edgewood49

Rest my case about HP Waikiki !

umieesa

Hi guys,

Somewhat off topic, but right now I'm booked in a 2 queen + sofa ocean view room at HP, but with all the mixed reviews I'm reading I'm wondering if I'm better off booking a condo at the Banyan. Price difference is about $400 and I'm thinking that could be used toward breakfast and still have money left, but hubby is leaning toward keeping the HP reservation.

For anyone who's stayed at both I would love to hear your feedback. Thanks!

Finkface

I own a condo at the Waikiki Banyan (I am assuming you are talking about the Waikiki Banyan and not the Kuhio Banyan) and have stayed at the HP a few times. There is no comparison. Banyan all the way. It is a full-on condo with a separate bedroom and all the amenities a condo brings; full kitchen, laundry on the same floor, much bigger and more comfortable living and bedroom spaces. It is a home vs a hotel. And if you are renting from a private owner, all the extras such as free parking, good wifi, beach chairs/towels etc. Although you do give up daily housekeeping unless you are booking with Aston or a management company. And trust me, the breakfast at the HP is barely worth the (free) price.

umieesa

Yes, the Waikiki Banyan!

I appreciate the feedback. I'm not really bothered by missing the housekeeping (it's only 4 nights) and I guess with the savings I can have a better breakfast.

Just have to convince hubby now

CloudCoder

I've stayed at Waikiki Banyon as well. It's a good place to stay. If I understand correctly, it's $100 cheaper per night than HP. Then it's a no-brainer: go for the Banyan.

edgewood49

HP is a dump

umieesa

Ok, so that makes it easy. Yes, $100 a night cheaper. Guess I'll be having a nice breakfast each day instead. ;p

Thanks alll!

MarkOK

I lived in Waikiki for a year when I worked at UH Manoa (2011-2012). I rented a place at the Waikiki Banyan for 2 weeks when I got there while I looked for a place to sign a 12 month lease because I couldn't find ANY help getting anyone to talk to me seriously about a lease from a few thousand miles away (the nightmares of dealing with Hawaii rental market only started from there -- but I did find a 12 month rental right before my 2 week Banyan rental ended which worked well enough -- a mediocre quality condo with a skeezy landlord but in a great place right on Kalakaua above the cheeseburgers in paradise).

Back on point, I have to say, the Banyan was a great place to stay overall -- the condo I rented there was well maintained, big enough for my family of three+2 cats, and very comfortable. I don't particularly value kitchens on vacations, but if you do than I highly recommend the Banyan as the kitchens are big enough to actually cook with and the Food Pantry is walkable distance wise down Kuhio (and while most groceries are expensive, they have decent prices on somethings -like fresh made french bread and fresh fish.)

I haven't stayed at the HP Waikiki, but I know where it is and I have to say those few blocks around there was few of the only blocks in Waikiki that seemed legitimately sketchy to me. Don't know if there are half-way houses right there or what, but in my 4AM walks with my then-infant, I saw a lot of drugs and prostitutes (well, everywhere, but most particularly on those dark streets right in the area of the HP -- in other words, Ohua Ave seemed fine, but the street just south was uuuuccky).

umieesa

I'll be traveling with kids so I really would like to avoid seeing prostitutes if possible

The kitchen is also not really important. I don't plan to cook but I guess it could come in handy if we have leftovers.

Initially I figured since HP was closer to the beach (slightly) plus the breakfast it might be worth it. But after hearing all these reviews I think I'll pocket the savings

hailstorm

Then avoid Waikiki and drive straight to Aulani!

Finkface

When you say closer to the beach, you are literally talking the width of a street. The HP is on the south side of Kuhio and the Banyan is on the north side of Kuhio. So you are talking about maybe 50 steps closer. Plus, the HP pool is pathetic. The Banyan has a great pool plus a kids' play structure. No brainer.

If you want any more info on the Banyan, including comments on specific unit locations within the complex if you find a unit you like, feel free to PM me.

umieesa

Thanks!!

MarkOK

Ahh, there is a certain grittiness to urban life that I miss sometimes now that I live in the middle of nowhere important. To be fair, I only really saw the prostitutes (which never bothered me much, but the drug users were much more concerning) at the 4AM-6AM time period. My wife had to work from home (aka the bedroom) according to central time zone and our kid was still an infant and had no circadian rhythm, so we kept odd hours and my job before I could go to work was to take the kid and leave the house so my wife could make business calls. I never was up past 9 PM, but I would assume they'd be out somewhere around midnight? I don't know - all I know is that after a few times of wondering into those few blocks between Kuhio and Kalakau just north of the zoo/park was always regrettable. For some reason, where the Banyan's main entrance is on Ohua down to where I ended up living (foster tower) always seemed to have much fewer 'night people'.

I really think you are pretty much the same distance to the beach anyways. No matter what, it isn't just a walk to the beach, but a walk to and then ALONG the beach to find a suitable spot, and that half block extra staying at the banyan makes no real difference.

If you make it to the King's Village farmers market (I think Friday nights?), there was a guy who was usually there that would have the best tuna and will whip you up a poke bowl -- he claimed he fished it himself, I don't necessarily believe him, maybe he did? -- it was so good (I had it every Friday night once I found him) that I have never been able to enjoy tuna-sashimi since. Have fun!

StirredNotShaken

Ok, come on. The days of the prostitutes swarming though Waikiki are long gone. Let's not exaggerate too much here.

umieesa

I don't think we will be out late at night so that shouldn't be an issue. Early mornings maybe but my kids have traveled with us all over the world so even though I'd prefer them not to run into that stuff they don't live in a bubble either.

We will also be staying on the north shore and in Ko Olina, so I'm trying to save a lot of the beach time for those places when we will actually be beachfront. I'm expecting Waikiki to be crowded, so I was thinking we would do a lot of our shopping and hiking from here. I'm glad to read that the extra distance though to the beach is negligible. My real only other concern that WB was old and run down, but based on all the responses I guess I shouldn't worry too much. The unit I'm looking at seems newly renovated.

Again, appreciate all the feedback and advice!