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Best Wyndham Resort in Hawaii?

J

JeffandJamie

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
67
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11
Location
Ohio
Hi all,

Next year (10 months from today) will be our 5th wedding anniversary. I'm planning a trip and thinking about Hawaii. This will be a surprise for her. Just wondering - what is the best Wyndham resort in Hawaii if we do NOT want to rent a car? It looks like Waikiki Beach Walk and Royal Gardens are both very nice, but maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks in advance for suggestions! I'm hoping to book tonight!

Jeff
 
If you're not getting a rental, my pick would be Wyndham @ Waikiki Beach Walk. Everything you will need is around the resort and the beach is a short walk. I was just there in October and this is the only resort we used that we didn't have a car.
 
Have you been to Hawaii before? Honolulu may not be the Hawaii you are dreaming about: It is a big, congested, urban city. Without a car, you will miss out on so much. It would be a shame to go clear to Hawaii, and be stuck in Honolulu...

honolulu-hi.jpg
 
I'm never sure why people don't want to rent a car when they go to Hawaii? Unless you're staying on Oahu, specifically Honolulu where there is public transportation, you really want/need a car. And in my personal opinion, going to Honolulu is NOT really going to Hawaii. I agree with Denise.
 
Well, because Wyndham closes at 8pm, we booked at Waikiki Beach Walk, but we will likely rent a car, at least for a few days. People try to go to Hawaii without renting a car because the flights cost so much and they are looking for any way to save money.

The resort charges a $35/day valet fee, and you have to use valet. There is no cheaper parking option. Still though, I know we will need a car, so I guess we'll have to pay it.

Thanks so much!

Jeff
 
Is there a particular reason you have decided on Honolulu? There are other Wyndham resorts on other island that do not charge a fee for parking. We've stayed at the Wyndham in Kona on the Big Island several times. Really like the resort and units. And you can get pretty good prices on rental cars through Costco, if you're a member, or discount Hawaii car rental.

Not sure I understand the part about Wyndham closing at 8 pm though.
 
I booked over the phone, and the call center closes at 8.

I chose Honolulu because we wanted the active nightlife areas and the many restaurant choices. We'll likely cook breakfast in the resort, but eat other meals out. The other Wyndham resorts, while more secluded, do not provide the nightlife of the city.

Thanks for the tip on Costco car rentals!
 
Got it. Yes, Honolulu would definitely offer the most night light. It's kind of like being in a big city, just plunked down on a beach. :D Personally I was disappointed with Waikiki, but I think I was expecting much more.

Have a great trip! And good for you for surprising you wife. :cheer:
 
In Waikiki instead of renting a car from the big guys at the airport and having to pay parking. Take a shuttle to Beachwalk. On the days that you want to rent a car, go to one of the local guys (you will see them as you walk around) when they open. Drive around the island do what you want and if you are back before they close turn the car in and presto no parking fee. If you find you need a second day do it again.

Alot of things can be gotten to with the bus, like Pearl Harbor, Bishop Museum, China Town, etc. But I would rent a car and drive around the island for one day.

Ian
 
I think it would be a shame to go to Hawaii and not go to either Kauai or Maui - those were our two favorites. But our priorities are probably a little different and daylife was more important to us than nightlife!
 
I think from your description Honolulu is a good choice for you. Like the others
It's not my favorite but you can do it without a car. It depends on what else you
Want to do. Many excursions will pick you up where you are staying or at a
Neighboring hotel. You will be giving up doing things at your own pace doing it
This way though. Have a great time, it's Hawaii you'll love it and you can go to
Other islands on your 10th and 15th anniversaries.:D
 
Not meaning to pile on, but here's another vote for Maui, Kauai, and/or the Big Island.

One possibility is to do what we did on our first trip. We flew into Oahu and stayed two nights in a hotel in Waikiki. That gave us time to see Waikiki at night, visit Pearl Harbor (an experience we'll never forget), and snorkel at Hanauma Bay (which I'd say is overrated), before flying to the Big Island for our timeshare exchange.
 
The OP wants nightlife. Honolulu is the best choice. Kona (Royal Sea Cliff) would be my first choice, but it really does not have the nightlife ther OP is looking for, neither does Kauai.
 
Both Waikiki Beach Walk and Royal Garden have unique things to offer. The OP says that it is a 5th anniversary, but no indication of their age.

If both of you are young, Waikiki Beach Walk is were all of the action is. It is about a 2 block walk to the beach. Royal Garden is more regal and might be a better choice for persons not wanting to be in the action every minute.

My first time in Honolulu, I originally took tours to explore the island. Now I rent a car only on days that I decide to explore, and return the car each night. About 5 blocks from Waikiki Beach Walk is a Budget, and there is an Avis rental only a block away. Royal Garden is about a mile walk to the beach, but an enjoyable walk.

If you are full of energy choose Waikiki Beach Walk. If you want to relax, try Royal Garden.

The OP mentioned nothing about kids. If there were any, choose Waikiki Beach Walk.

Pretty much, any other Hawaiian Wyndham resort requires a car. But, mentioned by others, if you are going all the way to Hawaii, visit multiple islands.

Jim
 
Hi all,

I appreciate all the responses. As I stated, it's our 5th wedding anniversary. I turned 30 last week (went to HGVC Elara in Las Vegas for my birthday on a cheap trip to view their offerings - of course I know better than to buy retail timeshares, even in Hilton's system!), and my wife is 27. We will likely rent a car on this trip to Hawaii, for at least a few days. If there is such a thing, we will try to make this trip as affordable as possible while not missing out on a lot of things.

I'm sure that my wife will want to "island hop" for short excursions, if possible. So now the question is - how do you go to Hawaii and try to be "cheap," for lack of better terms? Maybe "cost-effective" is a better word.

Thanks!
 
JeffandJamie said:
So now the question is - how do you go to Hawaii and try to be "cheap," for lack of better terms? Maybe "cost-effective" is a better word. Thanks!
Click to expand...

You mean "smart". I did a few things via Groupon (and when I got there I saw a lot of other people used Groupon too). Took a catamaran cruise. Paid $28 for 2 people (regular cost per person was about $60). Also did a Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona/Circle Island Tour (Oahu) for half price (paid $79 for two people, instead of $160). The tour is a bus tour and it makes stops at certain points around the island, but we got to see the sights. The bus picks you up right behind the Wyndham Waikiki around 7 am and drops you off there around 5 pm. There are other offers on Groupon too, but I haven't done them all. Groupon is an option.
 
JeffandJamie said:
Hi all,

I appreciate all the responses. As I stated, it's our 5th wedding anniversary. I turned 30 last week (went to HGVC Elara in Las Vegas for my birthday on a cheap trip to view their offerings - of course I know better than to buy retail timeshares, even in Hilton's system!), and my wife is 27. We will likely rent a car on this trip to Hawaii, for at least a few days. If there is such a thing, we will try to make this trip as affordable as possible while not missing out on a lot of things.

I'm sure that my wife will want to "island hop" for short excursions, if possible. So now the question is - how do you go to Hawaii and try to be "cheap," for lack of better terms? Maybe "cost-effective" is a better word.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

There is no way to island hop cheaply - you have to fly. There is more than enough to see on Oahu, if you get a car and get out of Honolulu, and it will be far less to rent a car, than to fly to other islands. For a great driving guide - get the book I recommended and do your research in advance.
 
DeniseM said:
There is no way to island hop cheaply - you have to fly. There is more than enough to see on Oahu, if you get a car and get out of Honolulu, and it will be far less to rent a car, than to fly to other islands. For a great driving guide - get the book I recommended and do your research in advance.
Click to expand...

I have to agree Island hopping can get expensive. You better off to fly direct to each island it usually not much more money. It also a hassle to hop from one island to another. Whatever you do avoid GO airlines unless you know what you getting yourself into with them you risk being stranded on a island without a flight.

Also you should rent a car for Oahu it will save you money in the long run since you can do runs to walmart and costco with it and eat where the locals eat. Without a car your at the mercy of tour operators and restaurants that cater to tourists. If you only have Island to do in hawaii I would recommend Oahu
 
Another thing about island hopping is, you lose time on each island. Even though the flights are short, you still have to get to the airport ahead of time, wait for your flight, etc., etc. So, depending on how much time you are planning on spending on this trip it might not be an efficient use of your time.
 
If you haven't booked airfare yet, think about this: Save time and book a multi-leg itinerary. Fly into one island, stay and see it, then hop to a second island, stay and see that, then fly home from there. Depending on the airline, you should be able to fly nonstop into one island, and out of the other island.

Case in point: Next September we're flying Seattle to Maui, staying a week to see the island, then hopping to Kauai, staying a second week to see that island, then flying back to Seattle. Makes a great trip that way.

An idea about parking: The Imperial of Waikiki timeshare is next door to the Waikiki Beach Walk. They charge only $20 a day for valet parking. You could park your rental at the Imperial, and walk back up the block to your resort. That $15 a day extra is worth saving, as far as I'm concerned.

Dave
 
Thanks for the tip on the Imperial, Dave! $15/day is worth a block walk to me.

This will be our first trip to Hawaii, and all I've heard is how expensive it is. So now I ask - just how much will we spend for a week in Honolulu? We'll probably rent a car the whole week based on everyone's suggestions, and assume we'll eat out at least one meal per day, likely dinner.

We live in Ohio, and flight prices right now are about $900/person round trip. Should I wait and book later, or is this about the best I'm going to do?

Sorry for so many questions. I want to make this trip very special for my wife for our 5th anniversary, and if want to make sure that we save enough money to really do it right.

Thanks!

Jeff
 
JeffandJamie said:
The resort charges a $35/day valet fee, and you have to use valet. There is no cheaper parking option. Still though, I know we will need a car, so I guess we'll have to pay it.
Jeff
Click to expand...

When we stayed at Waikiki Beach Walk two year ago, we parked in the Hale Koa Hotel surface lot (they also have a garage that is further away from the resort) for $16/day, 3 day minimum, with in-and-out privileges. It's across the street from the U.S. Army Museum and the Trump Hotel, crossroads are Kalia and Saratoga. It's only about a 5 min walk from the resort.

Caveat, they do not go by 24 hour periods, you need to be out by noon if I remember right or there is an extra charge. Hale Koa is owned by the military, but you do not have to be military to park there. This info is from two years ago, so hope nothing has changed!
 
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