lixiaojuventus

At this moment I have enough points to stay for one night at both properties, as I have never been to either one, so I want to give them a try. However, I want to know if one of them is significantly better than the other so that I should stay two nights at one property and skip the other? Thanks!

Kacee

You realize these properties are on different islands, right? My suggestion would be that for two nights total, you choose one island (Oahu / Big Island) or the other.

lixiaojuventus

Thanks for the reply! Maybe I did not make it clear in the original post. I am planning for a one-week stay in Hawaii, four days in Oahu, three in the big island. I have enough points to stay two nights in either properties. At this one time I want to spread it out and do one night at each property (the other five nights will be paid stays). However, I am wondering if one property is much better than the other so that I should stay two nights in that property and skip the other?

Kacee

I would still pick one or the other, otherwise you will be staying at (a minimum of) four different places over seven nights, and that's way too much moving around IMO.

Folks might be able to suggest one or the other based on what you're interested in doing.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

When are you planning on going?

As I understand later this year at the Waikoloa Village, the Ocean tower will be closed to be converted into timeshares and there might be construction noise in some areas (not confirmed yet)

The HHV and HWV are completely different resort experiences with the Hawaiian Village on Waikiki beach being more of a large beach/convention resort where as the HWV is more spread out with canals and foot paths with a man made sandy lagoon .
It depends what ytou are looking for but the Waikoloa resort was great for walking and relaxing away from the crowds in honolulu and on the big island for exploring the volcanoes

I like both hotels but prefer the Waikoloa village.

Regards

TBS

Eujeanie

I think it would help if you said where your paid nights will be in each island. If I'm going to switch hotels (and we do it frequently), I want it to be a completely different experience - either a different part of the island, or even the different end of Waikiki.

I wouldn't bother to switch to go next door to where I already was.

Kacee

Especially since checking in to HHV can be something of a lengthy process, what with the parking, lines, crowds, and distance between the towers.

Need

Waikoloa Village feels like a giant resort that isolates you from the rest of the island. Hawaiian Village feels like a bunch of different hotel buildings sharing a common ground. HHV has a boring lagoon and a sandy ocean beach. HWV has a nicer lagoon with turtles but no sandy ocean beach.

I stayed at both with standard reward rooms, and to me, I don't feel like one is significantly better than the other.

lixiaojuventus

Thanks a lot for the reply from everyone. Maybe I should give a bit more details so that you can better help me

At this moment I want to do three nights on Oahu and the big island each (the 7th night will be on a red-eye flight back to the mainland). On the big island, I plan to stay two (paid) nights on the double tree on the Hilo side, as it is closer to the volcano national park and Mauna Kea (please also advise if this choice is correct, as I feel that driving from the Kona side is too far away), and put the third (reward) night on the HWV. On the Oahu island, I plan to do one reward night on the HHV, and two paid nights in other Hilton properties.

What I want to know is that, is either HHV or HWV so good that I should do both rewards nights in that property and skip the other? If both of them are well worth a visit, I might want to keep my plan as is (one night in each property).

Eujeanie

Never a line checking into the Ali'i tower.

lixiaojuventus

Thanks for the reply! I appreciate your input. So you think that both are worth a visit, right?

aww3583

Waikoloa Village to the Visitors Center on Mauna Kea is under an 45 minutes. It's slightly longer (20+ minutes) from Hilo to the Visitors Center. Hilo is much closer to Volcano National Park than HWV. I was underwhelmed by VNP as no lava was visible and the lines were significant. If you're flying in/out of Hilo, stay in Hilo. The Big Island is named that for a reason. It takes 60-90 minutes to get almost anywhere. Factor that into your decision.

I really don't think HWV is worth it for a one-night stay.

If I had one night on the Big Island, I'd fly in early in the morning, visit Waipio Valley before lunch, have lunch in Waimea, and head back to Hilo to check into my hotel. I'd pack a picnic dinner and drive up Mauna Kea and eat on the hood of my car at the visitors center facing west. After sunset, drive up to the peak, if possible. Back to Hilo for the night. The next morning, I'd do VNP and the southernmost point on the island, and fly out of Hilo in the afternoon.

lixiaojuventus

Thanks for the detailed reply! Very informative! So you would suggest that I skip HWV and stay two award nights at the HHV on Oahu instead? In addition, do I need a four wheel drive to visit the Waipio Valley? How about the visitor center of Mauna Kea? I can drive any rental car there if I do not want to go further than the visitor center, right? Thanks again!

Eujeanie

Where else are you staying??

We're doing a different take on the BI. We are flying into Kona, spending 4 nts at the HWV, then driving south to the volcano stuff, ending up in Hilo for one night at the Doubletree. Next morning doing stuff near Hilo, then heading back across to the Kona area and staying at the Courtyard before flying out the next morning.

I personally would not spend one night at a big resort - you really don't have time to enjoy the facilities, and the logistics of just getting settled in often do take a while. So I'd spend 2 at EITHER the HWV or the HHV. Again, for me it would depend on what the other hotels are.

jakers3200

Concur that you should skip HWV if you're staying in Hilo otherwise. HWV is fun & I've enjoyed my stays, but it's not a place that needs to be visited.

HHV is a complete mad house, right in the heart of Waikiki. If you want to be near everything, go for it. If you want a calm beach vacation, keep looking.