Ko'alina advice

[korndoc]

We will be in Ko'Alina in January. Do we need a car? I understand that parking is $40/day. Is is advisable to rent a car as needed or will we be sorry if we don't have a car? Can we get from the airport to the resort by shuttle or Lyft? Also understand that restaurants on property are quite expensive. Anything nearby or any suggestions? We only have the studio unit.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

We will be in Ko'Alina in January. Do we need a car? I understand that parking is $40/day. Is is advisable to rent a car as needed or will we be sorry if we don't have a car? Can we get from the airport to the resort by shuttle or Lyft? Also understand that restaurants on property are quite expensive. Anything nearby or any suggestions? We only have the studio unit.

Although they quote $40 per day parking I have yet to hear of anyone having to pay it. If you're not planning on going anywhere then you won't need a car, but chances are you are going to want to see all the sights around the island.

You can get to the resort by Uber or Lyft. Super Shuttle no longer operates.

There are restaurant at the resort, and in the neighborhood. Think either across the street in a small shopping center, and over at the Disney Resort (Aulani).

Relax, have fun......!




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[mjm1]

We will be in Ko'Alina in January. Do we need a car? I understand that parking is $40/day. Is is advisable to rent a car as needed or will we be sorry if we don't have a car? Can we get from the airport to the resort by shuttle or Lyft? Also understand that restaurants on property are quite expensive. Anything nearby or any suggestions? We only have the studio unit.

If you are an owner, traded in via II, or rented from an owner then parking is free. Personally, we always want a car while at Ko Olina. It provides more flexibility to explore and go to less expensive restaurants in Kapolei or wherever you may want to go. It’s one of our favorite resorts. Have a great time.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[Dean]

We will be in Ko'Alina in January. Do we need a car? I understand that parking is $40/day. Is is advisable to rent a car as needed or will we be sorry if we don't have a car? Can we get from the airport to the resort by shuttle or Lyft? Also understand that restaurants on property are quite expensive. Anything nearby or any suggestions? We only have the studio unit.

I would not go without a car unless I planned to just sit at the resort. If you are not a Marriott owner exchanging in you may have to pay parking though.

 

[WyldSmurf]

Depends on how you plan to vacation. If you plan to stay at the resort with only a few outings that offer tours (transportation) you can enjoy a few of the attractions Oahu has to offer. The tours and eating out within walking distance will get expensive quick. You can always rent a car at the resort for a day or two if needed, I have found shuttle service plus a rental car for a day or two quickly approaches the cost of a longer term rental (but I have never paid for parking at an MVC resort). You could use a grocery delivery service and take advantage of the grills and microwave to make meals to save money which is what I have done in the past in MVC without kitchens. The resort and beach are beautiful and walking to and around the other resorts on the same beach offers you more dining and entertainment options. If you wanted to experience all of the island and find the best restaurants having a car is much easier. Our first trip we did not rent a car and took tours to get a feel for the island and have found having a car makes the vacation less stressful (despite the traffic). You did not say how you reserved the stay but if you are an owner with an Marriott Vacation Club staying on points or with an international interval trade you will NOT have to pay for parking. Other threads have discussed this topic and when I stayed in July 2019 on an II trade I was not charged to park my rental. Enjoy the resort it is one of my favorites.

 

[frank808]

We will be in Ko'Alina in January. Do we need a car? I understand that parking is $40/day. Is is advisable to rent a car as needed or will we be sorry if we don't have a car? Can we get from the airport to the resort by shuttle or Lyft? Also understand that restaurants on property are quite expensive. Anything nearby or any suggestions? We only have the studio unit.

You can get to resort by uber, lyft, taxi or Speedi Shuttle. They have a shuttle from HNL to MKO that runs about $24 a person each way. There is a discount if you are going to be using them round trip. Enterprise rent a car is on site and you can rent a vehicle daily or there is an evening special from 5pm to return by 5am for a lower price (times are approximate).

You could go shopping a few miles away in Kapolei for easy prepared foods and restaurants.

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[Wei339]

I think that you should probably rent a car if you intend to visit other points of interest in Oahu. We often visit the North Shore and drop into Haleiwa and Turtle Bay Resort for a walk around and bathroom break. The parking at the resort is free. If we don't eat in Haleiwa or Turtle Bay Resort, we usually will try the shrimp trucks just past the Resort. We usually will take one day to visit Waikiki. You have to watch traffic hours when traveling to Waikiki. We usually leave at 9:00 am and return at 4:00 pm. If we need more time, we usually will have supper and then return later. When we return from Waikiki, I find the Nimitz highway to be less congested.
As far as eating, your rental car will allow you to visit Kapolei to purchase grocery supplies. The Safeway is open 24 hours, Costco and Down to Earth are other options. Using the BBQ at the resort will save you some money if you're willing to cook. As well, there are restaurants in the Ka Makana Ali's shopping Centre in Kapolei. Finally, there is Ko Olina Station, a small mall across from the Aulani Disney Resort where there are some restaurants. There is a full service deli at the Island Country Market as well as other fast food restaurants. The larger Monkeypod restaurant is more expensive but has a Happy hour.
Of course, enjoy the Ko Olina Resort itself and the walkway around the Ko Olina resorts.

 

[kds4]

We will be in Ko'Alina in January. Do we need a car? I understand that parking is $40/day. Is is advisable to rent a car as needed or will we be sorry if we don't have a car? Can we get from the airport to the resort by shuttle or Lyft? Also understand that restaurants on property are quite expensive. Anything nearby or any suggestions? We only have the studio unit.

To take full advantage of all there is to do on the island, you need a rental. Paying an Uber/Lyft per ride will quickly become not cost effective. However, if you do not plan on leaving the area of the resort you don't need one. Between the North Shore, Polynesian Cultural Center, Dole Plantation, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Hanauma Bay snorkeling, and more, we drove all over Oahu during our 8 night stay last year.

 

[davidvel]

I would not go without a car unless I planned to just sit at the resort. If you are not a Marriott owner exchanging in you may have to pay parking though.

This is incorrect. There is no fee for exchangers, owner or not.

 

[Bill4728]

I can't imagine not having a car. You'll want to go to the stores in Kapolei since everything in the resort area is about twice as mush as the same item at Safeway

In the safeway complex there is a hawaian BBQ place called "Ono Steak and Shrimp" basically a hole in the wall place for take-out BBQ steak and shrimp all meals come with a salad and white rice in a black plastic takeout box even if you're eating there We ate lunch at the restaurant one day and did a takeout dinner one day. Call ahead. ( BTW the internet directions show the place on the other side of the island )

 

[Dean]

This is incorrect. There is no fee for exchangers, owner or not.

I've seen some non Marriott exchangers say they were told they would have to pay for parking, whether they were actually charged or not may be another story.

 

[brianfox]

We live in California, so gas, grocery shopping, and dining on Oahu is not a huge sticker shock. If you live in middle America, it may be quite a shock.
There is a little strip mall behind the resort that is pretty reasonable for food, but I think it will become tiresome after a few days.
Eating on site is terribly expensive ($18 for a burger).
A car at Ko Olina is highly recommended. Best provisions are at Walmart (a few miles away) and Safeway. Costco is also near those.
In the area of the above shopping are tons of eating establishments you will recognize. Some places like KFC are outrageously expensive, while McDonalds won't be.

If you do rent a car, make sure to leave extra time to drop it off and take the shuttle to the airport. The drive from Ko Olina to the car rental is 30-40 min with NO traffic. Plan for traffic. Plan to get lost. Plan for a 20 min shuttle. Don't miss your flight because of returning a rental car. Also, you may want to consider pre-paying for a full tank, as it can be difficult to find a gas station near the rental agency.

The excursion I would most recommend is Captain Bob's Sandbar Snorkel Adventure. It's on the opposite side of the island but is a fantastic drive. Visit the Pali Lookout on the way back.
Also recommended is Kualoa Ranch, which is also in that area.