What a dump. I would not recommend this place. WHEN you go to Honolulu, stay anyWHERE but here.
I had a tough time deciding on a place to stay in Honolulu. None stood out above the rest among the Starwood properties. Basically, the choices for me were the Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider and the W. All had mixed reviews from the die-hard fans to the dissatisfied. In the end, I chose the W Honolulu but not without taking the precaution of using points instead…I didn’t think paying $350+ (at the time of my reservation) and ending up at a property that I did not like would be wise. I’m glad it was just points I wasted.
Check-in: Check-in was nothing special! The way they tout how you will be received with a cold refreshing face towel and a tropical drink. Maybe I would have fained being WOWed if the tropical drink was a freshly squeezed kind. It tasted like something out of a carton. And the presentation... they just set it on a tray on the check-in table. Personally offering them with a smile would have added a touch of service that they are supposed to be top notch for. I did not think much of it at the time. Onto the check-in… The check-in process was pretty efficient. There were two or three employees just chit-chatting and clustered at the desk. It was fine though, I was on an island anyway. To my surprise (sarcasm), I was given a third floor room and, of course, I asked if any rooms in the higher floors were available. Nope, I was told that the hotel was booked solid by the girl who checked me in, then the guy who looked like the manager let me know that if a room becomes available they will move me. Probably a scripted line for the third floor guests as I heard him repeating the same line to other unfortunate souls.
Room: The room was spacious. Unfortunately, all you saw of the space was a very dirty carpet. It had numerous stained spots and even an iron burn. The stains were the only thing that caught my eyes everytime I entered the room. The furniture looked and felt like they were made of cheap material. Nothing really screamed W except for the comfortable bed. The bathroom was ordinary and had a strange tub/shower combo. The tub was actually the size of the shower stall and basically just acted as the base of the shower. I found this pretty amusing. Outside my balcony lay empty bottles and a cigarette carton which were never picked up over my five days stay. The maid did open up the panes to the balcony for me to enjoy the view…of those empty bottles and the cigarette carton everyday…truly amazing that they were never picked up. Another downside to the hotel is the very thin walls. You can hear everything from the next room. Overall, the room truly disappointed me. However, the bed was comfortable. Oh and how I do hate all the things you could “buy” cluttering up the desk. Displaying of items like a teddy bear wrapped in plastic is tacky.
B>Restaurants: I had the complimentary coffee every morning at the Diamond Head Grill. It was actually a very small spread of coffee, juice, cereal, pastries and fruits. I was tempted to try out the restaurant for dinner but between going back and forth from the hotel to the rest of Waikiki, to its conversion to a lounge/nightclub on the weekends, I ended up not having the chance to do so. It might have been the only highlight of my stay, damn.
Amenities: Bliss products. That is about it for nice things to say. Otherwise there are the basic amenities you find anywhere such as a bathrobe, a coffee maker and such. I do have to laugh about the CD system they provide in the rooms with their signature W CD collection…it’s sad to see a system that has a cassette tape player…a bit dated for W standard. Same laugh goes to the outdated alarm clock. They offer complimentary passes to a fitness center in town. It definitely lacks convenience but I guess you could jog to the place, that way you get your cardio out of the way. There is no pool of course. Beach towels/mats/chairs are provided, but you have to sign in and out each time. It can get annoying at times when you have to wait in line with guests checking in or when there is no one around to assist you…more on this part. They do provide set up service of lounge chairs at the small beach located in the back of two other properties. I was not unaware of this service but toward the end of my stay, I overheard a mention of this service.
<Location: Location is rather a drag. One of the initial reasons I had booked the W was in part the location. Not having been to Honolulu and the Waikiki area, I thought it offered a great balance of serenity away from the hustle and bustle while close enough for the action. After experiencing the place, I would advise that if you are going to Honolulu, you want to be where the action is. The walk to places is not bad at all but if you have to do it all the time then it gets a bit tedious. You could drive but the location is so that it’s too close for an actual drive if you’re staying around the area and you have to deal with parking. Overall, location is ok. However, I ended up asking myself “Why be in Waikik if you do not want all the hustle and bustle.”
Quality of Service: Service was very good. But there were definitely times when this department too was lacking. Everything is handled at the front desk, which is a very small area, so you have check-in, check-out, towel service, concierge service, etc. all at one tiny area. Do you really want to wait for a towel behind guests checking in? I do have to acknowledge that they did a pretty good job of handling this. However, a few times no one was at the desk or only one person trying to handle everything, and I ended up skipping in asking for directions/recommendations for restaurants/general questions. Valet service was fast, unlike the Royal or the Moana as some mentioned in their reviews. But I’m sure the time spent waiting for the elevator at the W evens the playing field. One elevator, oh wait, one outdated elevator.
Overall Stay: I do realize that acknowledgement of the fact that this was a “points” reserved room is needed. Therefore a lot of the negative comments I have made should be taken with a grain of salt. There are definitely actions that the W Honolulu can and should take to remedy the shortfalls mentioned. For example, they need to modernize their one and only elevator to the room floors. Modernize by putting in a newer efficient system, not just pretty it up with a cheap LCD TV and hanging a dirty cloth over head. Either do away with the Lounge/Nightclub at the Diamond Head Grill or the third floor rooms. The noise is unbelievable on Friday and Saturday if you are located on the third floor. Clean the hotel once in awhile. The carpets were dirty, the furniture in the lobby area looks nice far away but also dirty. I’m going to sum up by answering the question “Have we WOWed you?” My big fat answer is NO.
Review by ajk2n.
Posted at September 21, 2006 4:57 PM
click deals.
share your experience at this property
3 experiences with w honolulu at diamond head
September 23, 2006 9:32 AM. Paul said:
The hotel is not oceanfront and it does not have even a pool. There is a beach not too far away, however (Sans Souci), and the hotel provides you with a towel and beach chairs.
The reviewer's experience is similar to mine -- poorly maintained rooms, even if they are stylish. Be sure to ask for a Diamond Head view, as that's the best you will get from this property.
The staff at the hotel, however, is very good; which you should certainly expect at these prices.
September 24, 2006 4:39 PM. airsummer said:
The Diamond Head Grill is a very good restaurant, maybe one of the best in the area. I have not had as bad an experience as the OP. I found the location quite nice away from the Waikiki crowds. Likewise, I was upgraded as a Platinum to a so-called ocean view room. The staff gave good service and recommendations. I didn't find it up to par with other W's around the world, but it's not a bad hotel at all.
March 31, 2007 8:14 PM. Robert Blair said:
On the weekend following July 4, 2006, I had to make an unexpected early departure from my condo in Princeville, Kaua'i, and I was dismayed to find that all nearly every hotel room in Waikiki had been reserved. Having recently visited with mamagement at the Starwood Vacation Ownership Gallery at the Sheraton Waikiki, I made a return visit and asked if they might assist me. Am I glad that I did!
One short telephone call, and I was quoted a 30% discount off the rack rate for the only vacant room at a Starwood managed hotel on the island: The W Hotel Diamond Head (where every guest room has a Diamond Head view - no need asking for one).
I was greeted by name by every employee I encountered, the room was very stylish and comfortable, the bellman proactively offered to find a massage therapist who would come to my room following dinner, and he made dinner reservations for me. I spilled red wine on the white carpet, and when I called housekeeping to alert them, they were more concerned with my welfare, than their wine-stained carpet. Dinner was excellently prepared and graciously served. The massage therapist performed better than any other in my experience. I slept soundly and comfortably, until room service delivered my breakfast, which was also excellently prepared and served. The front desk called to see if I would like my airline boarding pass printed in advance, and they sent a group email to my clients on my behalf, informing them of my pending arrival. Arrangements were also made to transport me to the airport, and I had time to sit with the Manager on Duty and share with him my experience at his hotel.
I had never before felt more welcomed by a hotel and staff. Therefore, I've returned and stayed at the W Hotel Diamond Head no less than 4 times since that first visit, and the year is not yet over. During all 5 visits, I have always been recognized and greeted by name, and I am continually made to feel as though they genuinely wish that I would stay longer and more often - and I will.