Room Assignment & Other Questions About Lagoon Tower?

[JIMinNC]

We'll be checking in to a 1BR Plus (OV) at Lagoon Tower for three nights in a little less than three weeks. Any tips for a room assignment request, and does anyone have contact info for who to contact?

Also a couple other questions - we have rented a car, but are reconsidering and may just Uber from/to the airport and rent a car for one day. Our first night we don't arrive until 4pm, so probably just go to HHV, eat dinner, and call it a night. Day 2 we may stay local and explore HHV and the immediate area, and then rent a car for Day 3. Uber back to airport on Day 4 for our flight to Kauai. My questions are:

- Does Lagoon Tower use the Main HHV check-in area, or is Lagoon Tower a separate lobby/check-in desk?
- Which company has on-site car rentals at HHV?
- Any other tips for a first-timer at Lagoon Tower/HHV? We have been to Oahu many times, just not HHV.

 

[ljmiii]

Easy answers first...
The Lagoon Tower has a check-in area in the upper lobby (the one you enter when you drive in). It is shared with the Grand Waikiki.
The on-site car rental is now National (it was Hertz). But there are other car rental agencies a short walk away.

If you are just a couple you could request one of the much loved/hated XX68 dedicated 1BRs. They are smaller but have great views out over the Marina. There is also one L/O 2BR on the Marina side - XX70/71 - which has a bigger 1BR but is farther from the ocean. On the Diamond Head side there are 2 dedicated 1BRs and 1 LO 2BR - 61, 62/63, and 64 in order from mountain to ocean. On lower floors this means you are staring at the buildings opposite...on higher floors you do get a peek-a-boo view of Diamond Head. Events are held on the lawn in front of the Diamond Head side - which can be loud and/or entertaining depending on your perspective.

All that said...as a multiple week 2BR owner who always requests as high a floor as possible I've gotten pretty much everything from the 6th floor looking straight into a palm tree to the top corner unit (mountain view).

 

[ljmiii]

As for tips...
Lappert's Ice Cream is about 20 steps away, opens at 5:30AM (important for those still on EST), has great coffee (100% Kona if you wish), and very tasty croissants and other breakfast pastries (actually something of a challenge on Oahu).
The Tropics Bar & Grill has great drinks, good views, and acceptable food - we often hit it on our first night there.
Lastly, there is some amazing food to be had in the side streets of Waikiki...and all too many horrible tourist traps.

 

[JIMinNC]

Did you make any specific room requests to someone at Lagoon Tower, or just wait and see what they assigned?

 

[ljmiii]

Did you make any specific room requests to someone at Lagoon Tower, or just wait and see what they assigned?

Never a specific room...just the highest floor. There is something to be said for all the dedicated 2BR OV units in the Lagoon Tower and to us elevation matters more than position.

I usually call a few weeks before arrival...though I'm not sure I ever got in contract with the 'right' person or department. For two trips running I also requested my OF and OV 2BRs be on the same floor if possible...they managed it once but not both times.

 

[JIMinNC]

Who specifically did you talk to? Just call the front desk?

 

[alwysonvac]

I just call or fax the front desk and tell them that I want to make a room request for my upcoming stay.

View from Lagoon Tower One Bedroom Plus? (2016) - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/view-from-lagoon-tower-one-bedroom-plus.239294

Lagoon Tower Ocean Views (2016) - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/hilton-hawaiian-village-lagoon-tower-views.240170/​

First Timer @ HHV tips:

Hawai Revealed provides a good description of HHV - https://www.hawaiirevealed.com/resort-reviews/hilton-hawaiian-village/

Parking - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/increase-of-hhv-parking-fee.283970/​

 

[ljmiii]

Who specifically did you talk to? Just call the front desk?

As I alluded to above, HGVC at the Lagoon Tower isn't like Waiohai or other MVCI resorts where there is a "room control office" or pre-arrival department or anything like that (at least that I have been able to discover). Usually I've been redirected, sometimes the person who answered the call 'took down' the request. 808-953-2700 is the current phone number.

 

[csodjd]

The on-site car rental is now National

I learned over the past few years that it pays handsomely to reserve your car BEFORE you go to Hawaii. If you reserve on the National website in advance you pay typical rental rates. If you wait and just go over there or reserve the day before the rates can be 3x to 4x as much. Last year I paid about $45/day. On short notice it was $225.

But, remember that, with a car, you'll pay for parking. So, it is best to not rent until the morning you need it.

 

[csodjd]

may just Uber from/to the airport

I just reserved transportation to HHV from the airport for my April trip. Hawaii23 has a non-shared van/shuttle. Total price for 3 passengers with 11:15pm pickup was $33. I prefer that over Uber simply because I don't have to worry about having enough room for our stuff.

 

[csodjd]

One more thing. Here's an elevator tip. Elevators in Lagoon tower can be challenging. You press the down button, stand there and wait, then the doors open and it's full. Ugh. So, the tip is, go UP to go DOWN. Especially at busier times, and ALWAYS on Saturday morning (check out time), select UP, ride it up to wherever it is going, then ride it down. It's emptying on the way up, and filling on the way down.

 

[JIMinNC]

I learned over the past few years that it pays handsomely to reserve your car BEFORE you go to Hawaii. If you reserve on the National website in advance you pay typical rental rates. If you wait and just go over there or reserve the day before the rates can be 3x to 4x as much. Last year I paid about $45/day. On short notice it was $225.

But, remember that, with a car, you'll pay for parking. So, it is best to not rent until the morning you need it.

My plan was to rent in the AM on the day we need it and turn it in at the end of the day. My wife has National status so we were going to use her account and do that this week. When I was checking availability, there was a notation that said our drop-off time was after the location closes, so there would be "a few extra steps that would be explained in the confirmation email." Have you ever dropped off late?

Also, thanks for the shuttle idea, I'll check...and the elevator tip.

 

[csodjd]

My plan was to rent in the AM on the day we need it and turn it in at the end of the day. My wife has National status so we were going to use her account and do that this week. When I was checking availability, there was a notation that said our drop-off time was after the location closes, so there would be "a few extra steps that would be explained in the confirmation email." Have you ever dropped off late?

Also, thanks for the shuttle idea, I'll check...and the elevator tip.

They use an area in the upper floors of the parking structure. As I recall, you just go in the parking structure, drive up to their location, park the car, and leave your parking ticket and keys in a drop box up there. I don't recall it being anything notable. Typical of any after-hour drop-off.

 

[JIMinNC]

They use an area in the upper floors of the parking structure. As I recall, you just go in the parking structure, drive up to their location, park the car, and leave your parking ticket and keys in a drop box up there. I don't recall it being anything notable. Typical of any after-hour drop-off.

Thanks

 

[SmithOp]

Charleys Taxi is another flat rate option, $29 to Waikiki, up to 4 passengers with one suitcase and one carryon, 10 cu ft of space. Limitations listed at the bottom regarding extra stops.

http://charleystaxi.com/reservations/


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[GregT]

I agree with the advice given, and we request highest floor possible, prefer Diamond Head side. We stayed in Dreaded Room xx68 once and thought it was oddly configured, but grew to like it because the view was spectacular, being so far forward in the building. Enjoy your trip!

Best,

Greg

 

[csodjd]

I agree with the advice given, and we request highest floor possible, prefer Diamond Head side. We stayed in Dreaded Room xx68 once and thought it was oddly configured, but grew to like it because the view was spectacular, being so far forward in the building. Enjoy your trip!

Best,

Greg

I agree. Prefer Diamond Head side. As up as possible. For me, I'll compromise the room for the view. Spend most of my "room" time either sleeping, or on the balcony.

 

[Luanne]

I learned over the past few years that it pays handsomely to reserve your car BEFORE you go to Hawaii. If you reserve on the National website in advance you pay typical rental rates. If you wait and just go over there or reserve the day before the rates can be 3x to 4x as much. Last year I paid about $45/day. On short notice it was $225.

But, remember that, with a car, you'll pay for parking. So, it is best to not rent until the morning you need it.

You can also rent ahead for just a day or two through Costco or AutoSlash. We did that when going to San Francisco one year. Good thing we did. I got the car for about $35/day. If we'd waited until we got there cars were going for around $100.

 

[JIMinNC]

I just reserved transportation to HHV from the airport for my April trip. Hawaii23 has a non-shared van/shuttle. Total price for 3 passengers with 11:15pm pickup was $33. I prefer that over Uber simply because I don't have to worry about having enough room for our stuff.

Thanks for the recommendation. We used Hawaii23 today. Very efficient and cost effective. Reserved online; they confirmed via email; and then the driver texted us when we were taxiing to the gate.