cheerptu

I can't understand what's so wrong with this original post. He/she is just being honest. Nothing disrespectful that I can see.

As bonniebroad suggested, the New Otani Kaimana is nice. The only thing there that's a problem is that they don't have any non smoking rooms. Other than that, it's great.

GoTravel

cheer, because dludwig is a tourist and wants a non-touristy hotel.

Reading the heading, tourist is equal to hokey.

Maybe there are locals only hotels?

travleis

cheerptu: I think the title is clever in that it draws attention and is not in any way offensive IMO. I think the thing people are taking issue with is that the original poster has chosen to imply that anyone who stays at a Waikiki high rise hotel is a 'sucker' (the OP doeasn't want to get suckered into one of those), anyone who stays in one of those is to be pitied because they 'can't do any better', people who use hotel gift shops (with 'spoons') are lesser people than the OP, and people who eat at chain restaurants are poor souls who simply don't know any better.
The implication is that the OP is superior to all those others because he or she recognizes all the flaws of the 'common traveller' but those simple folk just don't get it.

cheerptu

lol I'm wondering if yall have been suckered into bad hotels in Waikiki, which is exactly what this poster is trying to avoid. lol.

I totally relate to this post. I mean, step back and look at Waikiki. It's always been a tourist trap. So why not look for a hidden hotel gem? An exception to the rule? That's the perfect reason to use this forum, is it not.

You people make me laugh. So dang serious, ligten up yall.

E

Actually, what I took offense to was the OP's references to "crappy" this and "crappy" that, as if money had somehow conferred upon him taste, while the lack of it meant hoi polloi are easily satisfied with crap. The OP is a snob--a tourist who wants to avoid other tourists. And I wouldn't be so hard on the OP if s/he had expressed him/herself more politely. And no, that's not PC policing, that's called good manners. Which I have violated by attacking the OP. Oh well.

kamahinaohoku

cheerptu- Sorry, but your last post really irritated me. You said,
"...look at Waikiki...It's ALWAYS been a tourist trap"?????

You have no idea what you're talking about. Always is a very long time, and though I don't know your age, I can imagine that you haven't ALWAYS been there or you wouldn't say that. Waikiki may have been built up too much in the past 25 years, but in the 50's & 60's it was a quiet little town...and definitely not a tourist trap.
So please watch the "always".

cheerptu

Oh my gosh lol I brought my coworkers over to read this. They can't believe how uptight E, and topman are.

Kamahinaohoku, ok fine, not "always." Sorry.

Again, lighten up yall. Later, I'm off to the Europe board. You people are so uptight.

DebbieAllen

As someone who has lived on Oahu, as well as visited as a "tourist," I would certainly have to say that Waikiki is FULL of hokey and touristy hotels. And restaurants. And shops with spoons and tiki mugs. It's quite a madhouse. The original poster is quite right in specifying that he/she wants something as non-hokey, non-touristy as possible! Tough to find but certainly do-able, especially if you get the heck out of the Waikiki area.

I suppose parts of Florida are the same -- maybe most U.S. beach towns are this way, in fact(I'm thinking of Myrtle Beach) -- just full of tourist traps and overpriced activity desks and populated with true "tourists," NOT travelers -- which I think most of us on this board would call ourselves.

I just don't get all the negative replies. Isn't that why we're all on this forum? Because we're true travelers, wanting to find a hidden gem (no matter what the price) instead of following the lemmings over the "Outback Steakhouse" edge?

I appreciate posts and questions that are to-the-point. This poster knows what he wants and I'm sure he/she will be able to get it.

Personally, I have many fond memories of the Halekulani. Haven't been in a few years but check recent reviews (based on the postings here, sounds like it hasn't lost its touch).

Good luck and save a mai tai for me!

shannon44

Hello all! This past April I travelled to Hawaii for my first time. What a lovely place! As this was a work trip for my husband, we stayed at the H.H. Village. It was fine for us, as we had our two kids, 5 and 9, with us, and I am disabled with MS. Everything was very convenient. Still, I can understand that this is exactly what you don't want! Maybe you should look into renting a place. I have friends and family who swear by it! Just be prepared, Waikiki is kinda campy, you wont be able to escape all the retro-polynesian themed stuff. So wherever you stay, as soon as possible drive, or maybe cab, to a good bar for a "Tropical Back Scratch" or a "Blue Hawaiin" and just enjoy......(As crazy as the HHV is, they do have some great little lounges!) Hope you guys have a great trip. I'll be looking forward to your report!

Rusty

"Retro Polynesian themed stuff" - yep, that's Waikiki alright. And some people actually refer to this stuff as "authentic Hawaiian". Hah !!

chepar

>I suppose parts of Florida are the same -- maybe most U.S. beach towns are this way, in fact(I'm thinking of Myrtle Beach) -- just full of tourist traps and overpriced activity desks and populated with true "tourists," NOT travelers -- which I think most of us on this board would call ourselves.<

Here we go on this "tourist" vs. "traveler" definition again. We all travel. I'm sure the locals to everywhere we visit all see us as "tourists" and not "travelers", no matter what we decide to label ourselves.

>I just don't get all the negative replies. Isn't that why we're all on this forum? Because we're true travelers, wanting to find a hidden gem (no matter what the price) instead of following the lemmings over the "Outback Steakhouse" edge?<

The negative replies probably stemmed from the OP's implied superiority and
snide response to Patrick. Your choice to characterize people that eat at Outback Steakhouse as lemmings also has a tinge of superiority.

>I appreciate posts and questions that are to-the-point. This poster knows what he wants and I'm sure he/she will be able to get it.<

As others have stated, there's nothing wrong with being to the point. It's the implied criticism that "tourists" are "suckered" into all things "hokey", "crappy" and "cheesy" that kind of rubs the wrong way.

beachbum

The current issue of Coastal Living picks the Royal Hawaiian as one of the top 20 coastal "inns" in the country. Might be out of your range budgetwise, though.

DebbieAllen, your distinction between tourist and traveler doesn't work for a destination where the primary attractions are sun, sand, and surf. In my way of thinking, the person you would call a traveler to Hawaii has lost sight of the main reasons to travel there.