Suggestions on Park Shore or Twin Fins Honolulu

[rsonc]

We are heading to Kauai and added 2 nights in Honolulu. Looking for something close to the beach and not expensive. The 2 that I found was the Park Shore and Twin Fins, any suggestions on which one is better? They are really close to the same price for the standard view.

I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Beware The Resort Fees. never stayed at either. I remember when I was planning a trip a couple yrs ago, I looked at TF for that same reason. Crazy RF. I don't remember Park Shore. Is it at the HHV end of W Beach? unless TF lowered its RF or you know how to avoid it, TF was a wrung above the inexpensive ones.

How "close to the beach" do you need to be? Do you care which end?

 

[zentraveler]

Beware The Resort Fees. never stayed at either. I remember when I was planning a trip a couple yrs ago, I looked at TF for that same reason. Crazy RF. I don't remember Park Shore. Is it at the HHV end of W Beach?

How "close to the beach" do you need to be? Do you care which end?

No, it is close to the zoo.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

close to the zoo

ah, right. maybe that is the one next to TF, TF being on the park/beach corner, "on the beach" and PS one bldg away from beach? Denny's!

 

[rsonc]

They are right next door to each other across the street from the beach and zoo.
I originally booked the Aloha Towers, but with my husband recent surgeries we need to be on the beach or across the street, he can’t walk long distances. These were the least expensive I could find for 2 rooms. The 2- bedrooms were too much. We got PS for $395 total for the 2 nights plus RF and TF total of $444. The RF are extra and around another $100 more per room.
We don’t care what side we are on.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

need to be on the beach or across the street

OK, that really limits it. For that, you prob did find the 2 least expensive. The Imperial Waikiki (never stayed) is a v short walk. It is nr Ft DeRussy. My other info would be a block or 2 off the beach.

big picture, at TF's end of the beach, the road is "on the beach", so the hotels are "across the street" from the beach, which is maybe #1 reason they're lower priced than the ones in the middle that are truly "on the beach". By the time you get to the HHV end, the raod has curved away from the beach, so you get those truly "on the beach" & then those "behind the others but a short walk". Lewers St, which is the street Imperial is on, iirc, runs back perpendicular to the beach, so it could be considered "less than a block from the beach". There is something that looks much less expesnive on Saratoga St, but idk the name. Saratoga being parallel to Lewers.

 

[rsonc]

Yes, these both kept showing up as the lowest price. Does anyone know which one would have the better pool and may have more updated rooms? Or if there is something else that makes one better over the other? I keep going back and forth between them. We will be traveling with our 26 year old son and his GF. The will most likely do some shopping or sightseeing, but we really don’t have a lot of time there. If I had to do it over, I would have skipped stopping over, but the mileage worked out cheaper this way when we booked last year. The changing of the hotel took away any savings.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

only thing I can add is I was told, not confirmed, that TF tends to a younger, noisier crowd. Maybe you take PS and your son can take TF?

 

[rsonc]

only thing I can add is I was told, not confirmed, that TF tends to a younger, noisier crowd. Maybe you take PS and your son can take TF?

Actually that might work, then we get the use of both pools.

 

[rsonc]

OK, that really limits it. For that, you prob did find the 2 least expensive. The Imperial Waikiki (never stayed) is a v short walk. It is nr Ft DeRussy. My other info would be a block or 2 off the beach.

big picture, at TF's end of the beach, the road is "on the beach", so the hotels are "across the street" from the beach, which is maybe #1 reason they're lower priced than the ones in the middle that are truly "on the beach". By the time you get to the HHV end, the raod has curved away from the beach, so you get those truly "on the beach" & then those "behind the others but a short walk". Lewers St, which is the street Imperial is on, iirc, runs back perpendicular to the beach, so it could be considered "less than a block from the beach". There is something that looks much less expesnive on Saratoga St, but idk the name. Saratoga being parallel to Lewers.

Thanks if I found the right one, it looks like Waikiki Beach

OK, that really limits it. For that, you prob did find the 2 least expensive. The Imperial Waikiki (never stayed) is a v short walk. It is nr Ft DeRussy. My other info would be a block or 2 off the beach.

big picture, at TF's end of the beach, the road is "on the beach", so the hotels are "across the street" from the beach, which is maybe #1 reason they're lower priced than the ones in the middle that are truly "on the beach". By the time you get to the HHV end, the raod has curved away from the beach, so you get those truly "on the beach" & then those "behind the others but a short walk". Lewers St, which is the street Imperial is on, iirc, runs back perpendicular to the beach, so it could be considered "less than a block from the beach". There is something that looks much less expesnive on Saratoga St, but idk the name. Saratoga being parallel to Lewers.

If I found the right one, it might be the Waikiki shores. I will check it out. Is there more to do on that side, or is the area by the area by the Zoo better?

 

[WaikikiFirst]

it might be the Waikiki shores

I think that (WS) is the name of the condo (TS?) building that the Steak Shack is in. also says "Castle Resorts" I think. I almost mentioned that but figured it is more expensive than TF is since it is both on the beach & next to the park. I walk by that all the time. I have never priced it out, but I always think "Not the fanciest looking place but awesome location". The Imperial is behind that so maybe 100 yds further to the beach, but at some point, it depends which room in the WS and how far you are from the elevator. from front of the Imperial, you can walk thru the Embassy Suites & be at the back of WS/Castle in 2 minutes max prob. (I also almost mentioned Embassy Suites, but prob more expensive, though if you have HHonors pts a good deal.)

More to do, zoo end vs Ft DeRussy end? depends on what you want to do and how far to go to do it.
Imperail/ES/WS/Castle/SteakShack are next to Ft DeRussy, which has a v nice park. WS is RIGHT next to it.
WS takes really no walk to get to beach or park. WS takes a walk to get to restaurants, Royal hawaiian, mall etc.
Imperial is sort of halfway between those things.
(ask google maps directions how to get to Steak Shack from Imperial or ES and you'll get the exact # of meters to walk, then ask about Imperial or WS to Tiffany or PF Changs and that is the "things to do" area)
For shortest distance to both beach and things to do, idk, maybe TF is better but TF is basically the end of Waikiki Bch, so it is all in 1 direction, and it is a bit of a trek (4 blocks?) to the Royal Hawaiian and all the fancier things to do are past that on the Ft DeRussy side of the mid-pt). TF is next to a park (the zoo area) but the FtDR park is nicer. also, we like the beach at Ft DR better than in front of the TF. It is wider, less crowded, etc.
Like this (rough #s, google can say)
WS to beach = 30 meters (or less), same to park, to "Things" = 300 meters
Imperial to beach = 175 meters, to park 150 meters, to "Things" = 150 meters
TF to beach = 40 meters, to things, 200 meters or more, depending on what.
google directions will say. I admit I have never been in Imperial and I won't downplay the need to be NEAR the beach, but when I walk by the Imperial, I think "That place looks like a great compromise of price, walk to beach & walk to things". read some Tripadvisor reviews of Imperail I guess

 

[zentraveler]

The Imperial is a nice, decenty priced resort in my memory from a few years ago, and is in a nice location even beside the proximity to the beach. I have also stayed in places near the zoo and that area of Waikiki also has its charm and advantages - quieter, access to quiet walks along the beach, closer to Diamond Head etc. And there is plenty

And it is SO easy to hop on The Bus (Honolulu/Oahu's bus system) if you don't want to walk to the other end of Waikiki. It runs along Kuhio Ave toward the HHV/Ala Moano/dowtown and along Kalakaua toward the zoo. Fabulously easy to use and with a short learning curve, a hop on and hop off, inexpensive way to get around Waikiki.

 

[rsonc]

Thank you all for the great information. I will check out the imperial and some of the resorts around there before we make our final decision.

Any suggestions on airport shuttle services? Or is Taxi better?

 

[SmithOp]

Thank you all for the great information. I will check out the imperial and some of the resorts around there before we make our final decision.

Any suggestions on airport shuttle services? Or is Taxi better?

Charley's Taxi has a flat rate from HNL to Waikiki hotels, it was $35 last time I took it. The shuttle services will crowd you all on a van or bus with other drop offs. We prefer Charley's for all transport in Waikiki, if I rent a car it's for a single day. Charley's takes reservations.

Charley's Taxi

charleystaxi.com

 

[zentraveler]

Charley's Taxi has a flat rate from HNL to Waikiki hotels, it was $35 last time I took it. The shuttle services will crowd you all on a van or bus with other drop offs. We prefer Charley's for all transport in Waikiki, if I rent a car it's for a single day. Charley's takes reservations.

Charley's Taxi

charleystaxi.com

+1 for Charley's. Reliable, efficient, friendly. Always use them for airport transfers.

 

[easyrider]

We are heading to Kauai and added 2 nights in Honolulu. Looking for something close to the beach and not expensive. The 2 that I found was the Park Shore and Twin Fins, any suggestions on which one is better? They are really close to the same price for the standard view.

I appreciate any suggestions.

The Twin Fins would be a good pick, imo. I haven't stayed here but have thought about it a couple of times because of the Ocean view decks.

Now days, I might spend a bit more for just two nights and stay at the Royal Hawaiian or Outrigger if Waikiki is where I was staying.

Bill

 

[rsonc]

Charley's Taxi has a flat rate from HNL to Waikiki hotels, it was $35 last time I took it. The shuttle services will crowd you all on a van or bus with other drop offs. We prefer Charley's for all transport in Waikiki, if I rent a car it's for a single day. Charley's takes reservations.

Charley's Taxi

charleystaxi.com

Thank you, I will contact them tomorrow.