Hilton Hawaiian Village Grand Waikikian Tower - Three Bedroom Penthouse Photos

[alwysonvac]

Here are a few photos from my HGVC Grand Wakikian three bedroom penthouse stay last September at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Here are links to my Albums
- HGVC Grand Waikikian Three Bedroom Penthouse villa https://www.flickr.com/photos/40089311@N05/sets/72157650676101163
- HGVC Grand Waikikian Penthouse lounge https://www.flickr.com/photos/40089311@N05/sets/72157647925853859
- HIlton Hawaiian Village Fireworks viewed from the HGVC Grand Waikikian balcony https://www.flickr.com/photos/40089311@N05/sets/72157653000120971/

We were celebrating several milestone birthdays including my 50th and my father’s 80th.
So I decided to splurge on a penthouse villa in the HGVC Grand Waikikian Tower and three bedroom grand villa at Disney’s Aulani. We stay 3 nights at Aulani followed by 4 nights at the Grand Waikikian. I also received a RCI exchange for the following week in a three bedroom villa in the Lagoon Tower using my WorldMark (it matched for the week of my birthday) but that stay didn’t go so well – see earlier thread.

This TUG thread is focusing on my Grand Waikikian penthouse stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. I got extremely lucky and was able to reserve the highest possible floor (room 3902).

In the Grand Waikikian tower, the top five floors are penthouse units with a private check area, concierge and lounge on the 35th floor. There are 24 two bedroom penthouses and 10 three bedroom penthouses. All three bedroom penthouse units in this tower directly face the ocean and have a spectacular expansive view.

All of the Grand Waikikian penthouse units were sold fixed week in a fixed room number. With only 10 three bedroom penthouse units, HGVC members have to call to see if any have been released. I was able to move from a two bedroom penthouse unit which I reserved during Club Season to a three bedroom penthouse which I was able to change at 6 weeks before check-in.

The 3 Bedroom / 3 Bathroom Penthouse Suites had two king beds, two double beds and a queen-sized sofa bed - see floor layout

Did I think Grand Waikikian penthouse was worth it? Would I do it again?
It was nice to do it once. If the point requirement wasn’t so high I would recommend trying it. But honestly I prefer the Lagoon Tower two and three bedroom penthouse layouts. The lounge access was nice but not anything special – see earlier thread. It’s similar to what you would find in a US Hilton Executive Lounge (instead of the offerings found in the International Hilton Executive Lounges). I was also disappointed that they only served Budweiser beer. I expected local Hawaiian beers.

 

[GregT]

Phyllis,

Thank you for the pictures, I'd not seen them before. I agree with you that there is alot to like, but I also think I would prefer the top floor units at the Lagoon Tower, and frankly, any of the units that are 10th floor or higher. Interesting, but it did look the property was pretty set back from the ocean.

Thx again for posting, and I hope we get pest control in place at Lagoon.

Best,

Greg

 

[alwysonvac]

Here's a link to Ricoba's 2009 photos during his stay in a Grand Waikikian Two Bedroom Penthouse
http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101374

I forgot to mention...The Grand Waikikian three bedroom penthouse units originally sold for $300,000 (see article below).

Also, at least two TUG members were able to get a Grand Waikikian penthouse stay via SFX. One was a trade and the other was a cash stay. See this 2014 thread - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206450

My four night (Tues 9/2 to Fri 9/6) splurge used 14,375 HGVC points. Grand Waikikian Point chart can be found here
(NOTE: Open Season rental reservations for Grand Waikikian Penthouse units are offered only to Penthouse owners.)

FROM http://archives.starbulletin.com/content/20081219_Waikikis_Grand_opening

Waikiki's Grand opening

POSTED: Friday, December 19, 2008

John Gaylord, an elementary school principal at the Seoul Foreign School in Korea, will be checking into the Hilton's new timeshare product, The Grand Waikikian Resort, tomorrow, but he could not resist a sneak peak yesterday at his little piece of Hawaii in the sky.

"Hawaii's a fabulous place to travel to. It's been the top leisure place of many years and for good reason," said Gaylord as he surveyed the city, ocean and Diamond Head views from one of the lanais in his penthouse unit.

Gaylord said he and his wife fell in love with Hawaii all over again last Christmas during his first visit to Oahu in 30 years. Since then, the couple has returned to the islands three times in one year and showed their newfound aloha for Oahu with the purchase of one of Hilton's spacious penthouse units, he said.

The economy might be soft and Hawaii's visitor industry may be down, but it's hard to equate these facts with the enthusiasm for the opening of Waikiki's first purposely built timeshare.

More than 200 owners and other guests will join Gaylord tomorrow for the official grand opening, which celebrates a real market anomaly. All other timeshare products in Waikiki, except for the Grand Waikikian, were converted from older apartments or hotel buildings, and these days the credit crunch has ensured that few timeshare projects are making it out of planning.

But Mark Wang, president of Hilton Grand Vacations, said he's not worried about timing.

"We're 27 percent sold — that's actually ahead of pace," Wang said. "We thought we'd only be about 20 percent sold out by this time."

Japanese empty nesters and multi-generational travelers have gravitated to the product, which has also seen strong interest from buyers on the U.S. West Coast and other parts of North America, Wang said.

While Wang said the average buyer has spent $60,000 a week, the project's higher-end product has seen good pickup.

"The $300,000 weeks have sold out during this release," said Bryan Klum, executive vice president of Asia/Pacific for Hilton Grand Vacations. "The people who are traveling are the ones that want to come."

The 331-unit Grand Waikikian by Hilton Grand Vacation Club is the company's fifth timeshare development in Hawaii and finest offering to date. The company also runs two others on Oahu and two on the Big Island.

Suites at Hilton's newest offering retail for $45,000 to $300,000 for one-week stays at the one, two and three bedroom units. Each suite features an outdoor lanai, full kitchen, washer and dryer, complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access, flat-screen TVs, deep soaking tubs, upscale furnishings and rich wood and stone details. The resort will also have a 5,000-square-foot pool, scheduled for completion in January that will offer a waterslide, waterfalls and swim-through grotto terraces.

In deference to the luxury market, there are also five penthouse floors, offering a separate check in-area, concierge and lounge. On the penthouse floors — from 35 to 39 — suites are appointed with amenities designed to appeal to the project's primary Japan market. These suites feature Japanese house wares and Jacuzzi tubs for extended soaking.

"We are trying to make the Japanese buyer feel very comfortable with our product," said Dione T. Lewis, the Grand Waikikian's general manger.

The timeshare also features a pre-arrival and post-departure lounge, Lewis said. Guests at the lounge can unwind and take showers before checking in or after checking out of the property, she said.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Thanks for sharing the pics and info. Very informative.

Do the penthouse units ever show up online, or would you need to call about availability? not that i have many points available just yet..

 

[alwysonvac]

Thanks for sharing the pics and info. Very informative.

Do the penthouse units ever show up online, or would you need to call about availability? not that i have many points available just yet..

Grand Waikikian penthouse units require a phone call to book.
Lagoon Tower penthouse units are available online to book.

Info and Photos of the Lagoon Tower penthouse units - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1001076&postcount=4

 

[PDXGolfer]

Very nice photos. Thanks for sharing. Can a two bedroom penthouse unit at GW have either an ocean view (diamond head side) or a city view (ewa side)?

 

[alwysonvac]

Very nice photos. Thanks for sharing. Can a two bedroom penthouse unit at GW have either an ocean view (diamond head side) or a city view (ewa side)?

Yes, that's correct.
However the ewa side will also have a view of the ocean from a distance as well due to the high floor.
See this link with views - http://www.grandwaikikian.com/021_viewtype_T_E.html

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Grand Waikikian penthouse units require a phone call to book.
Lagoon Tower penthouse units are available online to book.

Info and Photos of the Lagoon Tower penthouse units - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1001076&postcount=4

I know this is a really old thread. Do you still have to call to book the GW Penthouse units?

I am getting ready to book a trip with my son and grand kids for next year 4 adults and 2 kids. A 3-bedroom would be ideal, and see those are only available in the Penthouse units. We could also just book two units, which has its own set of pros and cons.

I can see the penthouse units in the reservation system, but there never seems to availability when I am eligible to book there.

 

[alwysonvac]

I know this is a really old thread. Do you still have to call to book the GW Penthouse units?

No, you can book the penthouse units online.

I am getting ready to book a trip with my son and grand kids for next year 4 adults and 2 kids. A 3-bedroom would be ideal, and see those are only available in the Penthouse units. We could also just book two units, which has its own set of pros and cons.

I can see the penthouse units in the reservation system, but there never seems to availability when I am eligible to book there.

The GW and GI penthouse units were sold as fixed week/fixed unit.
You'll have to wait until an owner releases their week which can be at any time.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

No, you can book the penthouse units online.

The GW and GI penthouse units were sold as fixed week/fixed unit.
You'll have to wait until an owner releases their week which can be at any time.

Thanks,

Sounds like the best plan will be to book the two ocean view units, then watch for a 3 bedroom to become available and then change the reservation.

 

[Wolfepack88]

Thanks,

Sounds like the best plan will be to book the two ocean view units, then watch for a 3 bedroom to become available and then change the reservation.

I will be releasing a 3BR Penthouse top floor unit 3811 at the Grand Islander for week 25 in a few months. It has a great view of diamonhead the beach and also the mountains. SE corner unit. Love it but unfortunately the Mrs no longer wants to fly that long and the loss of the direct flight from Newark was the final nail in the coffin for us.

 

[WorldT]

Maybe you you guys want to get together and do a direct exchange?

 

[alwysonvac]

I will be releasing a 3BR Penthouse top floor unit 3811 noat the Grand Islander for week 25 in a few months. It has a great view of diamonhead the beach and also the mountains. SE corner unit. Love it but unfortunately the Mrs no longer wants to fly that long and the loss of the direct flight from Newark was the final nail in the coffin for us.

Yeah, sadly United’s direct flight from Newark is back but seasonal through the end of April 2025.

We can get nonstop flights on United from Chicago or on Hawaiian or Delta from JFK.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Maybe you you guys want to get together and do a direct exchange?

Cool idea, and I have done that before. Unfortunately our dates are fixed. This will part of a larger trip and the dates don't line up with his week.

I am glad to be on the west coast, so lots of direct flights to virtually all of the islands.

 

[alwysonvac]

I prefer the nonstop flights from EWR to HNL but now that we're retired and have more time, we'll probably spend a few days on the west coast before and after our trips to Hawaii.

 

[GregT]

I prefer the nonstop flights from EWR to HNL but now that we're retired and have more time, we'll probably spend a few days on the west coast before and after our trips to Hawaii.

Hello Phyllis!!! Happy to hear about the retirement!

Let me know when you travel west cost and would love to find a way to connect -- and please let me know if travels include San Diego!

Best,

Greg