Originally Posted by Mary2e
I'm going to disagree about changing hotels. I would not do it in Waikiki but I feel it is well worth it to do it and stay at Turtle Bay.
The last time we did it, we went directly to Turtle Bay after arrival and stayed 2 or 3 days. This allowed us to decompress and enjoy the quieter pace of that side of the island. For those days we would pretty much hang out at the hotel leaving only to do a little sightseeing nearby.
We'd then change to a Waikiki hotel and use it as a jumping off point for the balance of the sightseeing.
I've also tried to do the same with the Ihilani and it didn't have the same effect on us. Maybe it was because it's so close to Honolulu/Waikiki and the places we normally would go. While I love the hotel, I love the ambience of the North Shore much more.
I agree with you 100% Mary2e (I am not really fond of the Ihilani either). 7 days in Waikiki is not really a Hawaiian vacation; it's hard to decompress on Waikiki Beach. I think you will find your kids will love HHV, they are a great age for everything that hotel has to offer. I would also suggest you visit the zoo and the aquarium during the Waikiki portion of your stay, and take them to the Polynesian Cultural Center while on the North Shore, they should enjoy all of them at their ages. Sea Life Park is another idea if they get bored. Make sure you enjoy some adult activity as well!
Robin