7419 miles from home

The hotel also offers extra facilities for almost anything you want to do such as T'ai Chi in the morning or will organise any tours or cruises you may want to do. The staff are friendly and very helpful. When I arrived, there were no standard rooms left so I was upgraded for free to the Ali Tower. This executive tower has its own private pool and gym and the rooms are slightly larger. It is also a great hotel for location, literally on Waikiki Beach and only a few minutes walk from local transport and the central shopping district.

The main Street is Kalakaua Avenue which is also fantastic for the same reasons, most of the shops do the sort of surf clothing you would expect from there, Quiksilver, O'neill and Hurley. If you follow this road all the way through Honolulu you do start to reach the boutiques of Prada, Gucci and Burberry but the prices are slightly high, apparently due to the Japanese influence. There are also great jewellery shops for all budgets and local shops that sell gorgeous shells and gifts, including all the flower leis and bright Hawaiian shirts that you would expect, this is a really laid-back place to shop, hang loose.

Once in the park there are fantastic opportunities for photography as the water there is crystal clear and the views are amazing. This might not be the best place to take very young children though as they may find it boring as the space is very tranquil. Once there, there is a short film to be watched before you board a two-minute boat ride to the USS Arizona memorial.