Not long ago, I reported that the Turtle Bay Resort in Kahului was to be acquired by Host Hotels & Resorts, which would then reflag the property a Ritz-Carlton. Well, that time has come, and the Turtle Bay is now live with Marriott.
The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay is the resorts official name under its new brand, and I’ve gotta say, I’m not really a fan. I get the want/need to keep “Turtle Bay” because of the brand value the name carries. But, that just seems like a mouthful. Sure, there are worse offenders in Hawai’i, though that doesn’t mean we have to keep coming up with names like this.
ANYWHO… The big news here is that the Turtle Bay is now live with Marriott, meaning visitors to O’ahu now have another points option on the rural northern end of the island that isn’t the Courtyard in La’ie. It also means that Marriott now has a monopoly on hotels in this section of O’ahu.
Turtle Bay is Now Live With Marriott
More so than the change in brand, I know what everyone looked forward was the ability to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points. And since the Turtle Bay is now live with Marriott as the Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay, members may redeem away! However, before we discuss points redemption rates, I want to cover cash rates.
You see, back in May, I predicted prices would soar after the rebrand. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened – at least, not yet. Prices did increase a little, though, as the lowest available rack rate I’m seeing is $766 per night during the shoulder season, whereas it was previously $707. This, of course, is before the $52/night resort fee, $40/night parking, and our high transient accommodations tax. When you add the resort fee and tax (but not parking), the rate shoots up to $903.
For my fellow kama’aina, Marriott Corp/Promo Code Z43 does bring up kama’aina rates, which start at $598 per night. Add the resort fee and transient accommodations tax, and that jumps up to $706 per night. Add parking at the tax associated with that, and now you’re looking at around $750 per night. As mentioned in my previous post, I paid an all-in (room, resort fee, parking, and tax) rate of about $355.55 per night in 2016, which adjusted for inflation still comes out to only $465.42.
Award Rates
Of course, now that Turtle Bay is now live with Marriott, everyone wants to know what award pricing looks like. Well, for the same dates I got the above cash rates for (early October 2024), award rates came back as 132,000 points per night. However, jump to early November 2024, the redemption value dips to 92,000 points per night. These appear to be the upper and lower limits of their award pricing, as I’m not seeing prices outside of these, including during New Year’s when the cash rates soar to $1,619 per night.
Counter-intuitively, Labor Day Weekend is cheaper than the above early October rate, with two nights coming in at a total of 212,000 points.
Have I ever mentioned how much I hate Bonvoy’s dynamic pricing?
Final Thoughts
Honestly, though I haven’t stayed at the Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay, since before its renovation, it’s not really for me, especially at this price. This is especially true since, in my opinion, the rooms look like something you’d find at, I don’t know, a Sheraton? It really doesn’t look like a Ritz-Carlton-quality room, even if the renovated rooms look worlds better than before. But, really, this resort isn’t about the rooms – it’s about the location. And that’s why people continue to pay the outrageous prices, even if you can get a much nicer room elsewhere eon the island.
Anyway, what do you all think? Are you excited that Turtle Bay is now live with Marriott? Do you plan on checking it out?