Waikiki’s Famous Ilikai Hotel Reopens After Abrupt Closure

July 28, 2009 by Admin  
Filed under Waikiki |

Oahu from the air.
Image via Wikipedia

After an unexpected two-week closure, the famous Waikiki landmark reopened with a new focus and bargain-basement prices. On July 9, the hotel suddenly closed, giving guests only 24 hours to leave their room, due to financial difficulties. On July 25, the hotel was reopened with rates raging around $90 a night. These rates are based on 10% to 20% discounts in order to show the Ilikai’s new value-oriented nature and attract business back to the hotel.

The 30-story Y-shaped hotel is regarded as Oahu’s first luxury hotel since its opening in 1964. The hotel gained fame in the late 60’s when popular TV cop show “Hawaii Five-O” featured it in an opening sequence. The hotel was recently purchased in a foreclosure auction by iStar Financial. When the company closed the hotel, they worked out a new deal with local union workers. iStar financial retained Aqua Resorts as the Ilikai Hotel’s management company. Aqua already operates a string of hotels in Hawaii, including the Aqua Pearl, which is located almost across the street from the Ilikai.

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Feel at Home in Waikiki

November 16, 2008 by Admin  
Filed under Guide, Hawaii, Waikiki, Where To Save, Where to Eat |

Waikiki provides one with the wide range of the hotels and resorts for one to accommodate him/her. Waikiki offers such hotels and resorts in which tourist can feel at home and that are very relaxing. And this kind of hotels that provide tourist with the feeling of home includes Ko’Olau Mountains and Condo Ala wai.

Vacation rentals:

A vacation rental of Hawaii’s tourist hub center is located at the southern shore of the Oahu’s Honolulu district. This multinational tourist resort provides tourist with all the facilities and all the attraction which one need to complete his/her vacation with fun and relaxation. It offers one with the different kinds of water sports, nightclubs, Beach etc.

Vacation Rentals offers apartments and condos with multiethnic feel. Vacation Rentals apartments and condo ranges from very small budget to the higher budgets, there is very huge and sufficient range of budgets. Near this Vacation Rentals Pearl Harbor for Naval history lies. And at 30 minutes drive from the Vacation Rentals you can find Polynesian Cultural Center of Laie from where you can get to know about the history of Hawaii.

This is a wonderful place to consummate one’s vacation as it offers one with the beautiful scenes of the Mountains of the Koolau and Diamond Head Mountain. There one can find a lot of fun as they offer you with the wide range of sports and nightclubs etc.

Timeshare:

What Timeshare offers you. Timeshare offers one with the vacation property at very low rates for the possession of whole year. This possession can be licensed or rented. Timeshares prove the tourist with the full rights of enjoyment of the possession of the property at Waikiki. The weeks of Timeshare vary from and are charged differently according to some factors: Location Resort Brand, facilities included size of unit and duration of year.

How Timeshare is different from the other Resorts:

Timeshare is much different from the other Resorts as it prove tourist with the best facilities and conveniences. Its resort offers one with the feel at home. Many resorts of Timeshare are completely furnished. Furnishing includes Kitchens, roomy living areas, Home Theatres, swimming pools, spas, Exercising equipments etc.

A Timeshare resort employs the dutiful hospitality professionals. To make their guest’s vacations relaxed and enjoyable.

Looking for a vacation rentals in waikiki take a look at these economy rates.

Options of Entertainment in the Waikiki

November 16, 2008 by Admin  
Filed under Guide, Hawaii, Waikiki, Where To Meet, Where To Save, Where to Eat |

In Waikiki, entertainment is not a problem it provide one with the variety of entertainment here. There are a lot of options of entertainment in the Waikiki. If one want to listen to music in beautiful sunsets of the Hawaii or whether one wants to enjoy the shows in the evening or wants to hear some music while dinning everything is offered by the Waikiki. There are many cultural events and functions which are organized by the Waikiki.

Duke’s Canoe Club:

This club is the most enjoyable place in Waikiki as it offers live music by the Henry Kaono and the live concerts on the beach every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This club offers delighting cocktails and very tasty food menu in which burers, sandwiches and pupus are included.

Sunset on the Beach:

City sponsors free movie shows very Saturday and Sunday to fetch the locals of Waikiki back. Here foodstuff vendors set up stalls near the area so that people can buy foodstuff by them. But most of the people take their food baskets with them. People take their picnic mats and the chairs with them but if you didn’t took these stuff with you then don’t work here is very soft sand to sit. Sometimes it get over crowded if movie is popular.

Hanohano Room:

This is restaurant as well as classic Waikiki nightspot, this restaurant is encircled by the glass walls. It is a nightclub. It offers the smooth jazz and the classics music. On each month new generation march into this nightspot with the part called Skyline on the first and the third Saturday.

So you want to shop in Waikiki?

November 16, 2008 by Admin  
Filed under Guide, Hawaii, Waikiki, Where To Shop, Where to Stay |

Shopping in Waikiki is really a fun. Waikiki has numerous outlets from designer boutiques to the local dressing styles outfits. Thee outlets provide people with the latest fashion of Honolulu and Hawaiian. In Waikiki one can find everything there whether he/she is permanent resident or staying for a short term of period. One can find nearly everything from the small shops to the big Malls.

Hawaiian shirts and Hawaiian dress which are also known as Aloha shirts and Mummuu respectively. Other then these dresses one can find the local jewelry of the Hawaii which is very graceful and looks pretty on women. Hawaii markets also provide one with the ceramics, arts and quilts. In the markets of Hawaii you can also find the books on different topics. The shops of Hawaii also offer local and special foods to tourists to take home with them.

One can buy all these things with the 4.166% excise tax on the retail purchases. So when you visit Waikiki keep in mind to pack another bag for this huge opportunity of shopping.

Directory for the Shopping:

Waikiki’s market offers everything to everyone from small to Big shopping Malls.

Luxury Row:

2100 Kalakua Avenue is the Luxury Row which are eight lavish boutiques. These eight boutiques are also know as Elegant Block.

Gucci, Channel, Coach, Bottega Veneta, Hugo Boss are located in the heart of the Waikiki’s urban and beach resort district.

Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center

This sopping center occupies 293,00 square feet of area and hold more than 100 shops and restaurants. One can find everything in this shopping center. In this shopping center you can shop as well as you can take your meals. The restaurants of this shopping center offer different menus of the food. In this shopping center one can find huge variety of the jewelry. One can find here different kinds of dresses here ranging from wedding dresses to casual wears. In this shopping center one can also find the sport goods. So here is everything under one roof.

Waikiki Beach Walk:

If one is strolling around the beach and want some shopping as well then he is at the best place to do this at the same time and at the same place. Here one can find not only the local fashion dresses but also the world fashion products.

International Marketplace:

This International Marketplace is situated in the center of the Waikiki. It has about 130 carts and shops. This market is an open-air market. There are a lot of food courts of the local and international cuisine. It will be great for the people who want to taste the international and local food at the same time at the same place. And these food courts also offers free Hawaiian entertainment five nights a week.

Off from Playing at the Sea

November 15, 2008 by Admin  
Filed under Waikiki, Where to Play |

One should know all those things that are offered by Waikiki when someone is exploring the world of Waikiki. If you are off from playing at the sea you must be visiting any other spot of Waikiki. So here we shall study what are special places for families in the Waikiki. There a lot of historic places in Waikiki for the families to visit namely Honolulu Zoo, U.S army Museum, Waikiki Historic Trail and the Waikiki Aquarium. Other then the historic places there are also very eye-catching and beautiful place namely The North Shore, Kailua, The Pali, Koolau Ranch, and Arizona Memorial.

The Honolulu Zoo:

The Zoo is situated at the area of 42 acres. This Zoo is the place to live of 995 different animals from the tropics. There are Kombodo, Dragons, orang-utans, elephants, primates, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and a variety of African animals. So surely vsit this place if you love animals!

Zoo administration organizes the twilight Tours of the Zoo every Saturday night from 5:30 to 7:30. These tours are led by the guide. These tours are suitable for the adults and for the families having children of 5 and up.

This is zoo is open to 9:00 am to 5:30 pm daily. And last entrance is allowed at 4:30 pm. This Zoo is open daily except Christmas Day.

It costs $8 adults, $4 locals, $1 Children ageing 6 to 12 and children who are 5 and under are free to visit.

The Waikiki aquarium:

University Of Hawaii established this aquarium in 1904 and this Aquarium I socated on the shoreline of Waikiki Beach near a living reef and across kapiolani park,. This aquarium display cases more than 500 species of the sea and upholds more than 3,000 specimen of sea. Education programs, family-friendly nd interactive exhibits rejoice the exceptional aquatic life of Huwaii.

This aquairim is also a place to live for two endangered Monk Seals. It is open from :00 am to 4:00 pm. It costs $9 for the visitors and $6 for the the local residents, active duty military with ID, students with ID and Senior: $4 for youth ages 13-17 persons with disabilities; $2 for juniors ages 5 to 12; and free for children 4 and under and Friends of Waikiki Aquarium (FOWA) members.

U.S Army Museum of Hawaii:

Coastal defense battery housing military memorabilia from early Hawaiian period through Vietnam War. This museum showcases the honoring Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross recipients. In this museum you can find gift shops and This Museum is free to enter. This museum administration does not charge anyone.

Waikiki Historic Trail - Surfboards mark the spot:

Waikiki has a long history. Its history start before any tourist arrived at this spot or the first hotel was built. It has been the passion of author Dr. George Knahale to revitalize a feel of affection for the Waikiki’s history. to uncover or to tell this untold story Kanhale designed the Waikiki’s History Trail, that place where once the chiefs and commoners lived, is the walking tour that map out the past of this area. Once part swamp, part playground for Hawaiian royalty, It remained a centre of Hawaiian generosity and the seat of Oahu’s Government.

There are five markers installed:

  • One down the Ala wail canal at the new Hawaii’s Convention centre
  • Two at kuhio beach (here the trial starts)
  • One at Hilton Hawaiian Village
  • One at the centre of the Waikiki at the site of Kaiulani statue.

Other cease down the two-mile route include Queen Liliukalan’s residence, King Lunalilo’s residence, Kapaemahu healer’s Stones (or Wizard Stones), Kawehewehe’s Healing Waters, and ancient fish and duck ponds.

And some sites are regarded as markers themselves namely The Moana and the royal Hawaiian hotels and the Statue of Khanamoku.this is the joint project of city and the private sector. This is really a way of create awareness both as holy place to Hawaiians and a bid past of its history.