Jul 26, 2010

Where to stay in Waikiki ~ Waikiki Banyan Hotel

Where to stay in Waikiki ~ Waikiki Banyan Hotel 

Waikiki Banyan Hotel General description:

• The Waikiki Banyan Hotel Towers were built in 1977; they consist of 2 separate towers that share a large common area. It is mainly consider a condominium rather than a Hotel but for most of its existence the Waikiki Banyan Hotel operated a “pool” of units, most recently under the management of Aston (former Resort Quest).
  All the units are marketed as 1 bedrooms with full kitchens.
• The common areas are those of a condominium but it has a especially spacious amenities area with a pool, jacuzzi, BBQ grills and children playground.
• It does not have any restaurant or other type of food establishment, only a small Sundry store and Snack bar.
• Like all other hotels in Waikiki, the Waikiki Banyan Hotel Parking is charged extra.
• The Waikiki Banyan Hotel the front desk is located on the ground floor with very easy access from the street as well as the elevators, no steps or stairs are present.
• Even though the Waikiki Banyan Hotel has been maintained regularly, it has not undergone a meaningful renovation for quite some time. 

What we like about the Waikiki Banyan Hotel:

• Very easy access for travelers with disabilities or mobility limitations.
• All units at the Waikiki Banyan Hotel have complete kitchens.
• The Waikiki Banyan Hotel has the largest parking area of any hotel in Waikiki so lack of parking is rarely an issue with this property.
• The Waikiki Banyan Hotel has one of the largest family oriented amenities area for a hotel in Waikiki.

What you may not like about the Waikiki Banyan Hotel:

• If you are booking at the Waikiki Banyan Hotel because of the supposed privacy that a 1 bedroom unit would provide, be advised that most of these units are not one bedrooms but a large studio with kitchens that are fitted with a large 3 part sliding door that separates the unit into a bedroom area and a living room area, even though they are better than a regular studio, they do not provide the privacy that most people seek when looking for a 1 bedroom suite.
• For some people, the Waikiki Banyan Hotel is already somewhat far from the center.
• The Waikiki Banyan Hotel has been through maintenance type renovations regularly to compensate for the wear and tear of a hotel operation but since nothing meaningful has been done to the property, there are some areas that are starting to show the age.
• The Waikiki Banyan Hotel Rates are consistently more expensive than comparable units in other hotels in Waikiki.