Actually, it’s the hotels in Waikiki and their collection of fabulous shops that we want to shop.  Every hotel has a store or two. Some are not much more than sundries, newspapers, and 99-cent beach mats. Other hotels offer much more. Here’s the Top 5.

#1 – Everyone’s favorite, and easily topping most hotel shopping lists, is the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The Village is larger than some small towns and has as many stores and shops. If you want the unusual or the mundane. It’s here and attractively priced (but let’s not forget that you are shopping at a Hilton). Oriental. Hawaiian. Polynesian. Utilitarian (I had some relatives who belonged to that church, I think).

#2 – An elegant and reserved lady, is the Halekulani. Not only are her restaurants prized as some of the best in the islands, the hotel itself is often ranked as the best in Hawaii for service and gracious personal care. The shops at Halekulani are exquisite and worthy.

#3 – The Ilikai Hotel is a part of Hawaii’s modern history, thanks to many video moments captured on Hawaii 5-0 in the Jack Lord era. However, the shops here cater to the traditional island gift range.

#4 – Hawaii’s own lovely pink lady is the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The shops within the hotel are quaint but nominal in offerings. I mention her on the list because of immediate proximity to the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center right behind the hotel grounds. You can’t be sheer volume and the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center has more stores than any other in Waikiki.

#5 – Pacific Beach Hotel. PBH reaches the Top 5 not because of the fabulous array of well appointed shops and stores which cater heavily to the Japanese (read, EXPENSIVE!). The Pacific Beach Hotel is well known for the huge Oceanarium Restaurant. The food is quite good and modestly priced. However, rising two full floors is a 280,000 gallon aquarium—sharks, fish, and more fish. At certain times during the day (lunch and dinner) a diver will swim about feeding the fish while you dine (assuming you’re there for lunch and dinner).

The Top 5. Variety. Location. Price. Mostly price.

Remember, these are just the Waikiki hotels with nice (price) shopping areas. Waikiki has more stores be mile than just about anywhere on the planet. Certainly nothing in the middle of the Pacific tops the number and variety.

Of note is the new Galleria in Waikiki. I’ll do a review on that in the future.

Want to know the best places to eat in Hawaii? Click over to Ono Dining for totally biased reviews on Hawai's best (and not so best) restaurants.