DCF

To be fair, when I returned to the Royal Hawaiian in March it was first-come, first-served at the beach with not a hint of corruption.

And to be frank, the Halekulani is not that much better. The rooms are slightly better, and the service is much better, but the pool is equally inadequate and the beach area is much, much worse than at the Royal Hawaiian.

I think the Royal Hawaiian is improving greatly, and if they ever get round to making pairs of rooms in the main building into suites (instead of small obsolete rooms) then the hotel will be fit for its inevitable evolution into a St Regis.

beachfamily

Just got back from the RH. On my FHR stay I was upgraded from the lowest available to oceanfront in the tower. I got a low view room on the third floor but it still had a nice ocean/diamond head view. If I'd been willing to wait or gone back to front desk I think I could have done better. Breakfast buffet in the Surf Room was very nice and I find the staff very accomodating and helpful with only one exception. Manager's reception wednesday evening from 5-6pm was lovely. Very nice drinks and food, full bar, nice mai tais, shrimp cocktail, canapes and a roast turkey. Also, excellent ukelele player and hula dancer, I got a beautiful private rendition of "White Sandy Beach" by Israel Kamakawiwole. The luau (which I did as part of my recreation credit) was pretty lame with very mediocre food. Mai Tai catamaran was great. Didn't really notice the beach chair/beach boy antics since I wasn't sunbathing at peak times. Getting a chair would have been hard while I was there but I was happy to grab a towel and enjoy the sand/water. If you get the right price, this is a great place, if you're paying over $275 I'd say go elsewhere.

adamak

Zero class. That's right....
This sort of pool-chair territory game also happened in Westin Maui. I have posted a thread before. All good chairs were 'reserved with towels' before 8am while guests head to eat their breakfast until 10am. The 90 minute rule is non-existent, and that IS the problem. If pool staff actually enforce the rule, it wouldn't have caused such frenzy daily.

And believe me, FS Wailea is not even close to Westin Maui in terms of craziness. Yes, pool area is busy, but at least staff clean up frequently. In Westin, nobody comes over to check chairs for hours. When I removed towels off a chair that I knew wasn't occupied from 8am till noon, I was the one being yelled at, by the returning guests along with the staff. I was told by pool staff that I should have called her over to remove towels instead of doing it myself. I told her I haven't seen a sign that said so, and I honestly thought the chair was not occupied (for 4 hour!!). But I did see a sign that said 90 min limit. Plus, I was on vacation, she was not. She should be doing her job, not me looking for her to remind her doing her job.

This was the most ridiculous and furious experience I had ever had in my life. I complained to management. Their response was "I'm sorry, we understand. What else can we do for you?". So, don't expect a solution any time soon.

Bookexp

Just got back from R.H. The R.H mall in front of the hotel is still under construction (since my last visit in 2006) and you have to go to the side door or through Sheraton to the main street.

I was upgrade to the tower room. I can see R.H. is changing to Luxury Collection. There were ridiculous amount of bathroom amenities. I didn't remember there were that abundant last year.

There was no hint of "beach chair corruption". It's just first come first serve. I was on a jet lag and went to beach at 6:30. By 8 AM, most chairs with umbrella became "mark territory". The next day I went to beach around noon, I could still get chairs without umbrella.

R.H. probably has more beach chairs than any other hotel in Waikiki. Halekulani is nice, but there were no beach there. R.H. is still the prime spot on Waikiki for people watch.

kthan

I knew that there's a thread about Royal Hawaiian with a lot of posts. But, since my question is very specific and I need to decide within 24hrs, I started a new thread and ask your opinion.

My family of five (w/two kids) will go to Hawaii for 7-day cruise and chose Royal Hawaiian as a pre-cruise hotel. We will stay one night (that day is my mom's birthday). I (SPG Gold) sent an email to the hotel for upgrade request and I was offered a Garden Suite in a historic building (they told me that Tower suite is not available).

Since I found many posts complaining about dated (showing age...need updated) nature of old historic building, I am concerned. Also, there's no balcony to view ocean either (but, it's not a crucial factor because we will stay at Hilton Hawaiian Village ocean view room after cruise...assuming the views from two hotels are not much different). Given the concern, I was told that they can give me a regular tower room (don't know whether that's Tower Ocean or Luxury Ocean) with two double bed (plus a rollaway bed).

Which room would you go? Space wise, Garden Suite would be more than twic bigger than a tower room (and it's parlor suite with enough bed). But, again, I am still worried about how old/dated the suite is. Pretty disappointing (just like old/dirty inn-like)? or still very nice and elegant (only relatively dated, compared to the tower or other upscale hotels)? In contrast, how good (nice and modern) a tower room in RH is. I was informed that it's about 400 sq.room. Is the tower room better than other rooms in other Waikiki hotels (like Moana Surfrider, Outtrigger, Hyatt, Hilton, etc.) in regards to room quality and view?

The main reason I chose RH as pre-cruies hotel is that they are centrally located at Waikiki and represent most Hawaiian-like atmostphere.

I appreciate your valuable comments/suggestions in advance.

sk3

Well this is just my 2¢

I'd go for the Garden Suite, definitely, since you have 5 people.

I was last there in March and they were starting the switch over to a Luxury Collection. Unfortunately, what that entailed was they didn't have the RH pink bathroom amenities, just ugly blue generic Sheraton stuff. And I missed the key card with the picture of the Royal (hopefully these items will be back in circulation soon). And tho I'm not helping the OP with this info, while I'm on the subject I also was sorry to see that the computer and printer were no longer in the Hospitality Suite. I had found that very useful for printing boarding passes and checking email. (The concierge said they removed those due to guests printing massive things, or something). So this last time I had to go the Sheraton Waikiki to use their business center.. Also, I actually missed the kona coffee that they used to put out on all the floors, since now they have the individual coffee makers in each room (I never trust the hygiene of those, especially the ones kept in the bathrooms). But happily they still brought up that banana bread as a welcome gesture.

But getting back to the OP... I can't speak to any changes since March.... but regarding a Tower Ocean and Garden Suite:

IMO
The Tower Ocean is a typical hotel room - could be a Holiday Inn or what have you... yes, you have the view of the Pacific and you would have a balcony, but I never chose this room since I figured if this is all I cared about I might as well save money and stay at the Sheraton. With a family of 5(!) I think you'd be incredibly cramped.

The Garden Suite - I've stayed in one called Leilani. Here's a cut and paste of my description found in this thread, post 29 I was comparing the Garden Suite to the Alfred Alpaka suite:

Is it a great suite? That's a very subjective question imo. The only other suite I've seen there was a garden suite, the Leilani Suite I think it's called and I don't remember the room number. That suite was much bigger with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows facing the "nursery" and a tiled floor dining room area in front of it with a large table. That suite had a wet bar and a wrap around design: You entered in the living room, facing the dining area and wall of windows. To your left was a dressing/bathroom area. You passed thru the long rectangular dressing room area with double sinks to get to the bedroom with two double 4 posters (in the dressing area there ia a door that leads you to a large room with shower/bath and toilet). Then you could exit the bedroom thru another door that led you back to the dining area. I'm not good at describing decorating styles, but this garden suite had a colonial plantation feel with monochrome and plaid prints in the living room and the usual RH floral designs in the bedroom. The furniture seemed ok.

Regarding the OPs concern of these historic rooms being dilapidated, they aren't any more "worn" than the common areas of the hotel. And the Tower Ocean that I saw wasn't all that pristine. Regarding your question about a Tower Ocean and a Luxury Ocean: the Tower Ocean is in the high-rise adjacent to the hotel and the Luxury Ocean is in the historic wing - so if they made reference to a tower room, you're in the Tower Ocean room.

I love the Royal Hawaiian personally, I love the architecture and the whole ambience of it. The Moana Surfrider just never seemed as pretty to me. Of course, if price was no concern, I'd stay at the Halekulani for the best Waikiki experience. But with either cash and points, half rack rates (through UA or AA) or points alone, I can "afford" the Royal.

Regarding the difference of the views between the Royal and the Hilton Village - with the Royal you see Waikiki's crescent beach culminating in Diamond Head. The Hilton is further west/north.. but it's a high rise, so I'm just guessing the view would be similar, but from a different perspective.

You didn't have the time to do a search here.. hope you had the time to read this!

TxTrav

aFor the size of your group a 400 sf room would feel like a cramped closet. Also keep in mind that the "modern" tower rooms are around 30 years old. All of the rooms in this hotel need updating and it is about to happen soon since *wood is converting this hotel into their Luxury Collection. They are also putting in a modern pool between the RH and the Sheraton. It is my understanding that work has not started yet.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ap...707240338/1001

We have been staying at the RH for about 20 years and always request the historic garden building. Usually we get the regular garden view room, once an ocean view, once in a mini-suite. No there are very, very few balconies in the historic building but as opposed to some new hotels the windows do open.

Last year our room was in good shape (no peeling wallpaper, stained carpet or scarred up furniture). But the bathroom did need new faucets. No broken tiles or moldy conditions, everything was quite clean.

The rooms do have the upgraded Sheraton Sweet Sleeper beds, wonderful!

Since it's only one night I would go for the suite. Spend your time in the Mai Tai Bar (tell musician Els "hello" from his Texas friends) if you want to sit outside and admire the view.

kthan

Just out of curioricity (and for reference), how would you compare a tower suite at Moana Surfrider (they are about 700-800 sq...seems to be larger than regular room...and they have the suite with two double beds <and a sofa sleeper>). Do they more updated (modern) than tower rooms in RH? I know it's little out of topic, but trying to figure out the possible options I can find.

DeirdreTours

I can't make a comparison to the RH suites, as I have never seen those, but my husband and I adore the Moana Tower Suites. The living room wall is virtually all glass with large sliding doors out to the very spacious lanai-- and the lanai views are spectacular-- right over the sand with Diamond Head off to the left. Additional lanai off the bedroom (which may view Diamond Head or beach toward RH, depending on suite). Wet bar, toto toilet (also murphy bed for additional sleeping) are the only extra amenities I can think of, but the living room is nicely arranged.

airpaco

go with the suite as rooms as at the rh can be on the smallish size. the suites are nice if you get a full size one. seperate living room and bedroom with usually 2 bathrooms. however, no view whatsoever if it matters.

jerseygirl

Between RH and Maoana - Will be traveling with our son's family next Feb so will get 2 rooms, only gold so not anticipating upgrades. Stayed at RH in gardens uite last year, fine with us although shabby room we liked the hotel. They also allowed a 4 pm checkout which helped since we had a late flight home

Question: my husband likes to smoke cigars on balcony but this wasn't possible at RH with the suite and I think the tower rooms with balcony are also shabby and don't even have the ambiance of the historical wing. He used the patio for smoking
Questions:
1. Does the Moana allow balcony smoking? If not is there a patio with comfortable furniture where smoking is allowed?
2. How would you compare the rooms:
RH historical to Moana historical
RH "new" to Maona "new" (Towers?)
3. Comparison of Breakfast buffets at the 2 hotels, quality and price? I thought RH buffet wasn't very good

Thanks!

clover

Can't comment on the other questions, but the Moana is now a Westin so I'm sure the Westin smoke free policy applies. I gather that means no smoking on hotel grounds but you can check with the property.

kaukau

Reported today in the Honolulu Advertiser is the first public announcement that the Royal Hawaiian Hotel will be closing for six to seven months of renovations, commencing June 1, 2008. Renovations will total approxomately $110 Million dollars: $85 Million for common space, and $25 Million for rooms. Official re-opening: January, 2009.

Article: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ap...709280385/1001

rnlevi

Late post, but in front of the Outrigger Hotel between the RH and Moana Surfrider is a stand on the beach that rents chairs, surfbaords, etc. I think it opens at 8 or 9, but if you show up about 10 minutes before the hour, you will be able to reserve 2 chairs and an umbrella for around $40-50 for the entire day. The only under the table type of experience I had was one of the attendants gave me a kama'aina (local) discount ($30 for the day) but I don't think that this is typical.

lestismore

don't stay here NOW! TRANSFER TO SHERATON W-

HOTEL STAFF- GONE IN 20 OR LESS DAYS- AND THEY SHOW IT- YOU BE THE JUDGE OF WHAT THAT MAY MEAN TO YOU AS AS A GUEST!!