beckoa

We'll I've stayed at some interesting places before, and the price is cheap- so I can spend more elsewhere ^ I try not to spend too much time in the hotel either... I hope I'll survive [but could cancel if its really that terrible]

cblaisd

Well, on the plus side it will make the Pacific Marina Inn look like the Conrad.

slippahs

Are you sure you can't do better elsewhere? Anything will be better than the Pagoda.

freeflyin

I'd appreciate some input.We (couple) and mother are going to Oahu basically to see Pearl Harbor,Punchbowl and other historic locations.

On this trip we do not necessarily need a beach but would prefer something with 2 BRs .I'd also like to use points if possible-Hilton,SPG are preferable since we are going on to Big Island using Marriott points.

We will have a car to explore,so as long as the hotel is in a decent area,driving is not an issue.

hans

A couple of quick questions with a couple of clarifying points first. I'm a former Hawai'i resident and have stayed at both of these properties in the past but it's been a few years. I'll be back doing some consulting at UH and am considering staying at one of these properties given their proximity to campus. I'm wondering how they have held up over the years and whether I should get a car or just use The Bus to get to Manoa. If I get a car, can you still park behind the Ilikai for free? If I use The Bus, does that make the Ala Moana the obvious choice?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have on these aggravating questions.

Aloha

relativelynormal

The Ala Moana Hotel is basically 5 minutes away from a bus stop which services the A express bus (limited stops) which stops at UH Manoa (Sinclair Circle). The stop is basically across the street from Hawaiian Brians and a Papa Johns Pizza.

I think you walk to your left(as you exit the hotel--if you go right you go towards Waikiki) and go up and keep on walking to the right. There is a couple of Korean restraunts and some adult entertainment stores on the street where the bus stop is located.

The A bus comes pretty frequently and I would probably suggest it over the use of a car as you don't have to deal with the traffic as much.

slippahs

Aloha. There is no free overnight parking behind the Ilikai any more. There's dirt cheap metered parking closer to the yacht area, but that's limited so there's no guarantee that you'll have a spot. You can blame the DLNR for the taking away of the free lot behind the lagoon (http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dbor/press/bo...arkingplan.htm), the plans of which were highly protested (although I think it's a good idea, except for those night surfers)

ChrisBNE

Can anyone recommend accomodation near Waikele?

beckoa

Well... checked in at the Pagoda. Went to the room. Very small room with 2 twin beds- not very soft, old decor, a bathroom that is probably from the 50's, just old. About what I expected. My companion however refused to stay there- and so we left and did a little searching at McDonalds (they now have free wifi) for a new room... ended up @ the Ala Moana, $109+ for a queen & sofa, but friend wanted a real bed so we paid $20/night to upgrade to the new tower with two full beds. Decent room, soft beds, small TV, and free (hardline) internet. Parking is in a very cramped parking garage at $15 a night... So it was a decent place to stay, but kinda blew my budget

Oh, and the person checking us in saw my AS Visa card, and put in my MP#... apparently it will be good for about 2,000 miles

So the Ala Moana was decent, but kinda killed my budget

There are some shady adult joints nearby though...

freeflyin

Can anyone offer fairly recent experiences that would help me choose between these two properties?

We are traveling with no children.Three adults-nightlife not important.Will be there for 3 nights while we hit the highlights of the island with a car.

If it makes a difference, will be a reward stay as MR Plat or HH Gold.

Thanks for any insight you can provide

MauiFan

These two hotels are also solid choices for an evening on Waikiki. They also have some good AAA deals going on right now.

nishimark

I've stayed in both the past 6 months for 2-3 day business trips. I think that in many ways they are quite comparable. If staying at the Hyatt, ask for a room away from the "wind tunnel" effect. I've heard that rooms on the inner sides of the towers can be noisy from wind funneling between the two towers. If at the Marriott, get a room facing the pink hotel and main Waikiki strip, as there is a loud outdoor bar across the street on the Diamond Head side. If you want to walk in and around main Waikiki, the Hyatt is closer by a few blocks. If you crave Starbucks, there is one closer to the Marriott.

best

Maile Sky Court--as cheap as $54.

cblaisd

No thank you.

It's a VERY tall tower of a hotel, and the one time (never again) I stayed there the elevators broke mid-ride a number of times.

And there are no lanais -- which is a big part of the charm of staying in Hawai`i, imo. (Plus it makes the already small rooms seem that much smaller)

nishimark

I certainly agree with that. One small pleasure is sitting on the Lanai at night and just looking around. Very relaxing. Very different than my normal life. I make sure to never get a room without a lanai.