We stayed here for 1 week in October. We picked this hotel due to it's location, price, and the fact that it has continental breakfast which is something that makes traveling easier and something you don't have to worry about. When we got there, the valet got our luggage from our shuttle and took it immediately upstairs while we were checking in. I'm going to breakdown parts of the hotel for those who are looking through reviews.
Our hotel room was in the tower closest to the entrance, so we were not above the karaoke and steak house on the other tower. I sleep with ear plugs in because I'm not used to sleeping with my parents in the same room (and they wake up early.) I didn't think noise was an issue, but at times, you could hear the upstairs guest walking with heavy feet. The room was clean, and pretty big! Compared to other photos of other hotels, this one was big and one of the reasons we chose this hotel. However, I noticed that some of the amenities that were listed weren't included such as an iPhone dock/clock and a landline phone. We found the cord for it... but no phone? Kind of odd, but we ignored it for the entire trip (we pass by the lobby every day anyways). The A/C is directly above the bed, which is nice... but you can see all the dirt and dust that has accumulated underneath. I liked the shelf area right between the beds--it has two levels which means there is plenty space for all your electronics and your family's electronics. There is also another outlet on the wall, which was pretty good too. The balcony was nice--we were facing the Ritz Carlton. One con was that there weren't any drawers big enough to fit clothing. My dad and I were hoping to save space in the room (as if we needed to) by putting our clothes in the drawers, but there was none.
The elevators were hit or miss. There is only one elevator per tower (there are two towers.) If it was breakfast time, getting downstairs from the third floor seemed to be a pain because the elevators would take so long to get to our floor, and sometimes the elevator was full, meaning we would have to wait again. There weren't any clear signs of where the stairs were, and it seemed like one of the doors leading to the stairs was locked. That seems like a safety issue as what if there's a fire? Luckily, there wasn't, but it would be something to look into.
The bathroom. It's pretty big. Kind of dated. Again, another amenity that wasn't in our bathroom that was featured in the photos was a Japanese style bidet. The bathtub is huge! But I would be weary for any one who has problems getting in and out of tubs. You have to go over a pretty big, maybe 4 inches, side in order to get into the tub and take a shower. There is a handle bar across to help, but getting out of the tub can be difficult.
Breakfast. I knew when booking this hotel that the continental breakfast was not the best, but at least it was offered. I also knew that people were complaining about the amenity fee of $25 a night that covers said breakfast, wifi, newspapers, ect. It's true. The breakfast is simply coffee, donuts, bagels, juices, fresh fruit and cereal. For us, we were really wanting some substantial protein, and so we went out to buy spam for a few days and other food. One day we brought IHOP (which is just around the corner, a McDonalds is like a block away from that.) We weren't the only ones who did this as I saw a couple people bring their own food on top of the continental breakfast food. So, with that said, please Aqua Oasis, include some protein like boiled eggs or yogurt. Paying $25/night for amenities should also mean that we get a better breakfast than what was offered. Also, breakfast is only from 7-9. It's super packed around 7 am (we went in October, the low season, so imagine what it would be like in the higher season) and then dies down around 7:45. We had one day where we went to Diamond Head, and as much as I said "the breakfast could be better", we couldn't have breakfast because we left so early.
Service was pretty good. I didn't interact any more than usual with the staff, but they were all pretty nice and friendly. The only one thing that bothered me was concierge service. They are available, but only from 8-4pm. I thought it was pretty inconvenient as we were usually gone by 8 and wouldn't return until 3-4, tired from the day's activities. There were times where I wanted to ask the concierge desk where they would recommend for dinner, but most of the time they were gone. I know where I live, the concierge service was still around at 6pm. I would have used them more if they were available.
Pool was okay, but you're like a 15 minute walk from the beach, so why would you not go to the beach? The patio area and lobby area is nice too. You can sit in the egg chairs and swing around.
Location. The location is pretty good. It's a little far off from some of the things further down Waikiki past Duke Kahanamoku statue, but for what is around it kind of makes up for it. You're just a walk away from the International Market Place, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikiki Plaza and the beach. If anyone is taking the Waikiki Trolley, the depot is a block away. There is a farmers market on Monday, Tues and Thursday that is just down the street. And Lewers is a one way street, meaning there won't be a much traffic... except for the trolley depot. The entrance to the trolley depot is at the front of the hotel, so when the trolley pulls in, they ring their bell, so you will hear that often during the day.
Overall, the hotel is nice and clean. There some areas of improvement such as their breakfast, concierge service, and their photos. Some of their photos are outdated in what they offer (ie, iPhone docking station, Japanese toilet bidet) but otherwise, it is pretty accurate.
Smaller Friendly Hotel
melaniem333
(Anchorage, Alaska)
We stayed here at the last minute and got a good deal directly from their web site. Very friendly staff, free upgrade with free continental breakfast. They have a wonderful smoking area that was much appreciated.
Beautiful time with my wife
Freedom47997749506
I found the staff very accommodating and friendly and had a very enjoyable stay. Olivia and door man were very helpful upon arrival and departure. Very clean roons and friendly greetings from all the staff. Liked hanging out at Moose McGillycuddy's just up the street and other local restaurant's near by.
Underwhelmed and exceptionally tired
Mj3022
This hotel says updated, which may be true, but that just means updated to the early 1990s. The inside of our PAID upgraded room here was old and dingy. The hotel staff also neglected to let us know during checkin that their water heater was broken and under repair for the tower we were in. Keep in mind there were rooms available that didn’t have this problem and we weren’t told. After a twelve hour flight, all we wanted was a shower and some sleep. Needless to say, the first did not happen. Neither did the second, as this hotels exterior walls are paper thin and the property is right by a night club or bar. We were on a upper floor and were woken every night by yelling drunk party goers at 2 in the morning. For the price paid, I would have expected at least a decent nights sleep, but that was also out of reach. Besides that the breakfast is truly the old style continental breakfast (donuts cereal and bread) and the pool is both silly and a joke. The parking staff was nice, but considering it’s 32 per night I would have been livid if they weren’t. If you are not a holiday making teen looking to get drunk and crash at 5 am, avoid like the plague. If you do have a problem, prepare with your own phone to call several times, as the room has no phone.
Aqua oasis
Journeybegins7
We spent our honeymoon at the aqua oasis in Waikiki. All the staff did everything they could to make our stay memorable, at check in the lady that checked us in was so nice and gave us a basket filled with some Hawaiian goodies, which was a nice surprise. Our room was amazing we were given a free upgrade to a suite. We had a full kitchen and the bed was so comfortable with a huge balcony. All the staff was very helpful and kind especially olivia who always seemed to be there with a friendly smile to say good night and help with any request we had. All in all our stay here was a great way to start our marriage!
