ORD-TGU

I felt quite the opposite, I found the reviews of Hyatt Place better than the HI. Plus HP has free breakfast. I also personally found it easier to pay 12k per night at HP than the 35K at HI. I am going first week of February, will let you know.

You said you have no status at IHG, I would recommend getting the chase visa. It is only $49/year, free anniversary nights and there is or was a 80K sign up offer, plus platinum and other benefits.

I wrote to HP on facebook, asked for an ocean view, they responded with a yes.

TrojanHorse

thanks guys

beach access: sounds simple enough, for me I don't care but my two kids are old enough to walk on their own although I wanted to make sure it was close enough too; thanks for the point on the surf lessons, my kids will be doing that

ABC: like stated above, really, those things are every 100 yards

Hyatt Place: I may try the Facebook request if I stay there.

Note: on HP or HI, I'm booking revenue stays (I have no status at either)

HI is about $15 less per night

jazzsax

I stayed here with my wife for a week in June of 2012. Thoroughly enjoyed the stay. That said:

1) I wouldn't book full points for the hotel - honestly the best bang for the buck for us was doing 10,000 points and $70 a night.
2) I booked in 3 blocks of days as i earned points during the year (3 day, 2 day, 2 day) they upgraded us right at the start and knew we were staying a week but had the bookings as 3 bookings.
3) They gave us the coupons, discounts, etc, and also a box of chocolates for EACH STAY --- wooo 3 boxes of chocolates
4) We had an oceanview room, one king bed, and hotel was full the whole time
5) No issues with late checkout

I can't complain about the hotel itself, just wouldn't list it as a high end resort type hotel but a great stay for people trying to maximize their points / cash / bang for the buck

TrojanHorse

As the trip gets closer (2 weeks)

Anyone have any ideas for a decent but not bank breaking place to get b/f each morning that is in close proximity to the property?

db1234db1234

I stayed at this hotel almost one year ago to the day on reward points.

The restaurant in the hotel, Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville, serves breakfast by the pool for about $15 per person. Any buffet will let you stroll thru to ake a peek. IMO, it's not worth $15. Basic eggs, bacon, potatoes kinda thing. Only about half a dozen chaffing trays that hold hot food, if that.

Take a look at Duke's breakfast buffet menu, $16.95 before taxes and tip. So not the cheapest but I think it's worth doing once.

http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/menus/dining-room

Over 4 nights before heading to Maui, I ate breakfast twice at Dukes. Across the street towards the beach. No more than a 5 minute stroll. Standard breakfast buffet foods too but at least you have a beach view. If you get there when they open up, you can get a table on the rails (closest to the beach on their patio). I enjoyed having breakfast with a view of Diamond Head mountain. Their Pog juice is great too!

My other breakfasts were at the International Marketplace's food court. Dunno if it's even still there though as I thought they were closing the entire marketplace soon. If you exit the hotel the side way in the alley, you're literally steps away from the food court. Note, those breakfasts may have been later in the morning, bordering on brunch time or early lunch time.

db1234db1234

Well, did some checking and the International Marketplace was indeed closed down at the end of 2013 to make way for a new shopping mall. Food court won't be there any more.

How cheap of a breakfast are you looking for? Any restaurant breakfast in a hotel is going to be in that price range of $15-20.

There is a large'ish food court across the street and a block or two north in the Royal Hawaiian Center shopping mall (food court is on the 2nd floor I think in building 2). Right on the main Waikiki strip and about 2 blocks from the HI. Mall hours are from 10am to 10pm but it says restaurant hours may vary. Not sure if that means the food court as well or just the actual dining restaurants but there is a Subway in there as well that's probably open for breakfast.

http://www.royalhawaiiancenter.com/d...ai-food-court/

Not for breakfast, but there's a Cheesecake Factory across the street from the Beachcomber! Maybe for dessert!

lfc84

the abc stores will have breakfast items for purchase - including pots of cereal & milk. They will also supply plastic spoons.

RobH

Stayed there a couple of years ago. There is a Denny's about two blocks away. I think it'll cost you around 15 per person with tax and tip if my memory is correct.

nightmarch

The Seaside Grill a block or so away on Kuhio usually has a breakfast special for about $4.

db1234db1234

I suspect you'll may be able to find much cheaper and local places a block behind the hotel on Kuhio. Only a block off the main strip but still off the beaten tourist path. I was sooo disappointed when I learned that L&L BBQ had closed their Kuhio location (1 easy block behind the HI thru the alleyway) before I arrived last year. That was my plan to have most lunches and dinners (luv their BBQ mix lunch plates and their mac salad!). I went all the way out to Wal-Mart in the Ala Moana shopping mall to get my L&L fix one day (about a 30 minute walk each way, but hey, you're walking in Hawaii)!

db1234db1234

I didn't see the irony in my first post in this thread, recommending Duke's over Margaritaville. When I first booked this HI using points, I went on the HI Beachcomber's individual website (not the IHG website) to get some more detailed information about the hotel. They had of course links to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant but also a link to Jimmy Buffet's radio station. At that precise moment when I clicked on it, the song playing, was "Duke's on Waikiki"...for those non-Jimmy fans, "Duke's on Sundaaaaayssss, that's where, you'll find meeeeeee." Ironic that I was on his own restaurant website and Jimmy was telling me to go to Duke's! lol.

JWEMTX

TrojanHorse, when you get a chance can you give me an update of restaurants worth checking out (and cheap ) We'll be statying at the HI Beachcomber for 2 nights then moving over 1 block to Hyatt Regency for 4 nights. We're leaving in 2 weeks. TIA

Edit: I'd especially be interested in kid-friendly locales (we're travelling with two toddlers)

chicaloca453

Another plus is they participate in the Rewards Network dining programs. I love that place, especially their $12.95 steak and fish dinner.

Daichovo

Here right now on points...too cheap to pay for a hotel room more than about $30 (here two days and doing a hostel tomorrow). I couldn't find any BRG's and the hostel only had one night, no one accepted me for CS or AirBnb, so here you have it.

Mixed recognition as platinum member- they didn't mention it when I checked in and no free drink or whatever...I mentioned oh, do you need my card and she said no, we have it. Had the chocolate macadamias waiting for me in the room (they aren't really that good, I'll give the rest to friends when I get in). I think the room was upgraded though since it's 24th floor (of 25) and it's ocean view.

No free water which is kinda redunculous to me....in room coffee is local stuff at least and not awful. Room is fine but nothing fancy. Bathroom doesn't even have a full tub- I'm sorry, but if I'm paying like $200 or 35k points, can't you at least have that? I live in a cheapskate place at home with no tub, so when I stay in a hotel, I like to have a nice bath at least once in my stay. It's an ok property, but no way in heck that it's worth 35k points.

Pool closes kinda early at 9p, but the guy working was super nice and let a couple of us stay in until almost 10. Staff is really pleasant.

Edit: EXCEPTING the room cleanup people. Was woken up at 8am Saturday (granted, I forgot to put don't disturb sign out) for them to clean. I put the sign out, and was in and out the rest of the morning. They tried to come in the room while I was still in it at least 3 more times (who knows what happened when I was out? They didn't clean it, that's for sure), and every.single.time I left the room they asked, are you leaving yet? I told them, no, and I won't be checking out until 2p. They still would ask me every time. Completely unacceptable. This has never happened to me in a hotel.

Location- close to the beach though not right on it, right in the midst of shopping, places to eat, etc which is cool if you want that, can't get any more convenient. I forgot my bathing suit and picked up something really cheap at the Ross's on Seaside. Saw it when walking from TheBus ($2.50 from the airport, the stop is 1 block from the hotel).

$4 breakfast at the Seaside Grill is now $5. I went for the $6 2 eggs/2 sausages/hash browns and toast, which I think was a better deal. Thanks for the recommendation! :P

Lerwick

Stayed here 2 weeks ago.

As a Gold Elite I received two bottles of water, which I could pick up for free at the shop next to reception. Also some bag of mixed nuts was given.

Hotel was totally fine, just I also had to wait for a room to be ready at 2pm, and so did many other people who were waiting at the reception. Received a room at 2:45pm. They seem to be really busy, maybe thats why they asked you about leaving that often. Of course unacceptable.

Quite lame also that their "Business Centre" is set up like an Airport Internet-Kiosk where you need to pay by the minute. At least airline websites and boarding pass print outs are free.