Marriott Vacation Club, Waikiki

This is a fantastic choice if you're looking for a convenient Waikiki location near shops, restaurants, and the beachfront. It's not on the beach, and, like other Vacation Clubs, it doesn't come with every resort amenity, so keep that in mind. Our room was very updated, one of the nicest Vacation Clubs I've seen. It had a kitchen, living room, separate bedroom, and a large bathroom with a wet room shower and bathtub, plus a Toto luxury bidet. We had a great stay.

The room views were incredible, and the staff were helpful. The location was good, close to Waikiki Beach and lots of shopping. I got breakfast at the Starbucks right inside the hotel most days. My one small complaint was the noise. There were sirens and city sounds all night, plus a party downstairs at the hotel with loud live music. Still, I was pretty happy with my stay.

This felt more like a Vacation Club sales center with rooms attached than a resort. The sales pitches were aggressive and ate up hours of our vacation, with constant pressure to sign up that day for "special benefits." There's no breakfast, and the welcome drink area is tiny and unimpressive. Lower floor rooms may look new, but they get no sunlight and have terrible soundproofing. There was nonstop noise, especially near the housekeeping storage areas. The pool was cold, there was no jacuzzi, and we saw cockroaches. There was no early check-in or late checkout, and no flexibility or hospitality. Airbnb is a better option. I won't return or recommend it.

We stayed at Marriott Vacation Club Waikiki while my daughter and I were in Hawaii for a family funeral. It was a very difficult time, and we used points for the stay. The property is brand new and very clean, the beds were comfortable, and the staff gave genuinely wonderful service. Laundry on the 4th and 6th floors was convenient. The location was decent, close to shops and restaurants, and easy to get around without a car. Parking was my biggest issue. The reservation listed valet at $67 per day and self-parking at $55. Those prices were high but acceptable. A few days before arrival, I called and was told valet was now $78 per day and self-parking $10 per hour with a cap. Since a third-party vendor handles parking, overnight parking of about 10 hours would cost $80, which was outrageous. As an owner guest, that was especially frustrating. Marriott should consider its own valet staff and reduced rates for owners. I parked elsewhere and walked to avoid the cost. Before we left for Hawaii, the hotel called with information that contradicted both the reservation and what I'd previously been told, so I started emailing to keep things clear. The reservation said fees and taxes were included, but at check-in there was an additional State of Hawaii occupancy tax that wasn't on the invoice. The tax itself wasn't the problem, it was the lack of disclosure. A simple note that some states require separate mandatory occupancy taxes would help. Our flight was canceled due to weather, so we arrived nearly 7½ hours late, close to midnight. The arrival was the most stressful part. There was no clear front entrance, visible valet, or good signage. I drove around several times trying to find check-in and ended up stuck at the garage entrance with no way to turn around. The front desk told me to back out, and eventually a valet appeared and said the same. With luggage, I was vaguely directed to a small sliding door near the garage that looked like an employee entrance. From there I took an elevator to the 3rd floor lobby. The front desk staff were kind, but the layout and arrival process were very poorly designed. The room was nice, but poorly designed, with wasted space. It had no balcony, real view, hot tub, full kitchen, or beach view, and the welcome package and amenities were underwhelming. This didn't feel like a true Marriott Vacation Club property, more like a glorified hotel. For the cost in cash or points, it simply isn't worth it. If I return to Hawaii, I'll choose different accommodations.