Honolulu hotels

[flyfirst]

If anyone is going to Honolulu soon I just want to give you a heads up. The hotels are very dumpy and you might think you were ripped off. I recently visited Honolulu because that was the disembarkation port for my Hawaii cruise and man was I shocked at the hotels. Don't let the exterior of buildings deceive. The outside may look good but when you step inside... quite the opposite. Hotel standards in Honolulu are different from the usual NYC or Las Vegas. Just look at an advertised hotel rating and take one star off and that is what you will experience. For example. We booked a four star hotel on waikiki for $245 a night and when we got to the room, the view was excellent but the room was outdated. It couldn't have been more than a 3 star hotel. But I want to tell you a funny story. Originally we had planned to stay at a 3 star hotel minutes from Waikiki. When we drove up to the hotel I was like...oh my god. I personally didn't fell comfortable nor safe in the environment. When I stepped inside I got the impression that it was something out of a horror movie. The room was disgusting. The shower was gross, the toilet bowl was nasty, and it was hard to breath in the room. We had a crappy balcony. There was goo from the balcony right on top of us and it was dripping! It had a crappy kitchen with foil on the stove. It was so Compton apartment like that we immediately tried to book another hotel. We got through the situation and left that dump in 40 minutes. When I first saw the place, I was upset. But now when i think about, I laugh and smile. So for people who will soon visit there, heads up! If you have already been to honolulu, how was your hotel experience?

[herpa2003]

I just got back from Honolulu yesterday and had a great trip there. The Hotel we stayed at was the Hale Koa Hotel, which is available only to active duty or retired military personell and their families. Rates were incredibly cheap (around $145 US/night) for the location and quality of the hotel. Just for orientation, it is located on Waikiki beach adjacent to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. Our hotel had 3 pools, 4 restaraunts, and its own stretch of Waikiki. You could get food delivered to your room from any of the Hotel's restaraunts at regular menu prices for no additional charge.

The food was, to say the least, outstanding. Hands down the best breakfast that I have ever had. Sunday brunch must be reserved in advance. My favorite on the typical breakfast menu was the Belgian Waffle covered with sliced bananas and macedamia nuts, served with your choice of Banana, Coconut, or Maple syrups. Lunch and dinner was also good at all of the restaraunts.

Rooms were typical. Good quality, but not 5 star. Each room had TV and a balcony. It was a 10 minute walk to Ala Moana center, the major shopping mall in Honolulu. The hotel also had its own tennis courts and a huge fitness center, both of which we used. Also on the hotel property was a PX (military store for everything from TVs to candy), a food store, a private Luau garden, and a beautifully landscaped lobby. The Hale Koa also has beachfront fireworks, once a week I believe. Each day that I was there I observed a wedding being helded in the Luau Garden, which at night was used for Luas.

The view from my balcony looking to the left-


Balcony view to the right-


I'm sure that Joe (screaming emu) stayed at this Hotel if he ever went to Hawaii with his family before he went to UND.

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience, flyfirst.

[janni-chan]

Wow... thanks for the heads up! I'll probably visit hawaii in the future, I certainly hope the hotels that don't live up to "normal" US standards change by then...

Or I'll consider staying at a Hilton or something...

which hotels did you stay at? I'd like to know the name of this "horror hotel" at least

[flyfirst]

Wow... thanks for the heads up! I'll probably visit hawaii in the future, I certainly hope the hotels that don't live up to "normal" US standards change by then...

Or I'll consider staying at a Hilton or something...

which hotels did you stay at? I'd like to know the name of this "horror hotel" at least

the "horror" hotel was the Holiday Surf. We waited till the day of the trip to book the hotel(wish we could have done different) and did by phone only. When we got to the horror hotel, we stayed in the room calling around. Everything was booked up. But we got lucky and someone cancelled and we stayed at the Sheraton Waikiki and the Ohana West hotel. But the view from our room was spectacular. Right on the beach and you could get down there quickly. Took an evening walk on Waikiki and dipped my feet in the water. The water was warm. The Halekulani which is the only five star hotel on Waikiki looks good from the Travel Channel but I'm sure it is 4 star luxury. Thanks for posting!
Oh no the experience was okay it is just the hotels are disappointing but other than that, it was great!

[KBOSv2]

fu*k that, give me a plane ticket to HNL and I'll sleep on a bench...

[ACman]

You a tard flyfirst. Ive stayed in 3 hotels in the Honolulu alone, all on Waikiki beach. Hilton Hawiian Village, both in the Diamond head building, and the Rainbow tower. The Moana Surf Rider and the Outrigger. None, I repeat NONE suck. Your a tard.

I just got back from Honolulu yesterday and had a great trip there. The Hotel we stayed at was the Hale Koa Hotel, which is available only to active duty or retired military personell and their families. Rates were incredibly cheap (around $145 US/night) for the location and quality of the hotel. Just for orientation, it is located on Waikiki beach adjacent to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. Our hotel had 3 pools, 4 restaraunts, and its own stretch of Waikiki. You could get food delivered to your room from any of the Hotel's restaraunts at regular menu prices for no additional charge.

The food was, to say the least, outstanding. Hands down the best breakfast that I have ever had. Sunday brunch must be reserved in advance. My favorite on the typical breakfast menu was the Belgian Waffle covered with sliced bananas and macedamia nuts, served with your choice of Banana, Coconut, or Maple syrups. Lunch and dinner was also good at all of the restaraunts.

Rooms were typical. Good quality, but not 5 star. Each room had TV and a balcony. It was a 10 minute walk to Ala Moana center, the major shopping mall in Honolulu. The hotel also had its own tennis courts and a huge fitness center, both of which we used. Also on the hotel property was a PX (military store for everything from TVs to candy), a food store, a private Luau garden, and a beautifully landscaped lobby. The Hale Koa also has beachfront fireworks, once a week I believe. Each day that I was there I observed a wedding being helded in the Luau Garden, which at night was used for Luas.

The view from my balcony looking to the left-


Balcony view to the right-


I'm sure that Joe (screaming emu) stayed at this Hotel if he ever went to Hawaii with his family before he went to UND.

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience, flyfirst.

Yeah, I was near that Hotel last year and next year!

Outrigger serves a awsome breakfast Buffet. What hotel did you stay at?

[flyfirst]

You a tard flyfirst. Ive stayed in 3 hotels in the Honolulu alone, all on Waikiki beach. Hilton Hawiian Village, both in the Diamond head building, and the Rainbow tower. The Moana Surf Rider and the Outrigger. None, I repeat NONE suck. Your a tard.



Yeah, I was near that Hotel last year and next year!

Outrigger serves a awsome breakfast Buffet. What hotel did you stay at?

Have you stayed at all the hotels in Honolulu? I don't think you have. I saw the Hilton Hawaiian Village and it was beautiful outside. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the inside so I can't judge it. But like I said, the outside is deceiving. I'm not right here and neither are you. Maybe it's not me. Maybe you don't have as high of standards as me and that's why you feel like that. I don't know.

I went inside the Outrigger and it was pretty nice. So that not included. I wanted to go inside the Moana Surfrider but didn't get a chance to. I've seen pictures of it but i think it may be outdated inside. I stayed at the Ohana West and the Sheraton Waikiki. the hotel clerk said that the room was refurbished with new carpet and paint but it didn't look that way when we entered the room.

[ACman]

Have you stayed at all the hotels in Honolulu? I don't think you have. I saw the Hilton Hawaiian Village and it was beautiful outside. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the inside so I can't judge it. But like I said, the outside is deceiving. I'm not right here and neither are you. Maybe it's not me. Maybe you don't have as high of standards as me and that's why you feel like that. I don't know.

I went inside the Outrigger and it was pretty nice. So that not included. I wanted to go inside the Moana Surfrider but didn't get a chance to. I've seen pictures of it but i think it may be outdated inside. I stayed at the Ohana West and the Sheraton Waikiki. the hotel clerk said that the room was refurbished with new carpet and paint but it didn't look that way when we entered the room.

I dont see how this is a dump...

Ohana West



Sheraton Waikiki


Sheaton Looks, average. but you dont spend all your time in the hotel.

[flyfirst]

I dont see how this is a dump...

Ohana West



Sheraton Waikiki


Sheaton Looks, average. but you dont spend all your time in the hotel.

Pictures are deceiving. Have you experienced a time when something looks really appealing in the picture but when you see right before you, it changes your mind? The Ohana West IS NOT a dump. The Holiday Surf IS. That is what I said. The Holiday Surf is the dump. The Ohana and Sheraton are average and basic.

[herpa2003]

Yeah, I was near that Hotel last year and next year!

Outrigger serves a awsome breakfast Buffet. What hotel did you stay at?

I was at the Hale Koa. We walked over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village and one word could sum up the hotel- "wow." The amount of stores and the beauty of the Hilton was incredible!

Were you able to visit any other islands? If you did which airline did you fly on you inter-island flights? We flew Aloha, which was great because of the 732s, but those Hawaiian 717s were beautiful...I would have loved to have flown on one...

[KBOSv2]

It was so Compton apartment like that we immediately tried to book another hotel.

Really? Did it come with bloods and crips?

Pictures are deceiving. Have you experienced a time when something looks really appealing in the picture but when you see right before you, it changes your mind? The Ohana West IS NOT a dump. The Holiday Surf IS. That is what I said. The Holiday Surf is the dump. The Ohana and Sheraton are average and basic.

I have seen some good reviews for the Holiday surf online. Perhaps you have high standards. I consider the super 8 average and basic.

[flyfirst]

Really? Did it come with bloods and crips?



I have seen some good reviews for the Holiday surf online. Perhaps you have high standards. I consider the super 8 average and basic.

Believe me. If you saw the Holiday Surf, you would agree most likely.

[janni-chan]

those pics that ACman posted were probably from the respective hotel's webpage or brochures... they can always make ANY hotel look good. I stayed at a 3 star one in Turkey once... Alanya... it was barely two stars when I got there, and the brochures looked fabulous to say the least!

That could be the case with the honolulu hotels too- I haven't been there yet, so I wouldn't be able to confirm or judge that... yet

[babypurin]

Has anyone stayed at the Hilton Honlolulu or Hyatt Maui? (I'm going to be there in a few weeks)

[FlyingPhotog]

You a tard flyfirst. Ive stayed in 3 hotels in the Honolulu alone, all on Waikiki beach. Hilton Hawiian Village, both in the Diamond head building, and the Rainbow tower. The Moana Surf Rider and the Outrigger. None, I repeat NONE suck. Your a tard.

Yeah flyfirst did make a stereotype about all the hotels just because he saw a couple that weren't up to his standards. I was at an Ohana hotel a couple summers ago, it was rated 2 stars which was a fair rating. It wasn't glamorous but it was clean. We only spent time there to change, shower & sleep. The rest of the time we were all over the island. I made sure to visit websites like Frommers.com or Epinions.com for user reviews by people who have been there. Gotta do your research. I hate when people go and sit on Waikiki beach for 4 days and come home saying they "saw Hawaii."