PROS: Super close to the beach, enough room for a family, laundry nearby in the facilities, a pool, a kitchen, close to shopping and restaurants. Clean inside! Parking was a huge plus in Waikiki. Mini mart and little cafe downstairs for quick snacks and coffee. Keyless entry was great and easy to use. Owner was easy to contact.
CONS: Photos made it seem a little more updated than it was. A lot of the cons are “little” things that make a big impact, including: hard and broken beds (one of the beds sunk down in the middle when you sat or laid on it and the sofa pull-out had a bar in the middle), pillows were flat, the small amounts of toilet paper provided were low quality and after a week with four people we needed to buy our own, chair on the lanai was a simple folding chair like you’d get at Costco, shower sliding doors were off the rail and not super clean, artwork was crooked, and it needed a fresh coat of paint. One of the biggest downfalls was the shower. It would not stay hot and sometimes it would either scald you or freeze you. Bathroom door will not lock but slides shut. Kitchen was stocked with cookware and dining ware but it was a bit old and worn down looking.
Overall, it was not a bad place to stay. You aren’t booking this place for a Hilton-type experience; you’re booking it for the price and location. The overall building is older and needs some work but that’s not the fault of the owner by any means. One elevator was down and with COVID rules, we would have to wait sometimes 10 minutes to get an elevator. Some of the residents were super strict with only four to an elevator even with masks and even after the four-person requirement was removed. There was an alarm that went off in the building one day that required us to go down 16 flights of stairs and then wait for an elevator to go back up when it was “all clear.” The pool floor was not super clean and looked a bit dingy but again, that’s not the owner’s fault.
If you need an affordable place to stay in the busiest part area of Waikiki and don’t care much about the amenities or extra touches (e.g. shampoo/soap, fluffy beds, etc.) this place is for you. It worked for us, but those small things would’ve made a huge difference!
Owner was great. Easy to work with.