Hawaii Ambiance and Amenities

Perhaps Hawaiian condos have been so popular because they combine the best of hotels with the conveniences of rental properties. I'm talking about the services of an on-site desk agent who does everything a concierge normally does; swimming pools; a beach out front with beach chairs; an on-site work-out room and convenience store; and even festive weekly events, such as cocktail parties and barbecues.

Visitors also are less likely to have to deal with the quirky tastes of the private owners who decorate the condos. Management companies on the islands often exert iron-fisted control over the look of the condos and their maintenance (so you likely won't be contending with chipped tables and shelves cluttered with knickknacks). And the options for decorating are, quite frankly, limited by the paltry selections in Hawaii's furniture and bedding stores. During my time researching the book Pauline Frommer's Hawaii, I saw the same wicker furniture and pineapple-themed curtains and bedspreads over and over and over. It's a soothing, tropical, look that most will find unoffensive.

Photo by z2amiller/CC BY-SA 2.0