Count me in as an Oahu devotee! I LOVE this island! I've been to Maui several times and also to the Big Island, and while they are both wonderful - Oahu is my hands down favorite. I begin planning the next trip before the plane takes off so that I can stand to come home at all!

Like someone before me mentioned - there is something magical about arriving in Honolulu - the view from the plane, the smell of the flowers and feel of the tradewinds when you walk through the airport - there's nothing like it (IMHO). It IS heaven on earth to me.

Oahu has so much to offer - especially for first-timers. History, culture, beautiful places to explore, beaches to die for, great shopping, dining & nightlife. The locals are kind and happy to talk with you as long as you are kind to them. IMO you cannot get a true apprisal of Hawaii without experiencing Oahu - Waikiki, the North Shore, Kailua, Lanikai, Makaha, etc.

As far as crime goes - I don't know where you might go to escape it - every place has it's share. Just be wise and don't leave valuables in a rental car, don't be a target as another poster said. Relax and enjoy the Aloha spirit which is alive and well and in abundance on Oahu.

For Needsun (sorry just now saw your question):

I like: The Breakers, The Hawaiian Hotel, Royal Grove, and next month will be staying at the Hawaiian King. These four (the first two are the high end of moderate the last two more budget basic) all have the "island" atmosphere I seek. Iliana is another one in this catagory but I don't like their pool.

It is no problem finding cookie-cutter high-rises in Waikiki at lowish prices but these hotels I like are more unique with a sense of the spirit of aloha, but lacking any fancy luxury ammenities.

www.hawaiianahotelatwaikiki.com

oops, The Hawaiiana Hotel (i lost an 'A' above!)

oh and i can't take credit for knowing about that particular hotel, as it first came to my attention years ago (interestingly enough) from BashfulLV who posted above!

Suze,
thank you so much for the hotels. I will definitely book one of them. I am not planning to rernt a car. i do not feel comfortable driving in a city that I do not know. Moreover, the posts on Oahu say that there is pretty good public transportation. Do you know if the hotels that you recommended close to bus lines?
Thank you

Yes all 4 of those are centrally located.

I'm making my third trip to Waikiki next month (January 07). The first 2 times solo and using only public transportation. It was fine.

I don't know when you're going but contact the Royal Grove asap for the cheapest prpice. I was real excited about trying them next trip but when I called the extremely friendly lady who answered the phone just laughed and said "Oh honey, we're booked solid... Dec, Jan, Feb!"

Breakers and Hawaiiana are great choices if $125/night is OK for your budget.

Like I said above, there are plenty of ugly cheap rooms to be had in Waikiki, but these hotels got some "aloha" goin' on.

'The Bus' runs near to any central hotel. There will be a bunch of options simply by walking to the nearest main street. Ask the hotel front desk which bus # route is the line that best serves your area, and where you are going (down to the Zoo, out to Ala Moana mall, into Chinatown, etc.)

Suze- I read another post that said the Hawaiiana and Breakers are in that major construction zone on the beachwalk (I think you were on that one also). I don't know how long that construction is going on.

I know. And I will report back after my trip next month. One poster who stayed at Hawaiiana in September (review on Trip Advisor) said the construction noise was minimal and not a problem once you were in the hotel courtyard and grounds. The front desk at the hotel said the same in reply to an email I sent with this same question.

Hi Suze- that's good to hear that the front desk was honest and open about the noise factor. We'll look forward to your report after your trip.

That's one thing I appreciate about the hotels I use, that you can actually talk to a person/staff when you call. The other larger places (Queen Kapiolani as a recent example) you just end up in reservation switchboard h-e-double-l when you call.

Suze,

Please reconsider renting a car. We did that for one day and found the driving easy going. We did not get lost, and Hawaiians are not crazy drivers.

You can take a tour of the the island, but you will not have the freedom to explore the beach parks. When we rented our car, we were able to snorkel in Hanauma Bay, visit and swim in Kailua Beach, and sightsee the Na Pali Cliffs, Byodo-In Temple, the pipeline surfers on the North Shore, and visit the Audubon Society.

This self-drive auto tour was the highlight of our stay in Oahu. We still talk about returning to Oahu to swim at Kailua Beach and snorkel in Hanauma Bay.

Thank you Flyingmaltese for the car recommendation.

I will consider a car for 1 day this trip because I am going with a friend. In the past I've always been solo, and really didn't want to take it on alone.

I would never do an organized island tour well because I'm just not that type.

We always spend 4 or 5 days in HNL before leaving for a 3 week stay in Maui. We come from an incredibly small midwest town...not a single stop light...so for us, the hubbub of HNL is great fun. The "AVE" has a carnival atmosphere at night and such a fun place to people watch. We use the bus or just walk everywhere. As in all big cities, there's an element of crime but by being aware of your surroundings and not putting yourself in dangerous predicaments, it's not a worry. There are a billion things to see and do there!!!

I've had plenty of trips to all four of the bigger Hawaiian Islands and Honolulu is my least prefered city.

I love Hawaii, but I really love Kauai and the north east shore of Maui.

Honolulu is a city. Along with it comes all the problems of a city.

The beauty in the islands of the pacific are not in the cities.

Bart

I have to disagree -- I found plenty of beauty in Honolulu. Waikiki Beach is gorgeous! The locals were friendly (probably because we were) and we didn't feel unsafe at all. My husband hates big cities, and when we left Oahu, he agreed that he could move there tomorrow and be happy. And the areas of Oahu outside Honolulu are gorgeous even for the most city-phobic traveler...I think it would be a mistake to discount the whole island based on the city.

Honolulu is a big city, which is precisely what makes it so interesting. It is a large city on a tiny island, and it has the good and bad that go with any big city.
That said, however, it is also a big city that is always warm, almost always has a breeze, and the sun is usually shining. There aren't many big cities that offer that kind of weather year-round.
There are also so many things to do on Oahu too that do not have to involve the city. The North Shore is a small town, a short drive but a world away. The other parts of the island are interesting too; drive up the eastern shore through small towns instead of taking the highway straight over the middle of the island. It's pretty stunning a lot of the way. Mountains that drop directly into the sea, the greenest greens, clouds hanging low over the sea.
There's a reason that most visitors go to Waikiki and Oahu. It really is a magical place. The other islands are incredible as well, but it'd be a shame to miss Oahu because you heard that it's crowded or too busy.

I think statements like Bart's last one truly need a big "in my opinion" along with them. I love Honolulu and think it is a totally unique and absolutely gorgeous city.