A Magnificent Resort
Written: Mar 26 '03 (Updated Mar 30 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Location, beautiful property, beach/lagoons, nice big rooms and bathrooms, great kids program
Cons: Overpriced dining options, pool, couch does not convert to a bed, some views
The Bottom Line: Also suited for romantic getaways. Beautiful location,not too far from Waikiki and Honolulu - the best of both worlds. We would definitely stay here if we travel to Oahu again.
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| artsmart's Full Review: Marriott J.W. Ihilani Resort and Spa |
The Resort
This was our first trip to Hawaii and what a wonderful choice we made! We stay at Marriott Hotels often and are familiar with their hospitality, so was not surprised by what we found here. This was the second part of our Hawaii vacation and although Oahu is bustling, this resort is away from all of that - which can be a pro or con, depending on what you're looking for. We were traveling with a preschooler and an infant, so found this to be the perfect place! We drove all around the island to do some sightseeing on a couple of days, and spent the other days thoroughly enjoying the resort. I would recommend having a rental car as nothing is closer than 1/2 hour. They do charge for parking though (they do not have any self parking).
Walking into the resort, you feel the luxury. Tastefully decorated and designed to make you feel welcome, yet keeping the flavor of Hawaii at the same time. The grounds are simply beautiful with lush foliage, little lagoons with sea life on the grounds, pathways and of course lots of tiki torches! There's a nice, open feeling in the restaurants with gentle breezes.
The Rooms
The rooms are quite large with beautiful bathrooms! There is a couch, but it does not pull out into a bed, so if you want a roll-away, be prepared to pay extra!! Our preschooler was able to sleep on it though and we had a crib at no charge for the baby. We had a beautiful ocean/sunset view room (we did pay the $30 per night upgrade for it, but it was so worth it!)with a large lanai that had a nice teak table with 2 chairs and a lounge. The evenings were cool, so we were able to keep the lanai doors open with the shutter doors closed and the sound of the waves lulled us to sleep each night. There is one side of the hotel (our original side!) that faces the water, but also faces a Chevron Refinery that is down past the timeshare, but it's there, so you may want to check on that. Also, the mountain view is not what you think either. They are not lush, green hills, but are more sparce, brownish looking, so watch out for that view too if you can! The Marriott Timeshare is just down from the property - an easy walk, and we are very happy to report that although they will mention visiting it to you (it recently opened), they don't push it at all, which was very nice. We did walk down by it and to the little deli/store at the marina (a nice option for lunch and a nice walk) one afternoon and the timeshare looks gorgeous.
The Area
In the area of Ko Olina, there are also plans (we were told) for Ritz Carlton and Hyatt to build resorts there, but then that area would be complete as far as resorts. Ko Olina is also a home community, so is a very nice area where there was once nothing. There is a town just up from the resort (Kopolei I think) with a KMart and a Safeway grocery store (which you may want to check out as a bottle of water from the hotel room is $3!) as well as a couple local little restaurants and a Chili's. The hotel does have a little store on the lower level for milk and snacks etc..They do offer complimentary coffee in the mornings from 6am - 9am in the lobby area, so be sure to head down for it!
Hotel Restaurants
The hotel restaurants are very good, but pricey. The "lowest cost" restaurant's cheapest menu item is $18, although the food was outstanding. They do have a good kids menu.
The Pool and Lagoons
The resort is very kid/family friendly, which brings me to the pool. There is another pool at the Spa, but we didn't use the spa, so can't comment on it. Don't get me wrong - the pool area was great with lots of cushioned lounges, umbrellas, a pool bar/grill etc., but it's not the greatest pool we've ever been to. It's a beautiful pool and almost all the same depth, so nice and safe if you have kids. Even if you don't, you will enjoy the pool for sure. We were surprised they didn't have a kids area pool as it's a large hotel and could certainly accomodate one. The lagoon that is right there at the resort (Lagoon 1) is quite large with a nice sandy beach with beach chairs and some umbrellas available. They also have snorkeling gear and life jackets available for use free of charge (and there's not much that's free of charge!!). It's a nice, safe swimming area with the chance to see some sea life in a safe environment. My husband and son saw some nice fish and we've heard some people have seen turtles too. There are 3 other lagoons as you walk towards the marina as well.
Children's Program
The Keiki(Kids)program was great from what we saw. My son was able to do a little Marine Life Program that lasted about an hour or a little over. The grounds lagoons are home to a lot of sea life including some little baby sharks and some sea rays, so my son was able to feed the sharks, learn about and hold sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins etc and feed a little baby spotted eagle ray. It was very educational and really a lot of fun for all of us!!
My Final Word
Overall, this is a wonderful resort and although I did list some cons, they wouldn't prevent us from staying or recommending this resort!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
artsmart
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Location: South Florida
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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