Freddy2010

Thanks for the input. I am offered the kalia room but as diamond, is it possible to request a rainbow tower for better view? what room will be best for a single traveler? thanks!!

DS94Sherry

bwc175 -- For the VIP terrace, is this a "swipe your key at the door" lounge, or is it a lounge where you have to wait in line for an attendant to swipe your key (like the Hilton Quebec City)? I like being able to come and go as I please by swiping on my own. I loved that about the Hilton Caribe in PR!

cdnpilot

It is a "swipe your key at the door" lounge.... vertical card swipe if it matters

SporkLover

I just booked 7 nights here for the Wife and I. Hopefully I will be offered a decent room upgrade as a Gold Member.

Is there any recent intel on what the Continental breakfast includes? The last time I was at the HHV was a few years ago, I wasn't a HHonors member, and breakfast was $35 a person.

SporkLover

CreveCoeur

Thanks for the feedback! Like you, I am in the planning process for a trip to HHV, and was looking for more up to date information.

I am a gold VIP, but am not to terribly worried about recieving a whole lot from the Hotel in terms of upgrade, I just wanted to be right on the beach.

A tip for any others that are thinking of going to the HHV, next door is the military resort the Hale Koa. It is cheaper to park there, the Barefoot Lounge bar on the beach has strong and reasonably priced drinks, and they have a good value Luau if interested. All of those services are available to non-guests.

COSPILOT

If I recall, the usual pastries, plus hard boiled eggs, juices, etc. I thought it was OK. I'm so used to Hampton Inn breakfast that I'm easy to please though... Might have to run to HNL for business next month, will stay at HHV again (3rd time in 6 months). When checking in, be sure to try and get Jacqueline, she is very nice and takes great care of me!

Regarding the tower options: I have only stayed in the Rainbow tower, which I enjoyed. I did have the pleasure of having drinks with a friend that stayed in the Grand Vacation tower(or whatever its called), very nice! While I still prefer the SPG hotels, I'm very happy to stay at the HHV for my HNL visits. The HHV is much more family friendly if you ask me.

Edit: If you are wanting a normal breakfast, I suggest walking past the lobby toward the shops and have breakfast at the place next to the pizza joint. Very good breakfast for a 1/4 of the cost of the hotel breakfast option.

BrlDsguise

Hilton announced it will add two more timeshare towers:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...meshare-towers

Andriyko

Does anyone know how the "oceanfront" and "oceanview" room in Ali'i Tower are different? Is it the floor or the direction that the room faces?
I am also interested to know (if anyone has any experience) whether they upgrade Diamond/Gold members on regular commercial rates (e.g. if I book an Ali'i Tower room is there a chance I will be upgraded further or do they only upgrade from lowest category rooms on reward reservations)?
And one last question - how much is the bffet breakfast at Rainbow Tower per person?

Thanks!

frankmu

Thanks for the list! Looks like the shokudo is kid friendly?

diggitydog

Yeah for sure. They get pretty busy though so if you have a party larger than four I would make reservations. If they don't have any you could probably score a table if you just show and are willing to wait a few...

Rebelyell

My wife and I spent most of a week at HHV a couple of years ago. On the plus side, it is a great resort physically. The Waikiki beach tends to be very crowded, but because HHV is on one end and next to the armed forces R&R facility, it has an almost private beach. Nice not to have to deal with the wall-to-wall people on the beach.

On the downside, I was really unimpressed with the restaurants. Sergio's just wasn't all that great, and at Bali by the Sea when we requested the "early bird" menu the waiter practically threw it at us.

If you stay, be sure to visit the House Without a Key lounge at the Halakulani Hotel not far away. A former Miss Hawaii was doing hula when we were there, and we had a fine dinner. Note that dinner in the lounge is reasonably priced; dinner in one of the hotels two restaurants will cost you an arm and a leg. After visiting House Without a Key we returned to HHV and saw someone performing some music with a "hula" dancer. It was so bad in comparision we couldn't stand to watch.

If still available, the full breakfast in the Rainbow Lanai is well worth the upcharge for Golds and Diamonds. It is a very nice breakfast. I think it was about $10, and we ate a large, late breakfast every day and generally skipped lunch.

For all my negative comments, I would stay at HHV again, on cash not points. The price is generally cheap enough that the points are more valuable elsewhere. If I could afford it, I'd much rather stay at the Halakulani or maybe the Royal Hawaiian. But since I can't afford these places, the HHV will probably have my business again.

bdemaria

Oceanview will not necessarily be facing the beach, but on a high enough floor that you can see the ocean; oceanfront will be facing the beach.

Yes, there is the opportunity for upgrades on paid stays although they are pretty aggressive w/NOR-1 at this property, so if you want a suite/exec upgrade, then you will likely have to pay for it.

bdemaria

This breakfast option has not been offered at the property for quite some time (at least a year or so).

Andriyko

Thank you. I hope that we'll get an upgrade to an oceanfront room, and even if we don't I just want to try the Ali'i tower.
If I understand correctly, regular rooms are the same anyways and it's just the view that differs?

bdemaria

Basically, yes; a standard king Ali'i Tower ocean view room will not be noticeably different from a standard king Ali'i Tower ocean front room; the standard king Ali'i Tower room will be nicer - in terms of furnishings, etc... - than a standard king Diamond Head Tower room.