xxx

Does anyone have any information on hostels in the Waikiki area? I am wondering if they are any good; cleanlieness, location, price. I am going for a week in December and my sister and I are trying to keep costs down.
Thanks

Caitlin

xxx, you might try posting your query on www.lonelypanet.com/thorntree on the USA branch; that site is frequented by budget travelers who know the hostel scene. Also do a search there, because yours is a fairly FAQ, and you may find past responses.

Virginia

I checked out the location for guest and they looked kinda skeesy. Waikiki attracts all kinds of wealth but an on the edge type element also. Where do you think the later are headed to sleep, just a guess but I suspect this hostel. Would not recommend maybe I am wrong. I did not stay only visited in 96

Hostel Websites

There are 3 websites that have hostelling lists:

www.hiayh.org

www.hostels.com

www.hostelhandbook.com


Remember that Hostelling International (the first listed website) has standards that all their affiliates must meet.
There are other independent hostels not affiliated with it and only you can make the decision where to stay.

x

I agree with the post that mentioned Hostelling International.

I have made inquiries about hostels in Hawaii and have received a favorable response about Hostelling International.

If you have access to a news server, check out the following newsgroups:
rec.travel.usa-canada
rec.travel.budget.backpack

This is one response that I received when I posted to rec.travel.usa-canada

Dan Birchall"

> Dave Mason <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I plan on traveling to Hawaii in September. I will be touring the
> > islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kaui.
>
> Cool!
>
> > Any hostels that you would recommend?
>
> I've stayed a couple times at the Hostelling International location
> by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. It's nice - much quieter
> neighborhood than the ones in Waikiki, but close to 4 bus routes,
> including one express route and one route that goes to Waikiki. On
> the same property there's a sort of "international house" thing
> run by the same family, which I think is University-related, so
> there are lots of folks from all over.
>
> Being AYH/HI, it doesn't encourage really long stays.
>
> Oh, the same family also has a house out in Punaluu on the windward
> shore (it's very rural - it's on the perimeter road around the
> island, mountains behind it, ocean across the road). It's a few
> bucks a night more than the hostel, and you might have to show
> up in person at the hostel to reserve it. It takes an hour or so
> to get over there on the bus; there's a bus stop near it.
>
> > Any hostels that I should stay away from?
>
> Waikiki has a lot of hostels, but if you want to get a good night's
> sleep, I don't know whether it's a good choice.
>
> The first couple nights I was here I stayed at Island Hostel on
> Ala Moana in Waikiki. That's a major road, but a road into Waikiki,
> not through it. There's not too much stuff *right* by it, but
> everything's walkable. It also allows longer stays; I think some
> folks might more-or-less live there. Different crowd than the one
> by the University. One night I was there, some sort of block party
> was going on over in the main part of Waikiki, and folks came
> stumbling back into the room drunk, smoking and fighting at 4 AM.
>
> If I wanted to stay in Waikiki again, I'd probably pick the HI/AYH
> hostel (I think it's run by relatives of the folks who run the one
> by the University). I think the maximum-stay limitation I've seen
> at the other one helps minimize the beach bum/party-hearty crowd;
> it's much more suited to folks who're traveling, backpacking, etc -
> "serious" hostellers.
>
> -Dan

Melissa

My favorite recommendation:
http://www.centralymcahonolulu.org/