Diamond Head - Kapahulu - St. Louis
Description: At some point in time, the Queen Kapiolani hotel must have been magnificent. Frankly, I had never heard of it, but the internet had rates we could not ignore. Furthermore, it had an ideal location, in the heart of Waikiki, overlooking the beach and Kapiolani Park. Everything was within easy walking distance, though you will need a car, unless you are a couch potato.
The hotel’s exterior is imposing with its twin towers and regal looking entrance. The lobby is quite vast, and has simple furnishings but a magnificent chandelier. The registration area appears as if it were an afterthought in the overall design, and the staff does try to be helpful. A travel desk situated in the lobby offered the usual tours: if you have your own wheels, you most probably can do the same if not better with the rates . . . Some renovations were under way, but it was obvious that the sharp drop in tourism had affected the economy, and the hotel. The dining area was no longer open for dinner; however, they were still serving breakfast and lunch. Furnishings betrayed the hotel’s age.
Luckily, we had a most charming and comfortable room on the 15th floor, which afforded some incredible views of the downtown area, and if you really stretched your neck, you could spot the Pacific Ocean. We had twin beds, which can be a blessing in disguise as Chuck and I end up using the second bed as a "dumping ground" for shopping and brochures and Heaven knows what else. Light blond bamboo chairs with the prerequisite table stood right in front of a huge window; matching those were a chest of drawers with a wonderful mirror framed in bamboo. We also had a small fridge which was terrific, but produced ice cubes the size of dice. On top of the fridge was a coffee maker, with the first coffee pouch complimentary. Behind the door was a mirrored, sliding door closet which was small, but served well nevertheless.
Of course, we had a lanai! And with the scorching heat, it was the perfect drying ground for laundry. We took turns at shooting photographs, either very early in the morning or toward dusk, when the temperature was tolerable. Going to Hawaii in July/August may not be the smartest idea, but our other options did not work out.
The bathroom was small, but had everything one needed. Provided were shampoos and lotions in exotic plumeria or white ginger. You need that air conditioner on all the time. I can’t recall ever turning it off. If you require a hair dryer (I had my own) or an iron, they will bring them upon request. Should you feel passive, there is cable color TV in the room. The lobby has a gift shop, but we never went inside until the last day. There are so many amazing shopping venues in Honolulu, that you don’t need to indulge right on the premises.
Close