Walter B.
The location and atmosphere are exceptional for us. The center of Waikiki is arguably less than half a block away, Waikiki Beach is about a 5-10 minute walk, and International Marketplace is under two blocks away. There are lots of good restaurants and shops nearby, including a two-story Target, and many places have excellent happy hours. Prices are similar to my other home in Monterey County, CA. If you want a car, you’ll need somewhere to park it. I take the W bus, a block away, to Ala Moana and Kahanamoku, about a 10-minute ride, then walk five minutes to the harbor, where parking is $1/hour. That’s why you ride the bus here, like tourists and locals do. Mahalo! Hawaiian King isn’t a hotel. It’s a condo building where some people live full time, some part time like me, and some units are rented by owners through AirBnb or similar sites. There’s no hotel desk open except currently 3-5 on weekdays, and actual residents live here. I’m a new owner and love the mix of regulars and visitors. Common areas are kept very clean, but the building dates to 1959, isn’t especially modern, and is at best carewarn. Units are individually varied in quality, though virtually all have the same footprint. At 450 square feet, there isn’t room for eight people. The living room and bedroom are separated by a movable wall or curtain, and each is around 120 square feet. If a unit is advertised for that many guests, I don’t think the host is being honest. I can see two sleeping in the bedroom and two in the living room on a convertible sofa. Sometimes visitors stay up partying late because they think this is a hotel.
