Lightning Round: My Hawaii Hotels

The Ohana Beachcomber: I have to be honest and tell you that I was so absurdly busy while I stayed here that my room left little impression. It was fine, I was comfortable, the room was quiet and the folks that worked here were very friendly — I especially appreciated the valet parking guys, they were total sweethearts. While I can’t say much about the room, I can tell you that the hotel does a couple of things that I did remember and appreciate. They give you a little beach bag, nice for that wet suit and sandy towel and those trips to the ABC store — just say no to plastic bags! Your hotel key works as a trolley pass on the popular pink line so you can ride free during your stay. At the valet counter, they have xeroxed handouts with directions to the most common destinations — that was a huge help. It’s right smack in the middle of Waikiki, not beachfront, but hey, it’s just a block away, so the location is great. I loved the collection of vintage ukuleles in the Surf Museum, naturally. This place is fine, really, just fine, comfortable, not particularly distinctive, but totally fine. If you care about such things, it’s worth noting that the Ohana hotels are part of Outrigger and they’re a locally owned business. I like the idea of supporting places that are locally run, they keep more money in the local economy.

View from my balcony at the Ohana Beachcomber

Would I stay here again? Yes. Would I recommend it? Yes to that, too. It’s a fine mid-range pick.

Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club: This beautifully manicured and swanky resort property sits right on the water on a man made protected lagoon. I had luxurious room with a stunning sunset view and a huge bathroom. I had the seafood buffet for dinner and it was fine, though the tiny creme brulee? If left alone I probably could have eaten a dozen of those.The place was empty, it was uncanny and a little weird, so it was dead quiet. When I crawled into bed, I noticed how nice the sheets were and I loved sleeping with the windows open and the sound of the surf. The beaches are gorgeous and immaculate, there’s birdsong instead of traffic noise, it was beautiful. Thing is, I’d been at Waianae – a disadvantaged community in West Oahu — that morning and honestly, I was kind of freaking out. And I was annoyed that I had to pay extra for internet — this is a peeve of mine with higher end hotels, it feels like nickel and diming and many lower cost properties offer it for free.

I probably would not have chosen this place for myself. Don’t get me wrong, it is lovely, truly lovely, but I’m not a huge fan of gated community living and that’s what this felt like to me. I really appreciated the luxury and beauty of the resort, but it’s not my style. And it’s important to reiterate, had I not come from Waianae and had my perspective on Hawaii totally spun, I might have been able to just do a little wallowing in the lazy splendor of it all and not spent my time swirling around in a haze of cognitive dissonance.

Would I stay here again? Probably not. Not my style. Would I recommend it? For the resort traveler, yes.

Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa: I liked my room here right away, not just for the smashing view but for the bright decor — it just had great tropical style — and for the fact that there were so many easy to access outlets all over the place. The property is almost bustling, there are all kinds of businesses at ground level — two ABC stores, a uke shop, two cafes, a handful of restaurants, and it’s across the street from the beach. This place is hopping but the staff are totally on the job, helpful, totally patient, dealing well with the seemingly large numbers of people around. I also had an amazing meal at the sushi place — Sansei — in the complex. (Tip? Go for the happy hour menu, it’s a great deal!) All good. Thing is, my room was weirdly noisy, and I’m not talking street noise. Waikiki is, after all, an urban area and I expect to hear traffic. But I ended up shimming the mini-fridge to keep it from rattling around, the air conditioning unit was loud, and there was a lot of ambient noise from the other rooms. Ultimately, your hotel room is about a good night’s sleep and that wasn’t happening.

Would I stay here again? Probably not. Would I recommend it? I’m torn. Maybe I had a bad room. But the noise… probably not.

Aqua Bamboo and Spa: I’m going to fawn. I loved this place. Admittedly, I had one of their top of the line rooms with stone floors and a kitchenette, but just to be sure I wasn’t crazy, I did ask to get see the more standard offerings and they were nice too. Here’s what I liked about the property: just about everything. Internet is included, they serve a little breakfast on the pool deck every morning, not much, but enough to help you launch your day. The rooms have kitchenettes so you don’t have to scramble for a spoon when all you want is to have a yogurt, but hey, if you wanted to, you could  scramble some eggs or microwave your leftover takeout. The decor was earth toned and mellow, and yep, lots of bamboo everywhere, elegant without being fussy. It took me five minutes to walk to the beach so it doesn’t matter that it’s not oceanfront. There’s a spa — I got a massage while I was there — and the practitioner sang along with the Hawaiian music and told me stories while fixing that one spot in my shoulder. There’s plenty of city noise but nothing from the neighbors. If I’d been one of those grand writers from the 19th century, I’d have taken up residency in this place. It was, hands down, my favorite stay. Aside — I stayed at the Aqua Coconut on my last trip to Oahu and I rather liked that as well.

Would I stay here again? You know it. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Without hesitation.

Disclaimer: Travel and accommodation portions of my trip were sponsored by the Oahu Visitor’s Bureau in exchange for my blogging about my experiences in Hawaii.