Castle at Waikīkī Grand

We had a great trip, and Castle’s staff were the nicest we’d ever met in HNL. The tenants were lovely, too. Our room was on the top floor, which made the shared roof space a bonus for us as a mother and daughter. There was no private balcony apart from that rooftop area, so it might not suit someone wanting an intimate space. The views were great, the location even better, and everything was kept really clean. There’s a bar on site and a great burger joint, with everything within walking distance. We were a stone’s throw from the ocean, zoo, and parks, and the bus was easy to access. There’s a pool as well, and it’s cute, though we didn’t use it. Splurge for the roof studio, it’s still cost effective by comparison.

The sheets, pillowcases, and light blanket smelled awful when we arrived, like someone had gone to bed sweaty after running in 85-degree heat without bathing. They hadn’t been changed. On our last day, we also spotted a cockroach crawling around. There was a full kitchen, and the staff seemed friendly, but with the prices involved, this was quite possibly the worst hotel I’ve stayed at. A huge support pillar in the middle of the room made it feel like I was living in a closet.

Everything else was fine, and the location was actually great. The bed was comfortable enough, too. But I wouldn’t recommend staying here because of two things. First, there was a surprise “cleaning” fee of over $250 for just five days, which pushed the price way up. Second, intense light came in from outside, and the curtains barely blocked it. At 2 a.m. it was as bright as sunrise, which really disrupted my sleep. The room wasn’t cleaned very well either, so where was that fee going?

We could walk all around Waikiki, and the rooftop view was spectacular. If you’d rather not walk so much, the $5 all-day bus stop is just around the corner on the other side of the block. The hotel was good, the rooms were very nice, and ours looked out toward the mountains and city. The location is amazing.