cawhite

Hi everyone,

Our family is heading back to Hawaii next summer. We will be on Oahu for 5 nights.

We've always stayed right in Waikiki during our trips. Last time we were there (2004) we stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. Our kids (who will be 16 and 13 this time around) LOVED LOVED LOVED that hotel. In fact, the entire family did.

We loved:
- being right in the middle of Waikiki where all the action is
- going back and forth between the Outrigger pool and the beach
- the proximity to the Int'l Marketplace
- eating at Duke's with their wonderful breakfast buffet and great dinners
- the staff at the Outrigger... they were all so much fun!

Next summer we want the family to have another great experience but are thinking of changing it up a bit. We're looking for options to trim the budget as well.

One option would be to use our Starwood points and stay at the Sheraton Waikiki or the Moana Surfrider (the Royal Hawaiian is supposed to be closed at that time). But would the kids have as much fun at the Sheraton as they did at the Outrigger? If so which Sheraton has the best pool, beach, and overall family experience?

A 2nd option to change it up a bit would be to stay 3 nights at a Sheraton (above) and 2 nights outside of Waikiki... maybe at the Ke Iki Beach Bungalows, or some place near Lanikai beach... but that would involve moving around more than we probably want.

The 3rd (and probably least likely) option for changing things up would be to stay at the Ko'Olina Marriott instead of Waikiki for the 5 nights (hubby is a Platinum Marriott client and can get a good deal on a 5 night package), but I not sure the kids would like staying outside of Waikiki.

What do you folks recommend?

Many thanks.

Carole

wtm003

We just got back from the JW Marriott Ko Olina and while we enjoyed our stay, I don't think it is right for your family.

First of all, if you want action, it is not happening in Ko Olina. It is very quiet and there are no restaurants (besides the hotel) within walking distance.

We did the breakfast buffet at Duke's and it was fun - a pigeon walked across my foot while I was eating breakfast. My boys just about choked from laughter when they saw my face. The Marriott also had a great buffet but definitely not the same atmosphere.

The lagoons at Ko Olina are manmade and very calm. This may be good for families with small children, but my kids got bored and we headed to Kailua Beach and Waimea Bay where they had a blast. Snorkeling was okay at Ko Olina - the water was a little murky. Again we found better snorkeling, up north, at Shark's Cove.

So based on the information you provided, I think you should stay in Waikiki.

Have fun!

choco1

Agree w/ WTM003, that based on what you described, Waikiki will have more to do than Ko Olina. The Sheraton Waikiki is a beautiful hotel with a great location. Another gorgeous resort with one of the best locations and most beautiful grounds in Waikiki is Hilton Hawaiian Village. Both should offer plenty to keep the kids happy.
However, if you really want to put a new twist on a Hawaii trip, why not skip Oahu, and fly to another island? The Big Island, for example, is a totally different experience, offering awesome hiking at the Volcanoes National park, horseback riding at Parker Ranch, and the typical Hawaiian beach scene at their many beautiful resorts... one that would be particularly fun for the kids would be Hilton Waikoloa, as they transport you to different parts of the resort by boat, and have dolphin encounter programs.

cawhite

This post is really messing up in edit mode, but I'll try for a 4th time....

Thanks for the responses. We won't do the Ko'Olina.

As for the Big Island, we actually love the Big Island (and Kauai too) but since DD is going to be a high school senior after this trip and then off to college, this may be the last time for the family to vacation in Hawaii together for some time. We're trying to select islands that will be memorable for the kids. Also my nephew is now living on Oahu... so we want to visit him while there.

So can anyone else compare the Outrigger with the Sheratons?

cawhite

Oh, choco1... I also meant to say that we love the Big Island so much we almost moved there in the mid-80s!!

cawhite

Oh, also forgot, choco1 - We have stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village previously (but without the kids). Also, given the choice we do like the location around the Outrigger and Sheratons.

The main reason for looking at the Sheratons is that we're hoping to use Starwood points. If we end up with insufficient points for both Maui and Oahu, however, we might try priceline for Waikiki, in which case HHV would be a definite possibility.

offlady

Between the two, I think you should go for the Sheraton Waikiki. It is right next to the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and there are lots of shopping and dining options, Niketown and other fun places surrounding nearby. The kids would probably enjoy it there more. Sheraton Moana is a beautiful and historical hotel located across the street from the Int'l Marketplace. The hotel itself is gorgeous, and the location is ideal, right in the heart of Waikiki but I thought the rooms were smaller than the usual (consider the fact that it was built a century ago). Both are on the ocean with pools.