So far, the Hilton Hawaiian Village is the only hotel in Honolulu that I don’t think that I’ll ever go back to.
Yes, it’s a beautiful property with everything most would ever want or need for a really nice Hawaiian vacation.
The problem? I didn’t like how far away it is from Waikiki. Going anywhere interesting requires either an expensive Uber ride or a very long (and tiring / profanity inducing) walk.
A full review of my one night stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village
Before continuing with this review, it’s important to note that this is technically a resort – not a stand alone hotel. And my gripe of it being too far away from Waikiki is probably unjustified considering how much it has to offer. Whatever. It’s fun to be a critic.
Location
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is located right on the beach smack dab between central Honolulu and Waikiki at 2005 Kalia Rd.
Warning: this is not the hotel for you if your primary goal is staying within walking distance of all the great shops and restaurants in Waikiki. Look at me having fun being overly critical!
It took me exactly 36 minutes to walk from the entrance of the Village to the Moana Surfrider Hotel (arguably the heart of Waikiki). Just sayin.’
The lobby (and checking in)
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is a massive property consisting of a number of different towers. Most guests will check in at the main lobby. I reserved a room in the Ali’i Tower, which offers a completely separate (and less chaotic) check in process in the ground floor of that building.
Guests of the Ali’i Tower (that’s me!) have their own dedicated check-in area in the lobby of that building. The problem was finding it. They don’t make it easy.
It occurred to me as I was walking around trying to find the entrance to the Ali’i Tower that they probably make it confusing on purpose. The temptation to pop into one of the little cafés for an açai bowl (as I poured over maps and diagrams of the property layout) was strong. They almost got me.
The Ali’i Tower is one of the more upscale buildings here at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Based on what I paid for my one night stay, it darn well better be. Checking in was fast and easy by the way. Much less chaotic than what it was like back in the main lobby.
Getting to my room
After checking in, it was another five minute ride up the elevator and down the hallway to room A1405. Easy peasy.
Room overview
I paid out the a** extra for an ocean facing corner room on the 14th floor. I mean, if I was gonna stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, I might as well YOLO the hell out of the experience, right?
Like most hotels in Waikiki, the rooms here in the Ali’i Tower aren’t exactly what I’d call luxurious. “Upscale casual” is probably a better way of describing it. “Somewhat outdated” counts as well – but to be honest I didn’t mind.
Complementary bottled water is included, as is a Keurig coffee machine with some interesting looking Hawaiian-themed packages of coffee. The in room refrigerator was nice to see as well. BUT – there is no minibar, so if you wanna get lit, you’re gonna have to go downstairs.
The view
There are fewer things more commanding in life than standing high above Waikiki Beach with a birds eye view of everything. Prior to this visit, the 20th floor view that I had from the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel was the best yet that I’ve had here on Oahu.
Do I even need to tell you that this is the new number one? The views from my corner room were nothing short of spectacular (day or night).
Knowing ahead of time that the view was going to be better than the view that I had from my room at the Vive Hotel (located over on Kuhio Ave), I didn’t care what it cost to choose this room. I have no regrets.
It was the views at night which impressed me the most. As long as you can deal with all the noise from the drunk tourists below, it’s a pretty epic way to wind down from a busy day of sightseeing.
The bathroom
I struggle most of the time to write a detailed overview of the bathroom in my hotel reviews. Not this time. As you’ll see in the pictures below, this is one of the most unique hotel room bathrooms that you will ever see. It certainly wasn’t the best. But I absolutely loved the retractable walls.
This was easily one of the largest bathrooms I’ve ever had a hotel in Waikiki. Just like the rest of the room, it was slightly out of date. It was very well stocked though – you won’t have to worry about bringing any shampoos, conditioners, or even toothbrushes along. They’ve got you covered.
A few words about the resort itself
As I mentioned above, the Hilton Hawaiian Village is a self contained resort. Everything you would ever need is located on-site. There are bars, restaurants, shops, spas, pools, ballrooms, meeting rooms, outdoor workout areas, indoor gyms, etc. It’s all there.
It wouldn’t be all that illogical to never have to leave the property once you arrive. It would certainly be foolish considering everything Oahu has to offer, but one could certainly do it (if one was lazy or unmotivated enough).
Personally, I prefer the energetic (and eclectic) vibe of Waikiki over the more relaxed – and comparatively more abbreviated – vibe of the Village.
Pros and cons
I’m of the opinion that this is a property that you are either going to love or hate. If you think of it as a hotel, you’re probably gonna hate it. However, if you think of it more as a destination style resort, you might have a pretty good time. It’s important to have realistic expectations.
Pros
- The entire property has a “small town / village” feel to it – which is admittedly more cozy and relaxing than Waikiki proper.
- Hawaiian vibes up the yazoo. There will be no mistaking where you’re at once you arrive.
- The private beach (for hotel guests only) is huge, stunningly beautiful, and very well maintained.
- These selection of bars and restaurants located on-site is impressive. No matter what kind of food you’re in the mood for, you’ll have no problem finding it.
Cons
- This is a very popular hotel, oozing at every crevice with tourists from all over the world. There’s activity 24/7.
- Because of how busy it is, this would be one of the last places I would recommend for anyone seeking a quiet and relaxing place to stay in Honolulu.
- It’s too far away from Waikiki to be able to properly enjoy all of the shops and restaurants over there.
- Why does it gotta be so darn expensive? It’s way overpriced in my opinion.
