beachgirl86

Hi,
My fiance and I are honeymooning in Hawaii for 13 nights in August. We're flying into HNL, so thinking possibly we'll spend 1-2 nights in Waikiki before we head to 4-5 nights on the BI and 7 nights on Maui. Looking at the Outrigger Waikiki as a possible place to stay because it seems to be in the center of things. A few questions:

1.) Any opinions on the Outrigger Waikiki? How is the pool here? We are looking for someplace fun and centrally located, since we will only be here for 1 or 2 nights. (Staying at the Hyatt on Maui, and most likely Hapuna Prince on the BI. Are there a lot of restaurants/shops within walking distance?
2.) We may not rent a car in Oahu since we will be there for such a short time, we will probably only try to enjoy Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor. Are there tours/buses to Pearl Harbor?
3.) When we get to the airport, and when we have to return to the airport, would cabs be the best option for convenience if we are not renting a car? Can we just grab a cab when we get to HNL?
4.) What kinds of catamaran trips does the Outrigger offer? Any tips on one you enjoyed?

Thanks so much!!

beachgirl86

Whoops, also meant to ask about lanais at this hotel. We would most likely be staying in the lowest category room on a AAA discount. Are the lanais big enough for table and chairs to relax on, or are they standing room only?

islandmom

Is that the one with Duke's? If it is there was construction in the lobby level this week.

1) Small pool like you could have in your backyard. The draw is the beach. Great location for exploring and shopping. I've stayed there before and thought the rooms were very small.

2)I believe there are buses or trollies.

3)Yes

4)I've seen two catamarans that leave from the beach go out a ways and come back.

5)Don't remember our ocean view room having a lanai.

LaurenSKahn

My son and I stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki about 8 years ago on a Big Island/Oahu trip.

There are brochures for tours to everything at the hotel. We went to Pearl Harbor and probably took a tour because I think i did not rent a car for the 3 days we were on Oahu. I had a car on the Big Island where I drove all over.

The Outrigger is not a deluxe hotel but we found it quite adequate. I don't think, however, that we had a lanai. The draw is, as someone else mentioned, that it is right on the beach. There is shopping nearby.

rnbstone

Honeymoons are priceless in my opinion. If you're going to come to Waikiki, you should just pay the extra bucks and stay somewhere really nice like the Hilton Hawaiian Village. My husband and I went all out for our Mexico honeymoon, and I'll never regret having to pay off that credit card!

I have not been in the Outrigger, however, it is not nearly as nice as far as it's grounds and overall look. I did eat at the Ocean House restaurant there however, and it was one of the best meals I've had on the island. It is their upscale restaurant, but well worth the money.

There are always tours going to Pearl Harbor. That is an all dayer, unless you arrive at the Arizona Memorial early. You could take a tour, or rent a car, and drive around the island. The North Shore and Windward coasts are much prettier than Waikiki, and worth a look.

I've never had to take a cab from HNL, but depending upon your arrival time, I would assume that you could take one.

I have no info on the catamaran thing. Sorry.

Hope this was helpful. Congrats on your engagement!

lcuy

You might want to consider renting a car if you plan to go to Pearl Harbor. Cars are quite cheap here. By the time you pay for a cab into Waikiki ($25), two tours to Pearl Harbor ($?) and another $25 to return to the airport, you could have rented a small car and paid for parking, not to mention been able to do a little more exploring.

Check with Alamo and ask for their Costco rate.

Conway73

We just stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach last week. Ask for an oceanview room on floor 14 or higher - there is an express elevator for those floors. Our room was great - recently redone, clean, spacious, with a fold-out couch and king bed and small balcony. We had a 17 year old daughter with us and there was plenty of room. I have stayed at some of the nicest hotels in the world and this one is fine for a few days if you want to be where the good shopping and beaches are. The beaches are crowded though and look to be disappearing in spots.

jacketwatch

we stayed there. It is well located, right across from the Intl. market and we did have a lanai with an ocean view thought not ocean front. The view was from an angle and really not bad at all. The pool is adequate but not special. I think it is the one with Dukes as I recall.

cynic

You could also take the bus if you don't want to rent a car. I took the bus and the trolley while I was in Waikiki and didn't have a problem, I'm pretty patient though and not much ruffles me. I also took the shuttle (I think it was Robert's (Roger's?) Shuttle or something like that) from and to the airport. It was 14 dollars roundtrip and took about an 45 minutes with all the other hotel stops. You just walk right up the the ground transportation waiting area to catch it.


Take the Outrigger Catamaran ride! It's a racing catamaran that seats about 50 people. I took the sunset cruise and it was so much fun. I sat in the nets in the front and the views were incredible. The cruise is 30 dollars but you can find coupons in the free publications on the island. I used something like the "Best of" book or something. It's a really small, square, thick book on the free racks. The coupon gave you 10 dollars off all the cruises except the sunset cruise which was 5 dollars off. The sunset cruise serves free drinks.

Underhill

The Outrigger Waikiki is our hotel of choice on Oahu. The rooms are large, with good-sized bath/dressing areas, bedroom separated from sitting area by a low wall, and a nice balcony. A room on one of the higher floors would be best (I think the one we like is 714 or 720), but you don't need a full-ocean-front room; a side view gives you a good slice of the beach and ocean. The hotel itself has several good dining options, but you can walk to many more in the vicinity.

LaurenSKahn

By the way, the Hilton Village is not far from the Outrigger and much more expensive because the HV is a resort which the Outrigger is not.

No one knows what anyone else's budget is here and putting down someone for not staying at a much more expensive hotel in a post to a message board is always inappropriate and sometimes very patronizing and offensive as well.

Moreover, you cannot compare two hotels and their prices unless you have actually stayed in both of them. Many posting that this hotel is better than that one are, therefore, really in no position to know because they have only stayed in one of the hotels.

For the record, I have not stayed at the Hilton Village. It is a resort and is definitely a deluxe property. I have stayed at the Outrigger and there was nothing wrong with it but it is not a resort.

You can go to Pearl Harbor from either hotel either by rental car or by tour. In fact, my hunch is that some people from both people will end up on the same bus tours.

carolyn

Also, seeing the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor is free, courtesy of the U.S. Navy.

Alohamom

Beachgirl, a word of caution about The Bus as someone suggested. I am sure I remember seeing signs saying you cannot bring a lot of luggage on, they will not let you on with 2 huge suitcases each (someone more local can perhaps confirm this, fyi. In regards to the Outrigger Waikiki question, I have always preferred the Sheraton Princess Kauilani. It is in the same sort of core location except that it is directly across the street. We have had a few rooms that had ocean views and it had a general air of low key class. The thing about Waikiki is that every thing is really crammed together so as far as shop, restaurants etc... you really cannot go wrong, everything is within easy reach.

cynic

Oh, I meant the bus to travel around Waikiki and the airport shuttle to get to/from the airport.

beachgirl86

Hi everyone!
Thank you so much for your replies! We have booked 2 nights at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach (it is the one with Duke's). I know it's not super romantic, but we just wanted someplace fun and centrally located to stay for our 2 nights in Honolulu, and it seems like this place will fit the bill!

Conway73

If you're thinking of eating at Duke's you might want to make a reservation in advance. The place seems to book up. Also, request a room on the 14th floor or higher. Ocean view rooms are great. Didn't stay in an ocean front but the way the hotel is situated on the beach, you can see plenty from an ocean view.