Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach

The location was great, and the sheets and towels were clean. Rooms are small and older, which I guess comes with the location, but the pictures gave me the wrong impression. My view from the 8th-floor balcony is in the attached picture. What I didn’t find mentioned anywhere was that parking is valet only and costs $58 a day.

The rooms were average, and other hotels nearby at similar prices offer better service. There’s no self-parking, valet is mandatory, and they take forever to bring the car. When I had an emergency, the valet staff wouldn’t listen to my concern, which made for a horrible experience.

Laundry on the second floor was really useful, at $4.25 per wash and $4.25 per dry, and the free SPF 50 lotion by the pool was a nice touch. We stayed 11 nights on our second visit to the Hilton Garden Inn in Waikiki. It’s nicely located by the back entrance to the International Market Place and across from Target. Housekeeping did an excellent job and were very friendly. Front desk service was mostly average, apart from Barry, who was very friendly and keen to share local tips. They offered free morning coffee and tea, which was nice, but the tea ran out around Day 6 and never came back. Our Hilton Honors status gave us a daily Food & Beverage credit. We found the food at TR Fire Grill mediocre at best, and technical issues meant we couldn’t charge Shaka’s Pool Bar to the room. Brie, the server at Shaka’s, was great. Luckily, we could use the credit at Holoholo Market in the hotel, which sells food and merchandise. The staff there were average, but it was a handy store to have on site.

The location is great, about a six-minute walk to the beach and an easy stroll for food and shopping. Staff were nice and let us check in early. The bed and pillows were really soft and comfortable, and the linens were clean. I didn’t use the pool, but I passed it often. It’s small, and I rarely saw anyone there, so it doesn’t seem crowded. There’s a microwave, though it’s difficult to open, and a mini fridge. The room lights didn’t really work. Despite the no-smoking policy, the hallways constantly smelled like smoke and old wet socks. Doing makeup was awkward too, since the sink and mirror meant crouching over. It’s fine if you’re out most of the day and just want a decent, comfy place to sleep.