Recently we traveled to beautiful Hawaii to gather material for future reviews as well as enjoy an island cruise with family members who had flown in from various points on the mainland. Upon arrival in beautiful Honolulu we proceeded downtown to our hotel the Aqua Palms & Spa. After an initial misstep where the airport shuttle dropped us off at a different Aqua Resorts property we proceeded to check into the right hotel and after a long morning of travel and a three hour time change, we were immediately impressed not only with the helpful staff but with the location of the hotel.
Although to us it was late in the afternoon, the three hour time change had us at our hotel prior to the scheduled check-in time. Since our room was not yet available, the hotel took care of our baggage which allowed us to take in the shops and scenic locales adjacent to the hotel. Waikiki Beach was very easy walk from the hotel and there were numerous buses and trolleys which stopped in front of the hotel on a constant basis.
When we finally made it to our room, I was impressed not only with the size and comfort of the room but with the amazing view of Diamondhead as well as a partial view of the beach. The room had a high-def flatscreen which has several channels to choose from as well as foldout couch, desk, complimentary high-speed Internet, microwave, mini fridge & safe.
The shower was very relaxing and complimentary spa products were made available which is a plus (especially after subjecting your skin and hair several days of sun and salt water). The hotel also offers a full spa service and in-room massages are available as well. The hotel has a pool located on a deck on one of the lower floors which gives guests and enjoyable and relaxing private oasis in the heart of the city’s perfect after a long day. On Wednesdays there’s a Manager’s Reception and the concierge desk in the lobby will happily arrange island excursions for their guests. If you happen to be in Waikiki on a Friday night, make sure to catch the fireworks a Waikiki beach.
Check-out was very smooth and we were able to call ahead and have a taxi waiting for us to take us to the pier for our cruise. Upon completion of our cruise we returned to the Aqua Palms & Spa and once again were given storage for bags when we arrived early in the morning. Venturing out in a new direction we found that an extremely impressive and upscale mall is only a 10 minute walk away. The Ala Moana Shopping Center not only offers plenty of shopping options but several dining options as well. The area around the Aqua Palms & Spa is rife with restaurants, convenience stores, and other shopping options and the helpful hotel staff were more than happy to point out and provide directions to area restaurants whenever we asked.
Following a week in a cruise ship cabin it was extremely enjoyable to take in the extremely comfortable AquaBLISS pillowtop bed that the hotel offers as well as enjoy being able to have plenty of space in which to work. Rooms starting at just $90 a night are an exceptional value especially when one considers the location of the hotel. The comfortable and clean hotel and friendly staff truly makes the Aqua Palms & Spa an incredible value and an enjoyable stay for those looking to visit Waikiki on a budget.
