While in Hawaii we stayed at the Aqua Wave Hotel which we found through Trip Advisor where it was rated in the top 10 hotels in Waikiki. .
The foyer is plain with a reception desk on one side and the concierge and a couple of shops on the other. There is a chinese restaurant at the end of the corridor-like entrance.
Note: This post has been updated since I was there in 2008 and the hotel has since closed. Such a shame because it was in such a great position. The staff were friendly and efficient and the room was clean and comfortable. But you can find other great hotels in Waikiki through Expedia
- The staff were very friendly and helpful and check in was easy and painless apart from the fact that our room wasn’t ready. This was through no fault of the hotel, as we had arrived early after a 10 hour flight from Sydney, Australia. We checked our bags and after receiving instructions on how to get to the Ala Moana shopping centre we went off to buy a laptop.
- On our return we completed the booking in process and finally made it up to the room on the 12th floor – Room 1218.
The Beds
- The room has two queen sized beds which turned out to be very comfortable and each bed had 4 soft pillows.
- Plenty of room on the bedside table for laptops, books etc.
The Bathroom
- The towels are quite large and soft.
- There is the usual toiletries provided – shampoo, condition and shower gel.
- An ice bucket is also provided.
The Facilities
- Unlike a lot of hotels we’ve stay at, the Aqua Wave had a microwave. Great for heating up frozen dinners etc. when you just want to relax after a day at the beach.
- There is a coffee making machine that we utilized for tea making, neither of us being coffee drinkers.
- One thing that we did like was the free wireless internet, and although the connection tended to keep dropping out we did manage to get some work done.
- The room is nicely appointed with a small table and chairs to work at, a tv and dvd player, and a plastic table and chairs setting on the balcony.
- Its nice to sit on the balcony in the evening sipping a cocktail and watching the glorious sunsets.
The View
- We have a view, well more of a glimpse, of the water from the balcony.
- Complimentary earplugs are provided as the hotel is in a busy nightclub area, however, we weren’t affected by noise at any stage. This is a nice touch for anyone who maybe very sensitive to noise and more sets are available on request.
- The Aqua Wave Hotel is located in a very convenient spot, close to the Kings Village shopping complex, restaurants, buses and of course the amazing Waikiki beach.
- The Kings Village depicts Honolulu as it may have looked at the turn of the century. The area is cobblestoned and there are around 45 shops and restaurants in the village.
- There is also a ‘Walk of Fame’ with the handprints of a number of Hawaiian celebrities.
- There is a ritual Changing of the Guard ceremony which features a lowering of the flag ceremony followed by a drill exhibition performance.
Note: The village is being redeveloped and replaced with a 33 story condo-hotel. Such a shame that this piece of Hawaiian history will be lost.
- Try out the restaurant next door to the hotel ‘Da Big Kahuna’ at 2299 Kuhio Avenue for a great deal on amazing food.
- We talked to the housekeeper on our way out in the morning, she was knocking on doors actually waking people up so that she could clean their room, however when we returned some hours later, our room wasn’t made up. Not that we minded, we just thought it a bit odd that she hadn’t made the room up knowing we weren’t in there.
- When we returned later in the day after a spell at the beach, the room had been made up and the housekeeper, realizing that we were tea drinkers, had thoughtfully left us some teabags and macadamia biscuits.
Check out at 5am in the morning was equally as pleasant as checking in had been.
Our Rating of the Aqua Wave Hotel:
- Checking in and out 5/5
- Room 4/5
- Position 4/5
- Price 4/5
- Cleanliness 5/5
The staff were friendly and efficient and the room was clean and comfortable.
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