Mommy Points

I really think the music thing is being way over-hyped here. The few days we were there shortly after opening it simply was not an issue, and it sounds like it might have been toned down some even from that. I do remember a DJ/conga player there the one Saturday night we were there for a few hours. I don't think that to be inappropriate for a Saturday night, nor do I recall it being offensive or overly loud. It is possible those with rooms closest to the DJ had a different opinion, but we couldn't hear it at all from our room (which wasn't all that far from the DJ station).

There is some background music at the pools, but again I don't recall it at all being a negative thing. It was simply background music, and I don't think you hear it while on the beach. I certainly didn't hear it from my room, and am pretty sure you don't hear it at the "tranquility pool".

Granted, my husband and I are 32 and 39, so perhaps we are in the target age range for this, but we would not appreciate "club like" music on our Hawaii trip, and thankfully we didn't hear anything remotely like that at the Andaz.

I think that good food, yummy drinks, amazing views, great beach, etc. are appealing to pretty much every age group, so I don't see this resort turning off any one age group in droves due to one tiny thing or another. There are some things I think they can improve on over time (cushions on the patios, couch in the suites, etc) but considering we were there days after opening, it was an amazing hotel with a great staff.

LASUA1K

I'm not sure about that. I'm 35 married, 3 young kids, we consider ourselves, somewhat young still.. I love trendy new rooms like the Andaz abd W's, but I also like the classy old school rooms at the Peninsula. I love the new trend at some midwest Hyatts, that have added very modern bars and restaurants in the common areas. I think people of all ages like the modern look better than what Waikiki has now. Waikiki in general is getting more modern and trendy rooms lately at all hotels.

As far as music, I like a little music at night while on vacation, nothing too loud but around the pool area, I really don't mind it. When I'm on the beach, different story, I want quiet, but at the pool I really don't mind music.

People would rather choose a trendy Hyatt in Louisville, than a basic typical room at the Hilton Louisville. Either way, Hyatt Waikiki needs a renovation badly, and trendy but classy is the best way to go. Spending money on a basic remodel of rooms, is really a waste, people will spend more if the room is trendy. I work with people of all ages, and I love seeing the 55+ year olds, staying at the W. Hopefully I'm still cool enough at 55.

Mary2e

Waikiki is about to start another rooms reno... we saw the model rooms and gave our opinion, which is to stop trying to be trendy like W hotels.

RTW1

Oh man.... a bit older and kids. Definitely not Andaz material :-).

But kidding aside.... what I feel these places mostly don't seem to grasp is that there is a time and place for everything. Just like design in a room needs something more than beauty alone.

For instance, playing music in (public) spaces were you would expect it is fine and possibly even a plus. But if that music intrudes in spaces were people have other expectations, like enjoying a quiet sunset on a balcony or (god forbid) sleeping, then you are doing something wrong.

Just like have a (semi) designer seat on your balcony that is so uncomfortable that people need to bring a cushion from somewhere else or simply don't use the balcony, then you know they haven't really thought things through.

A simple test forcing designers to stay for a few weeks in a room they have designed would change things considerably I feel :-). It's fine when you are working that there is (loud) music. Kills the boredom. But I'm sure you will feel different after a few nights or arriving with some jet lag and going without any peace and quiet. I feel that sound intruding in a room is a universal bad thing....

But it will be interesting to read newer reviews if they have learned anything. Everything looks very nice otherwise.

LASUA1K

I'm planning on a 10 night stay in May... The entire gang is coming.. I'll let everyone know how the family does..

I'll be at Hyatt Waikiki in 2 weeks, it would be nice to see what the renovation will look like.. I would love to give my 2 cents also..

singtx

We loved this hotel. Lemonade to drink and infused towel to clean your hands and face. Sandals and an eco friendly bag provided...along with water bottles to refill throughout the complex. Staff was great...all around. They shipped two boxes for us at cost! ZERO silly service charges. Goodbye gifts upon leaving.

808 deli and monkey pod were great options for food. Get the homemade icecream cookie sandwiches from the pool bar... they were fantastic.

m0hamed

Funny, staff we spoke to said that obviously didn't include any gays or women as part of the design process, hence the unfit furniture...

calflygirl

I know it's very subjective, but I'm wondering if anyone who has visited has an opinion on whether it's worth it to book a suite, rather than a standard room, with points. I would definitely upgrade if I were paying for the stay, but I'm now debating between booking an award stay and paying $75/night to upgrade to a standard room with partial ocean view. Or just to dish out the 33,000 points each night.

Note, I'm using a 2 night standard room cert and 3 nights with points. I was hoping that I could maybe book the first 3 nights in a suite and maybe the hotel would be nice enough not to boot us to a standard room the last 2 nights. We're going in January around MLK weekend.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance

suite2suite

I would go for the Suite for anything longer than two nights, especially when it is has a separate bedroom.

It is like staying in a small apartment rather than in just a room,
unless of course the room is like a junior suite (500+sq ft) which it isn't.

funtrainsf

I can't make up my mind on how to pay for my 3 nights there. I have a few options.

I want to be in the Andaz Suite, and here are my options:

1) Use 2 Suite Award nights (from Hyatt CC) and pay for 1 night regular room ($313+tax) and use Diamond Upgrade cert for upgrade into Suite.

2) Use 99K points for suite (dunno if this one is an option yet)

3) Pay $313 (plus tax) per night (rate using 15% discount code for dates I am going) and use Diamond Upgrade cert into suite.

Don't know any other option, but if there is one please advise.

In my bank I have 2 suite award night certs (good until 9/14), 3 diamond upgrade certs to be used by 2/14, 150K GP available.

What would you do?

I don't have any good forecasted stays are Hyatts in the next year (nothing other than work trips).

eltex

You could also use the 2 free nights, and then use 33K points for one night in a suite. That is what I would likely do. If you wanted to save your points for a future trip somewhere, then pay for the 3rd night, and use an upgrade cert as it has no long-term value.

Though you have no travel plans beyond HI, there are some really nice Hyatt properties down here in the Hill Country around Austin and SanAntonio. A weekend getaway is always nice.

funtrainsf

In order to use 33K for a suite, I believe there is minimum of 3 nights required, so can't do that option.

You are correct about the nice places in Austin/SA. Actually, my wife and I go to the Hyatt Lost Pines every year for our anniversary in November. Already used the Diamond Suite Upgrade to get a Jr suite there. Love the remoteness of the place for a quiet weekend.

Ancien Maestro

I would just pay the $313 and use a suite upgrade for the Andaz suite. But if your free suite nights are about to expire.. then you'll have to burn them. Too bad you don't have more days.. it be a bit of a waste of a Diamond Suite upgrade to do it just for one night, when you have up to 7 nights. Perhaps option one, you can use 6,000 points to upgrade to the Andaz suite for one night, and save your Diamond Suite Upgrade.. The rate would probably be higher, since it goes off rate of the day, and assuming they'll let you book into a suite off the garden view room.

eltex

Wow, I didn't know about the 3 night min for suite with points. Bummer. I would probably go with option 1 instead.

Lost Pines is just across the river from my place. Of course, there isn't a bridge for 15 miles in either direction, so I can't get there easily without getting my feet wet. I haven't stayed there yet, but it employees half of Bastrop County, so it's kind of a big deal around here.

sam_goh

So wait, you can't use 2 free suite nights and then 33k for the last night?