Kiwi Flyer

Posts older than 2016 for this OPEN THREAD can be found in the

ARCHIVE THREAD for Hilton Waikoloa Village

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Kiwi Flyer
Hilton HHonors forum moderator

mintcilantro

I really think people ought to post more reviews like this. Thanks to your review, I realize, I'll probably be better of in a condo rental than an award stay here.

toddlok

I've been reading through the thread, and seeing some issues that were a bit dated and hoping they've been rectified, as I'm planning on staying here for a few days in April. That being said, some TripAdvisor reviews are hammering Hilton on the Makai experience--anyone with a recent stay have anything good or bad to share?

Second question: Which view would be best in the Lagoon tower (I mean, if the ocean view isn't that great, is it better to try to get something overlooking the dolphins)?

Thanks!

pokee

Has anyone brought a bike/rented a bike (not from the hotel) during their stay? I'd like to know if there's valet bike storage or if they would allow you to bring the bike into your room/put it on your lanai or something like that? My hubby plans to rent a high-end road bicycle and cycle every morning during our stay and would prefer to grab the bike from our room and head out from there, rather than deal with a daily rental or getting the bike from a storage locker (and maybe even have to pay for that). We will be staying in the Makai rooms, which look rather tight, so not even sure about space...

I can call the hotel to confirm, but I find that sometimes the desk clerks aren't fully informed in such rare requests like this and they might not know. Hoping someone who has stayed here knows something about storing your bike?

mintcilantro

I called hilton to make a reservation and i twas transferred to their HGVC promo line. For a timeshare presentation, they were offering 5 nights for $799 with 25k HH points and a rental car. I didn't feel like it was a great deal esp since it's a non refundable rate and books into the lowest category room.

Baze

5 nights at the HWV or 5 nights at the HGVC? Big difference.

And for your reply to another post, are you basing your wanting to stay on one post? I was there and had a fantastic time. Birds are part of the atmosphere and I found them in no way annoying. I guess if you are extremely sensitive to any kind of noise it may be a problem. But once in my room I did not even notice the birds unless I had the sliding door to the balcony open and even then they were not annoying. And I got a great upgrade to a full open view room at the end of the ocean tower near Buddha point. Great room and fantastic views from the balcony. So you should definitely read lots of reviews and make a fully informed decision if you want to go there and not base it on one persons negative review.

ksyrah

I stayed last year during the lavaman. There were signs posted everywhere to walk your bikes through the walkways. Based upon that, I would say that they allow bikes in the rooms. Some elevators aren't too big. Get a lower floor if you are planning on keeping the bike. There are ground level Makai rooms.

mintcilantro

It was HWV. I confirmed twice with the rep as I thought it was be the HGVC property and not this one.

You are correct about not basing it on one review. It's just that the resort fee and parking fee along with $10 breakfast vouchers is making it hard to justify to go here. I can save the resort fee on a points booking but the parking fee is harder to swallow.

I may stay here if I get a good rate but I'll also watch teh farimont great rates great dates emails. I have a free night cert and suite upgrade certificate as well!

uclacolumbiaunc

If you are hhonors diamond, would you be able to maximize your diamond benefit at this resort?

pokee

Thanks! That helps. I called, and of course the desk clerk was very non-committal in saying she thought it should be okay to have the bikes in the rooms or on the lanai...

megmee

Long time lurker, first time poster...

Staying here later this spring. Currently booked on points in a Makai/mountain side/lagoon tower room. Just checked to see if any rates changed and noticed that I can now book in a Hale Ike/resort view/palace tower room for the same rate; can also snag an ocean view in the same for a nominal increase in points.

The Hale Ike rooms seem to be newly renovated (looks like this may have wrapped up in December?), so 2 questions:

1) Has anyone stayed in -- or seen -- one? Is it worth the swap from Makai?
2) If not, is Makai worth the upcharge vs. getting say an ocean tower/ocean view room?

We're diamond, but not counting on upgrades here. Thanks in advance!

jhtraveller

Stayed there February 2016 for a week. Worst service ever. HH Gold benefits $10.00 coupon per day... tacky. Makai benefits a joke. Highly impersonal. Nickle and dimed all week. To sum it up, stay elsewhere.

Baze

I think if you had read the T&C's of benefits or even read this thread before you went you would have known what benefits you would have gotten.

This is from the T&C's, I bolded the pertinent section. Sorry you felt you were cheated but at seat now you know you need to do a little research before you go somewhere. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will go again. I am Diamond and looked at what I would get before I went. We did not use all the coupons and turned 5 in when checked out and they took $50 off the bill. And if use points the resort fee is waived.

HHonors Amenities for all Members, including Blue, Silver Elite, Gold Elite and Diamond Elite Members

A number of services and benefits ('Amenities') are available to Members of HHonors. These Amenities are offered solely at the discretion of Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C., and the individual hotel. Not all Amenities are provided by all hotels within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio. When payment of a resort charge is required, check individual hotel for availability of included Amenities. Should a Member be improperly denied an Amenity by Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C., or a hotel within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio (provided HHonors or the hotel generally offers such Amenity), liability will be limited to the equivalent value of that Amenity as determined solely by Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C.. Current HHonors Amenities include:

pokee

I'm in the same boat as you - booked a 2 Queen Makai mountain side room - but I'm paying with cold hard cash (groan). I thought about switching to a Hale Ike room, but then I remembered reading reviews that the Makai building location was just better/more convenient.

What I'm thinking of doing is selecting the e-upgrade to Makai oceanside for $62 (not a bad deal considering the Oceanside Makai room rates are currently $100+ more than my booked rate). But, I'm not sure if I want an ocean view that badly - especially considering I'm Canadian and I'm gonna get stuck paying another 35-40% extra on top of the exorbitant amount I'm already paying...

Need

From this picture you can see the distance of the towers from the parking lot and their relative distance to the water and lagoon. Ocean tower is about a 10 to 15 min walk to the parking lot.