Surfbreak - Honolulu
Typical guests
Active Island Adventurers
Outdoorsy, values-driven professionals eager to surf, hike, and island-hop across Hawaii while immersing themselves in local culture and giving back to the community.
Unique features
Panoramic Views
Perched on the 40th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows, the penthouse delivers breathtaking panoramic views of Hawaiian mountains, ocean, and rainbows that guests across dozens of reviews describe as truly spectacular.
Surf Culture
Surfing is woven into the coliving's identity—the name, the vibe, and the complimentary surfboards all reflect a community where catching waves together is a core shared ritual.
Island Adventures
Guests enthusiastically explore beyond the coliving walls through hiking, snorkeling, beach volleyball, stargazing, waterfall trips, and multi-island weekend getaways that define the day-to-day culture here.
Community Giving
Organized volunteering at local food pantries, beach cleanups, and farms—alongside Hawaiian cultural and educational sessions—reflects a distinctive coliving ethos of reciprocity and respect for the islands.
Ratings are AI-generated only from recent and detailed reviews.
About Surfbreak - Honolulu
Surfbreak HNL is Hawaii's first co-living and co-working penthouse for remote workers, situated on the 40th floor high above Ala-Moana in Honolulu. Its floor-to-ceiling glass space offers panoramic views of the 'āina, with private rooms ranging from twin to king corner suites — each named after a surf break famous to generations of Oahu kama'aina. A ten-minute walk from Waikiki Beach, stays run from two months to a year.
Origin story
The founder's vision grew from a desire to create the ideal home — an amazing space filled with stellar humans and all daily essentials provided. Drawing on the best times of their life, like graduate school surrounded by interesting people from around the world who worked, played, and lived together, and from hosting Airbnb guests at a beach house on Oahu while building affordable, solar-powered homes.
After a week-long hike and vision quest on Kauai, the founder stopped believing that a huge house to yourself produced happiness. Convinced there was a better way to live, they launched Surfbreak HNL with the belief that solid management would give everyone more time to explore Hawaii, cultivate deep connections, and live their best lives.
The experiment exceeded all expectations: members fell in love, obtained dream jobs, and lived life to the fullest. Countless members described Surfbreak as healing — "medicine for the soul" — validating the founder's conviction that, as US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has said, "loneliness is the nation's most serious mental health hazard."
Community philosophy
Surfbreak HNL describes itself as more than just a space — it is a lifelong ohana, a community of dynamic, motivated, and talented creatives who seek experience and success through travel. Members dive into self-growth through innovation, collaboration, friendship, lifestyle, and service, with 24/7 support and endless opportunities to adventure, learn, and give back.
While individuality is celebrated, being selected as a member of Surfbreak HNL's ohana carries the social benefits and responsibilities that embody aloha. Members and staff are committed to ethical living — contributing daily to each other, their communities, and the planet, leaving people and things better than they found them while becoming better versions of themselves.
Community is built through a curated, application-based membership process to ensure like-minded people live together. Events, workshops, guest speakers, group outings (hiking, freediving, surfing, community service), and developmental workshops led by community members and local experts all foster serendipitous exchange and lasting friendships. Surfbreak also takes pride in sustainable travel, encouraging members to give back through volunteer work.
Hosts
Work
Amenities
Spaces
Lounge
Kitchen
Dining area
Rooftop pool
Rooftop entertaining area
Running track
Tennis court
Gym
Rooms
Twin
Queen
King Corner
Food
Groceries
Nearby vendors
- Large department & grocery store (10min walk)Target store within walking distance of the coliving, part of the nearby shops in the Ala Moana area
- Large superstore (10min walk)Walmart store within walking distance of the coliving, offering a full range of groceries and household items
- Large shopping mall (10min walk)Ala Moana Center, one of the world's largest open-air shopping malls, steps away from the coliving with a wide variety of grocery and food vendors
Activities
Location
Surfbreak HNL occupies the 40th floor of a high-rise on Kalākaua Avenue in the Ala Moana neighborhood of Honolulu, offering panoramic floor-to-ceiling views of the city, ocean, and mountains. The building sits within blocks of shops, restaurants, and Ala Moana Center, one of the world's largest open-air shopping malls.
The surrounding area is vibrant and urban, with Waikiki Beach a ten-minute walk away, and Ala Moana Beach Park and Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon also close by. The neighborhood offers over 100 restaurants covering a wide range of cuisines — poke, Hawaiian BBQ, sushi, burgers, smoothies, and more — along with major retailers like Target and Walmart.
Reviewers consistently describe the location as "super central," "ideal," and "unbeatable," with one guest noting it's "within walking distance of nearly everything in Waikiki." The area has a lively, cosmopolitan energy with easy access to both beach life and the broader island of Oahu.
Getting around
- Very walkableBeach, restaurants, grocery stores (Target, Walmart), Ala Moana Center, and Waikiki all within a 20-minute walk.Reviews: Guests consistently praise the walkability. Ala Moana Beach is around 10-15 minutes on foot, Waikiki about 20 minutes. Groceries, Target, and restaurants are easily reachable without a car, and many guests say they rarely needed anything else for daily needs.
- TheBusHonolulu's public bus network (TheBus) has stops nearby on Kalākaua Avenue and around Ala Moana Center. A single ride costs $3.Destinations: Diamond Head, Manoa Falls trailhead, Kaimuki dining district, downtown Honolulu, North ShoreReviews: Public transit gets only a brief passing mention in reviews, noted as a convenient option alongside bikes. No detailed guest feedback on specific routes, frequency, or reliability is available.
- Biki bikeshareBicycles are available for use at Surfbreak HNL, and Biki, Honolulu's bikeshare system, has docking stations near Ala Moana. Surfbreak has been noted to cover the Biki fee for members.Destinations: Ala Moana Beach Park, Waikiki promenade, Kapiolani Park, Diamond Head baseReviews: Biking comes up regularly as a favourite way to get around. One guest specifically notes that Surfbreak covered the Biki bikeshare cost, and that cycling to Ala Moana takes roughly half the time of walking. Several guests mention using bikes for beach runs and local exploration.
- Car rentalCar rentals are available from numerous providers in Honolulu. On-site Surfbreak cars are no longer part of the membership as of 2025, but members can rent from local or major rental companies.Destinations: Tantalus scenic drive, Diamond Head hike, Lanikai Pillbox, North Shore beaches, Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail, Maunawili Falls, KailuaReviews: Multiple guests highlight previously renting Surfbreak's on-site cars (around $40/day) for day trips to North Shore, Kailua, and other parts of the island, describing them as affordable and convenient. This on-site fleet appears to have been a popular perk, though it is no longer included in the 2025 membership.
- Parking availablePaid parking is available in an adjacent lot next to the building. Members can also rent one of four exclusive on-site parking stalls. One reviewer noted there is no free parking. Costs are additional to the monthly room rate.
Getting there
How to get to Surfbreak - Honolulu from the nearest transportation hubs:
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Policies
Stay restrictions
- 60 nights minimum
- 365 nights maximum
Guest restrictions
- Minimum age: 18 years
- Children not allowed
- Pets not allowed
Payment & cancellation policy
Deposit
A refundable security deposit must be paid when selecting a room and signing the lease, all within 30 days of the start of your desired stay.