Military Lodging in Hawaii for Veterans: Where You Can Stay on Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island

Hawaii is one of the most expensive places in the country to take a vacation, and it's also where a VA disability rating goes furthest. Since 2020, veterans with any service-connected rating can book military lodging on Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island - beach cabins, a Waikiki resort, and a camp inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Quick answer: With any VA service-connected rating, you can stay at Hale Koa in Waikiki, the beach cabins at Bellows and the cottages at Barbers Point on Oahu, Barking Sands Beach Cottages on Kauai, and Kilauea Military Camp on the Big Island. Bring your VHIC and a REAL ID or passport, and book early - active duty often gets first pick.

Oahu

Hale Koa Hotel sits on Waikiki Beach and is run by the Army for the military community. Its own eligibility page lists veterans with any VA-documented service-connected rating, Purple Heart recipients, former POWs and Primary Family Caregivers. Rates depend on rank, and there's no resort fee.

Bellows Recreation Center in Waimanalo rents beach cabins and campsites. Bellows lists disabled veterans with a VHIC among its eligible patrons, but check in carefully: you must be registered for base access, carry a second government ID, and expired IDs are turned away. Summer bookings open to active duty first, in November, and to other groups months later - if you want summer, be ready when your window opens.

On the windward side, Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay has the Hale Koa Outdoor Recreation Area, with cottages and tent camping from about $20 a night, and Inns of the Corps lodging. The base also runs Kaneohe Bay Beach Cottages, but its published rules don't clearly say who can book them - call before you plan around it. Barbers Point and Pililaau Army Recreation Center round out the beach options, and Navy Lodge Hawaii at Pearl Harbor is a family-style hotel.

Barking Sands Beach Cottages are on the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai's west side. Published rates run about $110 to $150 a night, and they are open to any service-connected rating. It's a working base, so allow extra time at the gate.

The Big Island

Kilauea Military Camp is inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and is open to veterans with any service-connected rating. It has 90 apartments and is open year-round. Park entry is free with the America the Beautiful Access Pass, which anyone with a permanent disability can get for life at no cost.

Getting There for Less

If you're rated 100% permanent and total, Space-A flights between the mainland and Hawaii are allowed - one of the few routes beyond the continental US open to disabled veterans. It takes flexible dates and a backup plan. Here's how Space-A works.

Before You Book

• Bring the right ID: a VHIC showing SERVICE CONNECTED, PURPLE HEART or FORMER POW, plus a REAL ID-compliant license or passport.
• Book early: Hawaii military lodging fills months out, and active duty often books first.
• Check the property's own page for current rates and rules - every place above links to it from our lodging map.
• Getting medical care on Oahu? The Fisher House at Tripler Army Medical Center houses families free during treatment - ask your social worker for a referral.