gqZJzU4vusf0Z2,$d7

Booked a two week visit beginning last week using points, as LTD ...

Ocean Tower is only avail as a paid upgrade. I declined it. IIRC, it was ~$175/night more.

Told that our Palace Tower room (condo view) was recently remodeled. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Very tiny dresser in room, so we still have stuff in suitcases. Perpetual problems with the elevators. Never more that 1:3 working at any moment in the past ten days. Trapped once. Maintenance and security response was swift and effective. Thank you. Security was quite insistent on getting our full names and room numbers - I declined - just get me out of this f'ing elevator. Lots of serious tarnish everywhere.

In past years we have always been able to request one of the (older) Mr. Coffee brewers. Not any more. Concierge was clueless. Housekeeper was knowledgeable and appropriately apologetic. Bought a 5-cup (Regal) coffee maker at Wal-Mart for $10.

Food menu at bar adjacent to lobby is greatly reduced; essentially only apps. Not even a hamburger, BLT or club sandwich is available. Tater tots looked appetizing, but arrived a soggy mess. Told that the outside seating on the patio was open, so we went outside. After ~10 minutes of being ignored, I sought out a server and was advised that there is no food or beverage service on the patio. Odd.

Traditional sandwich fare now limited to Lagoon restaurant.

Pizza dough or prep at Dona & Toni's has changed for the worse. It had serious freezer-burn taste. Unwilling to risk a second visit without a money-back guarantee on a $38 pizza.

Tried to book a patio/outside table at Provisioning Co, advised seating could not be reserved any time during our two week visit without paying a $50 fee. This makes Manta's patio at Maura Kea a less expensive visit ... much better food and service too (assuming you have a car).

Net result: Our food and beverage spend is down significantly from last year because we are going waaay off-site for many of our meals. (Harbor House, Kohala Burger & Taco, Sushi U, Manta, Kee'i Cafe, Hawaiian Style Cafe, Red <something> (near Merrimans), Plantation, Four Seasons, etc.

One section of the boat canal has a serious algae bloom and the stench of decaying plant matter.

Re: Ghost Fleet anchorage at Ocean Tower. All but two(?) boats are abandoned and being scavenged for parts. Better to just move this eyesore (junk yard) out of sight.

If HWV is trying to discourage this LTD, mission accomplished! <g>

gqZJzU4vusf0Z2,$d7

Update:

Perhaps HWV mgt reads this forum ... or; perhaps just a coincidence:

- Last night; 3:3 Palace Tower elevators working or the first time in ~10 days

- Pizza from Dona & Toni's ... no freezer burn taste

- Some of the brass was polished yesterday. Elevators are now a zebra of polished and tarnished brass.

ksyrah

HWV - BOGO sale. This weekend only. Dates in March.

srfrgirl4

Staying in Palace now...definitely downhill from previous stays... gold/diamonds need to eat at the big island buffet...20 min wait for continental breakfast while the line for omelet, eats way too long to even bother with....

mdaecher

I like the slower pace of the Big Island when I come to Hawaii each year and usually spend a weekend on the Big Island vs. Oahu - the two locations I have customers at.

I usually stay at the Marriott Waikoloa but they seem to be doing some renovations and there has been severely restricted availability. Have never stayed at the HWV because I like the smaller ore intimate scale of the Marriott

But it looks like I am going to have to consider the HWV next month (or actually stay at Waikiki, which I have not done in some time). If I book a resort view Ocean Tower room as a Diamond will I get upgraded to at least a partial view?

And what is the order/ranking of the towers? Thread seems to lead me to believe it is Lagoon/Palace/Ocean? Is the resort walkable or is the tram stuff really necessary to get from Ocean Tower to everything else?

linsj

"Effective May 1, 2017 the Ocean Tower at Hilton Waikoloa Village will change ownership and renovation work will begin within the tower and surrounding facilities. Club Keiki and the seaside putting course are closed as of January 24, 2017. Imari Restaurant will close effective February 28, 2017. Palm Caf�, Boat Landing Cantina and the Ocean adult pool will close Mary 1, 2017."

Ownership change means conversion to timeshare units. This explains why I couldn't book Ocean Tower in September.

diver858

The Big Island is also my favorite, I have given up on Waikoloa, due to its remote, inconvenient location, instead rent a condo in the Kailua-Kona area. If you prefer a chain hotel, check out the relatively new Holiday Inn Express in Kona - excellent location, adequate property.

BrlDsguise

I guess everyone has their own definition of walkable but I would say yes the resort is walkable. The tram is so slow if you miss it leaving Ocean Tower you can walk quickly and catch up or even beat it to the lobby.

mdaecher

well, I love the Marriott Waikoloa, which I consider a very small and walkable resort. Seems that the footprint of the HWV is much larger though. But your description sounds to me like it's not that big a deal - I just don;t want to have to spend 20 minutes walking from the self park to a tower on the far end every time.

Westcoaster

I am admittedly a slow plodding walker. But just for your info it could easily have taken me at least 15 if not 20 minutes to walk from the Ocean Tower out to a car in self park when we were there. We stayed in the Ocean Tower but used valet parking so we could minimize walking out in the sun when it was really hot. (Now we're from Seattle so really hot may mean something different to me than it does to some others.) The walk from the Ocean Tower to the valet parking pick up can be done largely in the shade.

BrlDsguise

If you park close to the valet parking area and use the steps walking to the self-park isn't that bad.

Westcoaster

Glad that worked out for you. I must point out in my own lazy defense that the valet would crank up the AC in our car so that by the time we got in it was reasonably comfortable instead of unpleasantly hot. We all have to decide what we will pay extra for. To each his own and all that.

ksyrah

Where did you find this? I'm sure that the coffee stand will close too. I'll be there in 3 weeks and try to find out how the boats and trams will operate during the conversion.

linsj

aavacations.com. I meant to add the source but got interrupted and forgot to do so. Someone reported it on another forum site, so I looked it up.

coloradodude

Anyone know what is going on as far as booking with HH points. All next winter and fall and summer it says no rooms available by points.

Thanks in advance
Wayne