During our amazing two weeks on Oahu, Hawaii, we had the occasion to stay in not one but two different suites at OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger. The hotel was built in 1972 so it is a bit dated but the price, location, and outstanding service can’t be beat!
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Photos courtesy of Hotels.com unless watermarked
We were greeted warmly upon arrival at the hotel by concierge and front desk staff. Check-in was quick and friendly, and the next thing we knew, we were riding the elevator to the ‘Penthouse’ (19th) floor where we stayed in a 1 bedroom suite for 10 nights.
1 Bedroom Partial Ocean View
The 1 bedroom partial ocean view suite was very spacious, with two double beds in the bedroom, a pull-out sofa bed in the living room, and a kitchenette.
There were two televisions, two desks, a dining table that seats four, and one rather small bathroom that had a bathtub.
The balcony, or lanai, gave us fantastic views of the ocean, the mountains and Waikiki!
2 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms Suite
We spent the last three nights in a 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms suite, which was comfortable but not quite as great and somewhat misleading. It was basically two single queen bedrooms connected by a small enclosed hallway with the kitchenette and dining table completely situated in one of the bedrooms.
I did not like this suite in the least. We more or less traded the spacious living room and balcony for the privacy of separate smaller bedrooms and a second tiny bathroom. It was a poor trade. We were either bumping elbows at every turn or bumping into our luggages because there was no space. Personally, I don’t recommend this suite.
Location
One of the main reasons why we picked OHANA Waikiki East, aside from the reasonable price, was the location. The hotel is located in central Waikiki, right next door to The International Marketplace and one block from Waikiki Beach.
The third reason was the self-service coin laundromat located at street level. We ended up using the laundromat twice and it doesn’t get more convenient than an elevator ride.
The hotel is also surrounded by plenty of shopping and dining options. The choices were endless!
Amenities
We knew in advance that OHANA Waikiki East had a daily resort fee of $25USD and government employees and military get that fee discounted by 50% so I brought along my government-issued employee identification. The resort fee includes:
One souvenir nylon drawstring beach bag per room (we received two!),
Wireless high-speed internet, maximum 4 devices per room,
Local and long-distance phone calls to the U.S. and Canada (first 15 minutes free),
Access to fitness room (which we never used),
Pool/Beach towel use per person as required,
Use of in-room safe, and
In-room coffee and tea daily.
The pool was undergoing maintenance during our stay so we made use of the rooftop pool and hot tub at the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, a sister hotel located a block away.
We also made use of the on-site self parking, available for $35USD per day. The 50% government and military discount also applied here as well.
There are three dining options at OHANA Waikiki East – Appetito Waikiki (Italian), Tanaka of Tokyo (Japanese) and Hawaiian Aroma Caffe. We only managed to try Hawaiian Aroma Cafe and it was fabulous! Their breakfast was reasonably priced, super delicious and so fresh!
And they have the prettiest Instagram-worthy entrance!
Conclusion
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at the OHANA Waikiki East. The property was very family-friendly and the location was super convenient. Between the two suites, we preferred the 1 bedroom suite—it was spacious, comfortable and had gorgeous views! Housekeeping was very friendly whenever we passed by in the halls, and the front desk staff were always so helpful.
Mahalo OHANA Waikiki East - it was everything we had hoped for!
Travel Tip: Before you book, join GHA Discovery, a one-of-a-kind hotel loyalty programme where you can enjoy instant benefits like exclusive member rates and earn Discovery Dollars to use toward your stay, room upgrades, dining, spa treatments or other indulgences.
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