jtkauai

Drawing a complete blank. Pre-911 there was the rent-a-wrecked room within HNL. Would have served you well. Other than the airline lounges, many of which you can access for an exhorbitant daily fee (and some or all of which close during middle of night hours at HNL), the only other choices I can think of are the dreadful airport hotels.

TropicalFlyer

For that many hours, you can have your daughter take the shuttle or public bus into Waikiki. If she's interested in shopping she can get off at Ala Moana. If she is tired of walking around the mall, she can go to the Mariposa restaurant in Neiman Marcus, leisurely enjoy the view and the get a bite to eat.

If she wants to have some beach time, just have her hop off at any of the Waikiki hotels along Kalakaua Street. She can change in any of the public restrooms in the hotels as long as she acts like she belongs.

When it sun goes down, she can hang out in the lobby of any of the major hotels - Sheraton Moana Surfrider, Hyatt, Marriott, etc.. Then she can catch the shuttle/bus/taxi back to the airport when it is time.

If she wants to have a room to rest in, then you might try to get a priceline room in Waikiki for her.

TF

asu-ua772

Your plan sounds great and all, but the time in reference by the OP is 1:30am to 11:30am. I don't think the public buses, nor Ala Moana is alive and kicking around that time (well, maybe come daylight).

cblaisd

Uh, I don't think Ala Moana shopping center is going to be open at 2:30 in the morning

The Priceline hotel idea is good one

TMAYER

There is a United Red Carpet club, but it doesn't open until 5:15 am. I think the one-time passes are $50 (or maybe you can get one via coupon connection). Normally $50 is a waste of money for RCC, but in your case, might be cheaper and easier than a trip into town and hotel.

lihue1k

Uh, I may be mistaken (Slippahs will correct me if so) but I think HNL actually close down the terminal for a few hours in the wee hours.

The AKL, PPT, TPE & SYD flights all depart nominally 1AM. My understanding though was that they close the terminal and make a security sweep nominally from 3AM to 5AM.

If my understanding is correct, priceline.

Lihue1k

slippahs

Your understanding is correct. Guards will ask you to leave the terminal after hours. You do have the option of sleeping out near the curb... But, Priceline does sound to be the best choice.

ac777

Thanks everyone for the reply. I don't think curbside will be a good idea. I haven't done priceline but I thought that I could not do it since I am in Canada.

TropicalFlyer

Whoops. My husband would scold me for not realizing it was military time.

New plan: Book a cheap room near the airport. The hotels around the airport are not anything to write home about, but will be okay for the time your daughter has to spend there. As a treat, she can hop on a bus down the Nimitz highway and have breakfast at Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch and Crab before her flight.

As for priceline, I heard that if you get the paypal debit/credit card, you can use it on priceline even if you live in Canada. Something for the next time!

TF

Acura03

My first post on this forum regarding our first trip to Hawaii !

Our SFO-OGG is a direct flight. But my return flight from
OGG-SFO has a stopover at HNL for 3 hours (9:30 AM - 12:30 PM).
I'm wondering if we can visit any places during this time ?

I have no idea what to do during this transit time. Suggestions pls.

slippahs

Welcome to Flyertalk!

I don't think three hours would allow you much time to actually visit any attractions; however, you may be able to grab a quick lunch at Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch and Crab, provided you take a cab. Again, you'll be cutting it really close, especially since 11:30 a.m. (the time I presume you'd arrive back into HNL) is when most of the later international flights depart to Asia, backing up the security lines a bit.

Otherwise, I would just enjoy the airport--it's rather nice, and you could always pick up a day pass at an Airline club (pick one with free Wifi) and browse the internet, or walk over to the L&L/Byron's Drive-in locations which is about a block away from the terminal for a quick lunch. Information on L&L can be found here:
http://www.hawaiianbarbecue.com/index.html

Acura03

Thanks Slippahs: We will probably hang out at the airport
and have a quick lunch there. Thanks for the wifi day pass tip.

I will come back again with questions about maui sooner !

nishimark

At the airport is a restaurant called Stingray, or something like that. Tropical tiki exterior. I DO NOT recommend it. We went there for lunch on a layover in November and regretted it.

cblaisd

If you don't want to do the day pass thing, but do want the wifi, if you sit adjacent to either the Aloha lounge (in the interisland terminal) or the Continental Presidents Club (in the main terminal) you can glom on to their free wifi.

There is a decent-enough asian/chinese restaurant in the food court in the interisland terminal. Not spectacular, or worth going out of your way for, but decent for airport food. Topped off with a Lapperts ice cream next door

BJMKE

Thanks for the help. From reading some of the other posts I was a bit worried, they made it sound much longer.

Is there anything that would be particularly good to see at night? Any place for a great sunset?
Thanks
BJ