http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T07:35:52Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelhotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/local/1503 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/4/28/214959/092 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/lotusdiamondhead.jpg" class="top"><p> Earlier this year the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/1/7/121452/1054/hotels/On_Friday_The_W_Honolulu_Will_Be_No_More_">W Honolulu</a> had its last days in the W Hotel collection but in case you were curious as to what happened to the hotel, we got the scoop. The hotel is now part of Castle Resorts. It's official new name? <a href="http://www.castleresorts.com/Home/accommodations/the-lotus-at-diamond-head"><b>The Lotus at Diamond Head.</b></a><p> The website is less slick than the W's website (there's a bunch of Castle Resorts and condos to choose from) but rooms at The Lotus start at around $139 a night for a Diamond Head room. There's also a restaurant and bar onsite and WiFi is free in the lobbies. But no pool. <p>We didn't see much different from the hotel's day as a W (even juliana 2009-04-29T17:18:47-05:00 21.2630150 -157.82084 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/1/7/121452/1054 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/whonoluluclose.jpg" class="top"><p><i><b>UPDATE</b>: The hotel is now known as <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/4/28/214959/092/hotels/The_W_Honolulu_Now_Known_as_Lotus_on_Diamond_Head"><b>The Lotus at Diamond Head.</b></a></i><p>It's been <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/4/23/19558/7649/hotels/W_Honolulu_To_Remain_W_Honolulu,_Crappy_Views_Still_Included">rumored before</a> that the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/W+Honolulu+-+Diamond+Head/ian/135948"><b>W Honolulu</b></a> would be leaving the W Hotels collection, but it looks like this time is for realz.<p>According to the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hawaii/detail?&entry_id=34261">Hawaii Insider</a>, the hotel's last day as a W hotel will be <b>January 9th.</b> <blockquote><p>Taking over management on Friday will be the Anekona real estate group, which bought the property in 2004 and, according to Pacific Business News, had to put $1.6 million into renovations in 2007 to meet W's corporate standards.</blockquote></p><p>All current bookings will be honored for the hotel but obviously the new hotel group will not be participating in the Starwood Preferred Guest Program. No juliana 2009-01-07T12:21:09-05:00 21.2630150 -157.82084 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/4/23/19558/7649 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/crappy_whonolulu.png" class="imgborder"/><p><b>[Ed. Note: <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/asalkever">Alex Salkever</a> is a Hawaiian travel maven and the editor/publisher of island travel blog <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a>.]</b><p> With all the hotel turnover in Hawaii of late, rumors have been flying that the lone Starwood W outpost in the Aloha State would be swapping flags. <p> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/W+Hotel+Honolulu+-+Diamond+Head/ian/135948"><b>The W Honolulu - Diamond Head</b></a> is blessed with an amazing location on the tranquil side of Waikiki far away from the madness of Kalakaua Avenue and wedged into the quiet Coconut Grove nabe between the blue Pacific and Kapiolani Park. (<a href="http://hawaiirama.com/2006/08/resort-smackdown-w-honoluludia">See Hawaiirama's hotel review</a>).<p> It's also cursed with no ocean view rooms, a sad sin in this land of stellar vistas.<p> So what about the rumors? The new ASalkever 2007-04-24T09:15:02-05:00 21.263015 -157.82084 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/5/22/221545/120 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/w_honolulu.jpg">We've had numerous reports of how <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2004/11/13/19643/870">crappy</a> the view, staff and rooms are at the <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1246"><b>W Honolulu Diamond Head</b></a> and now Starwood has finally unloaded the hotel for an undisclosed amount.<p>But the new owners will have a tough time overcoming some of the property's biggest faults:<blockquote><p>I were surprised upon arrival to find a "fixer-upper" located street-side, with limited beach access. The "exclusive location" is in fact in an aging building, sandwiched in a parking lot between three other hotels. The beach was accessible only by a narrow walkway through the parking lot, and was a tiny piece of sand with no facilities (washrooms, food service, umbrellas, etc).</blockquote></p><p>Looks like the W pulled the wool over the eyes juliana 2006-05-23T19:10:01-05:00 21.263015 -157.82084 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2004/11/13/19643/870 <![CDATA[<p><b>[OK, If a hotel is looking for a sure fire way to fry their customers; simply provide low level customer service. Of course, as always, this is one readers experience, and this hotel story involves multiple reservations, for a corporate event. Furthermore this particular experience sounds like a giant snowball of miscommunication, however, a situation like this is when customer service is paramount. The lesson is clear: service, service, service is the key.</b></p> <p> While my experience with the Honolulu W was painful, each and every contact with the main res line was clear and efficient, and that is important to note. The problem is that the Honolulu W appears to be in another galaxy, and communication between corporate (main AlohaVal 2004-11-15T04:56:05-05:00 21.263015 -157.82084 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/