Mar 29, 2015, 3:32 am
DISCUSSION for Hilton Honors Hotels in Hawaii, USA {US-HI}
Jun 13, 2017, 4:45 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Gulf Coast
Programs: Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond; National Car Rental Executive Elite
Posts: 2,318
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!
You have to be driven down into Waipio Valley. It's the steepest road in America. There are a few tours that will take you. It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.
The road to Mauna Kea visitors center is paved and accessible by any vehicle. To reach the summit, they highly recommend a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Rental cars are allowed.
Jun 13, 2017, 4:46 pm
#62
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
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.
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.
Jun 13, 2017, 4:50 pm
#63
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
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.
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.
Jun 13, 2017, 5:12 pm
#64
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,218
People either love or hate the HHV - we love it. But we stay in the Ali'i tower which you can't get for (reasonable) points, but even just walking around the rest of the campus we like it.
I've not stayed at the other Hilton properties in Waikiki but I'd do the HHV last since I think it must be nicer just by virtue of the fact you are right on the beach. I could be wrong, but I come to Hawaii to be right on the water.
Jun 13, 2017, 5:14 pm
#65
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,423
HHV is a good base for enjoying the craziness of Waikiki. It's also at the airport end of Waikiki, so an easier/faster run to the airport on the way out. But I wouldn't recommend it for just one night.
Jun 14, 2017, 12:59 am
#66
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: HNL,HI,USA
Posts: 256
I prefer HWV but I live on Oahu. However, as others have said, with only three days on the big island and starting on the Hilo side, I'd just stay there. Come back another time and spend multiple days at the HWV and enjoy that side of the island and the resort itself.
Jun 14, 2017, 7:04 am
#67
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,784
If I were you, I will probably stay 2 nights at HHW at Oahu and skip HWV just stay at Hilo. In a few weeks I will be back at HHW for a week.. can't wait.
Jun 14, 2017, 9:41 am
#68
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Royal Oak, MI 48067
Programs: Delta Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 809
A bit of a side note for visiting VNP: Assuming there is still lava in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, you can view the night glow of the lava from the Jaggar Museum parking lot. We showed up just after dark and the place was a madhouse - cars all over - rangers directing traffic - bunches of people. We left, then decided to get up at 4am and drive back there (we were staying at the Volcano House in the park). Only about a half dozen people there when we arrived, and we sat and watched the lava glow until sunrise. It was magical! I would definitely recommend getting up super early and catching the glow in the morning.
Jun 14, 2017, 4:16 pm
#69
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PEK, AUS, WAS, HKG
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 1,122
A bit of a side note for visiting VNP: Assuming there is still lava in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, you can view the night glow of the lava from the Jaggar Museum parking lot. We showed up just after dark and the place was a madhouse - cars all over - rangers directing traffic - bunches of people. We left, then decided to get up at 4am and drive back there (we were staying at the Volcano House in the park). Only about a half dozen people there when we arrived, and we sat and watched the lava glow until sunrise. It was magical! I would definitely recommend getting up super early and catching the glow in the morning.
Thanks!
Jun 14, 2017, 8:37 pm
#70
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,882
I had my first two trips to Hawaii this year, and have stayed in both places twice (recently). In January, I went to the Big Island and Oahu for work. I stayed at Waikoloa Village 3 nights, and the Grand Naniloa Doubletree in Hilo for one night, then flew to Honolulu and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki for 4 nights and Hilton Hawaiian Village for 3 nights. In May I had to go back. This time I stayed at HHV for 3 nights, a Courtyard on Maui for 2 nights, and then 7 nights at HWV.
Here are my thoughts on the places that I stayed -
Here are my thoughts on the places that I stayed -
- HWV: This is a *very* large property. Both of my stays were in the Ocean Tower. Both times I was upgraded from a "resort view" to "partial ocean view". There are a couple of options for getting around. There's a monorail-looking train/tram thing that runs end to end through the resort on some sort of schedule (every 10 minutes or so?). It takes 10-15 minutes to ride the full distance, as it stops 5 or 6 times and waits a minute or two for loading/unloading. On the plus side, it's air conditioned. There are also boats which will take you on a parallel route through canals. This is quite a bit slower, probably on the order of 30 minutes end to end. I was never able to figure out the schedule. The number of boats running at any one time seemed to vary quite a bit, so I only took the time to wait for it twice. The last choice is that you can walk. There are paths throughout the property, and "hoofing it" is the only way to get to the attractions on the ocean side of the lagoon (Lagoon Grill, Dolphin Quest Village, Ice Cream Stand). I tend to walk without dawdling, and it took me around 7-10 minutes to walk from the lobby to the Ocean Tower. There are (to my mind) surprisingly few dining options on site, and they are expensive and close early. My wife and I had dinner at Kamelua Provision Company. 1 Surf and Turf, 1 Filet and 2 glasses of wine pushed $150 with the tip. There are two asian restaurants, one is closed for remodeling, the other is closed. The Mexican cantina in the Ocean tower isn't bad, nor is the Lagoon Grill. We weren't impressed with the food at the Italian place, though we did enjoy sitting on the patio, watching a barracuda watch us eat from the canal. There are a couple more options in the nearby shopping centers, but beyond that you will start to notice how remote this place is - 30 minute drive into Kona. Valet parking fee recently increased from $30/day to $37/day. All that said, I liked it, and will probably stay here again.
- Hilo Doubletree: I wasn't impressed with this one. The lobby is breathtaking. Parking was inconvenient (though free). The restaurant was weird when I was there in January, but maybe they have fixed it? At the time, the cost was $25 and it was sort of a mini-buffet, but without choices. You grabbed a plate, spooned on your entree and sides, and they brought water/soda/coffee. There was a plate of the type of desserts that you tend to see at hotel conferences - tiny cheesecakes, etc. My room seemed old. it was really kind of disconcerting after seeing the lobby. AC didn't work, so it was uncomfortably warm.
- HGI Waikiki: This could be any hotel anywhere (at least anywhere near saltwater). Nothing wrong with the place, I just felt like I could have been in Ft Lauderdale, or Huntington Beach. Nothing very "Hawaii" about it. If you are driving a car, the valet parking entrance can be a challenge to get to. As you come down Kuhio Ave, the hotel is on your left, but the entrance is on a one way street coming toward you. You have to go around the block to get to it, and if you miss one of the turns it's "one way hell" trying to get back to where you want to be. It's about a 5 block walk to a very nice beach, so there's that.
- HHV: As everyone above has said, this place is a madhouse. My first trip, we stayed in the Ali'i Tower and it was totally worth the extra points. That tower has its own separate check in area, a private pool with hot tub, and gives you a bracelet that you can use to jump the line at just about any restaurant on property. As a diamond, I was upgraded from a "resort view" room to a "partial ocean view" room at no charge. The upgraded room had a balcony that looked out over the main pool and wrapped around the end of the building to face the ocean. Second trip I was in the Tapa Tower. I had to use the main checkin area, but there is a desk for Honors members where the line was nonexistent when I checked in/out. Valet parking was $30/day. There are tons of shops and restaurants in and around this property, so plenty of opportunity for you to buy a bunch of crap that you can get cheaper at home, if that's your thing.
Jun 14, 2017, 8:44 pm
#71
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,218
Wow, a bracelet at the ALi'i Tower? Never have seen that in all my stays there. What lines were you able to jump? I guess we eat so early we never had a problem with waiting, but I like the idea...
Jun 14, 2017, 8:56 pm
#72
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,882
As I recall, it also allowed us to check out beach towels without having to deal with the orange card, and I think there were some discount opportunities as well.
Here is some info from Hilton's website: http://news.hilton.com/index.cfm/new...-village?tl=fr
Jun 14, 2017, 10:58 pm
#73
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,423
Jun 15, 2017, 2:55 am
#74
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,218
We have never had to deal with the orange towel cards at the Ali'i pool, just at the other pools. At the Ali'i pool the towels are given out freely.
However, even if you now get towels without hassle at the other pools, that still doesn't find you a chair (which are often impossible to find). If they had an area at the big pools reserved for Ali'i guests at all times, now THAT would be a valuable perk.
Reading that link of what you "get" is same old, same old...I didn't see anything listed that was new or unique. Unless the cocktails and appetizers they mention in the evenings are back to being free like the old days?
And I do wish they would heat the pool just a tad.
However, even if you now get towels without hassle at the other pools, that still doesn't find you a chair (which are often impossible to find). If they had an area at the big pools reserved for Ali'i guests at all times, now THAT would be a valuable perk.
Reading that link of what you "get" is same old, same old...I didn't see anything listed that was new or unique. Unless the cocktails and appetizers they mention in the evenings are back to being free like the old days?
And I do wish they would heat the pool just a tad.
Jun 15, 2017, 7:43 am
#75
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,941
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).
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).