MarkOK

I remember that the hallways and elevators at the Banyan were somewhat old and rundown, but bare-concrete architecture is quite the norm in Honolulu real estate. If the unit you are looking at is in great condition, that is all that really matters!

Finkface

Agreed. I regularly (female) go out alone at all hours of the night for walks and have never once felt unsafe.
You are on the right track - the key is to get a reno'd unit.

The Banyan has kept an island feel with it's open-air lobby so think mango/koa wood vs glass/steel; island-inspired decor vs abstract art. If you are looking for industrial chic, this ain't it. While I won't say they are the most modern of hallways when it comes to decor, they are regularly maintained and are being painted again this fall. The elevators were all replaced about 6 years ago with fully computerized units (the old ones were indeed torturous).

lincoln boy

I just wonder why people dislike HP Waikiki. My family stayed at HP Waikiki 3 consecutive years and like it very much. The room is spacious and clean for a Waikiki hotel, breakfast is edible, the Lowson is in the hotel, the hotel is close walk to the beach, and the hotel is relatively quiet at night due to the location. Yes, the pool is small and nobody uses it.


so for 12000 point per night I think it is a good value. If I have to pay cash, I might consider staying at a different hotel but as long as I have hyatt points and am headed to Honolulu, I would choose HP Waikiki over HR Waikiki because it requires less points.

Finkface

Lawson Station is gone, I'm afraid. Moved out a couple of years ago.

lincoln boy

that's sad. last time we went was 2015. it was there when we were there....so the property is not running well? is that why people complaining HP Waikiki nowadays?

Finkface

It is fine, nothing has changed (other than Lawson) since you were there. I also don't get what all the hate is about. I have stayed there and don't mind it and would also choose it over the HR for a short stay if points were limited. But the OP's question was between the HP and the Banyan (for far less money) with kids. The Banyan is just a better fit, with more space, better pool area etc.

lincoln boy

Now that I read several pages (from page 9) back in this thread, it makes sense. But I am just surprised to read review of this property being so negative.

edgewood49

If one looks past being in Hawaii and at the actual facilities the quality of the reflag and price point it's a dump ( at least the last time I stopped in) and walked out to the HR. It is akin to the CY that was similar in reflag and now has been "refreshed" twice mainly do to the complaints.

Look I am not trying to be a snob but I have been working and vacationing in the islands for 30 years and this property represents a growing list of substandard reflags attempting to represent themselves as real main line hotel flags. Just does not work well.

justaagirl

At the property as we speak. Stayed at Hyatt Centric before moving over here.

I like the lobby, it feels warm and still retain some cultural charm. The lobby is fairly buzzing with people ordering drinks from bars and enjoying themselves, a nice additional revenue for the hotel. I was upgraded to a pretty decent 3 star hotel room with two queen beds with partial ocean view.

Of course it doesn't have the same luxury feel as the Hyatt Centric. That said the staff is warm and friendly here, and I look forward to free breakfast tomorrow morning. I would recommend this property to incoming folks, it's near the beach, remodeled, and clean. A very solid three star option for Waikiki on points. Right now the cash booking for Centric is quite low and I would suggest going that way if you are paying.

r_tsunami

Stayed here for a night in September which was great. Review below and many more pics on my personal blog - https://www.tsunamiseason.com/planes-and-points/2017/9/30/hotel-review-hyatt-place-waikiki

We prefer to use points when visiting Hawaii since hotels are so expensive, but didn't want to splurge on one of the more luxurious properties on the first night since we were arriving in the evening. We decided to stay at the Hyatt Place Waikiki which seemed like a great value.



Check-In: The Hyatt Place is located just around the corner from the Marriott and is still pretty close to the main drag of Wakiki. Our friends dropped us up front and a front-desk employee asked us if we were checking in as we were walking up the stairs. The agent was really friendly, and exchanged pleasantries with us. She mentioned that breakfast was included in all rates and would be served by the pool. Lastly, she asked if we needed any help with our luggage which we declined. After all of 2 minutes we were on our way up to our room.



The Room: Everything felt pretty functional about the room. The colors were slightly drab, but it was spacious and had all the essentials of a hotel room - couch, TV, desk, closet and a clean shower. There was a balcony which had nice views of diamond head along with the building next door. The air conditioning only turns on when you are in the room so upon entering it feels quite humid and warm. That bathroom had a walk-in shower without a bathtub and was on the smaller side. The sink area was located outside the bathroom.



The Property: While the structure of the building makes it seem more like a "business" hotel, it was filled with tourists and satisfied all of our needs. There is a gym, laundry facility and a small pool all located on the 7th floor. The gym is had a few aerobic machines, a small section with weights and a few benches. The size and amenities of the gym were great, but they gotta change the red carpet. The pool is on a big concrete deck right next to where they serve breakfast and doesn't look particularly inviting. We didn't see anyone in there during our stay.



The Service: Though we didn't interact with the staff that much, they were very friendly and always available. When we checked-in they thanked us for being World of Hyatt members even though we don't have status and even called us once we got in our room to make sure everything was okay. It also seemed like the staff liked working at the hotel, and we saw them having casual conversations with multiple guests which definitely creates a warmer atmosphere. Breakfast itself is free, and it is one of the best free breakfasts at a mid-range hotel I've ever experienced. They had miso soup with rice, kimchi, eggs, bacon, french toast, pancakes, cereal, milk, almond milk, yogurt, bread, fresh fruit, juice, coffee and tea on offer, with slight variations each day. Everything was re-stocked and always available, and the staff did a great job of keeping the place tidy.



Tsunami Says: We used 12,000 Hyatt points, mostly transferred from my Chase Ultimate Rewards account to pay for the stay and we found it a great value. The nice SPGs on Waikiki start at around 20,000 SPG points, which The Points Guy values higher than Ultimate Reward points. Instead of burning those points for a day we'd spend mostly traveling, this was a great budget option for a night or two in paradise. Breakfast was a nice perk, the room was spacious and it's only a 2 minute walk to Waikiki Beach.

edgewood49

Noticed you did not post a picture of the luxurious pool!!!

notquiteaff

The blog post itself has a picture with this related comment:

“The pool is on a big concrete deck right next to where they serve breakfast and doesn't look particularly inviting. We didn't see anyone in there during our stay.”

That was my impression as well when I stayed there a few years ago. But in fairness, I have stayed at the HR about four times and never used the pool (or even sat in a chair at the pool). Earlier this year we stayed at the Hilton on Kuio and we spent a few hours in a shady corner on the pool deck, but I don’t think I ever went into the pool.

Kacee

Had a late night departure from HNL, so burned 12K points for what was basically day room use. With free parking on the Globalist award, it felt like an OK deal, especially since I'm in Hyatt burn mode.

The staff were really pleasant. Otherwise I will echo the comments upthread that this property blows. They gave us a corner room on the top floor (14) with mountain view. It had a musty smell and the carpet had that nasty stick-to-your-feet feeling. Lots of traffic noise from Kuhio. I would be pretty bummed if I was paying $200+ per night. Note that Centric actually had a much cheaper cash rate, but is a 20K point redemption.

Front desk confirmed at check-in that parking fee was waived, but it still showed up on the bill and I had to call to have it removed.

edgewood49

Pretty much says it all. This mirrors the CY they took an old apartment slapped some lipstick on it and started taking tourist money! Now Marriott got all over the CY owners and they have gone through two "refresh" since opening, sadly Hyatt choses to allow this property to continue. Did you stop by the "pool" ? Ugh

sungchiahao

Did the hotel just added $15 daily mandatory fees? I was looking to book this hotel because of no "resort fees". But I see the marketing scheme of calling it "destination fee" instead....