Where to Stay - Honolulu, Waikiki and Oahu - page 141

an array of shops. The newly done rooms feature comfortable island-style decor, marble floor-
ing, and granite counters in the bathroom.
Despite that, rates here have been creeping up every year since the resort opened in 2002
with moderate prices. With rack rates beginning at $209 (and topping off at $370), we feel you
can do better elsewhere in Waikiki. Tip: You may be able to get rooms for half price by check-
ing the Internet for specials.
Even if you don't stay here, spa aficionados won't want to miss the SpaOlakino&Salon
★. Conceived and managed by Paul Brown, a well-known hair stylist with numerous salons
in Hawaii, this boutique spa offers a unique experience: The spa looks directly onto Waikiki
Beach (well, actually Kuhio Beach, at the far end of Waikiki). The “menu” of treatments is one
of the most enchanting we've seen. We recommend the Na La'au, which starts with a Hawaii-
an lomilomi massage (using traditional native Hawaiian plants such as kukui nut oil), then
goes on to a noni-plant-and-ti-leaf body wrap, and concludes with a trip to a private steam
room and shower.
2552 Kalakaua Ave. (entrance on Ohua Ave.), Honolulu, HI 96815. www.marriottwaikiki.com . & 800/367-5370 or 808/
922-6611. Fax [phone],310 units. $209-$370 double; from $500 suite. Extra person $50. Children under 18 stay
free in parent's room using existing bedding. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $33; self-parking $28. Bus: 19 or 20.
Amenities: 5 restaurants (including Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, and d.k Steakhouse); 2 bars; babysitting;
concierge; fitness room; Jacuzzi; outdoor pool w/view of Waikiki; room service; elegant spa.; 24-hr. Doctors On Call med-
ical service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi ($16/day).
Nickel-and-Dime Charges at High-Priced Hotels
Several upscale resorts in Hawaii have begun a practice that we find distasteful and dishon-
est: charging a so-called “resort fee.” This daily fee (generally in the $20-per-day range) is
added on to your bill for such “complimentary” items as a daily newspaper, local phone calls,
and use of the fitness facilities—amenities that the resort has been happily providing free to
its guests for years. In most cases you do not have an option to decline the resort fee—in
other words, this is a sneaky way to increase the nightly rate without telling you.
MODERATE
Aston at the Waikiki Banyan The one-bedrooms here combine the homey comforts of a
condo apartment with the amenities of a hotel. You'll get daily maid service, bellhop service,
the assistance of the front desk, and access to an enormous sixth-floor recreation deck with
a panoramic mountain view, complete with sauna, barbecue areas, snack bar, and children's
play area—a great boon for families (kids 12 and under get a toy when you check in), plus
there's a children's library with games and terriic Hawaiian topics. The open-air lobby has
some impressive lacquer artwork, hand-carved and painted in Hong Kong. All bedrooms have
a fully equipped full-size kitchen, a breakfast bar that opens to a comfortably furnished liv-
ing room (with sofa bed), and a separate bedroom with two double beds or a king-size bed.
The one we stayed in had an old-fashioned air conditioner in the wall, but it did the job. Each