Reviews of Iolani Palace (Tourist Attraction)

Michelle Covey

Beautifully restored. I learned a lot about the history of the place. I think you have to take a tour to visit and walk through the inside. Also have to wear booties over your shoes to protect the floors. You can walk around the grounds and see the outside for free all day until 7pm.

Obinna Nwokolo

The palace is a thoroughly beautiful, well preserved and educational piece of Hawaiian history. The architecture is stunning, as is the furniture and decor. The audio tour was extremely informative - I recommend consuming the content in the specified order.

Stephanie Hoskins

Take a trip through time! This museum/historic landmark experience is so worth the entry fee. Take the audio guided tour for an even better experience. The home really is remarkable with ornate architecture, decor, fixtures, and royal clothing and artifacts. It’s a remarkable place. Then delve even deeper into the rich history of the Kamehameha Dynasty & Queen Liliuokalani royal family.

Katie Tran

Tours start every 10-15 minutes. Free parking on Saturdays. 20 dollars for audio tour. 27 for guided tour. Spend about 1 hr. Two floors. I loved this, best part of my trip to Hawaii.

HiTz

I cried as an adult seeing this palace. It brought the reality of the past to me. Knowing that the final days of the Royal Hawaiian Monarchy took place here and the queen and her subjects were forced to sit idly by as the Kingdom Of Hawaii was taken from them by capatilists with the help of the U.S. army. All to turn the beautiful Hawaiian islands into a hub for it's own military and capitalistic endeavors. Please be mindful of this past when visiting these beautiful grounds. Native Hawaiians have had a very rough history and this palace is a bastion of hope that the Hawaiian people may receive reparations for the heinous things that have been wrought against them.

Heather

Went on a wonderful guided tour of the palace. Our tour guide, Phyllis, was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. It's worth every penny to take the tour. The grounds are also beautiful and a good place to relax and have a sit. We did have to use street parking, but it was not an issue. Ticket and gift shop employees were also friendly and helpful.

Denney Rowcliffe

Iolani Palace has always been my favorite tours in Oahu. I cannot even fathom the māna (powerful energy) it has on the grounds of the Palace. I wish that everyone could go and visit and I always recommend the palace tour to my friends and penpals all over the world. I have been to the Palace on different years in middle school and high school. That was literally 15 years ago, but I just went in August, and a lot has changed.

Emily Fox

Informative and engaging. The audio tour has a companion visual component that augments the audio recording, providing additional context for the information offered during the tour. A bit long-winded in parts. The palace has been restored beautifully, and we especially appreciated the free use of a stroller for our 4-year-old.

Edward Mar

I definitely spent the 2 hours here as Google estimated. Deep and rich story yet brief enough if you only warrant 45-60mins. Just beautiful and exquisite palace. It's a great start to learning about the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Karen Awana

A beautiful palace located in the heart of Honolulu. The Iolani Palace tour will provide you with a treasure trove of historical artifacts and insightful information about Hawaiian Royalty found no where in the United States.

christopher weber

Took a guided tour that was very interesting and informative. Invest a couple of hours and I hope you'll feel the same. We we're there about 2 hours total and came away with a new appreciation of the native Hawaiian people.

MRDL236123

Excellent guided tour, I learned a lot and had a wonderful time in this beautiful place. Thank you, Phyllis, for your knowledge and personal touches on your tour. This was the highlight of my trip of a lifetime!

Corbin Buss

Beautiful. My words on Google won't capture how special this place is. If you're on the island, check the Palace out. Only royal site in the United States. And it was electrified before the White House. Thumbs up Iolani Palace.

Linda Maack Green

Beautiful and very well maintained. We brought my two kids (age 1 and 4) and was impressed with how well they catered to them. When everyone had to wear booties, they had kids under age 5 sit in a stroller they provided. Then they gave my kids the audio player so they can push buttons and be entertained while the parents listened to the audio. I am very grateful for this and their kindness!

Frances Holland

The experience was amazing and well done. The self-guided tour allowed you to view the hallways and rooms of former kings and queens of Hawai'i at your own pace. The different artifacts brought to life the days when these kings and queens held dinner parties and hosted guests in their homes.

Christina Cogen

Beautiful grounds and my visits always transport me back to better times. Love my home and love the aina. Great job!

Jessica Hash

All the rooms are kept and preserved pristinely! Use the audio tour to learn about the history of Hawaii’s monarchy. Prices for the tour are reasonable and don’t miss the basement area on the way out!

Rhonda Marie

One of the first things we did upon landing in Honolulu is ask the locals what they recommend tourists do. Someone said that we needed to learn the history of Hawaii and gave us a great list of historic buildings and statues that would give us a better understanding of the history and culture here. Iolani Palace is the perfect place to start. It’s a little depressing to learn how Hawai’i became part of the United States (well, learn more than just a few lines in a history book covering a much broader history of the US), but overall the palace is beautiful, humbling, and a piece of history no one should miss. Plus the staff is great and the refreshments are cheap (enjoy while waiting for the next tour, not during)! There’s no food, drink, or gum allowed. You’ll also have to wear shoe coverings. I’m sure they’re washed frequently but maybe don’t wear flip flops or sandals just in case.

El Mesteño Ranch - Camille Marie

The palace was equally beautiful and educational. I am so thrilled to have been able to visit this piece of Hawaii's incredible history and learn more about this beautiful state's struggles and triumphs. A must see!

Maulik Patel

Good historical palace to visit and learn about Hawaii and it's ancestral Kings. Takes about 30 mins to go through the whole place. They have an audio tour that you take on your own at your own pace. Beautifully kept.

Barde Todd

We were on a cruise that parked at pier 11 and were able to easily walk to Iolani Palace. We had signed up on line for a docent lead tour, and it was fantastic. Building is wonderfully renovated. Colleen our tour guide brought the building to life with the history of the royal Hawaiian family. Very enjoyable. very sad to see that the Hawaiian "royalty" imitated European architecture, dress, etc. But it is certainly what they built, and it is well curated and preserved

Jessica Sepulveda

This palace is a must see here in Hawaii. All the rooms are kept and preserved pristinely! Use the audio tour to learn about the history of Hawaii’s monarchy. Prices for the tour are reasonable and don’t miss the basement area on the way out!

mike jones

A great place to visit and learn the History of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The picture is a view from the back of the palace towards the King's Barrack. All tickets for tours and the gift store are located in the barracks.

Daunavan Buyer

We had a hard experience to rate here but overall it was not good. Our one year old was with us which was fine she went with us to all the palaces we visited in Europe. When we checked in the hostess told us we would need to use one of their strollers, which was also fine. When we got the stroller the guide told us our daughter either had to be held or in the stroller. The problem was that as soon as we went to comfort our crying daughter (who was interrupting the tour) a different guide told us that we are not allowed to hold our child. When we tried to put her back in the stroller and she continued crying they escorted us out and asked us to leave. We only saw one room in the palace. Thankfully one of the other guides felt bad for us and allowed a few of us (without our child) to see the throne room. As I said it’s hard to rate but the fact that no one communicated realistic expectations to us for what it would be like with our child before we checked in and got our tickets was horrible customer service. Everywhere else we were on the island exuded “aloha” and hospitality but we felt indifference and a stuck up attitude here. Not child friendly.

steven fielding

The palace is not that large. It was interesting learning about the history of the rulers through the audio recordings they provided. Informative but not what you may expect a "palace" to look like. If you go, don't forget to go to the basement. They have a lot of items belonging to the royal family on display i.e. jewels, swords, etc.

Fred Goya

Beautiful place to visit. Bring your friends and family and re-live history.

Patricia bass

It was so awesome!! The palace has been beautifully restored. It was a educational, but in a fun way. Even my ten year old loved it.

Mario Faiman

The devices they give you for the tour worked well. Some of them go on and play music which we found was annoying), but you can skip ahead on any of the tracks with the two dash buttons (life saver). The palace is very well kept up and the staff are helpful.

Steven Mulari

Great tour guide. It really drives into the history of the Monarchy of Hawaii.

Elizabeth Warren

I am so glad I got to tour the Iolani Palace. The history was so interesting and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. There is so much to take in that I will be visiting again. I suggest that you get there early to find parking because there's not much on site, but you can park in front of the Palace in their metered parking slots which take credit cards. We were also lucky because we got to see the Royal Hawaiian concert band performe there at noon.

Stacey Lee

Absolutely beautiful place to visit and so rich in Hawaiian history. Make sure you allow half a day as there is a lot to see!

David Nedde

Beautifully restored interior. The electronic audio guide was interesting and added to the experience, giving the historical context for the building and artifacts. The interior had many rooms arranged as they were originally. Other rooms were a bit bare, I think they are working on getting artifacts that were sold off or stolen in the past returned. The cellar had a nice small museum of artifacts in various rooms as well as a small gift shop. Several areas were still being developed and I think the cellar will become even better over time.

Aaron Klatt

I only visited the outside and the surrounding park and there were plenty of scenic spots and some of the biggest trees that I've ever seen. The large banyan trees in particular are very interesting. There are lots of photo opportunities here.

Sam Bartleman

If you’ve been to other palaces, this one will feel very bare and small. This is no Versailles - it’s basically just a Victorian-era house. Seeing everything (and I mean absolutely everything) only takes about an hour. A few rooms are completely empty... kind of odd to have a palace tour with nothing in it! Nevertheless, it was an enriching experience to learn about Hawaiian history. But it should definitely be a little cheaper.

Alison Loudon

An amazing palace, well restored. Tour guide brilliant and very knowledgeable, a great experience! Thank you

meghana kiran

Spectacular !! If you are in Honolulu you MUST visit this place ! It has beautiful restoration work. They have self guided audio tour which provides a great insight on Hawaiian history. You cannot touch anything and they provide you with shoe covers,but there are benches inside to sit and listen to the audio.Since you got to return your audio sets after coming out of the palace it gives you a sense that the tour is over,but make sure you don't miss the basement. The prices of the tickets are worth for what they have to offer ! Do visit this place

Chris Hinson

Great history lesson in a self-guided tour. Friendly and helpful staff. Artifacts beautifully preserved and re-created.

Moni B.

Local residents: one Sunday a month you can tour the Palace for free! Check the Palace website for dates. For your first visit I recommended going on a human guided tour instead of using an audio-guide. Be sure to also visit the galleries in the basement after your tour, and stop by & browse one of their gift shops if you can! Their annual Christmas ornaments make excellent gifts.

Marc Rogers

Our docent, Jenny, was delightful. She gave an excellent tour and answered all of our questions. Facisinating historical coverage of Hawaiian government and culture.

Sherry Balow

A beautiful museum and preserved piece of Hawaii history. Don't miss it.

Stian Klingenberg

Nice palace. Open 09-16. Worth a visit when coming to Honolulu

Daniel White

We learned a great deal of a slice of Hawaiian history. We did the audio tour, which was one of the best audio tours I have on.

Stf Scw

Very beautiful historic building that is worth to visit and the 20USD for the audio tour. You receive a feeling for the Hawaiian history and culture. The rooms look very tasteful and the storys about the Monarchs are interesting. Moreover, there is a tourist shop in the basement.

Kim De Castris-Garcia

So interesting, illustrates the history of Hawaii both before and after America's arrival. Definitely heartbreaking, but also fascinating. The throne room is lined in Queen Liliuokalani's gowns and features the royal jewels, the basement has medals and weaponry on display. The most heartbreaking room, though, is the Quilt Room - the only thing in it is the quilt Queen Liliuokalani made to pass her time after her arrest. Very stark, and helps to paint a picture of some of what she endured.

Kris Jarrett

So much history here, both good and bad. The guided tour is well worth the small extra cost; our tour guide was amazing, happy to answer our questions, extremely knowledgeable, friendly, as were all of the staff and volunteers. Our guide was able to strike a good, and no doubt well thought out, balance between telling stories of the good times in the palace and the crimes committed against the Kingdom of Hawaii. The palace and grounds are beautiful, the exhibits informative, and the location easy to access via The Bus from anywhere. Bring a picnic lunch or visit Chinatown for great food.

JLP

Interesting place telling history of Hawaii. Well kept and run. Need about 1 hour.

Brownies AZ

Really neat tour. Did the self guided and enjoyed hearing all the history. Plan for an hour to an hour and half. For the full self guided tour. Walk around the grounds too, neat little finds and things to see.

Miguel

What can I say? This place is great. Great culture and history about the Hawaiian kingdom. Definitely worth the $20 entrance fee. Even if you're not a museum person, put it on your list of things to do.

Dallan Moody

Best kept secret in Oahu! Definitely a highlight on your vacation. They had wonderful service and the tour is self guided. It’s well worth the price and once you’re done, across the street is a stunning statue of King Kamehameha the Great of Hawaii. When you first walk in your t seems like a place completely frozen in time, and even though it’s not all original it’s very very well maintained and kept. I definitely recommend you come here on your vacation no matter where you’re staying in Oahu. And if your lucky you might see a live reenactment of the last moments of the Hawaiian monarchy. I only have one complaint, I wish you had to pay more!

Patty Willis

Loved this tour!!! Beautiful palace, enjoyed the history, highly recommend as part of your time in Honolulu. Audio tours are very well done, but only guided one allows you to walk up grand staircase!! Handicap accessibility is easy! Well worth your time to see how advanced and world recognized the Hawaiian royalty was!!

Deb G

The palace is beautifully maintained, the visit is historically organized, and we especially appreciated the strollers provided making this a kid friendly place.

Kristin Murphy

Mahalos to the wonderful people willing to share their history and culture with all who come this way. Very informative and GORGEOUS.

Jacqueline Phillips

The work and effort put into making the palace so beautiful is amazing! I'm so glad I finally toured it and our docent was wonderful! She was so knowledgeable and answered every question people in our group had. I highly recommend it.

Kainoa King

The most precious life lived was through our Kings and Queens and their spouses. What a terrible thing for our last reigning Queen to have experienced all alone. Aside form that comment. This palace is breathtaking

vegas mama

Once there was a Kingdom in Hawaii. They have many talented guides who answer our question and give us little private stories of Royal Family. Kids friendly!

Sharlene Wong

The Lot Hula Festival started today and will end tomorrow. There are crafts, yummy food, and good hula. I ate at Mahoes for lunch. The kalua pig and smoked meat is so delicious. They also make a garlic shrimp is creamy and served with rice and salad. So yummy. All plates come with rice and salad. Craft booths selling shell jewelry and clothing. I purchased a lovely hat. Thank goodness because it was hot today.

Rebecca Phelps

We really enjoyed our tour at the Iolani Palace! Our tour guide Phyllis was FANTASTIC! She was so informative and passionate about the history that took place in Hawai'i. We were able to visit many beautiful rooms and take a step back in history. I'm thankful we got to leave better educated about the history of the Aloha state. I'm so happy Phyllis was able to answer all our questions and even tell us more about the area! I definitely recommend stopping by, it's the only official Royal residence in the states!

Peter Arzberger

We enjoyed visiting this palace. We learned a great deal of a slice of Hawaiian history. We did the audio tour, which was one of the best audio tours I have on.