If this is your first time, the most diverse island is Oahu. Oahu has the only large metropolitan city (Honolulu) and the only tropical urban beach (Waikiki) with all its shopping, nightlife and restaurants. 80% of the population of Hawaii live on this island. Oahu also has most of the recent history (Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace), snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, the best surfing on North Shore (Banzi Pipeline, Sunset Beach), great hiking, and a beautiful tropical windward shoreline. If you stay on Oahu, you most likely will stay in Waikiki. At the top end is Royal Hawaiian (the classic, original hotel, now owned by the Starwood chain), and at the bottom end is the Park Shore Waikiki, which is in a great location and clean but old.
http://www.royal-hawaiian.com/?PS=PS_aa_Hawaii_Google_royal_hawaiian_092808_NAD_FM
http://www.parkshorewaikiki.com/
If you want an urban "city" type tropical resort right on Waikiki, my favorite is the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/HNLHVHH-Hilton-Hawaiian-Village-Beach-Resort-Spa-Hawaii/index.do

If you don’t want the international hustle-bustle prevalent in Waikiki, you may want to opt for Maui as a second choice. Maui has the quiet, serene tropical resorts lining the beach that you dream about, with great natural sites and famous rain forest drives (the road to Hana) around the island. However, since the resorts are all built in planned communities, it feels less foreign and less "natural" (Kaanapali, Wailea, Makena, and Kapalua are all planned resort communities that only exist for tourists). But the resorts are spectacular, sunsets beautiful, the quality of service and cleanliness very high. If you are on a budget, the Kaanapali Beach Hotel is a good buy…it was the original beach resort in this community and needs an overhaul, but service is excellent and it is clean, and still exudes that feel only Hawaiian resorts have. Otherwise, the Hyatt Kaanapali is the best in that resort area. The Wailea resort area is much more expensive, and if you spring for it try the Grand Wailea.

If you want the most "exotic" island and really are into nature and less into sitting on the beach (since there are fewer beaches), try the Big Island. It has active volcanoes, massive tree fern forests, black sand beaches, kona coffee farms, exotic archeological sites (City of Refuge). Because the island is so new, there is very little coral reefs here to protect the shoreline so the waves are much rougher here and there are much fewer beaches (most of the hotels have man-made beaches). The benefit is that deep sea life come close to shore, so if you take a boat excursion, you are likely to see dolphins and possibly even flying fish. At night, near the Sheraton Keauhou Bay, the manta rays come right up to shore (most of the shoreline on the Big Island is solid black lava rock) and you can see them from the restaurant bar. Fair Wind tours has a nighttime excursion to dive with them if you are interested.

No matter which island and resort you choose, you will not be disappointed!
References :
2nd home in Honolulu

http://www.ohanahotels.com/hotels-resorts/hawaiian-islands/oahu-waikiki/ohana-waikiki-west Ohana west Hotel

http://www.ohanahotels.com/hotels-resorts/hawaiian-islands/oahu-waikiki/ohana-waikiki-beachcomber Beachcomber hotel
(more expensive, but a little closer to the beach)
References :
Peelman in Hawaii

Expensive, but the most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed at. As soon as you walk in, you are just taken back by the natural beauty of the lobby. The pool winded around beautiful flowers and natural life, creating little private coves to enjoy the sun/pool. There are a couple golf courses near the Hyatt, including Poipu Beach (where the Champion’s Tournament is held) so its great for the golf enthusiast (like me!)

The food was expensive especially breakfast. But there was a great little breakfast place called Joe’s about two miles away that had a great atmosphere (right on another golf course) and an affordable price.

If you’re looking to do Kauai the right way, and are okay with spending some money, this is definitely the best, the one, and the only place to go

http://blurbshare.com/smf/index.php?topic=31.0
References :
http://blurbshare.com