96815 Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Openings / Trump Hotels / Hotel News / Waikiki Hotels / Donald Trump / → All Tags
Trump Waikiki Is Now Open for a Lei
If you're a discerning traveler who only enjoys spending the night at Trump Hotels, then you can finally start booking your Hawaii vacation as Trump Waikiki has finally opened its doors to real live guests yesterday. The AP reports:
The 38-story, 463-unit tower is located steps from the sand and Fort DeRussy Park. It features a library, wine cellar and a spa, along with 24-hour room, valet and concierge services. The fully furnished suites, which have views of the Pacific and the Honolulu skyline, feature everything from high-end appliances to Italian marble counters.
Oh and let's not forget about the hotel's very kid-friendly services!
Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Hawaii Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Table One at Halekulani Now Taking Reservations for August 1
Since we heard that The King of Cocktail, Dale DeGroff had a hand in revamping Halekulani’s Lewer’s Lounge cocktail menu, we decided to pop into the swank Hawaiian spot on a recent tour of the islands. We muddled through some cocktail R&D, had a delish dinner at House Without a Key, and got an unexpected culinary two-fer, as the poshy posh resort had just announced the August debut of their Table One.
The resort’s Executive Chef Vikram Garg is touting Table One as a “restaurant within the restaurant” located in the atrium of the hotel's Orchids restaurant (pictured above.) Is this kind of like the hotel within a hotel trend we see in Vegas? Regardless, it sounds exclusive.
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Edition Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Woes / → All Tags
After a Time-Out, The Ilikai Has Gotten It Together and Will Re-Open
Okay, so Hawaii's Ilikai (famous for the Hawaii Five-0 opening-sequence shots) fairly-suddenly closed last week, citing too-extreme operating costs. But now it seems to have taken a hot time-out, has gotten itself together and will re-open again. Yeah, alright.
According to reports, the hotel will "reopen as soon as practically possible under a new management team and operational structure." That is, iStar, the owners, said its subsidiary had "reached an agreement with the union representing workers at the hotel." Will it re-brand or will it open as the Ilikai still? It's looking like the latter — we could book a room (for $97) on July 21st.
The hotel is going to go back and rehire about 50-ish employees under new terms, and drama, drama, drama — but we're still sitting here wondering whether this is ever going to become Hawaii's Edition or not.
What's the deal here? Does anyone know? Someone clue us in — Edition's website hasn't been updated in a long, long time.
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Hilton Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Bars / Waikiki Hotels / → All Tags
Add Tropics Bar & Grill To Your Waikiki Bar-Hopping Itinerary
Note: This "cheeseburger in paradise" might look a little different on your plate.
It’s rare we meet a bar we don’t like, and since a night out on Waikiki wouldn’t be complete without making the Mai Tai rounds, we were stoked to hear about Oahu’s latest addition – Tropics Bar & Grill at The Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa.
It may lack the see-and-be-scene cachet of nearby “it” bar at Nobu or the Mai Tai Bar, but for some good ‘ole al fresco eatin’ and drinkin’ smack dab on Waikiki Beach with photo-op worthy sunset shots of the Pacific Ocean, the lively spot can’t be beat.
Tags: Hotel News / Hawaii Hotels / Edition Hotels / Hotel Rumors / Hotel Woes / → All Tags
Hawaii's Ilikai to Close; Will It Still Become an Edition Later?
The gigantic Ilikai Hotel, which "Hawaii Five-0" fans will recognize as the building Steve McGarrett stood on as the helicopter zoomed in on him during the show's intro, plans to cease operations in two days due to serious operating losses. According to the AP, iStar Financial said "203 hotel rooms in the nearly 1,000-unit property" will shut down on Thursday and guests with reservations will be accommodated elsewhere.
Per the AP article:
The company bought the hotel for $51 million at a foreclosure auction in May. In a statement, iStar said it hoped its subsidiary would be able to cut costs enough to allow the hotel operations to continue after it takes possession of the property Friday.
"Unfortunately, alternatives to reduce the operating losses at the hotel have not to date been achieved, thus leading to the decision to close the hotel," the company said.
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
Starwood Takes Over Hawaii with Eleven Properties
It's not quite a dozen, but eleven hotels is still a lot, even if they are spread over four islands. At a private lunch yesterday, we were treated to an overview of Starwood’s Hawaii properties, and their plans for the future.
Starwood Hotels seems to be taking over the tropical archipelago with four properties on Oahu, three on Maui, and four on Kauai. With that many choices, Starwood thinks there will be something for everyone. And after taking a look at the properties, we kind of think they’re right.
Among the chain’s many properties is the flagship Royal Hawaiian, with its signature pink façade. The hotel was built in 1927 by a cruise ship company, and has been welcoming visitors to the sands of Waikiki Beach ever since. However, you can get an even better view of famous Diamond Head just down the road at the 30th-story restaurant, Twist at Hanohano, at Starwood’s Sheraton Waikiki.
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Courtyard By Marriotts / Waikiki Hotels / → All Tags
Courtyard by Marriott in Waikiki Might Be the Prettiest of Them All
After years of the price gouging that went on at Hawaiian hotels, rates have come down quite a bit on the islands. But there's an even more affordable option now in Waikiki--the new Courtyard By Marriott.
Marriott's budget-ish brand has made huge improvements in the past two years. We love their new lobbies and cafes which cater to the modern traveler's high tech fixations. We actually stayed in a Courtyard by Marriott the other week in New Jersey and for $129 a night we had a large room with a king bed, a pull-out couch, a mini-refrigerator, flat-screen TV, complimentary internet and a balcony. Now imagine, having all that in Waikiki.
Tags: Hawaii Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Hotel Amenities / → All Tags
Halekulani Resort Gets Fancy Schamncy Audio Tech In the Orchid Suite
If you're staying in the Orchid Suite at the Halekulani Resort in Hawaii, you'd better get your ears checked out before you arrive. Otherwise you won't be able to properly appreciate their newest innovation: the Steinway & Sons Model M Architectural Speaker System.
Obviously when you've got a super fancy luxury suite (especially in a destination densely-packed with hotels), you have to do something to make it a bit different from all the other luxury suites around, and this time they've picked amping up the sound system. It's got technical features which we can't quite fathom, like "3-D room adaptation technology" (sounds good though) and the speakers are even trimmed with 24-karat gold. What's more, the Halekulani people say that installing this hi-tech system is all about having "passion and commitment to the arts and the very best in sensorial luxury." Right.
Sensorial luxury doesn't come cheap: the standard nightly rate for the Orchid Suite (which is just a one bedroom suite) is $7,000. We're considering buying really, really fancy headphones for our iPod instead. Or some noise-canceling ones to use in any of the nearby rooms.
Tags: Hotel Deals / Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Packages / → All Tags
Celebrate Hawaii's Big Five-Oh in 50%-Off Suites at Hilton Waikiki
As we've been telling you for months and months, it's kind of an awesome time to go to Hawaii. Not only have hotels been kicking back rates in a major, major way to lure tourists out there, but our 50th state is turning 50 years old this year — and she's lookin' pretty hot for her age, thanks (no doubt) to all the nippin' and tuckin' she's been getting; from grand old pink hotels to the big-box chains.
So, yet another hot package (with a cute name) to celebrate Hawaii's (50th anniversary of becoming a state): throughout the month of August, the Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio is offering up all six of its one-bedroom junior suites at a 50% discount. Usually, these babies go for $500-ish a night — but with the Hawaii 5-0 Package, you'll get 'em for $250 and that will include a $50 credit to the chic (and well-reviewed) restaurant MAC 24-7.
There's no minimum stay, but the package is only available for stays in August — mention HAWAII 5-0 when booking.
Tags: Reader Reviews / Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Renovations / Sheraton Hotels / → All Tags
Sheraton Waikiki Has a Killer Location, But That's About It
Every so often we feature a hotel review from one of our readers that we feel should be shared with the rest of you dear hotel guests. These reviews are highlighted because they are timely, about cool hotels in cool places and are relatively level-headed. Think you can submit one just like this? Send it in.
Reader M. hit up the newly-renovated Sheraton Waikiki twice recently. Here's his take.
The Sheraton Waikiki occupies one of the finest stretches of beach in the heart of Waikiki. Adjacent (and sharing the same superb beachfront location) as its much more refined and upscale neighbor, The Royal Hawaiian, The Sheraton is the largest and most popular of the handful of properties that make up a formidable presence in the heart of Waikiki.
The Sheraton is over 35 years old and a complete top to bottom renovation is about 90% finished, with all standard guest rooms, meeting rooms, restaurants and the outdoor pool areas now completed. Still to go: the lobby and elevator areas (which was a disaster on our last visit on May 14) and the suites, which are scheduled for renovation over the next 6 months.
Tags: Snapshot / Hotel Renovations / Sheraton Hotels / Waikiki Hotels / → All Tags
Found at the Newly-Renovated Sheraton Waikiki: Nemo
Sheraton Waikiki underwent a major, major renovation over the last few years — in fact, the place was several floors of renovation hell for a while (and a few floors of totally untouched 70's-esque decor) — and many of the rooms resurfaced from a dramatic transformation, ditching the dated decor for a bit more of a modern, less kitschy feel.
But we can't help but giggle at the bed runner. In case you forgot you were in Hawaii: fish. Big, bright fish. Like Nemo, kinda!
We'll have a full reader review later this week — for now, thanks to Reader M. for sending this along to us; and we have to disagree (for now) that these "are among the most boring, poorly designed rooms" ever — look at the fish. Come on.
Tags: Hotel Carpets / Snapshot / Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Renovations / Starwood Luxury Collection / → All Tags
The Royal Hawaiian Gets a Carpet Upgrade
Ah, Royal Hawaiian. We're sorry for giving you a hard time about that fugly carpet of yours. It's Friday, we're in a good mood (and also we're beginning to suspect that one day we may get karmic retribution from the universe in the form of being placed in charge of a hotel that gets delayed for reasons beyond our control and has irreplaceable fugly carpet), so we will deliver a compliment: this carpet is good. See? There, we said it. We like it. It's tasteful and modern, yet not out of place in the famed "Pink Palace of the Pacific"!
Reader K sent over this shot of some Royal Hawaiian carpet:
I live on Maui and was recently over on Oahu and toured the newly renovated Royal Hawaiian. I did take this picture of the carpet and lightings leading to the newer wing of the building. I thought it was very tasteful with all the pink and stuff.
We agree. Perhaps this carpet arrived with the massive overhaul at the beginning of the year. You've come a long way (from this), baby.
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