In 2002, I stayed at 10 properties in Hawaii and would rank them, best on down (not including my favorite, The Orchid, which recently left Starwood):

1) The Lodge at Koele, Island of Lanai
Fantastic retreat away from the rest of the world; it feels like a British hunting club complete with formal libraries and fireplaces. Ask for a Plantation room on the ground level. I have no info on upgrades since the room I booked was the room I wanted and received. Dining is expensive but there are reasonable alternatives in "town", a short 15 minute walk or free shuttle bus ride away. There is a small pool with two jacuzzi's. (Manele Bay Hotel, another Starwood Property on Lanai, is a more traditional beach resort property; free shuttle between the two so you can stay at one and play at the other. Very nice pool, with jacuzzi's, are a short stroll from a nice beach). Many guests come here for the resorts golf courses. A honeymoon here would certainly be one to remember - and talk about! (Bill Gates "rented" the entire island for his honeymoon here).

2) Princeville Resort, Island of Kauai
Yes, I've seen service complaints posted here but, in 4 previous visits, I've never had a complaint. The lobby is stunning and huge, the pool and jacuzzis fantastic with great ocean/mountain views as you sip on your Mai Tai (or Lava Flows, my favorite), and the standard rooms are big with very nice bathrooms (large clear window between the bathroom and bedroom becomes opaque at the touch of a button). The beach in front of the property isn't the best, but you'll likely want to spend you time by the pool anyways: this is the 2nd best pool of all the Starwoods in Hawaii. The spa facilities are disappointing but, then again, none of the Starwoods in Hawaii really have a "destination spa" - one worth going to just for the spa (the best spas would be the Grand Wailea on Maui, then the Four Seasons on the Big Island, then the Hyatt on Kauai, followed by the Mariott Ihilani, Hilton and Mandarin Oriental on Oahu). However, the rest of the top-notch facilities easily make up for this shortcoming. This is a five star resort and one of the nicest properties you'll ever stay at. I'd gladly go to the Princeville Resort for my honeymoon and be confident that it would be memorable.

3) Westin Maui
Yes, there is a timeshare and many children during school break (forget any trip to Hawaii in August if you want to avoid children - it really is the "worst" month for kids on vacation), but this hotel provides outstanding service and REALLY nice Platinum upgrades (think huge, oceanview suite). This hotel has the best pool of all the Starwoods in Hawaii: it is huge and has a couple jacuzzi's, and there is an adult level pool to get away from kids if you happen to be vacationing during school break time. The pool "officially" closes at 9 pm, but the staff won't kick you out if you quietly use it or the jacuzzi's: I've spent many nights taking late night swims. An excellent beach is just steps away from the pool. The hotel is centrally located on Kaanapali beach (Whalers Village shopping right next door for economical dining - but take a 10 minute drive and have dinner at Roy's instead) and the view from your ocean facing lanai is breathtaking. This hotel also offers a free shuttle from the West Maui Airport; there is also a cheap shuttle into Lahaina that leaves from the front door if you didn't rent a car.

4) Sheraton Moana Surfrider, Oahu
This is my favorite Oahu Starwood hotel - you have a much better chance of getting upgraded to a nicer oceanview room here than at the Royal Hawaiian. For Platinum's, you'll be given a choice of amenity at check-in ... but regardless of what you selected, later in the day you'll also recieve a nice fruit basket, a Hawaiian floral arrangement, some local chocolates, a Moana Memories postcard book and some personalized stationery: outstanding platinum recognition! This property is smack dab right in the middle of Waikiki so there will be plenty to do and see if you decide to leave the property. There is a small pool (the smallest pool of all the Starwoods in Waikiki) open from 7 am - 6 pm, no outdoor jacuzzi, nor a spa (you'll have to go to the Royal Hawaiian for that). The nicer rooms overlook the ocean (fantastic views of Diamond Head from the Tower Wing), Waikiki Beach and the central courtyard built around an old Banyan tree, where Hawaiian musicians play live music each night from 5:30 - 8:30 (you can sit on your lanai, watch the sun set over the beach (keep your eyes peeled for the "green flash") and listen to Hawaiian music drinking cocktails you picked up at the ABC store around the corner (any corner in Waikiki). The rooms have small refrigerators & free safes. A pianist and a guitar soloist alternate nights playing music from 8:30 - 10:30 after the Hawaiian music has ended. Take the free walking tour of the property (11 am & 5 pm, MWF), sign up for a weaving class, do the Sunday brunch or the High Tea (everyday) at the Banyan Veranda, or catch the live Jazz on Fri/Sat evenings (9:30 - 11:30 pm). Evening turn-down service includes bottled water, chocolates and fresh towels. Don't forget the Moana Memories Lounge now on the 2nd floor of the Tower Wing (7 - 11 am, 4 - 7 pm): this is the only club lounge Starwood has in all of Hawaii. In the Lounge, you'll be offered cold snacks, tea, coffee, soft drinks and, in the evening, up to 3 beers or glasses of wine. If you want to stay on Oahu, this is the best Starwood ... IMHO.

5) Sheraton Maui
A few hotels down the beach from the Westin Maui. It was completely renovated a few years ago and they did a good job witht the rooms and facilities but, if I had a choice, I'd stick with the Westin. The pool at the Sheraton is smaller than the Westin - on the dull side and it has been dirty on my last two visits (a lot of leaves/branches floating in it), the better rooms likely have nice views but I've never seen the view - the upgrades aren't as generous here as at the Westin. There is a lot of open space at the Sheraton between the main building and the beach - perhaps one day they'll decide to put in a first rate pool there (I can hope). The beach is outstanding and steps away from the pool. You're also a further walk away from the central shopping area. It's not a bad hotel, but since I'm partial to the Westin Maui, I'd prefer to stay at that property. The Sheraton doesn't offer free shuttle service from the West Maui Airport (the Westin does)(West Maui is not the main airport on the island).

6) Sheraton Kauai
This is a nice economical property - but not one I'd want to spend my honeymoon at. Rooms are okay, pool is a standard hole in the ground - the real draw is the beach front access. If you're on a budget, this is a nice retreat for your money. Try to get a room on the ocean side: a road intersects this property and the "lesser/cheaper" rooms are across the street. There is one pool on each side of the roadway.

7) Sheraton Molokai Beach Resort
Another hotel that I personally wouldn't select for my honeymoon - but I'm sure there are many people who would like the option of staying on a small island with only 6,000 residents. There are really two properties here - with about 10 miles of rough terrain between the two. The Lodge is a normal hotel with a small pool sitting in a small community (the islands only fast food restaurant and movie theatre are around the corner). The Beach Resort is .... unique. Each "room" is actually a two bedroom "tentalow" (a bungalow made with tents only) - there is no air conditioning (a fan overhead) and, at 5 am when the birds wake up and start singing, it sounds like all 1 million of them are in the tentalow with you. The bathroom is open air (walls but no ceiling) and located right outside your tent ... so make sure your robe is nearby at night. All of the tentalows are built close to a beautiful private beach (the best beach of all the Starwoods), and a nice buffet breakfast will be included. At night, since there is so little electricity, the sky seems alive with stars ... they are everywhere! The property actually arranges to have an astonomer on site a couple times each month - he brings telescopes and spends a couple hours letting everyone see the various star formations overhead. If you are looking to really get away from it all, there is a very nice escape from the real world - as long as you know you are going to have to rough it a little. I think a visit at this resort is a "must" for anyone who thinks they have seen all Hawaii has to offer (and the day trip on the Molokai mule ride .... another "must do" experience).

8) Sheraton Princess Kaiulani
If this property came under a Four Points label is could be a flagship for that brand. Promotional rates make it very economical. It is across the street from the Sheraton beachfront properties, has a small pool (but bigger than the one at the massive Sheraton Waikiki), yet the rooms and facilities are on par with a good Four Points, not a major Sheraton Hotel. This is a fanastic choice if you are looking for a Waikiki bargain, and you'll have some (limited) access to facilities at the other Sheraton Waikiki resorts. Come expecting a Four Points and your expectations will be met or exceeded.

UPDATED: Spent the weekend here and wanted to provide some updated info. Management really makes a good effort of presenting a Hawaiian atmosphere and the service is good across the board. Platinum amenity selection offered at check-in; regardless of choice, this is followed by a room delivery of a VERY big fruit basket with cheese, crackers, chocolate mac nuts and lots of fruits AND an arrangement of anthurium flowers - nice local touch. Pool is open from 8 - 6:30; Hawaiian arts and crafts tastefully sold in the lobby area from 8 - 1:30 am everyday; free historical tour M, W & F at 4 pm, meet at the belldesk; good Hawaiian entetertainment by the pool everday from 6:15 - 9:30 pm, followed by a guitarist until 11:30 pm. parking is $10 a day, room safe is $3.25 a day; there are 3 wings of the hotel, best is the oceanview rooms in the Ainahau Tower, then the pool view rooms in the Princess Wing, and lastly the street view rooms in the Kaiulani Wing. Bathrooms are small but at least the showerheads are detachable, handheld type and are at the correct height (see Sheraton Waikiki notes). Free coffee/tea served all day in the small unadvertised lounge across from the Doctors-On-Call office. The Momoyama Japanese restaurant is excellent - great service and food, worth a visit if you are staying elsewhere in Waikiki (dinner only). They have been running a Sukiyaki special ($19.95) that is outstanding (served with salad, mukozuke, pickled vegetables, miso soup, rice and ice cream - you're going to be full!). The restaurant is also in the Hawaii Entertainment book (2 for 1 dining).

If you're spending any time in Waikiki, check out this website for updated info on activities: http://www.waikikiimprovement.org/eventspage.html

9) Sheraton Waikiki
You, a million Japanese tourists and package tour groups. Small, inadequate pools (one childrens pool 3' deep) - you'll never find a place to sit after 12 noon and they close down at 6 pm. Outdated rooms and facilities (even though they went through a major renovation on the public spaces a few years ago). Getting upgrades are like pulling teeth. The guestrooms have tiny bathrooms with small, poor quality towels and a lowflow showerhead that will require you to bend over to wash your hair if you are taller than 5'8". Even the beach here is bad - the property projects out into the ocean so the best beach areas are unusable or being used by a tour operator (outrigger rides) - walk away from the property to swim in the ocean. Unless you are with a convention group, stay somewhere else. You've been warned. (I plan a stay at this hotel once a year to see if it has improved any since my last visit ... I'm still waiting.)

UPDATED: The Sheraton Waikiki could take some steps to improve itself dramatically. 1) Buy some decent towels (size and quality) for both the guestrooms and the pool areas. Motel 6 has better. 2) Keep the pool open later - 6 pm is way too early to close it down. 3) Replace the childrens pool with a nice, Hawaiian-themed pool and jacuzzi. Perhaps make the current main pool an "adults-only pool" with better lounge chairs. 4) Put an interesting/exciting restaurant on the property. Ciao's is sitting empty. Ocean Terrace buffet's are boring. Kau Kau food is both bad and overpriced. There is a Honolulu Coffee Co. outside vendor in the parking lot - let them take over Kau Kau - the food they serve at their downtown Honolulu location would be a major improvement. But you still need to have a restaurant that people want to eat at; and you don't have that now. (Hanohano Room is too expensive for everyday dining). 5) Treat SPG members with respect and provide upgrades without having customers battle with the front desk staff. 6) Put in SPG floors with newer carpet/wallpaper/style, and better showerheads. Perhaps a SPG concierge. The impersonal service provided now needs to be improved, but I understand how difficult that is with such a large hotel.

[This message has been edited by TakingChances (edited 06-01-2003).]