As many of you already know, my son is a student athlete (basketball player) at The University of Hawaii At Manoa, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and because of this, my husband and I spend quite a bit of time on the island of Oahu, in fact, it has almost become like our second home. We truly love Honolulu, and on our first trip there four years ago, when my son took his official visit to the university, we chose to stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and it has definitely become one of our go to hotels for many of our visits to the island.
There are so many things we love about the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and there are a variety of reasons it has remained as one of our top hotel choices when visiting Honolulu. From its rich history, and beautiful rooms, some with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and/or the Diamond Head crater, to its ideal location, just steps from the breathtaking Waikiki Beach, as well as it close proximity to amazing shopping, and its plentiful on site resort amenities, it is truly the perfect resort for a stay on Oahu. To give you a little glimpse into the history of this wonderful resort, the area on which the hotel stands, the lands of Hamohamo, were inherited a century ago by the last Hawaiian monarch Queen Lili’ uokalani, from her grandfather. The land on which the hotel is directly built was once the Ku’ekaunahi stream, which ran through the Queen’s property. The queen spent much of her time composing songs and translating Hawaiian stories into English, surrounded by lily ponds and elaborate gardens, and she enjoyed relaxing, and informally entertaining family and friends on occasion in a large inviting living room, which she considered a place where “All could gather in joy and hospitality.” Many, if not all of these elements are represented and shared in the gorgeous newly renovated lobby of the hotel, which blends the best of Hawaii’s outdoor environment with the latest in hotel design, and it is truly a welcoming place for all who come to stay at the resort.
Since our first visit four years ago, the hotel has made quite a few changes to the lobby, and the guest rooms will be renovated starting this October. I personally feel like everything I need for a relaxing vacation or even a business trip can be found right on the property, and a bonus is that it is also close to many of the local attractions. The newly renovated rooms and suites are spacious and inviting, the fitness center and two pools are conveniently located, there are multiple amazing dining options on site, and the spa offers so many great services that it is a must visit when I stay there. The resort also offers several suite options like the Queen’s Suite, shown in this post that is perfect for a large family stay. So, if you’re planning a visit to Oahu, I definitely recommend you check out the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. It offers the perfect blend of Hawaii’s aloha spirit and Marriott’s renowned tradition of excellence, that it is sure to make your stay more than enjoyable.
Since my family and I travel quite a bit, I feel like I have become very knowledgeable about picking hotels that meet our personal preferences. My husband and I now even enjoy researching and selecting our own resorts versus using a travel agent, and we have been beyond pleased with our choices during our last trips. So, in today’s “Travel Guide,” in addition to sharing details about the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa with you, I’m sharing the ultimate 5 step guide to picking the perfect hotel. I personally like to start by creating a list of resort options, and then going through the steps below to refine my list and choose my hotel.
Travel Guide: The Ultimate 5 Step Guide To Picking The Perfect Hotel
Location, Location, Location – Once you have decided on your travel destination, figuring out exactly where you want to stay is key. The first step is to decide what you want to be near or close to. Deciding if you want to stay in the heart of the city, or on the outskirts for some peace and quiet, and if it’s a beach vacation, deciding how close you want to be to the beach is important. So, visit the hotel’s website, and check out all of the details on it’s location and proximity to sights and attractions that are important to you and your family. When staying in Honolulu, we always want to be very close to the beach, so the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa checks that box for us.
Budget – After you have a few hotels in mind that meet your location requirements, consider your budget. This will help you to narrow down your choices, and will also help to ensure an enjoyable vacation that doesn’t stress you out because you went beyond your budget. There are many sites like Expedia, and Orbitz that offer deals to enure you stay within your established budget.
Accommodations – Visit the hotel’s website to see what you can expect from your room or suite. If having a beautiful view is important to you, make sure the hotel offers rooms or suites with a view. If you have any other in room requirements, be sure to check the details of each room type to ensure that it meets your needs. We always like to have an ocean view when visiting Honolulu, and the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa offers a variety of rooms and suites with amazing view options.
Amenities & Services – Since you don’t plan to spend your entire stay in your room, be sure to look into the hotel’s amenities and services. The hotel’s website is a good place to start for these details. If you want to swim, and relax by the pool, check to see if the hotel has a pool, if you want to stay on track with your fitness and workouts, check to see if the hotel offers a fitness center, and if you like to have multiple dining options on site, check to see if the hotel offers dining options like room service, and on site restaurants. The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa has five different dinning options, plus room service, and two Starbucks right on the property, so dining at the resort is definitely convenient.
Research & Reviews – Once my list has been narrowed, and I am down to one or two resort choices, the final step before booking is to do some research on the property, and check out the reviews to make sure that my choices meet my personal standards. This step usually helps me to select one resort option over another. You can check out the reviews on the hotel’s website, and you can also read reviews on sites like Tripadvisor.
I hope you enjoyed today’s post and learning about one of my favorite Hawaii Resorts, and I hope you found this five step guide to picking the perfect hotel helpful. For more information about the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, be sure to visit their website here.
Thanks so much for reading!
~Kristi
