Trading into HGVC: Grand Waikikian

[Shiba]

I have a chance to trade into a 2 bedroom Grand Waikikian through RCI. I see mixed reviews on Trip Advisor and on Youtube and was hoping TUG would help answer some questions:

1. Are the pools as crowded as I've seen on the reviews? Plan on going in early September.
2. How far of a walk from the Grand Waikikian to the main pools? I'll be taking my mom
3. Is there a check-in in this tower?
4. Is there an issue with the cleanliness of the units?
5. How much should I expect in additional fees a day? Plan on paying for monthly parking at Hale Koa and somebody will be walking to get the car.
6. Can I request double beds in the second bedroom?

Any other helpful information is greatly appreciated.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I have stayed many times at this resort but not in this building. Here is what I know:

1. Are the pools as crowded as I've seen on the reviews? Plan on going in early September.
Pools are crowded. September may be better because school is in session. During summer I head for the Kalia pool which is less crowded.

2. How far of a walk from the Grand Waikikian to the main pools? I'll be taking my mom
It is a walk across the resort. Kalia pool is closer.

3. Is there a check-in in this tower?
Yes. It is shared with Lagoon Tower. Check the HGVC resort stickies for a resort map.

4. Is there an issue with the cleanliness of the units?
IDK. I've never had a problem with Lagoon.

5. How much should I expect in additional fees a day? Plan on paying for monthly parking at Hale Koa and somebody will be walking to get the car.
Check your RCI statement for extra fees. There is also Hawaiian room tax.

6. Can I request double beds in the second bedroom?

 

[ljmiii]

6. Can I request double beds in the second bedroom?

What @CalGalTraveler wrote. And you can request two doubles but you may be stuck with a King in the 2nd bedroom - at GW there is no way to book two doubles (other than booking a penthouse).

 

[alwysonvac]

I have a chance to trade into a 2 bedroom Grand Waikikian through RCI. I see mixed reviews on Trip Advisor and on Youtube and was hoping TUG would help answer some questions:

1. Are the pools as crowded as I've seen on the reviews? Plan on going in early September.
2. How far of a walk from the Grand Waikikian to the main pools? I'll be taking my mom

JMHO.... if you're looking for a resort for your Mom to hang out and have a relaxing time by the pool, I honestly won't pick the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village is massive with several hotel and timeshare towers. The pool areas will be crowded due to the number of guests compared to the pool sizes. See map below.

Hilton Hawaiian Village

Hilton Hawaiian Village is the biggest kahuna of them all. It’s the best furnished and offers more personalized services.

www.revealedtravelguides.com

The only relaxing pool space would be at the newest HGVC tower (Grand Islander tower in the upper left corner in the map). This tower has a separate mini pool for their guests on the 3rd floor but RCI is only showing one bedrooms.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hnldrgv-hilton-grand-vacations-club-the-grand-islander-waikiki-honolulu/

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[WaikikiFirst]

if you're looking for a resort for your Mom to hang out and have a relaxing time by the pool, I honestly won't pick the Hilton Hawaiian Village

Agree, but I try to not give advice since I seem to be abnormal. If someone says they're going to Waikiki, and it isn't about the beach/ OCEAN (both Waikiki and elsewhere on Oahu) and restaurants and overall vibe, I don't get it. You want to relax by pools? Mexico, though maybe not in Sept. Maui? BUt again on Maui, I don't get using pools when you have those beaches.
KINGS LAND? never been but said to have v gd pools, not crowded, not a TOWER, etc
The problems with GrW for me? Furthest from the beach & furthest from Waikiki proper. Now, it is closest to Ala Moana shopping & the locals beach, but neither of those seem to be on this itinerary.
I was hanging around GrW just a few wks ago. I stayed in Kalia, but walked thru GW a bunch of times. The walk from GW to the main pool may be 5 minutes for your mom. Maybe 3 minutes for some. And it is not a well-planned or pleasant walk. The parking garage is in-between and the garage is badly laid out, so YMMV on trying to cut through it. (You WILL get lost, esp trying to get back to GW)

Fees? OP did not say if OP owns at HGVC. For a HGVC owner (member?) only $15/day tax for a 1 bdrm, so maybe $22/ for a 2 bdrm? Resort fee? Idk, I hear these exist for HGVC via RCI. Idk if that is true for owner/exchanger

 

[brp]

Agree, but I try to not give advice since I seem to be abnormal. If someone says they're going to Waikiki, and it isn't about the beach (both Waikiki and elsewhere on Oahu) and restaurants and overall vibe, I don't get it.

Yup, there are very different ways to vacation. Last February we went to Oahu for 2 weeks and went to a beach (to stay) maybe once or twice. And I think we visited a pool twice. There are so many things to do on the island that are not hanging out the beach or the pool. Nature, culture, etc.

But I do think it's fair to say that if one wants pools, HHV may not be ideal since they do get crowded after the early morning. That's more factual than advice.

Cheers.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

JMHO.... if you're looking for a resort for your Mom to hang out and have a relaxing time by the pool, I honestly won't pick the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village is massive with several hotel and timeshare towers. The pool areas will be crowded due to the number of guests compared to the pool sizes. See map below.

Hilton Hawaiian Village

Hilton Hawaiian Village is the biggest kahuna of them all. It’s the best furnished and offers more personalized services.

www.revealedtravelguides.com

View attachment 107419​

The only relaxing pool space would be at the newest HGVC tower (Grand Islander tower in the upper left corner in the map). This tower has a separate mini pool for their guests on the 3rd floor but RCI is only showing one bedrooms.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hnldrgv-hilton-grand-vacations-club-the-grand-islander-waikiki-honolulu/

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The last time I was on Oahu was in 1988 and we stayed at the Rainbow Tower. Looking at all the development since then makes me dizzy. We also visited Maui and Kauai on that trip. Since then we've done a couple of trips to Maui and 3-4 to the Big Island. We're not beach or pool people, but will sometimes hang in a hot tub after a busy day out exploring or golfing. I may get back to Oahu some day, but don't expect to anytime soon.

 

[brp]

The last time I was on Oahu was in 1988 and we stayed at the Rainbow Tower. Looking at all the development since then makes me dizzy. We also visited Maui and Kauai on that trip. Since then we've done a couple of trips to Maui and 3-4 to the Big Island. We're not beach or pool people, but will sometimes hang in a hot tub after a busy day out exploring or golfing. I may get back to Oahu some day, but don't expect to anytime soon.

Other than the golfing (I could never get past the volcano hole), this sounds like us. We had visited Oahu maybe 10-12 years ago and stayed in Waikiki proper. And I didn't like it. At all. We did decide to go back as mrs. brp went to grad school there and she still had friends, and her thesis professor there. Staying at HHV was very different. It didn't have the slime of the Waikiki feel. And there really is a lot to do on the island. No, not our favorite, but it has risen in my estimation after this visit.

Cheers.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Looking at all the development since then makes me dizzy

and they're about to start building a new tower on a piece of land not much bigger than the footprint of 2 not-big restaurants. The things those engineers can do. It amazes me they will do that w/out closing the MAIN road for hours at a time over & over & over

 

[WaikikiFirst]

slime

LOL. See how different people are. You go to NYC, iirc. I lived in Manhattan for 4+ yrs. It took me 2+ yrs to wash the slime off after moving away.
And you mention "slime" for Waikiki. LOL. Chacun a son gout!
I suppose you could get me to Manhattan before you could get me to Orlando, but ... barely maybe

and honestly, if people don't spend a lot of time IN the ocean, or at least kayaking, or fishing I guess I can't figure out the point of going to Fillintheblank "Beach" in the tropics.

 

[brp]

LOL. See how different people are. You go to NYC, iirc. I lived in Manhattan for 4+ yrs. It took me 2+ yrs to wash the slime off after moving away.
And you mention "slime" for Waikiki. LOL. Chacun a son gout!
I suppose you could get me to Manhattan before you could get me to Orlando, but ... barely maybe

Oh, I don't, in any way, deny the slime in Manhattan. But I grew up there and it's in my blood. As I've said before, if I want the tall buildings and the slime, I'll go to New York, not Waikiki. That's my slime.

And Orlando is great if one spends time at WDW and not Orlando. Some get it, though, and some don't. Diff'rent strokes.


Cheers.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

Other than the golfing (I could never get past the volcano hole), this sounds like us. We had visited Oahu maybe 10-12 years ago and stayed in Waikiki proper. And I didn't like it. At all. We did decide to go back as mrs. brp went to grad school there and she still had friends, and her thesis professor there. Staying at HHV was very different. It didn't have the slime of the Waikiki feel. And there really is a lot to do on the island. No, not our favorite, but it has risen in my estimation after this visit.

Cheers.

If I remember correctly, the traffic in the main areas of Waikiki/Oahu was pretty congested in 1988. I can only imagine how busy it is now with the additional development. We generally don't spend a ton of time at the resorts we stay at and I have little interest in fighting that kind of traffic on vacation. A few years ago we were going to be on Maui while the PGA event was going to be held on Oahu. I did look at some inter-island flights and probably could have pulled that off if we hadn't cancelled that trip for family reasons.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

not to hijack the thread but I think brp may be related to Ray Davies. enjoy

 

[WaikikiFirst]

If I remember correctly, the traffic in the main areas of Waikiki/Oahu was pretty congested in 1988. I can only imagine how busy it is now with the additional development. We generally don't spend a ton of time at the resorts we stay at and I have little interest in fighting that kind of traffic on vacation. A few years ago we were going to be on Maui while the PGA event was going to be held on Oahu. I did look at some inter-island flights and probably could have pulled that off if we hadn't cancelled that trip for family reasons.

Meh, it takes half the time to get from HNL to Waikiki as it takes to get from OGG to Kaanapali. I am CONSTNANTLY told how early I have to leave to get back to HNL and I ALWAYS laugh at them and I always have too much time at HNL waiting for my flight.
"don't spend a ton of time at the resorts we stay at"
Now, the North Shore is another matter. Far fewer people, but only 1 tiny road and more tourists with rentals. You want to avoid traffic on Oahu? Don't go north.

"Far fewer people, but only 1 tiny road and more tourists with rentals."
Oh wait. I just described Maui (Kaanapali & Makena & Hana & ... ). Not that I hate the traffic on Maui, but you absolutely can kill more time in a car on Maui than on Oahu (other than North Sh)

 

[ljmiii]

Meh, it takes half the time to get from HNL to Waikiki as it takes to get from OGG to Kaanapali…

Obviously everyone is different. But I agree…one of the things we love about HHV is the absence of traffic compared to Maui (or even our beloved Kauai). There are dozens if not hundreds of excellent restaurants and activities within walking distance or a short bus or trolley or taxi/Uber ride away from HHV.

Do we try to fight our way into Honolulu from Kapolei or Hawaii Kai during the morning commute? Of course not because we don’t have to…we’re staying in Waikiki.

 

[Mowogo]

The problems with GrW for me? Furthest from the beach & furthest from Waikiki proper. Now, it is closest to Ala Moana shopping & the locals beach, but neither of those seem to be on this itinerary.
I was hanging around GrW just a few wks ago. I stayed in Kalia, but walked thru GW a bunch of times. The walk from GW to the main pool may be 5 minutes for your mom. Maybe 3 minutes for some. And it is not a well-planned or pleasant walk. The parking garage is in-between and the garage is badly laid out, so YMMV on trying to cut through it. (You WILL get lost, esp trying to get back to GW)

You don't have to go through the parking garage. Walk through the lobby and go down the ramp, stairs, or elevator in Lagoon Tower to the lawn and then enter the pool at the end of Lagoon Tower.

 

[Shiba]

Thanks for all the info. We usually hang around the resort the first day after arriving because everyone is tired. After that we go explore, the traffic doesn't bother us we're used to it.
We plan on going to Kailua, Waimanolo, and Bellows Beach. I thought about trading into Marriott Ko'Olina where it is quieter, but with a group feel everyone can do their own thing in Waikiki.

Mom is still mobile and can walk on her own. Thought HHV would be a good option due to all the shopping/restaurants on site. How is the Paradise Pool compared to the Super Pool?

 

[letsgobobby]

I think the Paradise pool is what we call the Lagoon pool. It is typically packed with kids - again September may be a little better.

We love HHV and go 1-2x per year and will spend weeks if not a month or two every year in retirement.

Kailua, Waimanalo, Bellows - all great.

You’ll have a great time.

 

[frank808]

Thanks for all the info. We usually hang around the resort the first day after arriving because everyone is tired. After that we go explore, the traffic doesn't bother us we're used to it.
We plan on going to Kailua, Waimanolo, and Bellows Beach. I thought about trading into Marriott Ko'Olina where it is quieter, but with a group feel everyone can do their own thing in Waikiki.

Mom is still mobile and can walk on her own. Thought HHV would be a good option due to all the shopping/restaurants on site. How is the Paradise Pool compared to the Super Pool?

Bellows beach is open on weekends only for the public. If someone has a military id or retired id card, you can go to the guarded beach week days. If going on weekdays and not military, just head to Waimanalo beach park about 200 yards south of Bellows AFB entrance.

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

 

[WaikikiFirst]

plan on going to Kailua, Waimanolo, and Bellows Beach. everyone can do their own thing in Waikiki

There you go. Exactly how I would look at it. So different from the OP that focused on the HHV pool. That is the common thread: some OP asks a question with some but limited info and the responses quickly spiral off to ... whatever ... which may or may not jibe with the holistic situation

For Mom, if she is alone, maybe CalGal hit it with the rec for the Kalia pool. Elevator to 4th fl next to the gym. She can stairmaster too!

 

[4TimeAway]

I do like the North Shore area. Not sure you can trade in, but I have heard it can occassionally happen.. Turtle Bay is on my list to stay.

 

[alwysonvac]

There you go. Exactly how I would look at it. So different from the OP that focused on the HHV pool. That is the common thread: some OP asks a question with some but limited info and the responses quickly spiral off to ... whatever ... which may or may not jibe with the holistic situation

For Mom, if she is alone, maybe CalGal hit it with the rec for the Kalia pool. Elevator to 4th fl next to the gym. She can stairmaster too!

Lol, it's your multiple posts that quickly spiral off to various topics

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Lol, it's your multiple posts that quickly spiral off to various topics

always aim to fit in . The nail that sticks out gets hammered.