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Few Ko Olina questions

V

verby

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okanagan
hi,
We're planning our first trip to Oahu and plan to stay at Marriott at Ko Olina Beach Club.
Do they offer shuttle from/to airport? If not how do you get there? Car rental? Parking $? Where do you go for grocery shopping? Sounds like you need a car or is there other way of transportation.
How big are ocean-view studios? Enough for 2 adults 2 kids?
Do you have to pay for wifi?
Thanks.
 
Ko Olina Details

verby said:
hi,
We're planning our first trip to Oahu and plan to stay at Marriott at Ko Olina Beach Club.
Do they offer shuttle from/to airport? If not how do you get there? Car rental? Parking $? Where do you go for grocery shopping? Sounds like you need a car or is there other way of transportation.
How big are ocean-view studios? Enough for 2 adults 2 kids?
Do you have to pay for wifi?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

There is no shuttle service operated by the resort to/from the airport. You can utilize a service by Roberts Transportation but even that would get quite expensive. I would definitely suggest that you rent a car. Parking is free if you are a Marriott owner or an exchanger. If you are paying a nightly rate or using points you will be charged a daily parking fee that I think is as much as $30 per day. Check Marriott.com for rate. The room size for a studio unit is listed as 360 sq ft. There will be a king size bed and a sofa sleeper. The room will also have a gourmet kitchen with a bar size sink, mini fridge, toaster, microwave and coffee maker. Dishes for 2 to 4 person will be provide. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort.

Grocery shopping options with about a 3 mile radius include a recently built Wal-mart Supercenter, Target Superstore, Costco, and Safeway that I am aware of.

It's a beautiful resort and you should enjoy every minute of the time you are there! I can't wait for my return visit.
 
Just came back from a stay in an ocean front unit a KoOlina. It was beautiful. Studio is small for 4 IMHO.

We rented a car which I think is a must. It will also allow you to check Waikiki beach and other areas like Pearl Harbor.

There is no shopping within walking distance. It is a nice drive from the resort.

Parking was free by staying on points. Conformation said $30.30 per day but there was no charge.

Sam
 
samara64 said:
Just came back from a stay in an ocean front unit a KoOlina. It was beautiful. Studio is small for 4 IMHO.

We rented a car which I think is a must. It will also allow you to check Waikiki beach and other areas like Pearl Harbor.

There is no shopping within walking distance. It is a nice drive from the resort.

Parking was free by staying on points. Conformation said $30.30 per day but there was no charge.

Sam
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I think the Ko Olina studios are small even for 2 adults.

Parking is free if on DC points, but they charge if you stay on MR points. (Unless you are a weeks owner there, in which case it is free even if you are staying on MR points.)
 
I need to emphasize the need for a car.

Look at where Ko Olina is on a map and notice that there isn't much to do north of the resort and other than the shopping area that an earlier poster mentioned, there isn't anything to the south either. You are in the middle of a residential and industrial area on the western side of the island. The lagoons are all man made so you don't get the native island feel, but it's still beautiful. There are actually a lot more places to eat within walking distance than about three years ago, but still not that much. If you want to see any other parts of Oahu you need a car. I'd suggest that you try some things on the north and east sides of the island, and probably spend a day at Waikiki and couple that with a ride over to Diamond Head. Pearl Harbor is really neat and very informational, but it takes a long time if you want to do all of it (I recommend that you try). You may want to go to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. I thought it was fun. Also, you get to most places fairly quickly via interstates on this island. Roads get smaller once you get into the rural areas, but it isn't like Maui where some of the roads are death traps.
 
The studio is fine for one or two people. I can't imagine also having two kids in it. Does Marriott even allow four people in a studio?
 
I couldn't imagine going to Hawaii, especially Ko'Olina, and not renting a car. There is just too much to explore. I am sure that there are plenty of people that go to DVD Aulani and utilize transportation to the resort and either stay at the resort the whole time or take advantage of group tours. I just wouldn't see us doing that. We want the freedom to explore on our own.

If you are on II exchange, I would really watch for an upgrade through II inside of 60 days. 1BR and 2BR units seem to popup with frequency, you just need to be vigilant and watching all the time. If you become a TUG Member, you could post a sightings request in the Sightings/Distressed forum. It requires TUG Membership to access though.
 
alwysonvac said:
II states a studio sleeps a max of 4
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It can sleep four, but be aware that it is smaller than you would expect a nice hotel room to be. I don't recommend a Ko Olina studio at all unless only for a day or two or for a single person. NEVER for more than two. Cramped for two in my opinion. The picture shows how narrow it is.
 
BocaBoy said:
It can sleep four, but be aware that it is smaller than you would expect a nice hotel room to be. I don't recommend a Ko Olina studio at all unless only for a day or two or for a single person. NEVER for more than two. Cramped for two in my opinion. The picture shows how narrow it is.
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I would agree, unlike a more traditional hotel room, the TV is placed in front of the sofa instead of the bed. Much narrower.
 
The kitchenette 's are tiny in the studio. A really small/tiny refrigerator and a microwave in a very narrow hallway. You''l have nowhere to fix meals or wash dishes.

Get a 1-BDRM, you'll be impressed with all the room.
 
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BocaBoy said:
I think the Ko Olina studios are small even for 2 adults.

Parking is free if on DC points, but they charge if you stay on MR points. (Unless you are a weeks owner there, in which case it is free even if you are staying on MR points.)
Click to expand...

Yes,it was DC points (nor MR).
 
There is a small new shopping center within walking distance. It only has a couple of dining options and a larger ABC store (think large convenience store). I can see stopping there for a couple of things, but we don't use them for groceries.

We go for two weeks in a two bedroom (husband, myself, and our two now teenagers). A studio would be quite cramped to me - one small bathroom, kids on the (not too comfy) sofa sleeper. The fridge is tiny so you won't really do much cooking (unless you use the grills a lot, which we do). We tend to cook a lot there, so use the kitchen a lot, and love having our OWN washer/dryer (the one and two bedroom units have their own, but if in a studio you have free laundry rooms on a couple of floors in each building).

I can't emphasize enough also to have a car!

We tend to do our shopping at Costco, Super Target (across the street) and now the new Super Walmart (right down the street from them). All within about a 10 minute drive.

Also remember that many parking spaces on Oahu are smaller than you may be used to, so we try to get the smallest car that works sometimes. It's just easier.

We have gone for 2 weeks with just carry on luggage - then I make a quick run to Target after check in for our toiletries (shampoo, etc) and basics to get us through the first day. Next day make a big Costco trip (one of many, LOL).

Good luck with your planning!
 
Good information

Lots of great comments and yes, if you plan to see any of Oahu you will want to rent your own vehicle. There are various tours and shuttles available, but the downside is that you have to go along with their plan and don't have as much freedom and flexibility to explore other areas of the island that may be of interest to you.

Aloha!
 
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Car- You pretty much need to have a car. Unless you don't like to drive and are fine with just staying at the resort. There are places to eat within walking distances, but most are high end. Cars are cheap to rent in Hawaii vs other places.

Studio- One trip my wife, daughter (who was 20 at the time)and I stayed in a studio at Ko Olina. It was fine, except for the fact we were upset with our daughter who had a jerk boyfriend at the time. She got mad and left after a few days. If you have little kids it will be fine. I would happily stay in a studio any time if my choice was that or not going. Its no different than staying in a hotel room, only its better. You have a Microwave, refrigerator, and access to washing machines and dryers. Yes a bigger unit would be better, but it all comes down to choices.

Enjoy your trip.
 
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TS owners are so spoiled!

cp73 said:
Car- You pretty much need to have a car. Unless you don't like to drive and are fine with just staying at the resort. There are places to eat within walking distances, but most are high end. Cars are cheap to rent in Hawaii vs other places.

Studio- One trip my wife, daughter (who was 20 at the time)and I stayed in a studio at Ko Olina. It was fine, except for the fact we were upset with our daughter who had a jerk boyfriend at the time. She got mad and left after a few days. If you have little kids it will be fine. I would happily stay in a studio any time if my choice was that or not going. Its no different than staying in a hotel room, only its better. You have a Microwave, refrigerator, and access to washing machines and dryers. Yes a bigger unit would be better, but it all comes down to choices.

Enjoy your trip.
Click to expand...

Agreed, A week in the studio is good enough. No, you cant really "cook" in there, but the beach is still just outside the window!
 
rpw said:
Agreed, A week in the studio is good enough. No, you cant really "cook" in there, but the beach is still just outside the window!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Actually you CAN cook in the studios rather happily if you don't get too fancy (we have been grilling fish and making lovely salads... steak and baked potatoes in the microwave would work fine too). This is not the ideal kitchen for cooking, there is no doubt about that, but if you end up in a studio for whatever reason (we own a Four Seasons lock-off and end up with studio weeks to use) it can work fine. Since they have lots of full sized fully equipped kitchens for the larger units, you can call and ask for whatever you need (we asked for more knives, cutting board, glass pitcher for heating water in the microwave, more plates, etc.) They brought them up in an hour. No stovetop so either microwave or grill, which is not great. Talked to one of the staff yesterday who agreed and thought they would make them available at some point. No dishwasher either.

Larger would be better of course, but we bring lots of stuff with us and find the studios fine for a couple for a week.
 
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