Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

I paid to upgrade my room during check-in, moving from the Tapa Tower to a Rainbow Tower ocean-view room. Even though it was only on the 8th floor, the view was absolutely amazing! I even saw a double rainbow, so the upgrade was definitely worth it! The resort itself is incredibly convenient with multiple pools and even a lagoon, which the kids absolutely loved! There are restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops right within the resort, so there's no need to leave.

This stay was in the Rainbow Tower, and the ocean view was absolutely fantastic. The room was spacious and newly renovated, which was great. From the room, it was a short walk downstairs to the beach, pool, and the man-made lagoon. There are also restaurants right below the hotel, making breakfast very convenient. The Hilton Village is huge, with supermarkets, restaurants, and plenty of entertainment facilities, giving it a complete resort feel. However, there were a few downsides: 1. The hotel was extremely crowded. Check-in took an incredibly long time; we waited almost an hour to check in at 5 PM. 2. Since the Rainbow Tower is right by the beach, cars can't pull up directly for pick-up/drop-off. The closest drop-off point is the main reception. 3. There's a fireworks show on Fridays, but our room was on the back side (facing the parking lot, while the Waikiki Beach side was the front), so we couldn't see anything. However, for the full fireworks experience, I'd still recommend going downstairs to watch them. 4. The hotel's location is at the far end of Waikiki Beach, making it a bit of a distance for getting around. But if you're planning to just relax and enjoy the resort, it's perfect; otherwise, getting out and about can be a hassle.

The room was a bit old, and the entertainment facilities were just average, but the sea view was pretty good.

I went there with quite high expectations, given it's such a landmark, but to be honest, it ended up being 'just okay' for me, leaving a bit to be desired. The staff's friendliness and service weren't particularly great.

I chose this hotel for its environment, and the sea view room did offer a nice view. However, the room facilities were very old and outdated. On top of that, the hotel unfairly charged me extra fees. I missed my flight and needed to extend my stay for one night, but I couldn't do it through the platform. I re-booked for another night directly at the hotel, and then, inexplicably, I was charged an extra $40 the next day. We clearly put both yellow cards into the box. This kind of arbitrary charging is absolutely outrageous!

The Rainbow Tower is quite new and the rooms are decent, but the elevators are incredibly slow. With over 1000 rooms sharing just 5 elevators, you're looking at nearly a ten-minute wait every time. I'd advise against booking an ocean view room because you won't really see much ocean; it's mostly lagoon. For a true ocean view, you'd need to book an 'oceanfront view,' and even then, it depends on the front desk's mood – they might give you a low floor where you still can't see anything. My room was on a very low floor with virtually no view, plus there was construction going on downstairs, which was very noisy. The hotel's location is a bit out of the way for Waikiki; it's over a 15-minute walk to the main area. However, it's only a 15-minute walk to Ala Moana Shopping Center. Also, if beach quality is important to you, don't stay here. The beach is full of coral fragments, which hurt your feet, and the water is murky. The towel counter closes at 6 PM, so there's nowhere to return towels after that. Additionally, they don't offer complimentary beach chairs or bodyboards, unlike Marriott where they're free. Overall, it's not really worth the price.

The location is decent, about a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport. The hotel is large, with plenty of restaurants and facilities nearby, and you can even participate in hotel activities. The overall service wasn't anything special, but the really annoying thing is that the hotel doesn't provide bottled water! Thumbs down! You can only drink tap water.

I've stayed at this hotel twice before for my Hawaii vacations, and the service has always been great. Since most flights arrive around 11:00 AM, I've usually been able to check in early for free if there was an available room, allowing me to go straight to sleep. However, this time I had to wait until after 4:00 PM for check-in. To get into a room immediately, I was asked to pay an extra $150. Given the time difference and my urgent need for rest, I agreed to the $150 surcharge. But then I was told that if I switched to a different room type, it would be an additional $80 per night, and they would waive the initial $150. First, I have to say the hotel is very good at marketing. Second, it would be much better if the hotel booking website clearly listed early check-in prices. That way, I could book it in advance online and get into my room to rest sooner!

The room was beautiful, and the Friday night fireworks show was amazing, though it brought a huge crowd. My only minor complaint is that they don't provide slippers, razors, or combs. I even had to ask for a toothbrush, which they then brought, apparently for environmental reasons.