http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2008-10-12T20:02:03Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Waikiki%20Hotel%20Reviews http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/12/15533/5062 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/waikikiparc_lobby.jpg" class="imgborder"/><p><b>[Ed. Note: Alex Salkever is the founder/editor of Hawaii travel blog <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a>]</b><p> With Hawaii hotel occupancy on the slide, the resorts are busily tossing out special promotions for the normally slow and now even slower month of may. One of the best deals, in my, opinion, is $212 for a Deluxe Ocean Room at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Waikiki+Parc+Hotel/local/217"><b>Waikiki Parc</b></a>.<p> This is the unsung, entry-level sister property to the posher-than-poshest <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Halekulani/ian/175559">Halekulani.</a> The difference between the two? Slightly more minimal rooms, 100 yards away from the ocean, and much better ocean views for the buck. At <a href="http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=dspv&amp;itid=&amp;itdx=&amp;itty=&amp;from=f&amp;shtl=1">$212 on Expedia</a> (your mileage may vary), the ocean view rooms in the top floors are some of the best bargains around ASalkever 2007-05-14T09:15:02-05:00 21.278092 -157.83059 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/5/1/44941/39690 <![CDATA[<p><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/sheraton_waikiki.jpg"><p><b>[Ed. Note: Hotel Maven <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/asalkever">Alex Salkever</a> is the editor/founder of Hawaii travel blog, <a href="httpe://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a>]</b><p> A number of months back I wrote about the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/10/23/215024/10/hotels/Twelve_Levels_of_Renovation_Hell_at_the_Sheraton_Waikiki">ongoing renovations</a> at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Sheraton+Waikiki/local/422"><b>Sheraton Waikiki</b></a> and how to avoid "renovation gotcha." In a nutshell, the old rooms were bad and were all beneath the 13th floor.<p> As I reported in that post, I knew the resort was quickly renovating all its rooms -- or so I thought. A press release and <a href="http://www.hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=420242">some news article</a> crossed my inbox a week ago touting the completion of room renovations at the Sheraton Waikiki, the largest single-building hotel in the Hawaiian Islands. (With so many rooms, clearly the potential for unhappy vacationers stuck in ASalkever 2007-05-01T09:05:00-05:00 21.277751 -157.82934 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/12/19/33747/736 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/embassy_waikiki.jpg" class="imgborder"/><p><b>[Ed. Note: <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/asalkever">Alex Salkever</a> is the editor of Hawaii travel blog <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama.com</a> and a general travel maven on all things Hawaii.]</b><p> Sometimes it pays to be local. Really pays. The brand new <a href="http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=JYKKJTFED5VUGCSGBIX2VCQKIYFCXUUC?ctyhocn=HNLESES&ctyhocn=HNLESES"><b>Embassy Suites Beach Walk Waikiki</b></a> has opened its doors. The two towers, which were totally refurbished -- as in, gutted as opposed to the usual Waikiki renovation which means new drapes, new furniture and not much else -- are smack in the middle of the <a href="http://www.waikikibeachwalk.com/">Waikiki Beach Walk</a> development, the newest shopping enclave in Waikiki. <p>The resort area has seen some serious upgrades of late and this is probably the signature one. Now, the kicker. Hawaii residents can take a room in ASalkever 2006-12-19T15:44:24-05:00 21.278856 -157.83219 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/11/28/32025/766 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/aqua_waikikiwave.jpg"><p><b>[Ed. Note: Alex Salkever of <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a> gives us the low-down on Hawaii's boutique hotel scene, or what little there is of it.]</b><p>With the boutique hotel boom striking just about everywhere, it's hard to believe that Hawaii has a shortage of boutique hotels. But it's true. Most properties are run by super-mammoth companies like Starwood or Hyatt. Even among the indies, few properties are small enough to be considered boutique. Far too many others are just plain tired. <p><a href="http://www.aquaresorts.com/"><b>Aqua Hotels and Resorts</b></a> hopes to fill that niche with an archipelago of 10 properties in wicky, wacky Waikiki. Six fall under the budget Aqua Lite flag and four are regular boutique hotels. All have modern touches (as in furnishings ASalkever 2006-11-28T10:16:28-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/10/23/215024/10 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/sheraton_waikiki.jpg"><p><b>[Ed Note: Hotel Maven <a href="<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/user/asalkever">Alex Salkever,</a> the brains behind the <a href="http://www.hawaiirama.com">Hawaiirama</a> blog, shares with us his advice about Hawaii hotels. His first tip? Be careful which room you ask for at the Sheraton Waikiki. Enjoy]</b><p>With 1,695 rooms and 31 floors, the <a href="http://www.sheraton-waikiki.com/"><b>Sheraton Waikiki Hotel</b></a> is the largest structure in Waikiki. And it's a classic example of the kinds of traps that await unsuspecting travelers expecting Hawaii paradise. The Expedia description notes that hotel rooms are undergoing renovation and will be completed at the end of 2006. (The description also notes as an "insider tip" that the hotel is next to the main departure point for tour buses -- that would be a massive parking garage ASalkever 2006-10-24T09:20:04-05:00 21.277751 -157.82934 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/