Frommer's Review
This 1,310-room hotel has a lot to offer, including a terrific location just across the street from Waikiki Beach, great restaurants (including renowned Maui chef D. K. Kodama's Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar and d.k Steakhouse), a terrific spa, and lots of nightly entertainment.
The 5 1/4-acre property has two towers (one 33 stories, the other 25 stories) and a list of amenities to keep you happy, from an espresso bar to an array of shops. The newly done rooms feature comfortable island-style decor, marble flooring, and granite counters in the bathroom. When the resort opened in 2002 the prices were moderate but have been creeping up every year. With rack rates beginning at $425 (and topping off at $700), we feel you can do better elsewhere in Waikiki. Hot tip: Check the Internet for specials in which you can get rooms for half price.
Even if you don't stay here, spa aficionados won't want to miss the Spa Olakino & Salon. Conceived and managed by Paul Brown, a well-known hair stylist with numerous salons in Hawaii, this boutique spa offers a unique experience: The spa looks directly onto Waikiki Beach (well, actually Kuhio Beach, at the far end of Waikiki). The "menu" of treatments is one of the most enchanting I have seen. I recommend the Na La'au, which starts with a Hawaiian lomilomi massage (using traditional native Hawaiian plants like kukui nut oil), then goes on to a noni-plant-and-ti-leaf body wrap, and concludes with a trip to a private steam room and shower.
Facilities: 5 restaurants; 2 bars; outdoor pool w/view of Waikiki; fitness room; elegant spa; Jacuzzi; concierge; activities desk; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; room service; in-room massage; babysitting; coin-op washer/dryers; same-day laundry service and dry cleaning; medical services.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
