Just received the Hawaii Entertainment book for 2003 and need help with hotels.
 

I just received my new guide for 2003 and there are many hotels listed for Oahu. We only want to stay 4 nights there in April of 2003 before leaving for Kauai for 1 week. Does anyone have a favorite hotel in the entertainment book with the best location in Waikiki on the beach?<BR> Also this is probably a crazy question for most but I thought the Hawaii book was only for Hawaii and there are many hotels listed for other cities. Can I use my Hawaii card in other cities for example, San Antonio or would I have to buy an entertainment book for Texas? Thanks for any help.

Can't help you with the first part of your message on a particular hotel on Oahu, but as far as the second part...<BR><BR>Your Hawaii Entertainment Book contains many coupons that are specific to that area -- restaurants, cinemas, grocery stores, etc. But for hotels, your "membership" allows you to get special rates in lots of different locations. <BR><BR>So, for the best value, buy the Book for your city so you can benefit from all coupons and still save on your hotels in Hawaii.

Thanks Betty. The Outrigger hotels in Oahu are not listed in the book. Does anyone know if they accept the entainment card without being listed?

Check the website www.entertainment.com and click on botels, enter the city and state you want and there will be a listing of all the hotels. I think for Waikiki there are like 40 hotels. Or, when you call to make reservations just ask the hotel if they offer an entertainment discount.

Some of the Outrigger hotels are now called Ohana hotels. That may or may not help you.

You can get much better deals on Pliceline for Hawaii hotels. 4* hotels are around 90 for Oahu and just a little more on Kauai. Go to www.biddingfortravel.com to find out exact hotels & prices.

I would be very cautious about staying at one of the Ohana hotels in Waikiki. We stayed at the Ohana Waikiki West recently and were extremely disappointed. It was filled with vacationing high-schoolers, the rooms were dirty, there was one towel bar in a room with two queen sized beds (presumably for 4 people like our family) and no microwave in the kitchenette. The lobby was standing-room only, with groups constantly checking in and out. Perhaps the Ohana hotels on the beach are nicer, but I would not stay in one again.

Outrigger Reef on the Beach doesn't look bad on the Outrigger website and it is listed on the Entertainment website. I can't decide if the 50% off the regular rate is a good deal or not. Has anyone stayed at this hotel using the entertainment card? We want to stay on the beach in Waikiki but our budget does not allow $300 per night.

Try thr Illikai Hotel. It is at the west end of Waikiki, great views of the marina, and if you walk next door to the Hilton Hawwaiian Village you are on the best stretch of Waikiki beach there is.<BR>Last fall they were remodeling the rooms. Affordable then.

Sheila, I just wanted to ask whether you have been to Waikiki before? Here's why I pose that question. In Waikiki the hotels are very close together. Also many are quite large, (as is the Outrigger Reef)so you will have to walk a long way within the hotel to get to the beach, even if the hotel is beachfront. So, getting a room in a hotel across the street from the beach and walking a block or so to the beach is not that different. If you can afford a true oceanview room, that would be a reason to go with an oceanfront hotel; otherwise I'm not sure having a city view in an oceanfront hotel would be worth the cost.<BR><BR>I have not stayed at the Outrigger Reef, but in 2000 we ate several times at the (open air) Shore Bird restaurant which is located there. They have a very good breakfast buffet that was about $7 per person. There are a lot of shops on the lower level of the Outrigger Reef. <BR><BR>The Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach I would think has about the best location on the beach. It is between 2 classic hotels, the Royal Hawaiian and the Moana. I also have only been in the lobby and restaurants in that hotel. (so far my budget hasn't allowed me to stay oceanfront!) The whole of Waikiki beach is wonderful, but I think the area around the Royal is the best of the best. <BR><BR>

To Aloha: Thanks for the information. I have never been to Waikiki (only to Maui in 2000). I wanted to stay on the beach with a beachfront room since the condo we are staying in on Kauai is not beachfront property. We are only staying 4 nights on Waikiki and I was hoping to use the Entertainment book for the best location on Waikiki beachfront that is available in the book. Do you thnk I would be happier at the Outrigger Waikiki on the beach than the Outrigger Reef? Any help is appreciated.

I stayed at the outrigger reef, it was 7 years ago, and they may have renovated, but I hated it, pool was cement and tiny, rooms were dingy and very old.

Outrigger on the Beach is great. One of my coworkers went to the Outrigger Reef (It was a decent price), and I think she though it was worth it, but it could used some updating (as mentioned above). It is a trade-off. If you can choose Outrigger on the Beach, the rooms are pretty nice and many overlook the beach.I liked it because I could look out and my son on his way out and back from surfing during the day.I thought the shorebirs was too loud. It is a sportsbar kind of place. Dukes at the Other Outrigger has Hawaiian music and some popular music as well.

Princess kaiulani hotel was fabulous. service was great, I would move in and live there if they would let me. in Oahu, Waikiki Beach.