Maggie101

We will be on Oahu in April for four short days. We lived there more years ago than I would like to remember. We have traveled to Hawaii several times but usually to the other islands. In fact, now that I think about it, it has been over 30 years since we have been to Oahu...wow! Anyway, we are thinking of staying in the Ko Olina area on the advice of a friend. That area a did not even exist when we were there.

I am hoping for a comparison of amenities at the Aulani compared to the Marriott Beach Club. We would be interested in the snorkeling and kayaking. I admit that the newer hotel is appealing to me but since our kids and grands will not be with us I am not really wanting to be swarmed by other children. I did notice that the Aulani had an adult area though. I am thinking that the amenities at the Aulani might make the extra $$ worth it though...

I am hoping someone can tell me something about the resorts and the Ko Olina area....
Restaurants, shopping etc.

Thanks!

Maggie101

More thoughts and questions...

Before our friends suggestion to stay in Ko Olina we were toying with two nights at Turtle Bay and two nights in Waikiki. Since we have seen all of Oahu's must see attractions (Pearl Harbor etc.) our only MUST DO is Hanauma Bay. Turtle Bay was merely on our list since it was a place that I always wanted to stay years ago when we lived there. I am just wondering if you would suggest that Waikiki would be a better place since our time is so short. We will be boarding a cruise at the end of our four days.

Patty

Aulani and the lagoon 1 beach in front of it is swarmed with kids. The Marriott Beach Club has its share of children too as they're timeshare units but not nearly as many. Beach Villas and lagoon 2 is the quietest area but they only rent by the week. I would stay at the Marriott and go to the Aulani spa (which is very nice) or restaurant facilities if you wish (although the food is not that great). In addition to the resort restaurants and shops, there's a Roy's on the golf course and a Monkeypod Kitchen at the small Ko Olina station shopping center where there's also a convenience store and a few other smaller restaurants. Other than that, there's not much else inside the resort complex. The town of Kapolei is nearby and I like the Thai Lao restaurant there. If you want to snorkel in the lagoons, lagoon 2 has a couple of resident sea turtles that are usually around.

simpsonc510

As much as I loved staying at the J W Ko Olina a few years ago, it was just too far off the beaten path for me. I've driven out in that direction since that time, and I see that there are new shopping areas not too far away now, but it still seems too remote. In Honolulu traffic it can take some serious time out of your short stay on Oahu. I would consider Waikiki instead.

Patty

It depends on what you're looking for. Ko Olina is fine if you want beach/relaxation time. If you want to do stuff, commuter traffic is very heavy from the leeward side into Honolulu in the morning and the reverse in the afternoon. I've never stayed at Turtle Bay.

Vicky

I was at Aulani in Feb this year. Yes there are kids and they normally annoy me but I was so relaxed that it really didnt' bother me. I enjoyed the private lagoon and breakfast was included but the resort was very expensive (free breakfast) and shopping is limited. I really just wanted to relax so I just went to the beach, walked over to the small shopping center to ABC after breakfast every day, and just chilled. The room was very nice. I thought of going into Waikiki (where I'd been previously) but didn't want to take a whole day out of beach time and figured how much stuff did I need to buy anyway. If you want activities, Ko'Olina is not the place; if you just want to chill, it's fine.

wtm003

I didn't care for Ko Olina and simpsonc510 summed up my feelings, but Vicky is probably correct that it is a good place if you just want to chill.

My kids thought the lagoons were boring and the snorkeling was only ok so we spent more time on the North Shore or in Honolulu than we actually spent in Ko Olina.

Maggie101

Thanks for the replies! After discussing we have decided we had best stay in Waikiki. We will relax and chill on our cruise and we don't want to be held back by traffic when our stay is so short...

Any advice on Waikiki hotels?

DebitNM

Late to party. Stayed at Marriott Beach Club at Ko Olina in 2007 - we were actually staying there when the big quake hit Big Island, in fact.

It was pretty remote then; I am surprised it has remained that way. Nice for chilling but there was little in the ways of shops or restaurants - a single shopping center. But I "think" there may have been a Leonards there?? Only 1 gas station too. We needed to get gas to return rental car to airport and they had no power. Most of the island had no power either. It was a big mess.

Patty

No Leonards in Ko Olina or nearby Kapolei that I know of. No gas stations inside Ko Olina but there are several in the town of Kapolei which is a suburban bedroom community with strip malls, big box stores including a Costco (which has a good takeout poke bar) and movie theater. They're building a larger shopping mall there http://kamakanaalii.com/ and once the Four Seasons opens next year, there should be more higher end dining options.

Any advice on Waikiki hotels?

What are you looking for and what's your budget?

DebitNM

Maybe it was the Leonards truck parked in the shopping center?

And no, the gas station wasn't IN Ko Olina, but on the main road that led to it from Honolulu.

sf7307

We liked the Marriott Beach Club at Ko'Olina, so long as we were IN the resort (units are standard-issue for a Marriott timeshare, which is fine, but the pools are nice, and it has a decent fitness center). We didn't like the location for a number of reasons, one being the distance/traffic from Waikiki and east side, another being the roads getting TO the resort - the trip from Waikiki was downright unattractive until you enter the Ko'Olina resort itself, and the third being that there was little there - no restaurants, no shopping, even the path along the beach wasn't as fun as the one in Kaanapali. We ate dinner more than once at regular "suburban" restaurants in Kapolei, which would be fine if they were great, but they were just good.