Three new hotels (including the largest Holiday Inn Express in the U.S.) come to Honolulu’s Waikiki area
The new year is bringing new hotel brands to Honolulu’s famed Waikiki Beach area. The city picks up a Hyatt Centric, Holiday Inn Express and Marriott-owned Okina, though none is right on the beach.
Hawaii’s first Hyatt Centric branded hotel, the Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach, will hold its grand opening Jan. 19 after quietly welcoming its first guests last month.
For the record:
12:05 p.m. Jan. 12, 2017An earlier version of this post stated that the Holiday Inn Express Honolulu-Waikiki would be the brand’s largest hotel in the world. It is the brand’s largest hotel in the U.S.
The hotel, at 2255 Kuhio Ave. in a building formerly known as the Waikiki Trade Center, is about a half-mile walk from the beach. Several retailers — including Jamba Juice, Nordstrom Rack and Starbucks — share the property.
Hyatt Centric launched the label in January 2015 as a boutique brand designed to appeal to business and leisure travelers. In terms of prices, I found availability for rooms with king-sized beds on several dates in February from $249.
Interestingly, the land on which the hotel sits is owned by the Queen Emma Land Co., which operates the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. Payments from the leased land will directly benefit the nonprofit hospital.
Down the street at 2058 Kuhio Ave., renovations are underway at the Maile Sky Court, which is expected to be finished by the end of January. The hotel will be rebranded as the Holiday Inn Express Honolulu-Waikiki. With nearly 600 rooms across 44 floors, it’s billed as the largest Holiday Inn Express in the U.S. It’s also the first for this brand in Hawaii.
The remodeled hotel will feature an expanded lobby and a new restaurant. It also will offer free breakfast and free Wi-Fi too. I found availability for rooms with two double beds for as little as $126 on certain dates in February.
Set to open this spring, Marriott’s The Okina, part of its Autograph Collection, will transform the former Aqua Waikiki Wave into an upscale resort. Located at 2299 Kuhio Ave., it will feature 251 rooms and suites.
Reservations are being accepted for stays beginning May 5, with rooms starting at $237.
ALSO
Old-school ‘SNL’ pros Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz team up for Las Vegas show
Alaska Airlines rolls out new on-board e-chat service — and it’s free
Fairmont Chicago wants you to go shopping. Get a $100 Saks gift card for each night you stay
Tea for you ... and you ... and you: How the boom in the brew can fuel your travel
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
