OHANA Waikiki West

By Hidden Vacations User from Berkeley, CA • We will go back!

Overall Rating: 10   Location [10] • Room [10] • Service [10] • Value [8]

Likes:
1. Location
2. Cleanliness
3. Service

Dislikes:
1. Crowded elevators

General:
Shopped for hotels and was discouraged by negative reviews on many hotels in Waikiki. Called Ohana telephone line and the lady suggested Ohana West (We booked thro' hotels.com as they had better deal than what Ohana lady could offer...paid $120 ... [more]per night for a room w kitchenette and king size bed due to late booking) for our stay of 9 nights.

Arrived at late night (ATA flight had engine problems). Was skeptical of the hotel after seeing the 'professional women' on the road, but was pleasantly surprized by the interior. The staff was helpful. We had requested a non-smoking room, but it was not available.

The staff put an ozonizer in the room next morning, also, the room didn't have any significant smoke smell to start with.

Housekeeping was timely and good, didn't use the safe and still didn't miss any valuables (incl cameras and laptops). Of course, we didn't keep these things in the open also.

The room itself was clean, well kept and everything was in working condition (we stayed in 1435). The bathroom was clean, shower was also clean (7.5' tall and 4x4 in area) and towels etc were always well stocked and clean.

We had ocean view (which is nice, though partially blocked by other hotels).

The lifts were definitely a bottleneck... avoid rooms on lower floors 3-6, as the lift mostly fills up before reaching these floors (ok during the stay, but frustrating if you are checking out).

Didn't use the pool as the beach is so nearby. Loved the location as it is near to everything (International Market Place, Waikiki Beach, Food Pantry, Chillies, Denny's, Internet Cafes, Pharmacy, Starbucks, even a Hair salon!).

We shopped for groceries in Food Pantry (where though most of the items are expensive, there are many good bargains as well). If you want to shop for groceries in Honolulu, China Town is a better place (Bus B goes there from Ohana West). Ala Moana Shopping Center (Bus 8 goes there) is also a good place for food and miscellaneous things like Camera cards, cables, houseware.

Only reason I gave 4 stars to the value was 'cause I had to pay higher rate than I could have got...but hey, we always want more, cheaper and faster, right? ;) [less]
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By Hidden Vacations User from San Francisco, CA • A decent hotel for the budget minded traveler

Overall Rating: 6   Location [8] • Room [6] • Service [6] • Value [10]

My family and I were on a budget for our Oahu vacation. The concierge was not all that affable, but their activies conceierges are. DON'T go to this hotel on the weekends during the summer because that's when they have kareoke for "people who can't sing" in the bar next to the pool. It's quite raucous on the weekends, but much more tranquil on the weekdays. After kareoke ... [more](which ends around 12 a.m.), that's when (as much as I support our troops) all the military men get drunk and start arguing with each other on the streets. But the location isn't all that bad. The beach is about 3 blocks away, the "food pantry" is across the street, a Denny's across the street as well, and the "bus" stop is across the street. After my 5 night stay, I have to admit that I didn't go into their pool once. But it didn't look so clean from the view of my veranda. I also got 3 bug bites on my leg, but I'm 80% sure it was from my room, not from hiking. Overall, it's a good deal for Waikiki. There's so much to do on the island of Oahu so you won't stay in your room all the time. You might as well save a couple bucks and use it on the awesome excursions such as snorkeling ($12 w/ transportation and gear). Be sure to look through those coupon books, you'll find great deals such as $5 transportation from waikiki to the airport. [less]
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By Hidden Vacations User from Cincinnati, OH • Yes! for families Yes! for location Yes! for value

Overall Rating: 8   Location [8] • Room [8] • Service [8] • Value [10]

Please don't let the negative reviews scare you away from this one. Great for budget vacations! My husband, myself, and our 3 children stayed here.

Although the elevators are a little slow, who's in a rush in Hawaii anyway? I did find the carpeting in the OPEN hallways to smell a little, like...wet carpet. The corridors to the rooms are completely open and carpeted... [more], and yes, it rains there too. The hall carpet was very clean though.

The price was unbeatable! And if you walk directly across the street from the hotel you are in the open-air "International Marketplace." (Great place to pick up that Hawaiian shirt you've been wanting.)

If you walk directly through the Marketplace, you cross that street and you are at the best location on Waikiki beach! (In my opinion, the hotel is really only one block from the beach, through the International Marketplace.) Slightly to your right, you will find public access to the beach directly infront of the Sheraton Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the coral/pink hotel featured on many Travel Channel shows. Yes, the sand there is different and you can feel the difference if you go to any part of Waikiki beach down the stretch.

This hotel sits on a corner, and as you face the hotel, the corner across the street to the right- sits a grocery store (great to stock the kitchenette rooms ...save lots of money on breakfast alone!), and inback of you is the Denny's! To the left of the hotel, is a Subway and others.

Taking a family anywhere is expensive- the value of this room is so good that we are going back in '06 (again, with our 3 kids), and this time we are going to take my husband's parents too.

By the way, the rooms were very clean, they provided dishsoap for the kitchen sink, there weren't any stray hairs or toe nails in the bathroom when we checked in ;D and the staff, esp. the front desk were extremely helpful and kind.

The parking however, can be a challenge, even in the garage. Be sure to book this in advance (or as soon as you get there) if you plan on renting a car while there. It is expensive, spaces are limited, and tight. For the most part, we left the car in the garage and walked around- even with three children, the location was so great they didn't complain once about the walking. Truely a tremendous value and fantastic location. [less]
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