Paradise Cove Luau on the Beach at Ko Olina Resort
Overall Rating
4.65
Paradise Cove Review
Reviewed by: The Sager’s , 2022/07/02The grounds are beautiful, but it was just an average experience in our opinion. This luau show itself was low energy and our bus leader was on the over stressed and anxious side. The pre show had all sorts of activities going on that made the experience more enjoyable for anyone with kiddos. The lines for drinks were plentiful and went very well. The buffet food lines seemed to be going in the wrong or opposite direction, as one had to traverse everyone in line with a full plate of food.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/06/11 |
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Kind of bummed
Reviewed by: Heidi, 2021/03/16We took my Son for his birthday, and did the deluxe package. Was exited as we would be up close to watch the show. Was sad to learn the buffet is closed, and the options of food they bring to your table is minimal. I remember coming before and there being so many options.
The pre shows are bleh. They don’t even do the ceremony of raising the pig from the ground. They just roll the pig on a cart thru the seating area.
The good was “okay” at best. Again, wish there would have been more options. Also, the table service was just for dinner. There were not enough staff members to do drink orders for us from our table. So, essentially it was a waste to do the deluxe package. Everyone else had their food brought to them as well with a less expensive package. And, the seating is close enough to where you can see the show decently from any table.
The photo they give you at the end of you/your party - we ended up with 3 of the exact same picture. Not even a minor change. It’s like they printed the same photo 2 times. And free gift was a little whine/mixed drink tumbler . Not really something my 10yo will use. Would have been nice to have a different option for the younger kids.
My opinion, don’t waste your money on the deluxe package.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2021/03/14 |
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great show pleasing attitude of staff but poor qualiity food
Reviewed by: Ann, 2021/03/07We enjoyed the show and the staff was pleasant and were quick to help. We wished the food was fresh. It felt like cafiteria food. We had higher expecations for the price.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2021/03/05 |
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The skill demonstrations and the games were somewhat entertaining.
Reviewed by: Tom, 2020/01/27The site is outstandingly beautiful. Seating for us, including our wheelchair bound family member, was prompt and efficient.. The food was good, and it was plentiful. Everyone was friendly and welcoming.
Praying before the meal was not appreciated. I felt that the event should have been more secular. It felt as though the program was designed for church groups, including the holding of hands, etc.
The announcer was very difficult to understand during the uncovering of the pig. He spoke too fast.
The audience participation was somewhat overdone. And the word "cousins" was overused. Overall, the entertainment was a bit cheesy.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2020/01/22 |
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luau
Reviewed by: AA&HA, 2019/11/07Food was good, drinks could improve, show needs improvement, fire act was very good, show could have more history and origin description.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2019/11/04 |
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Luau
Reviewed by: Jessica, 2019/04/14The location was BEAUTIFUL. The food was okay, the whole thing felt kind of rushed. There is a lot of activitys you can do before dinner. You are able to pay for additional drinks. There is 2 photo opportunities once when you get there and another before dinner with the sunset. You're able to pay for them after dinner.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2019/03/31 |
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Fun, but it could have been better
Reviewed by: Glo, 2018/10/28We purchased the “Orchid” package. It included adult and youth cove card. I wish all the vendors would accept the cove card. Only selected ones did, so that was a bummer. Why give you a cove card if not all the vendors would accept?
The show was fun and the staff was friendly.
The food was ok. There were food flies on the bread, so that was off putting.
The view was amazing!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2018/10/25 |
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Good show - cheap food - high price
Reviewed by: Mike, 2017/12/27The best thing about this luau was the show. The fire dancing was really cool and the activities beforehand were pretty nice. It felt like the drinks had next to zero alcohol in them. The buffet was kind of done on the cheap and with over 1000 people there, it was kind of crowded. It was well organised and the staff were really friendly. If you don’t like things aimed at tourists, you should run a mile. It felt a bit like Disney goes to do a luau. Having said that, we enjoyed the evening, even if it did feel a bit like ‘organised fun’ with the forced getting to know you activities on the bus ride there. I was left wondering if it was really value for the money we paid. At $80 it was kind of expensive for watered down pina coladas and lomi lomi salmon that was mostly just chopped tomatoes with the tiniest little pieces of salmon in it. Also, I’ve seen the exact same things in the gift shop in other stores for much cheaper. All in all, the show was good but it felt like a bit of a tourist trap.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/12/24 |
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It was just ok
Reviewed by: The Johnson’s , 2017/12/16It was just ok. The bus was late picking us up and we were late getting there. Traffic from Waikiki to the luau was awful. (I do realize that they can’t control the traffic but sitting in over an hour of traffic doesn’t put you in the best of moods. This luau is actually a good ways away from Waikiki.)
Upon arrival we were given our giftcards and had our pictures taken. Nothing was explained to us. We had to wander around and find things on our own. It is not very big. Looking at the pictures and descriptions it seems as if the grounds are big and there is lots to do. That’s not the case at all. Very small area and not much to do before the show at all. Also, not everyone can participate in the activities. They pre select only a handful of people.
As we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, we went with the top of the line package. I do not recommend it at all! The food that was brought to us was all pre selected. The people that went through the buffet were served very quickly (before us) and were able to get exactly what they wanted and as much of it as they wanted. We had a plate full of whatever and most of it I didn’t even want!
The show was ok, but honestly we experienced better at the bars in Waikiki.
We were very sorry we spent all that money on this luau.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/11/20 |
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Best Seats at Luau - Not Available
Reviewed by: Angela, 2017/10/21I got this for a friends anniversary. Informed them of their special celebration, empty seats remained up front while they tried to enjoy from afar!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/09/29 |
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/09/25 |
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Just ok...
Reviewed by: Not my first luau..., 2017/08/22The overall experience was a little cheesy...For the good news--I give 5 stars for the dancing during the main hula show--the dance crew were truly amazing and very athletic! The food was tasty but the overall presentation reminded me of the buffet line at a high school cafeteria. And there was no coconut cake which was very disappointing! The M.C. For the entertainment was straight off the Love Boat...he made me chuckle but not in a good way! The pre dinner activities went on for way too long, and I felt like I was in a cattle line being herded from one presentation to another. I would have liked to come just for the dinner and show, but then you risk being assigned a bad seat as it was first-come-first-seated. The property was gorgeous with spectacular views of the sunset. Maybe if this was my first luau I would have enjoyed it more, but I left feeling kind of...meh...
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2017/08/19 |
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Okay if you have never experienced the culture
Reviewed by: Maka Lani, 2017/04/09Being born and raised in Hawaii, I am familiar with the food and culture. I took my friend who had never been to Hawaii wanted to see something different other than the Polynesian Cultural Center...wish I had gone there instead, but the experience wasn't for me but for her and she didn't know the difference..... Staff was friendly, park was clean, food was good, entertainment was mediocre
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2016/10/12 |
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Luau
Reviewed by: Scott, 2017/02/08the food was good and all the activities but after we finished eating it poured down rain .Those of us sitting out in the open tried to get to cover , There was room in a covered eating place and they would not let anyone in .After the rain quit then they provided ponchos for us ( a little too late )
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2017/02/05 |
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Bad in the end
Reviewed by: Aldo Fernandez, 2016/10/15We don't received any gift,as they promised. In the bus the Air aconditional was very high,we told them but they don't do anything.
We are on honeymoon and we don't want to have a flu.
The show was great
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2016/10/13 |
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Luau
Reviewed by: Leslie Allen, 2015/08/17The luau was not very good. We were sent there 2 hours before the luau and the activities prior were not alot of fun and too many people to even enjoy. Should have offered some kind of appetizer, but they were trying to get you to buy snacks and drinks. The food was ok. The only thing really good was the pork. Show was ok, but a little hokie. This luau is not what I was expecting.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2015/07/25 |
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9/10/14 Luau
Reviewed by: Tracy, 2014/09/17The Luau was very rushed. I did not have the opportunity to complete all the crafts while also watching and participating in the events. I would have liked if my bus had arrived earlier to give my family time to enjoy all the Luau had to offer. The food was mediocre. We loved the headbands and bracelets. The view from the Luau was absolutely beautiful.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2014/09/10 |
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Beautiful grounds and reasonable show
Reviewed by: Nick, 2014/05/18With Honolulu traffic, it's a long trip in both directions. The grounds are beautiful and the sunset is picturesque. We had 10 in our party. The pre-dinner activities are fun and the food was good but we wouldn't say anything out of the ordinary. The luau show was well done with a nice variety, but again fairly typical. What I disliked the most was the drink policy. You can't take a drink back for your wife as you are allowed only one drink at a time. Further the drinks are very pricey and the coupons don't get you much. I only want a single drink and would prefer to have no coupons with the tickets and then just buy drinks if I want them. We all had fun but the drive from Waikiki is tough.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2014/05/14 |
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paradise cove
Reviewed by: ali, 2013/10/21the hosts are good. expected a better show and the bus was too slow
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2013/10/07 |
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Paradise Cove was average with poor food.
Reviewed by: Geary, 2013/10/20The entertainment was okay but the food was average at best.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2013/10/17 |
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Good for what it is
Reviewed by: Ben, 2013/08/31This luau is what you'd expect from a commercial venture. The food is decent, but the entertainment could have been better. I thought the dancers were good, but the other acts were sorely lacking in depth and quality. Our group attendant was great, full of humor and a general pleasure to listen to.
For what it is, I'd say I had a good time. Don't expect any real cultural enrichment though, it's just good mindless fun.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2013/08/27 |
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Good Experience
Reviewed by: Cindy, 2013/06/11It's a good experience for first timers at luaus. The food was mediocre and the performances were average. The fire dancer was the highlight of the evening.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2013/06/04 |
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Good Show, Decent Food
Reviewed by: J Johnson, 2013/06/10Overall it was a nice show. The majority of the time there is spent doing crafts or browsing the many shops with things for sale, so the show really is only a small part of the event. The food was pretty good; however, our food was cold due to the order that they served it. Being as we had the highest priced VIP package you would have thought we would have been served first; nope. We were dead last and had cold food, although the flavor was still very good. I think it is worth doing while visiting the island, I would just not suggest the expensive packages as there is no real benefit.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2013/06/06 |
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Could have been a lot better
Reviewed by: JMDZ, 2013/04/21Firstly, the bus was very very very very late. Not fun when you have a bunch of know-it-all tourists waiting to get someplace. We ended up driving ourselves, even though we had paid for transportation there and back.
Secondly, the food was average, at best. The pasta salad was bland, the macaroni salad too mayonnaisey, the fried chicken was old and you could taste the freezer-burn, the desserts were average and dry and the drinks weren't strong enough. The only reason we are rating this "average", rather than Bad, is because the view/scenery was spectacular!
Never again!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2013/04/16 |
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mom
Reviewed by: family, 2012/06/29I thought the luau was okay, but was frankly surprised how simple the meal was and it was not very good. The overall event was okay but I would not recommend this luau at least for the price we paid.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
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Very Ordinary Meal
Reviewed by: Jack Powell, 2011/11/02This was my first, and probably the only trip to Hawaii. The description of the Luau sound wonderful, and the entertainment is truly very good. The food is very ordinary however. I did not expect to eat a fried chicken thigh (the only choice)! The pork was very salty and everything else very bland tasting. If you have a choice, go somewhere else for the meal. The "upgrade" to front row is also not worth the extra price. You can see very well from the least expensive seats.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
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Mrs
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous, 2011/01/02There were a lot of lines all night. From the moment we met the bus until the moment we got off. We had to wait to get in but fortunately a beverage was provided in that one. We had children who wanted to do many of the activities and they made sure you didn't miss them with a load conch call. This brought a huge crowd to see each event. My kids would not let us miss one. The bummer was the cove and location was beautiful and we didn't get a moment to take it all in as a family because one of us was in line the entire time. You should know that dinner is not served until after 7pm so make sure you have a late lunch. I wish I would of known that. Show was great but the many costume changes meant many slow intermission like moments all night. Not my favorite night.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
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Paradise Cove Luau
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous, 2008/12/01I have been to Luau's before (on Maui and on Oahu) and was disappointed with this one. It was so "commercial" and lacking in the real feel of island music and culture. I suppose it was way bigger than any other I had been to so the sheer numbers make it a logistical problem.
I like to see something more genuine than that.
I had been to the Polynesian Cultural Centre and consider that they covered what I was looking for in a much more genuine mannner. That sort of concert material combined with a "real" cooking of food in the earth would have been better. There was not even any steam as the food was taken out of the "earth oven" - an anticlimax.
Our bus tour driver was dreadful but the staff at the actual site were brilliant. Overall though a disappointment.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
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Untitled
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous, 2008/08/26This was a nice re-creation but very staged. Not a feeling of realism. Staged strickly for tourista. I guess the old Hawaii is all gone already.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
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Too..... much to do!
Reviewed by: Lori B, 2008/04/06We had a very positive experience........but found we missed out on a few activities, there was so much going on.
The food was good, but the cocktails were very light on the booze for the price.
Staff were excellent!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
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Warm Aloha Scott,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are sorry to hear that it had poured down during the luau but according to Paradise Cove Luau, it is their operating procedure to for their staff to distribute ponchos to their guests.
We hope that on your next visit to Hawaii, the weather conditions will be better and the luau experience will be much more memorable.
Mahalo Nui Loa,
VELTRA Customer Support