I live in Honolulu, and I have stayed or my friends stay starwoods hotels all the time. If PK is dump, I do not see any difference of all Starwoods in Honolulu.
Some of Royal Hawaiian/Moana Surfrider rooms are worse than PK tower room, still more expensive than PK.
Sheraton is packed by group tourists.
I do not see service difference compared to price difference.
Anyway, Honolulu Starwoods hotels are not really true resort hotels.
They are more like a city hotel with oceanview.
Not many guests enjoy the room or facility, except some of nicer suites such as Moana Tower Suite facing direct ocean.
They just sleep/take shower/ and go outside.
I am not saying PK is a good hotel as a resort.
However, PK is not a bad hotel as a city hotel centrally located with some view.
A few years ago, as a kamaaina(local resident rate), PK charged me only $50 a night, now maybe around $100.