Honolulu Marriotts?
 

My daughter is traveling to Honolulu with her high school concert choir over next years Spring Break and I think my husband and I are going to book a trip separately (so as to not be tied to her schedule). I am looking at the Marriott or the Renaissance. I would love to hear opinions on both (or either of those hotels). So far I am leaning toward the Renaissance (because I really like Renaissance and it is located quite close to the Ala Moana shopping center where they are performing one day).

Thanks for any information.
Liz

Not sure what your status is with Marriott, but I have stayed at the Waikiki Marriott and have only good things to stay about the hotel. It is directly accross the street from the beach, great staff, good restaurants, walking distance to a lot of Waikiki attractions, and on the three occassions I stayed there I was upgraded to an oceanfront suite. The Rennaisance was the hotel that was used to film the intro to Hawaii 50. It overlooks the Marina, but if you don't get one of those rooms I heard the others can be quite noisy. Another alternative the is close to the Ala Mona Shopping center is the Hilton. I would actually recommend this hotel over the Waikiki Marriott for the pools, beach, grounds, free shows, watersports, and on site shopping and restaurants. It is truly a resort. The only drawback with the Hilton it is healthy walk to most other Waikiki attractions

I just got back from the Waikiki Marriott about 2 weeks ago. I HIGHLY recommend this property. I was traveling with our babysitter and 18 month old son, on a reward stay, and they upgraded me to the family suite - not 2 rooms, but bigger than other rooms - lots of extra room for the sitter and the crib. The staff were wonderful, beyond expectation. The pool is nice (small, but nice), and the location is across from Waikiki beach and has a break-wall that really cut down on waves, etc - so my son could go into the water really without a problem (unlike most other areas of the Island that have an under-tow problem). The hotel is in easy walking distance of Dukes (great place for breakfast), and right next door is a restaurant called Tiki's, which is a great place for lunch. The shopping area is a long walk or a short taxi drive away.

I echo the above posts. The Marriott has a superior location and is close to other attractions in Waikiki. All of the people I know who have stayed there have had nothing but nice things to say...

The Ilikai is adjacent to the small boat harbor and there is not much else in the area except the adjacent Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Ala Moana Center.

BTW, It would be easy to travel between the Marriott and Ala Moana via Honolulu's mass transit, TheBus.

www.thebus.org

Aloha

Thanks - this is just the kind of information I am looking for...I was leaning toward the Renaissance because I just love those hotels but I do prefer to be more in the thick of the action so it sounds like the Marriott would be better. Would appreciate more opinions!

Thanks
Liz

Costco Deal on Marriott Ihilani
 

Just got this in an email today. 5 nights at the JW Ihilani for $1057, Oceanview room, and includes daily breakfast, a $75 resort credit, room taxes and a rental car for 5 days. That's an incredible deal for this resort. If I was going back anytime soon, I would jump on it. Worth the Costco membership is someone isn't already a member.
Cindi

I wonder if this earns MR points?

$1057 PER PERSON

Marriott Rewards memeber rate is $292/night for Ocean View. Does not include breakfast or rental car. With taxes $1640 for 5 nights.

I would be surprised if this deal earns points or nights towards elite status since it sounds like a package. Even without points, this looks to be a good deal.

Well I guess you are right. The Costco package is a better deal by a whopping $32.83, but then again I didn't account for the cost of a Costco Membership.

Costco Package $2114 ($1057 per person double occupancy): includes OV room, b'fast, Alamo mid-size car, and resort $75 credit.


Do it yourself MR member $2071.83: $1634.65 M11/M12 MR Member OV room rate incl taxes ($292/night Hawaii Cluster promo), b'fast for 2 x 5 days $254.90, Alamo mid-size car rental $182.28.

That depends on when you decide to stay at the hotel. If you stay between March 8-13, the rate you quoted is not available, and an ocean view room is available for $328/night with a M11/M12 rate. The Hawaii Cluster promo is not available after May 26 or before April 1 for a 5 night stay. After June 11, the only five night stays for an ocean view room are available for $348/night for the M11/M12 rate.

The promo at Costco can be found here. Blackout dates may apply, and the promo is good for stays from 1/3 - 2/4/08, 2/24 - 3/13/08 & 3/23 - 6/30/08. The $75 resort credit is only for executive Costco members.

Correct. During this period I would take the mountain view for $286 and get a free upgrade to an OV and save another $30.

Wrong. Actually no 5 night stays starting the days of March 23-27 are available due to OV rooms being sold out (this would be the case for the Costco promo too). The $286 MV and the Hawaii Cluster promo $292 OV are both available starting on March 28 for 5 nights.

Correct. Once again I would have to use the $286 MV rate until June 13 and save another $30. Starting the night of June 13 the MV goes up to $306, which means an extra $70 for 5 nights over the $292 rate, that is if one chooses to book during this period. But that brings up another issue... I personally wouldn't want to be on vacation after June 13 anyway since schools are out by then. Now some families may be interested. I also don't go skiing over Christmas, New Years, or Presidents' day weekend. Please don't take my comments the wrong way. I like kids; however, I detest crowds. And when school is out, the vacationing crowds swell.

Bottom line is that there is insufficient savings to warrant a Costco Membership purchase. The other factor being that I have stayed at this property 8-10 times and only once did I actually book an OV room. I have always booked MV rooms and always been upgraded to an OV room.

Id be very surprised if booking via Costco will earn any pts or nights credited towards status.

Now as a Plat I too would book a MV and hope to end up with an OV, but if a person isnt a Gold or Plat, then if they book that MV room thats most likely where they will end up. So a non Gold or Plat who definitly wants an OV room and not a MV room, Costco might not be such a bad deal.

Sorry Guys, if I had noticed it was per person, I wouldn't have bothered posting it. Seems just a mediocre deal at best, especially if you don't earn points.

I get so much from this board, I guess I jumped too quick thinking I had found something to share.

Cindi

Very True.

But for Plats and Golds it just doesn't add up, especially if you are not already a Costco member. And the figures below don't take into account the potential downside of not earning points and stay credits when using the Costco package.

$2039 - Existing Costco Executive Member: $2114 - $75 (resort credit)

$2114 - Existing Costco Member: $2114

$2139 - New Costco Executive Member: $2114 - $75 (resort credit) + $100

$2164 - New Costco Member: $2114 + $50

$2038.24 - MR Gold or Plat Member - $1601.06 M11/M12 MV room incl taxes ($286/night), b'fast for 2 x 5 days $254.90, Alamo mid-size car rental $182.28.

$2071.83 - MR Gold or Plat Member - $1634.65 M11/M12 MR Member Ocean View room incl taxes ($292/night Hawaii Cluster promo), b'fast for 2 x 5 days $254.90, Alamo mid-size car rental $182.28.

$2150.20 - MR Gold or Plat Member - $1713.02 M11/M12 MV room incl taxes ($306/night), b'fast for 2 x 5 days $254.90, Alamo mid-size car rental $182.28.