Strandhotels in Honolulu

Our recent stay at Hilton Vacation Club The Modern Honolulu was a blend of highs and lows, with its strengths balanced by a few notable drawbacks. Situated in a reasonably good location and boasting cleanliness throughout, the hotel offered convenience and comfort in many aspects with a great pool and bar area including a separate adults pool. However, certain factors detracted from the overall experience, leaving us with mixed feelings about our time there. Let's start with the positives. The hotel's location, while not directly in the heart of the city hub, offered a decent compromise between convenience and tranquility. Close proximity to Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon provided easy access to beach activities and waterfront relaxation, adding a touch of serenity to our stay. Additionally, we found the hotel to be impeccably clean, with well-maintained facilities and a commi**ent to hygiene that was commendable. Despite these strengths, there were some notable downsides to our experience. The most significant inconvenience was the walking distance to the main city hub, which required a 15-20 minute walk to reach popular attractions, dining establishments, and shopping venues. While not a dealbreaker, this added a layer of logistical planning to our daily activities and limited spontaneity. Another issue that significantly impacted our stay was the persistent noise from the elevator. Unfortunately, our room was located close to the elevator, resulting in constant disturbances throughout the day and night. The loud mechanical noises disrupted our sleep and detracted from the overall ambiance of relaxation that we had hoped for. In summary, Hilton Vacation Club The Modern Honolulu offered a mix of positives and negatives during our stay. While the hotel's cleanliness and proximity to Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon were definite highlights, the walking distance from the city hub, the disruptive elevator noise, and having to pay for hotel parking detracted from the overall experience.

I recently stayed at this hotel in the Penthouse and, overall, had a pleasant stay. However, there were several areas where the guest experience could be improved. Pros: * The location is convenient, with Waikiki Beach approximately a 15-minute walk away. * There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance, although I would recommend making reservations in advance as many are very popular. * There are numerous ABC Stores nearby, making it easy to pick up snacks, drinks, souvenirs, and other essentials. * A special mention goes to Ralph, who was outstanding throughout our stay. He was friendly, approachable, and always happy to help with any questions or recommendations. He quickly became our go-to person whenever we needed assistance and is a real credit to the hotel. Cons: * Upon arrival, we were not offered the welcome drink that other guests appeared to receive. We checked in shortly after 3:00 pm, yet we saw guests arriving at around 9:30 pm the previous evening being offered welcome drinks. It was disappointing that this was not provided consistently. * We were never informed that the hotel offers complimentary beach umbrellas and chairs on a first come, first served basis. We ended up purchasing our own before accidentally overhearing another member of staff explain this benefit during another guest’s check-in. * Similarly, we only discovered that the hotel offers a complimentary walking tour after overhearing a different staff member mention it to another guest. It would have been helpful if all guests were informed about the activities and amenities available during check-in. * We booked the Penthouse expecting to fully enjoy the advertised 90-degree views. While the views themselves were excellent, the balcony was much smaller than expected and not really large enough to comfortably sit and enjoy them. * The bathroom, particularly the bathtub, felt dated and would benefit from refurbishment. * The room itself is showing its age and could do with a modern refresh. * The breakfast room is exceptionally small considering the number of guests staying at the hotel. During busy periods it becomes crowded and difficult to find seating. * One morning, a guest was allowed to bring a dog into the enclosed, air-conditioned breakfast room. To my understanding, this is not permitted under Hawaii law unless the animal is a legitimate service animal, and it made the dining experience uncomfortable. * The Skyline floor cannot be accessed using the elevator on the far left, which was inconvenient and not clearly explained. * At check-in, a $200 deposit was authorised along with an additional hold on my credit card. This extra charge was never explained by staff, and I only became aware of it after reviewing my credit card statement. Greater transparency regarding incidental holds would have been appreciated. Overall, the hotel is in a good location with helpful staff, especially Ralph, and provides a comfortable base for exploring Waikiki. However, there were several inconsistencies in communication and a number of facilities that would benefit from updating. Better communication during check-in about available amenities, clearer explanations of credit card holds, and refurbishment of the rooms would significantly improve the overall guest experience.

Ich habe in drei Hotels auf Hawaii übernachtet, und dieses war das sauberste. Das Zimmer war etwas kleiner als in anderen Hotels, aber es war in Ordnung. Da Weihnachten war, gab es in der Lobby heiße Schokolade, die sehr lecker war. Der Strand war ganz in der Nähe, und der Pool war wunderschön. Allerdings musste man die Strandausrüstung etwas weiter entfernt mieten, nicht im Hotel, was etwas umständlich war. Das Poolwasser war etwas trüb. Die Waschmaschine kostete hier 3 Dollar, im Vergleich zu 6 Dollar im Marriott, was sehr angenehm war. Beim Einchecken halfen mir japanische Angestellte, die sich aber die ganze Zeit auf Japanisch unterhielten, und die Erklärungen zur Hotelnutzung waren etwas dürftig.

Das Hotel liegt fantastisch, mitten im Herzen der Einkaufsstraße, was es unglaublich praktisch zum Shoppen, Essen und Sightseeing macht. Der Strand ist nur wenige Schritte vom Poolbereich im ersten Stock entfernt. Die Restaurants mit Meerblick im ersten und zweiten Stock sind für ihre atemberaubende Aussicht bekannt, daher muss man beim Abendessen oft mit Wartezeiten rechnen. Das Zimmer war riesig; ich hatte ein Zimmer mit Kingsize-Bett und Meerblick gebucht, und das Bett war unglaublich bequem. Auch auf dem Balkon zu sitzen und den Meerblick zu genießen, war sehr angenehm.

1) The escalator leading from the lobby to the mezzanine level was out of order. Given the makeshift barrier on the mezzanine level, it looked like the escalator had been out of commission for some time. Quite a shame from a convenience standpoint. 2) I had checked into the hotel after midnight because of a flight delay so I was pretty exhausted and fell asleep quickly after taking a shower, brushing my teeth, etc. I woke up in the middle of my first night's stay noticing a foul odor. After walking around the room and initially thinking it was coming from the A/C vent, I pinpointed the origin of the bad smell to the linens: the pillowcases, sheets, blanket. It smelled like a dirty wet sponge or clothes that never dried completely but were put back in the dresser drawer. I pulled all of the linens off the bed and left a note for housekeeping to replace them because of a foul odor. They did and it was fine the rest of my stay, but the point is I never should have had to do that. 3) Upon returning from my uncle's funeral Saturday night, to my dismay I found 20-30 cars that had been double-parked by the valets in the hotel parking lot. After circling the lot several times in the hopes of catching someone leaving but having no success, I decided to look into valet parking, figuring that since I was a hotel guest they would have something worked out. When the valet told me the valet fee was $49 even for hotel guests I was flabbergasted and declined. He instructed me to go back to the parking garage and speak to the parking attendant to ask about my parking options. When I got there, the parking attendant initially refused to come out of his booth to help me so I had to enter the garage, go all the way around to the exit and talk to him so that he didn't have to leave his booth. He pointed at a white car parked outside and told me to look for parking ”around there.” I asked him if that was assigned to the hotel, because I did not want to wake up tomorrow morning to discover that my rental car had been towed or impounded. He did not convince me that this was not a possibility so I parked the car where he instructed me to, took photos of the area, and went to the hotel registration desk to look further into the parking situation. The signage was also not clear. When I got to the registration desk, I was helped by an employee who seemed to have a French accent. He was definitely European, with very short hair. I explained what had just happened with the parking and he told me that the hotel did not have ”jurisdiction” over that parking area and he could not guarantee me that my car would not be towed. There happened to be another employee, a local guy, just finishing a transaction with a hotel guest so I moved one station over and asked him the same question. He clarified the situation and explained that that outside parking area (in the middle, under the ramp) was overflow parking for the hotel, and, as long as my hotel parking pass was clearly displayed, my car could remain there for the duration of my stay.

I highly recommend this hotel. Considering the price, I was extremely satisfied with everything except the age of the building. I stayed here for several consecutive nights on a business trip, and the front desk staff were always friendly and welcoming. Although the rooms are a bit dated, they were very clean, and the housekeeping service—including bed-making and towel replacement—was impeccable. My stay was comfortable every single day. For this price, the location and level of hospitality were outstanding. I was genuinely impressed. There was complimentary coffee available at the front desk, and although the smoking area was nearby, there was absolutely no smell in the hotel. As a smoker, I really appreciated that. The room came with four soft pillows, and the shower worked perfectly fine. There were also plenty of souvenirs available, which made me wonder how they can offer all of this at such a reasonable price. Now for a little rant. I accidentally packed a jar of jam that the hotel staff had kindly given me in my carry-on luggage at the airport. A particularly unpleasant security officer confiscated it, saying that gel-like substances were not allowed. All I can do is hope that person didn’t end up helping themselves to it. The hotel was flawless. My only grievance is with the guy at the airport security checkpoint. I would absolutely love to stay here again on my next business trip.

Das Zimmer ist sehr groß und schön! Aber ich hoffe, dass die Schädel und die Fenster des Gebäudes gebrochen oder beschädigt werden, so dass ich hoffe, dass Sie sich bessern!

Sehr geeignet für eine eigene Reise, sehr guter Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis! Ich habe die geringsten Bedürfnisse und keine Unannehmlichkeiten. Ich kann in einem sauberen Zimmer komfortabel verbracht werden!

Excellent location for the price. Hotel is mid but I got a real good deal out of it so not gonna complain. Great view if you get one of the upper floors

In Bezug auf Preis und Lage ist es unschlagbar. Meiner Meinung nach. Ich habe noch nie in einer kleineren Unterkunft übernachtet. Ich bleibe lieber bei einer größeren Marke, von der ich weiß, dass sie ein gewisses Qualitätsniveau bietet. Es ist wirklich nicht weit vom Strand entfernt. Es liegt etwas abseits der Haupteinkaufsstraße, ist aber gut zu Fuß erreichbar. Ich finde, es ist ein tolles Angebot. Ich war jetzt schon zweimal dort und habe neun Tage in einer anderen Unterkunft in der Nähe übernachtet, und ich würde nie wieder dorthin zurückkehren. Die Tatsache, dass ich immer wieder dorthin zurückkehre, ist also ein sehr gutes Zeichen dafür, dass das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis und die Lage großartig sind. Ich gehe viel aus und unternehme Aktivitäten im Freien, und ich nutze das Hotel sozusagen als Ausgangspunkt zum Ausruhen. Ich esse dort nicht. Ich gehe nicht wirklich zu den Shows. Vielleicht benutze ich den Pool. Abgesehen davon ist es toll, komfortabel und sauber.