Kacee

I think they also divide OV from POV at some point when you get too far on the city side of the building.

Great advice. Wouldn't count on an upgrade to get the room I want.

Eujeanie

Yes, I can see where away from the beach your view will diminish. So booking Ocean View you're guaranteed of higher floor, closer to the beach.

Well worth whatever the difference in price is rather than risking not getting what you want as an upgrade.

kenbo

Is an Ocean View room guaranteed to be above the tree line? Or does HHV classify Ocean and Partial Ocean as one and the same? I would love to save $40 a night by not choosing Ocean Front if I knew for sure I'd be above the tree line.

Eujeanie

Ocean FRONT does not face the Park (or the trees). Ocean FRONT faces the ocean, dead on. South rather than east towards Diamond Head.

I have always just put in the request/comments section: "higher floor, closest to the beach, please" when I've booked my Ocean VIEW room, and I've been happy every time.

kenbo

How busy does it get here post-Labor Day? More specifically, the first two to three weeks after.

Also, does anyone know the hours for the Ali'i pool?

Zip

Ms Zip and I recently spent the 4 nights before Christmas AT THE HHV. Short line at the HHonors check-in area, but long ones at regular check-in. But they were taking LOTS of time with the 3 guests in front of us, while the regular line was moving quickly. At least 2 were pleading for rooms in the upper Rainbow Tower. When our time came, agent said they had to spend lots of time looking for an upgradable rooms. She offered us a "nice" room in the Tapa Tower; due to reviews in this thread, I was kinda "horrified", but she convinced us it was a good room.

Room was one of 8 corner rooms on the 34th floor, larger than many suites we have been in. Nicely furnished. Out of main window, we could see the full silhouette of Diamond Head, plus nice view of ocean. Best, we could see ocean side of DiamondH while lying on the bed! Smaller window overlooked the "village green", and the ocean beyond. Very pleasantly surprised, and very pleased. And, could quickly get to the Tapa Bar!!

Anyone else ever receive a nice Tapa Tower room as an upgrade?

Swagfndr

2 years ago we were there working the Pro Bowl and got "Upgraded" to the Tapa tower. When I complained, the lady said "Check it out, you will be pleased". Took her advice and went up the the 16th floor and found our room at the end of the hall. Went inside and found a Suite with a living room, dining area, 2 bathrooms, and 2 balconies along with a HUGE bedroom. One balcony overlooked Benihana but the other one face right out at the ocean with a Prime view for the Friday night fireworks. Worked out perfect as we chose that trip to bring our son with us.

I have stayed at HHV twice a year (8 day stays) for the last 5 years. Wouldn't be my first choice if I was paying, but works well on an expense account. Staying at the new Hokulani Hilton Vacation club Waikiki for this years Pro Bowl, we will see how it is?

MightyTravels

My update from my recent stay:

http://www.mightytravels.com/1323275...t_honolulu.php

Conclusion:
The hotel certainly suffers from size. The staff is at best indifferent about you – you may also say they could not care less. The check-in process is a shame and could easily be better organized. On the pro side the property is very clean. The views and the relative privacy for crowded Waikiki is a clear advantage. Downtown Waikiki can be reached by a quick beach walk – so location is a win too.

I would not return – especially not when paying high room rates & resort fee for a hotel that has completely forgotten about customer service. There is zero VIP recognition. I almost felt that a Diamond status was an unwelcome annoyance in the eyes of the hotel staff.

Kacee

HHV has over 3300 rooms. If you're expecting a boutique experience, you're going to be disappointed.

I've found the staff quite pleasant and accommodating. But remember, there are between 5,000 and 10,000 guests staying here at any one time.

MightyTravels

It wasn't horrible just not what I'm looking for. I understand it's not a boutique hotel but I'd compare it with the experience at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. While the Hyatt also has horrible food it has great and accommodating staff despite the size of the resort.

jsmith50

I am certainly not a HHV apologist but I will say this is atypical from my experience. I have spent probably 50+ nights at the HHV on more than a dozen trips to Honolulu and I have found the staff to be very responsive depending on which staff you are talking about. The HHV has excellent concierges, front desk staff, great compartmentalized staff (i.e. the bartenders at the Tapa Tower bar on the ground floor have always been excellent, and restaurant servers have been wonderful as well). The only staff issue I have ever had there was with maintenance. The property is so large that it seems they may be understaffed in this area. Maintenance calls seem to take an inordinate amount of time compared with other Hilton properties. Otherwise, I have typically had a "resort" experience when at HHV and I've stayed at some truly excellent beach resorts for comparison. Sorry you had a bad experience but it's the location and staff that keeps me coming back to this property because, frankly, the rooms often feel as if they need updating even after recent updating!

T Q

We are here now at the HHV after a 10 year break.we are taking a vacation with our 2 kids (college grads) with points and miles.

Check in line was short since I got in HHonors line. As a Gold I was hoping for a fast and easy upgrade to an XX01 room in Rainbow tower (we had that in 2004)and loved the view plus 2 balconies. I learned that one of the 2 balconies is blocked with current renovation (rainbow tiles being replaced). The agent was patient and courteous in trying to get me a diamond head oceanfront view. The hotel was very full with conventions and I only got rm 325. the room is low with trees blocking a real diamond head view. I went back and settled for a lagoon view on 10th floor still in Rainbow. - actually a nice view of boat harbor and luau below with hawaiian music. so this is where we'll stay. we were told that so many people buy upgrades or reserve ocean view rooms upfront that ther's less to pick from. The process is very time consuming for front desk folks. seems their computers do not allow for quick searches. we are here 5 nights so they have to look for 5 night blocks of open space. Anyway, it was very time consuming to get the upgrade that i got. Now I will enjoy it and be grateful that I did get a free upgrade. We do not have to pay the resort fee since we are Gold and we get free breakfast in the VIP buffet for all 4 of us. Oh, the room is nice with very nice modern granite counter bathroom (1 sink). We used Charleys taxi for a $29 one way from airport. i also rented a car thru costco travel for 1 day to
travel to big surf area - north shore. cost was $65 for all day . i got a minivan too. we'll avoid parking fees etc. Aloha!

edgewood49

I have been staying here for over 30 years and the front desk staff has been very consistent not great but not bad. Remember they check in hundreds or rooms a day, many of them staying there for the first time, coming off long flights in crowded planes and then baggage claim/bus/cab to hotel. And all of them wanting their "upgrade" ! Comparing a Hilton to a Hyatt is not even fair, Hyatt's service is far superior to Hilton over all, food is different. not that Hilton is that much better. Certainly the food at HHV is expensive and with limited taste. I have for all these years gone across the street for breakfast.

The closest you can come to that small hotel feel is the Ali'i Towers our favorite and where we always book into, points or points cash. That way we get on the plane and no worries, get to the hotel and go straight to Ali'i Private pool is also worth the cost of entry

jsmith50

One of the things I like, actually, about the HHV is that in the "village" (my name not theirs for the shops and restaurants) you have a tremendous amount of choice and not all of it is overpriced. My last trip there, we had a cheap dinner one night at CJ's Deli, dinner at Benihana, blue hawaii drinks at Tropics Bar, lunch at the pizza place (Roundtable), etc. It really ranges in price from inexpensive to quite expensive but if you're trying to stay in the resort, there are options for a range of budgets. Plus, there are a number of decent restaurants within walking distance.

wheresmybagba

You're not paying the resort fee because you're staying on points, not because you're gold.

I totally agree with MightyTravels. The service at this resort is very average. And in my experience yes, as a diamond, the VIP recognition was close to non existent.

It would take something like the current 4X promo to get me to consider staying there again!