dream7

We did an ALON at HWV last year. The volcano was flowing at the time. You can only appreciate it after dark. During the day, all you can see is steam. At night, it is a beautiful orange glow. We arrived at the volcano late afternoon, looked around and stayed past dusk until it got dark. After that, we took the northern route home. After stopping in Hilo for dinner, we got back to the Hilton around midnight. The roads were not bad, but it is a lot of driving for one day. The volcano is just about as far from the Hilton as you can get and still be on the Big Island. If I had to do it over again, I’d wait until my last day of the ALON, check out, then head for the volcano and stay overnight in the park or in Hilo.

IMHO, there are too many myths coming from the rental car agencies on the Big Island. The Saddle Road is a bit bumpy, but not as bad as the Cross Bronx Expressway. It is the only way to get to the top of Mauna Kea, which I highly recommend. Great stargazing.

Anyone with questions, feel free to send me an email.

ananthar

I saw lots of people getting coupons during my current stay. I suspect the mid 2003 policy change (which the manager claimed is 5 years old) applies only to Gold VIP guests on award stays. I think this discrimination is a violation of the terms of the award and the gold VIP benefits. At the very least they should be up front about this discrimination instead of instructing their check-in agents to lie and say they never give breakfast coupons while handing them out to others the same day.

LLM

We took Saddle Road once because we couldn't find anything in out Avis contract prohibiting it (although they told me no when I asked on the return). The road is actually fine almost the whole way, just a few rough patches. The main reason for concern is any kind of breakdown does leave you as much as 50 miles from any service.

DoubleJ

My understanding was that Saddle Road and South Point Road (the road that leads to the very southern tip of the Big Island) were both considered off-limits by the rentacar companies. BTW, the view from South Point was quite nice.

Eugene

I believe that only the last couple hundred yards of the South Point Road and the road from that point to the Green Sand Beach are prohibited by the car rental companies. All the rest of it is well paved and completely safe to drive. And you are right, the view is gorgeous, and so is the Green Sand Beach (you need to walk through the lava field, then along the shore for about an hour to get there).

pitflyer

Aloha from HWV! I am posting from my room in the Ocean Tower. I've used a lot of information I gathered from this forum; just had dinner at Roy's in the Kings Shops, the tasting menu for $48 per person. Good food, great service. I would recommend it.

Anyway, when I checked in two days ago, I was told there was absolutely no upgrades available, either to room type or ocean view and that I could be put on a waiting list. I did ask to be put on it. The next day I called and was told there still was no better room available. The next day, they called me to tell me that no better upgrade was available and they will still be looking.

In a hotel with so many rooms, I am very suspicious that the best room they can give me is a garden view, low floor room. Tomorrow I plan to talk to a manager and tell them plain and simple, I'm comparing my experience here to my Marriott experience, and so far Marriott has treated me much better, so this isn't just one stay, it changes my hotel plans for the whole year...

Other quick comments about the hotel -- not much since I don't spend a lot of time here:
-Yes the hotel transportation options are annoying, but not as bad as some have posted. I've found that once you just take into account that it takes about twenty minutes from when you park to get to your room, it's OK.
-The hotel does make you sign out the towels and return them daily.
-No bug problem - I don't think I've seen one yet, but the birds are pretty loud in the Ocean Tower. However, I've been able to tune them out pretty easily.
-Have not and do not plan to eat here even once -- maybe partially due to the lack of an upgrade don't feel like spending any more money here.

Overall, a fine value for an ALON 100k but I won't be back for 175k.

sbbi

again, how does in-room safe work? how to avoid the charge? Thanks!

InHoc

Many guests at this property who aren't using points get breakfast as part of a package deal. They pay a slightly higher rate, or commit to more paid nights in exchange for free breakfast certificates.

J0HN

In-room safe is electronic - you pick your own four digit combination. If you get a room on the Executive level there is no charge. It may be complimentary for gold/diamond HHonors members, call them and ask.

beaubo

Chuck-

BRAVO!!

fabuluck

Thank you very much. This is super helpful and must have taken you forever to compile.

pitflyer

If I may add my experience, I just checked out of the hotel yesterday (1/19). Overall I would rate the hotel a B+. It's definitely a megaresort, but I guess I would have liked more luxury than gimmicks at such a resort. I recieved absolutely no upgrade, but the front desk did automatically try every morning (and call me to say 'no'). I received a decent room -- 3050 in the Ocean Tower -- just outside the 'ocean view' rooms but I could see the ocean beyond a small strip of golf course.

In the end I spent a total of $20 at the hotel (one movie, and aloe for my wife's sunburn) so all's well that end's well. On the flip side I drove over one THOUSAND miles on my rental in five days (wooppeee) so having the Costco membership to get cheap gas was worth it.

I enjoyed the Big Island but it is tough for a type A personality like me -- almost all the roads are one lane each way, and everyone except me is on Aloha time.

In summary, I would not pay 175k or the going rate for this hotel, but if I am returning on someone else's dime (or if I get to come back for 100k points again) it would be a fine hotel.

PS I am a Hilton HHonors Diamond member. I will say that whenever I complained to the hotel about anything they would resolve it nearly immediately -- service is excellent, even if I didn't ever receive an upgrade. My frame of reference (probably unfair) is to an award stay at the JW Marriott on Oahu, as a Marriott Platinum.

onedog

Can anyone tell me what the hours are for the Gold HHonors lounge in the Palace Tower?

Also, we are heading for the HWV tomorrow and I received in the mail today a set of HWV luggage tags along with a personalized letter from the front desk manager thanking me for chosing the HWV. I received these luggage tags last year and I thought it was a nice touch.

tudorcity

I believe breakfast is from 6:00 (or maybe 6:30) to 10:00 and cookies/soda from 11:00 to 1:30 (possibly 2:00).

The times are posted in the lounge.

fscher

I canceled one room for 3/13 to 3/19, but in fact it did not get canceled. We are still going, but my parents are not. I will cancel this (again) tomorrow, but thought I would check to see if anyone might want it. I know it would be hard to get an award stay at this time for those dates. Post first and email me if you want it.

* as per an email that I got, I need to clarify: this is just the reservation, not the award stay itself. Sorry for any confusion.

[This message has been edited by fscher (edited Jan 23, 2004).]