The Kahala Hotel and Resort

Question

Has anyone else noticed a bunch of glowing reviews over the past year by people who haven’t reviewed anything else?

I stayed at The Kahala 15 years ago and it was a fantastic 5 star resort. Over the past five years I’ve noticed it dramatically decline in cleanliness, upkeep and quality. I find sporadic reviews who feel the same as me and have spoken to long term Kahala clientele friends who also feel the same - that it has declined dramatically in in upkeep and quality.

The five star reviews by people who haven’t reviewed anything else make me question the validity of these reviewers and I ask TripAdvisor to investigate whether these are fraudulent reviews.

Answer

The Kahala Hotel and Resort has long been regarded as one of Oahu’s premier luxury properties, but as you noted, many long-term guests have observed a decline in certain aspects of its service and upkeep in recent years. Concerns about cleanliness, maintenance, and overall quality have been mentioned sporadically in reviews, even by those who have frequented the property for decades.

Regarding the glowing reviews from users who haven’t reviewed anything else, this is a phenomenon not unique to The Kahala. It is sometimes referred to as “review inflation” or fake reviews, and it can occur for several reasons:

Marketing incentives or promotions may lead some first-time reviewers to leave a positive review without much prior history.
Automated or incentivized reviews can sometimes be posted by third-party services to boost ratings.
New guests who genuinely had a positive experience may simply be less active reviewers elsewhere, creating a pattern of one-off glowing reviews.

If you are concerned about the authenticity of reviews, it’s helpful to look for the following indicators:

Profiles with a single review or multiple reviews posted in a short time frame.
Reviews that are extremely generic and lack specific details about the property, staff, or amenities.
Contradictions between recent reviews and reviews from long-term guests who report a decline in quality.

To make a more informed decision, consider focusing on reviews from verified travelers who provide detailed accounts of their stay, cross-check reviews on multiple platforms (TripAdvisor, Google, Expedia), and weigh patterns over time rather than individual high ratings. If you notice suspicious reviews, TripAdvisor allows users to report them for investigation, which can help improve review reliability for all travelers.

Overall, while The Kahala still retains its iconic location and amenities, recent long-term visitor feedback suggests a decline in certain aspects of the property’s upkeep. Prospective guests should review multiple sources and prioritize detailed, credible accounts to get an accurate sense of the current experience.