Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 14, 1991 TAG: 9104140336
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BARBARA SHEA NEWSDAY
DATELINE: WAIKIKI, HAWAII LENGTH: Long
As I idly glanced up at the resort's skyscrapers, I caught a Hilton guest looking down on me - socially as well as logistically, it was clear. His eyes quickly dismissed the rustic two-story complex comprising my lodging, its lone "tower" a puny six stories.
But my little patch of paradise - called the Waikikian on the Beach - had its charms. It was friendly and attractive, with Polynesian-style thatched-roof units bordering a torchlit-garden path. And though my lofty neighbor may not have been lured by my one small restaurant-nightspot, I liked its folksy appeal. But I also regularly tapped the adjoining Hilton's handy wealth of shops, eateries and entertainment. And, of course, we both shared the same stretch of wide and wonderful Waikiki Beach.
The Waikikian's biggest plus, however, was my daily tab: $59, compared with rates starting $100 higher next door at the Hilton.
OK, so I didn't have a TV set or air-conditioning. But who needs "Roseanne" when you have ukuleles and hula dancers at your doorstep? And Hawaii's brisk trade winds cooled my basic-level room so effectively that I never switched on the ceiling fan. (For skeptics, the Waikikian's tower rooms offer both missing amenities at slightly higher rates.)
The Waikikian is only one of a number of lesser-known alternatives to the gargantuan hotels that house most tourists in this popular but pricey resort city. Some of the biggies are budget-minded, too, but visitors who stake out one of the smaller, homier oases are more likely to be beguiled by Hawaii's magic than disappointed by the commercialism that lurks around almost every palm tree in Waikiki. There are other ways to stretch your travel dollar, as well.
Another low-rise charmer even closer to the center of the action is the 95-room Hawaiiana, set in a lushly landscaped private enclave half a block from the beach. Its two- and three-level units - some with terraces, or lanais, as they are called here - snake around two swimming pools. A spacious double here, with color TV, air conditioning and fully equipped kitchen, runs $75 to $95. The cordial Hawaiiana offers a wealth of free extras, including beach mats, morning coffee and juice, daily newspaper delivered to your door, use of a washer and dryer, plus a welcoming gift of a fresh pineapple and a parting remembrance of a fragrant flower lei. You'll find a lot of regulars here, and feel as if you're among old friends yourself from the minute you check in.
For a refuge altogether removed from the tourist fray, there's the venerable Manoa Valley Inn, tucked away on a residential street two miles from the beach, near the University of Hawaii campus. You feel like a wealthy landowner relaxing on the wide veranda of this lovingly restored plantation house, which was snatched from scheduled demolition and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Rates for the seven antique-furnished rooms and private cottage are $80 to $145 and include a generous continental breakfast plus afternoon wine and cheese. Guests are also encouraged to help themselves to decanters of sherry and bowls of candies on the second- and third-floor landings, and are urged to play the old-fashioned nickelodeon (a pile of nickels is provided) or the newer TV and VCR in the parlor. You may hardly see another guest and half-believe the house is yours alone, or you may strike up new friendships as you watch the lights of Waikiki twinkle on at dusk from the porch swing of this hillside perch. Visitors without a rental car can catch the No. 4 bus two blocks away and be on the beach in 15 minutes.
The Manoa Valley Inn is the showplace among the growing number of B&Bs in the Hawaiian islands. Numerous agencies - some local, some statewide - match guests and rooms, which start as low as $20 plus a small reservation fee. You may even luck into a view of your own and a private beach.
Just note that most B&Bs are private homes a considerable distance from the bright lights of Waikiki, so there's likely to be little to do at day's end but count fireflies. A car is advisable if you need more diversion.
Other inexpensive in-town lodgings are available, too, though not all are equally attractive or convenient to the beach and shopping. The Outrigger chain offers a score of possibilities, most in the budget range. The Hawaii Visitors Bureau publishes a free tip sheet called Hawaii on a Budget, listing hotels, condos, cottages and B&B's for each island, under the heading "Where to Stay for Under $65 per Day." Note that most Hawaii hotels count just two seasons: summer (April 1 through mid-December) and winter. And unlike in the Caribbean, the rate drop in summer is usually negligible.
If you stay at one of the several dozen hotels affiliated with a new local agency called the Hotel Exchange, which has set up shop in the Hawaiian Colony Hotel at 1946 Ala Moana Blvd., near the Hilton, you can save $10 to $25 on the daily room rate. I stumbled on the agency through an ad in a Waikiki tourist magazine and shaved $10 off the already bargain price of $69 that was quoted to me by the Waikikian. The Exchange expects to add Hilton, Sheraton and Hyatt to its discount list, which includes the sizable Aston and Outrigger chains.
by CNB