Jul 25, 2010

Where to stay in Waikiki ~ Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel

Where to stay in Waikiki ~ The Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel  

The Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel General description:

• The Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel was built in 1984. This tower has 40 floors with 2 “glass” elevators on the back, facing the mountains. All units in the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel are very small, feature kitchenettes and NO balconies.
• The common areas, like the lobby and registration areas are small. Also, the pool area is not very big, but it is pleasant, and has a jacuzzi and a tennis court. Parking is an extra charge, and is quite expensive.

• There is some street parking areas within walking distance to the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel. However, be advised that parking spots are extremely hard to find particularly after 6 p.m.

What we like about the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel:

• All units at the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel have a kitchen.
• The swimming pool area is nice, inviting and with a fair amount of sun exposure during the day for sunbathing. The pool is a fair size, as is the common area that has a jacuzzi and a tennis court.
• The Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel is a high rise, but only some rooms will have a panoramic view.
• The Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel is in very close proximity to the Honolulu Convention Center, which makes it a good choice for travelers attending events there.

What you may not like about the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel:

• Quality of service has been reported by visitors to be poor.
• On the Waikiki map, the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel appears to be close to the ocean, but please be advised that this area is a marina full of boats. The closest beach that you can swim in is in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, about 6 blocks away (about a 15 minutes walk).
• For most people the size of the rooms are too small. They may be adequate for 1 person but for 2 people, you may find it too tight. In fact, these rooms are so small, that normally the hotel allows a maximum of two people in these units.
• At the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel rooms have no balconies, and in most cases, for security reasons, the only windows they have open no more than a couple of inches. You do have AC, but if you enjoy just having the windows open, this may be a problem for you.
• Since the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel is located at the beginning of Waikiki, the hotel is too far form the center of Waikiki. Hotels of the same quality can only be found in the more central location Waikiki. But again, the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel is great for being close to the Convention Center. Since the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel it is located outside of Waikiki, unless you are attending a convention, you may want to look for a hotel that is more centrally located.
• At the Aqua Waikiki Marina Hotel there have been many problems reported by visitors with the elevators. Whether it is because of a design flaw, or poor maintenance, these 2 elevators have been out of order more often than expected, and often times both of the elevators are not operating at the same time!!!
• Also, many people do not usually want to stay in this area because it is considered the least attractive part of Waikiki.