My husband and I just got back from a 5 night stay at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental on Oahu. We really enjoyed our stay and I would be happy to answer any questions about the hotel. -Laura

Well, how about giving us a trip report, even a short one? What accommodations did you have/view, etc., how was the food?

Laura, did you eat at the hotel or take the shuttle to the city? If so, how convenient was the shuttle? We're considering staying there but would rather sample different restaurants in Honolulu/Waikiki. We will have a rental car, but don't want to hassle with parking.

Yes, Laura, please give us more details of your stay. Type of room, services from the hotel you used, dining experiences, etc. We are looking forward to a four night stay there next week and I'd love to hear more details. Thanks!

We had a really nice stay. We've never been to Oahu, so I can't compare it to the other hotels, but we were glad to be away from the crowds in Waikiki (I live downtown Chicago though..so for me it is nice to get away). The hotel is very nice and the room was beautiful. We stayed in a prime ocean view room. We orginally had booked a lagoon view room, but I didn't care for it (rooms the same....just the view). It was on the first floor and seemed a little dark because of all the trees in lagoon area. I personally prefer the bright full ocean view. There are some prime ocean view rooms that might not be so great though. We were lucky to have one over the lagoon (with dolphins) and the pool. Some of them over-look the parking lot/entry to the hotel. It was really nice to watch the dolphins swim below us.
We rented a car from the lobby just for one day to ride up the coast and do some snorkeling (reserve a car in advance). Unless you plan on really exploring the island, you don't really need a car. The shuttle ran often to downtown Waikiki and cabs are readily available both at the hotel and downtown. It cost us about $12.00 to get to the center of the downtown area or to a restaurant. We also used the hotel's free bikes to ride to Diamond Head.... a 10-15 minute bike ride. We ate in town, but also really enjoyed the food at the hotel. The breakfast buffet is very good. Dinner at Hoku's and sushi at the Japanese restaurant (can't remember the name) were great. Get Hoku's specialty tuna appetizer... delicious!
The service at the hotel is outstanding. Everyone is very accomodating and friendly. The beach is nice...not huge. But fine for our needs. You can rent kayaks and snorkeling gear...etc, they have covered cabanas, a beach side restaurant for lunch etc.
Overall we had a great stay and would highly recommend this hotel.

Thanks for the report Laura! Did they upgrade you or did you pay to upgrade?

I don't understand some people's economics. If it takes $12 to go from the hotel to downtown by cab, that means it takes $12 to get back. For much less that that, in Waikiki, I have rented cars for the whole day.

Maggi- We paid for the upgrade. Also, the hotel is only about 10 minutes from downtown, so you can easily enjoy other restaurants if you don't mind the drive.

Laura, thanks for the info! I'm really looking forward to our stay.

One comment to what Laura wrote, which was great information. However, I've been to Oahu several times and have always rented a car. You are truly missing something by not touring the island. Honolulu is fun, but the island of Oahu has some absolutely gorgeous sites that are just as nice as you find on the other islands. Having a car is the only way to see them.

Al, how bad is the traffic though. I usually rent a car wherever I go, but it is not worth it if I will be stuck in traffic constantly. Also, what is the parking situation like in Waikiki? Does it cost to park, and can you find a space? I will be visiting in August.

To HAWAII-
All this baloney about a lot of traffic is very much overrated. The traffic is not bad at all. During morning and evening rush hours, it gets pretty congested in Honolulu and especially on the "interstate", but that's to be expected. In Waikiki, there are autos in the streets, but nothing that one can call congested, there are no tie-ups or things like that. I've been going to Waikiki and Kailua for the past five years, and I've NEVER had any problem with parking. Of course, if you want to park on Kalakaua Ave. or a few parking spots from it, it's impossible, but if you want to park on the other side of Kuhio, there's no problem. I have a favorite spot if I'm going to the entrance side of Waikiki, towards the Hawaiian Village. On Saratoga Avenue, close to the Post Office, there are always some spots available. Of course they are metered parking, but that's no problem. Also on Beach Walk, the next street over, there are generally spots available. On the street where the Marriot is located, on the other side of Kuhio, I've always found spots with little trouble. I don't know how much it costs to park, since the only time I used a parking lot was when I was at the Hale Koa, and it was three dollars a day. The Hale Koa is open only to military, retired military or civil service.

Al, you're living in a dream world as far as SUMMERTIME traffic is concerned! It's very similar to Los Angeles!!

Car question is do you want to drive? We don't get tanked at dinner, but also don't like worrying about not finishing that glass of wine because we're driving. Either way you may hit some traffic (shuttle, car or taxi).

We chose the Halekulani because we're doing the peace and quiet trip on Maui and want to be in the heart of it on Oahu. Heard the Kahala Mandarin is wonderful if looking for more R&R atmosphere.

To James-
If you're one of those guys that chafes at everyone in front of you when you're behind a wheel, I guess you're correct. If you take it easy and remain calm, the traffic is not bad at all. I can't remember any problems with traffic in Oahu, except, as I previously mentioned, during rush hour on the "interstate", and on Berritannia Street in Honolulu. Waikiki is a breeze.