to add that I always admire the beautiful Aulani building when we are in the Ko Olina area! It’s just amazing.
Before you move, you really ought to drop into Aulani to check the place out. Even if you’re not staying there, it’s well worth seeing. Maybe grab a meal or something there!
Hi! Just wanted to follow up with you. After reading this comment, I decided that it would be worth a trip (and the money) to take the family to the character breakfast. It was so much fun! I am so glad we went. The food looked great, but lacked any flavor, though. It’s like they don’t have any salt or seasonings in the kitchen. My kids stuffed themselves with Mickey Waffles and fruit, so they were happy. We had an 11 AM reservation (the last seating) and it was wonderful. Goofy came by several times and the kids had lots of fun with the parade. The kids were definitely a little bummed that Mickey wasn’t part of the dining experience, and that they only got to interact with him for a coupe of minutes. The hotel was amazing to walk around, and I was so sad to leave! We are so spoiled after living here for a few years. I know when we come back to visit, we will definitely be checking them out again.
We stayed in a 1-bedroom pool view in 2012, and will be back in the same room in a few weeks. We found everything about the room to be perfect. If you are going to Aulani, unless you are a local, chances are you are going to be staying for a good chunk of time. And chances are that you may not really feel like spending hundreds of dollars on food daily (a few nice meals out on vacation is nice, but man it adds up). That kitchen was worth it’s weight in gold. There is both a Costco and a SuperTarget just a few miles from the Ko’Olina resort area. It’s very simple to go from HNL Airport, stop at the store, and then arrive at the resort with barely any additional time added on to your trip. In typical DVC fashion, the villa kitchen was fully stocked, but we loved to see the addition of the rice cooker here, set the Hawaiian tone!
The robes are, without a doubt, the most luscious I’ve ever put on. Ok maybe the ones at Laniwai Spa were even a little better, but I had to give that back at the end of my massage!
We thought the rooms were perfectly touched with Disney, while keeping true to the Hawaiian spirit they worked so hard to capture. The ukulele Mickey playing lamp now lives in our family room 🙂
We think the poolside rooms are a great value. We had a 5th floor pool view villa in the ‘Ewa wing, the short side of the wing, just outside the ‘Olelo room. At night, we loved sitting out on our huge balcony enjoying the live music while our kids were passed out cold. We opted for the pool view again – we couldn’t justify spending a long-weekend-in-WDW worth of points on the ocean view. I mean, if we were guaranteed a top floor room, sure that ocean view would rock my socks. But a 6th floor view? That’s still a pool view, not an ocean view. Barely even at all. Pool view is absolutely the way to go (but not a pool view in the Waianae Tower near the Menehune Bridge – because the gets a little loud a little early!).
Aulani stole our hearts. We can’t wait to be back home.
Thanks for the additional info about the kitchens. Like I said, we didn’t really use it.
Totally agree about the pool view rooms, and I think that’s what we’d choose again unless they were a lot more expensive. Definitely wouldn’t bother with ocean view.