Aston at the Waikiki Banyan

The pool was the main reason I booked, and I only found out when I arrived that it was temporarily closed. The website gave no clear notice before booking, and I got no update or confirmation about when it might reopen. If I’d known, I would’ve chosen another hotel. I used to think this was one of the best hotels, but this experience changed my mind. I spent hundreds of dollars expecting to use the amenities and was disappointed. Guests should be told in advance when a major amenity like the pool is closed. I don’t plan to return.

The view of Diamond Head and the water is nice, and the location is good, just a short walk from the main strip of shops. The building is run down and the parking garage clearance is extremely low. Construction on the leisure deck and pool was underway during my stay, but that hadn’t been disclosed. The elevators could be slow, though there are four in tower 1, so it was never too bad. Smells linger, and the halls and elevators had a different one each day: Indian food, then what smelled like ten thousand blunts, then a shoe, then nothing. I’d choose a hotel, especially since the private residence airbnb rentals are so costly and come with a long list of headaches and rules.

The room was quiet with everything shut, which I appreciated since we were on the 30th floor or higher. But the bedroom had blinds instead of curtains, and the lanai slider was already broken when we arrived. The Hotels.com listing offered a queen or two full beds, so we expected a choice and wanted the queen. We were made to take the two full beds. All the lights were bright white, too, which could be a problem if you're sensitive to that.

The location was decent, and I didn't have any major problems, but I wouldn't rave about this hotel. It wasn't particularly clean, and the room stayed humid. The biggest disappointment was spotting a small cockroach in room 1208.