My wife and I stayed at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach about a year ago. It was our final motel of three during our trip to Hawaii.

You should keep a couple things in mind when you read my review. The first two locations we stayed at during our trip were very nice resorts. We took our vacation primarily to get away from it all, and relax. The first two resorts exceeded our best imaginations.

Our first impression of the Outrigger Reef was of regret and disappointment. In retrospect, however, the Outrigger Reef will be a perfect location for those who are looking for the side of Hawaii that it offers.

The Outrigger Reef on the Beach is located directly on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. It’s in the midst of all the hustle-bustle, and there’s plenty to see and do nearby. We had a pleasant check-in, and were shown to our partial ocean view room. I was somewhat disappointed when we exited from the elevator. The hallways of our floor seemed narrow, the lighting was not bright enough and I had a claustrophobic feeling. Our room was at the end of the hallway, and I didn’t feel safe until we entered the room.

The room had plenty of space, but was showing apparent age. There were minor housekeeping issues and the room had a 1970s feel to it. The bedspread was ancient, and was beyond its attractive life. The bathroom was average. There was nothing special, but yet it was kept clean. All of the room placards were printed in both English and Japanese. Again, I’ll remind you that our first impression was not the best because of what we were comparing it to.

We left the room, and decided to see the other features of this hotel. On the ground level, there’s a wide-open area where native Hawaiians weave lei’s and give lessons on weaving orchids. Across the room is an excursion desk. There are many things to see while on Oahu, and you can arrange at this desk to see about any of them, or a wide combination of them. My wife and I didn’t rent a car while in Honolulu, so the travel desk was very convenient, and we booked a tour of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona memorial. The person at the travel desk was very accommodating, and arranged for the tour bus to pick us up at the front.

There are a couple restaurants in the motel. One is in the open air in the lobby, and basically serves finger foods. We were very pleased with both the food and the service at this restaurant. We were also pleased with the cleanliness. At the back of the location is another restaurant, overlooking Waikiki. We had the buffet breakfast there. The breakfast bar was very well stocked, and the food was tasty. Across the street from the Outrigger Reef is an Italian restaurant. We also ate there, and I would highly recommend it. The service there, while not connected with the hotel, was very good.

Along the hallway that leads from the front to the beach, there are several stores. These are convenient if you need on the minute items. Also along this hallway are public restrooms. The public from Waikiki is prevented from using these because only your room key will grant you access.

Our flight was due to leave in the afternoon, and we had to do something with our bags after checkout. The bell desk was very accommodating by stowing out luggage for us while we saw other things around Honolulu. The service we received at this hotel was beyond what we would normally expect. The staff was very friendly in every case.




Recommended: Yes