Description: The
JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa (locally known as the Ihilani) is located in Ko Olina on Oahu’s west coast. This quiet resort region is a 25-minute drive (much more during rush hour) from the Honolulu Airport.
There was Hawaiian music playing softly in the background as we entered the hotel. Since the lobby is somewhat open, I could also hear birds and the sound of breezes blowing through the palm trees. Out back, a garden surrounds a pond traversed by a network of foot bridges. In addition to the colorful fish, the pond also has foot-long hammerhead sharks and stingrays. Beyond this area is access to the pool and the four semi-circular beach lagoons shared by the resorts in the area. The resorts of Ko Olina are connected by a beach walkway. There are also complimentary shuttle buses that transport guests between the resorts.
Inside the lobby, we could look up to the ceiling of this 13-story building. The hotel uses a classy white and blue color theme. The staff greeted us politely and from that point on, most of them greeted me by name whenever they saw me.
Being platinum members of the Marriott Rewards loyalty program, my wife and I booked the least expensive room with the hope of being upgraded when we arrived. Our hopes were realized at check-in when we were upgraded from a Mountain View room to an Ocean View. We received other perks such as complimentary internet, nightly turn down service, 20% discount on spa services, $25 daily self-parking (instead of $35/day), and a 25% discount at the resort's Naupaka Restaurant. I was kicking myself about the restaurant discount because I did not notice this perk on the card we were given until after we had already checked out. Darn!
Our room was fantastic. It had a king-sized bed, a very large closet, a refrigerator, flat-screen TV, and other amenities. The large bathroom had separate tub, shower, and toilet areas. We enjoyed our room's balcony the most. We relaxed out there in the evenings while watching the sunset. The balcony above ours was lined with a flower bed. Whenever the wind blew, a handful of red flower petals would float down onto our balcony. I thought this was a nice romantic touch.
Suffice to say, we were thoroughly impressed with our room but this was no time to linger. Since complimentary meals are no longer served on domestic flights and the in-flight meals for purchase did not appeal to us, I had to make do with two bagels and a box of M&M’s on our 10-hour flight from D.C.. Needless to say, we were famished when we arrived. Our plan was to meet up with my sister and her family who were staying at the adjacent Aulani Disney Resort; however, we all ended up eating at our resort’s Naupaka Restaurant because the Aulani restaurants had up to an hour wait for seating. This was the only meal we ate at the Ihilani. The food was good but it was our introduction to the high prices in Hawaii. You can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $45 for an entree at the resorts.
By our second day, we had discovered the Island Country Market (a.k.a. The ABC Store) across the street. We could purchase cooked-to-order breakfasts there for about a ¼ the resort prices. We also bought most of our souvenirs there because of the relatively inexpensive costs. Unfortunately, I was not able to find any pineapple syrup:(. Since we had a rental car, we also had the option of driving about three miles away to the shopping centers and restaurants of Kapolei.
The Ihilani offers a fitness center, spa, golf, and other activities to keep you occupied when not at the pool or beach. My wife enjoyed a $15 yoga class on the beach one morning. One of the free activities I highly recommend doing at least once during your stay is the 7:30 AM walk. We were led by one of the resort employees on a 2.5-mile walk along the beach walkway. Our friendly guide provided a lot of information about the area and Hawaii in general. We talked and laughed about many topics as we walked; however, the thing that stuck with me most was when she told us they like to have all guests out of the ocean by evening because on occasion they have seen a shark swimming close to the beach!
Finally, I must mention
Roy’s. This fabulous restaurant is just a short walk from the Ihilani. Optionally, the complimentary resort shuttles stop there. Roy’s was where we had the absolute best dinner of our Hawaiian vacation. It is on the pricey side but well worth it.
If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing Hawaiian vacation, I highly recommend the Ihilani. However, I recommend that you rent a car if you hope to do any sightseeing. None of Oahu’s major attractions are nearby.
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