Weatherboy

I'll be at HWV next week and will provide an updated trip report. Before I get there and do that, does anyone have any special requests for things I should be on the look-out for / report on?

Weatherboy

I'm arrive at HWV next week and received my standard welcome e-mail from Hilton a week prior.

However, the email said that as a Diamond, I have the exclusive privledge of going to the HWV desk at the airport where they'd tag my bags for my room and alert the front desk of my impending arrival. Then when I get to the hotel, the bellhops would take my bags to my room and a packet with my keys would be waiting for me at the HHonors desk.

But isn't this what the HWV has always done at the airport anyway? (Regardless of HHonors status.)

And by "tipping off the desk" of your arrival, won't that reduce your odds of changing your accomodations around if they select a room/produce a key on their own and have it waiting for you there?

grayland

??..Sorry, I have no idea where HWV is???

Weatherboy

Sorry... HWV = Hilton Waikaloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii

J0HN

I think they have always done that for everyone, the difference may be that they will have your room key packet ready. You can always change your preassigned room (if available), but your luggage may be delayed.

Last time we stayed there our room was preassigned (did not do the airport check-in, but they pulled out a packet anyways), it was unacceptable and the hotel was almost completely full. After some discussion, acceptable accommodations became available.

FYI - If you are there November 17-19, you may want to check out:
http://www.bigislandfestival.com/

Weatherboy

I'll be attending the festival ^

What room assignment did you end up with?

faithng

We were there in August and I thought that being a Diamond and checking
in at the airport would expedite things for us when we got to the hotel.
However, when we first tried to "check in" at the airport, we could not
find the person to do so. Then when we found her, she couldn't find
tags, and then couldn't find paperwork, etc....etc. She gave us tags
and helped us tagged all our luggage. It did take quite a while before we
were totally done "checking in".
Imagine my surprise when we get to HWV, I go to the counter thinking
that all I have to do is give my name and voila, a packet would be
ready to go for me, and I could be on my way. Well, no such thing.
The guy at the counter acted like the "check in" at the airport did not
even happen, which I guess it didn't, because it took a good long time
for him to complete my "check in". We were there for an unusually
long time because even my family came by to check on me because it
normally does not take that long. Of course we also did not get the
rooms that I had requested because they were full.
So, "checking in" at the airport did nothing for me! If anyone has a
different experience, I sure would love to know.

Greg76248

I feel like a bit of an idiot. I've been to HWV 3 times and never knew you could check-in at the airport. Is there a desk, or is it just someone that meets you at baggage claim? I can't say I've ever had any problems checking in at the hotel. Always been quick and friendly, and I have always gotten Ocean Tower, Exec Floor without any problems. Could be because I always go in Sept when it is least crowded.

faithng

There is a "counter" at the airport, but no one was there when we tried
to "check in". It was the middle of the day, and there were several
flights that had just come in. We figured that she was busy doing
something and I had to ask around, before someone at a different
counter decided to hunt her down. Like I said in my previous post,
it did absolutely nothing for us.

Not only did I not get Ocean Tower, Exec Floor, I got Palace Tower
and not even the same floor as the Lounge. So maybe, I was there
at a busy time.

kingalien

I haven't been to HWV. I've tried the HHV but did not care for the mass of humanity there so even with airport check-in not sure if it is a worthwhile perk for me to consider HWV.

Weatherboy, have a great time, I'm actually at HNL right now

J0HN

Actually ended up with a suite, which was acceptable

lintemut

HWV is nothing like HHV, well it is huge. It is also spread out over, what seems, a larger area. I have been there the week of Christmas and was never overwhelmed with people. I was upgraded as Diamond to a beautiful suite. I would recommend visiting this resort.

kirkpt

Any information would be great. We are planning trip for next June. Who do you contact for room upgrades? (diamond status) Which buildings/rooms are best.

Weatherboy

Aloha from the HWV--

I am actually quite surprised at the amount of destruction in the area from last month's quake....ranging from collapsed landscaping walls in the Kona area to much more significant damage further up the Waikaloa/Waimea area including inhabitable homes/apartments.

At the actual HWV, damage is minimal and for the most part, superficial. Some rooms are still closed for repair... but for the most part, all you'll see is cracked walls, somewhat crooked doorways/hallways, and lots of broken floor/wall tiles.

Unfortunately, many attractions north of here in the Kohala area have been destroyed. My favorite, the Flumin' da' Ditch ride, in which you ride down the old flumes in kayaks, was destroyed. The quake knocked out elevated portions of the flume while landslides blocked other portions. While a blow to the area's tourism, more significantly, those flumes provided millions of gallons of much needed water to the farms of the region. There is a true disaster there as crops and animals have lost their primary water supply. Other attractions not there and/or operating include various horse trails/rides, ATVing, and other nature walks --due to eartquake triggered landslides (and continuing aftershocks here), they've been deemed unsafe. Elsewhere in the Kohala/Waimea area, you'll see other signs of damage: fallen smokestacks, shifted homes, fallen walls, and the aftermath of numerous/ongoing landslides.

There's two ways from the airport to the HWV: the "low road", which is Highway 19, and the "high road", which extends up the mountain a bit and connects to Waikaloa Road which leaves you just north of the resort. The upper road experienced signficant earthquake damage and one bridge there is only allowing one lane / one direction of traffic at a time. An accident on Highway 19 last night led to its closure, with all Waikoloa/Waimea southbound traffic and all northbound traffic from Kona being diverted onto the high road. This lead to huge traffic backups; as an example, it took me about 3.5 hours to travel from Kona to Waikaloa --a trip that usually takes 30 minutes. (I'm sure hundreds of people missed their flights yesterday afternoon due to the traffic.) Word to the wise here: leave plenty of time to get to/from the airport and HWV; the slightest mishap on 19 will add hours to your ride.

With all of that said, the island is still a breathtaking beauty with tons to see. The HWV is operating as usual (although there's lots of renovations going on, including no operating bathrooms in the long hallways from the lobby to the Ocean Tower, no pools/waterslides open outside of the Ocean Tower) and the people are just as warm and as friendly as always. At the hotel they've said they've taken a hit with people cancelling their trips or staying away due to the quake. But to me, the quakes (and this week's tsunami and active volcano and occaisional hurricanes) make this place a truly beautiful natural wonder, where you can see Mother Nature doing her thing while staying reasonably safe.

And speaking of tsunami, the effects were relatively minor on the islands. (A major 8.1 quake struck between Japan/Alaksa and tsunami watches were issued.) There was some flooding near the Kauai Marriot from the resulting tidal surge, a woman was injured in Honolulu after being dragged out prior to the tsunami impact, and various rescues took place throughout the Big Island as people were swept away from the coast by the strong currents caused by the tsunami. Other than minor injuries and minor property damage on Kauai, there was nothing major. There was no impact at the HWV although guests were asked to stay away from the beaches, including the lagoon, due to unusual tsunami-generated currents. Even 2-days post-tsunami, Civil Defense still advised people not to go in the bay near the Captain Cook Monument do to ongoing unusual currents. With the exception of that area, the surf really is back to normal throughout the islands ...and the tallest "wave" (more like surge) was 6' on the islands above/beyond the existing surf conditions.

BDLORD

Weatherboy
Thanks for the report. I am heading over for NYE and wonder if anyone has been since your stay?
Thanks again,
Jon