Outrigger Reef on the Beach

Description:

• Location, location, location! This big hotel is right on Waikiki Beach, across from Fort DeRussy, with three towers of beautifully appointed rooms (completely remodeled in 2007-08), excellent service, and a myriad of activities, shops, and restaurants. The $100 million in renovations really was closer to a "rebuild" and the rooms were redesigned and upgraded (with 32-in. LCD TVs). The new porte-cochere, which resembles a traditional A-frame canoe longhouse, in fact houses a 100-year-old Hawaiian fishing canoe. Throughout the lobby are enough shops to qualify as a mini-mall. Off the lobby is an enormous swimming pool, with some 300 chaise lounges surrounding it, three whirlpool spas, and food and cocktail service within hailing distance. And, of course, beautiful Waikiki is in the back yard. The rooms have the usual well-designed, well-appointed Outrigger furnishings and decorations with great views and plenty of extra room for a couple of kids to bed down. Blackout drapes are a nice touch for jet-lagged travelers, as is a hospitality room (with showers) for early check-ins or late checkouts. The onsite Shorebird Beach Broiler is an immensely popular oceanside spot offering buffet breakfasts and broil-your-own dinners. Another great amenity is flight check-in for Hawaiian Airlines customers: Get boarding passes and luggage tags in the lobby (daily 7:30-11:30am) and avoid the lines at the airport.

  Facilities: 2 restaurants; 3 bars plus poolside sports bar; giant outdoor pool; fitness room; 3 Jacuzzis; children's program; concierge; activity desk; business center; large shopping arcade; salon; massage; babysitting; coin-op washer/dryers; concierge-level rooms.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010