Location is great. Few minutes walk to the beach and to all amenities Waikiki has to offer. Pool and tub downstairs is in a beautiful oasis with a restaurant. Food was delicious, menu short, no alcohol and a terrible service. We still recommend trying out food - you won't be disappointed.
First floor area/reception/check in - beautiful area.
Carpet on the 4th floor in the hall smelled very old and wet??? Not sure- we could smell through the masks.
Room itself - beds are ok. No mini-split AC system - just loud wall AC. Room and shower smelled like mildew. You could see black spots in the bathroom, I am not a licensed inspector so can't confirm mold.
The listing said that all essentials provided. Soap and shampoo were enough for 1 day. Few rolls of toilet paper - definitely not enough for 2 people for 8 days. I emailed Mark and he said essentials supplied only to start with. That would have been fine if listing specified that essentials provided only to start with and stores are located on every corner and prices are much higher than on mainland so plan accordingly.
Hotel personnel were very nice.
Not sure about hotel renovations since I spent my days out. This studio could definitely use some love, especially the bathroom.
Washer and dryer are not in a room and not free. I did not see first aid kit (I was looking for bandage), but snorkeling gear, beach and regular towels, etc.. were in the closet.
Overall, if you are on the budget, plan on spending money on essentials since they are not being provided. If smells don't bother you, then this is a good place to stay while exploring Oahu.
Reservations to restaurants are a must, my advise is to rsvp even before you get to Hawaii.