Absolutely Perfect!
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 6/21/10
This was our first trip to Hawaii, which was a celebration of a milestone anniversary. We were island hopping, this was our first stop. Our travel agent heard about the $110 million renovation at the Outrigger on the Reef and suggested we stay here. This hotel exceeded all of our expectations in every way. The property was absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. And while it was a large hotel, it never felt overwhelmingly large to us. Service was excellent at all levels. When we checked in, we were told they had upgraded us to an ocean front room in the Ocean Tower. It turned out to be an amazing corner room, 2 decks with views of the ocean and Diamond Head. This hotel is truly "ocean front" - the guest rooms are directly above the beach. We had the daily breakfast buffet in the Shore Bird (included in our package), and also had lunch and dinner in the Shore Bird and Ocean House restaurants - all meals were excellent. The Shore Bird was also fun in the evening with music and karaoke. The beach was lovely and surprisingly uncrowded, totally unexpected. We were in awe of the view of Diamond Head and the beautiful ocean water. A short walk to a prime tourist area with the obligatory stores and crowds, if that's what you are looking for, but we never felt its presence while we were in the hotel or on the beach. Easy transfers to bus tours and other events (we did the Star of Honolulu dinner cruise one night). This hotel also offers free internet and free long distance to the mainland US. If you are looking for a beautiful resort hotel that is close to the action but still offers the option to enjoy the beauty of Waikkii beach without the crowds, this is the place to be. This would absolutely be our first choice is we are ever fortunate enough to return here in the future. We miss it already!