House without a key - cover charge?

Question

Went there a few years ago at sunset and they were charging an entrance fee to have some drinks and listen to the music. Is that still happening and would you know how much?? The drinks were quite pricey as I recall so makes for an expensive evening.

Thanks

Answer

Good question. Short answer: usually no, there is no blanket cover charge for House Without a Key, but it depends—sometimes a small entertainment charge applies depending on the event.

Here’s what I found:

The Halekulani’s website for House Without a Key describes it as a “popular gathering spot … for sunset cocktails … and Hawaiian entertainment,” but doesn’t mention a standard cover charge.
According to the Halekulani’s own event listing (for The Waitiki 7 performance), there is a $7 per person entertainment cover charge on those special nights.
On TripAdvisor, several recent visitors report that they did not pay a cover charge for sunset music.

Bottom line:

If you’re just going for drinks and the regular nightly hula/music, you most likely won’t be hit with a cover charge.
For featured acts or special performances (like a band), there *can* be a small admission fee (~$7).
If you’re unsure for a particular night, you can call the Halekulani at (808) 518-2019 to check if there will be a cover charge.

Hope that helps — and enjoy the music and sunset if you go back!