Thursday 5 June 2014

Why I Wouldn't Stay Anywhere Else With Children in Waikiki…..

Hilton Hawaiian Village Hawaii Feb 2014 -002
5 and a half years ago  we had just finished a 5 night conference in Las Vegas, with my Hubbie nursing  a bit of a Vegas  hangover and then travelled onto San Francisco, where we did not stop, so a few nights in Hawaii seemed like a great option to break up our return journey to Sydney. We lashed out and stayed in The exclusive All'i Tower, where Elvis Presley stayed In 1961 whilst filming  Blue Hawaii. 

 This was our return visit, and we had the whole family in tow , including my parents and then meeting 2 sets of friends with their Children and parents also, the Children were extremely excited. After our meet and greet Lei on arrival at the airport we then made our way to the resort. When I stepped out of our transfer van and into the open-air lobby I  again felt like I was really alive, the smell of the tropical flowers filled the air and we had once again returned to paradise. 

The Hilton Hawaiian Village sits on 22 lush tropical acres and is billed as Waikiki’s only beachfront resort. It now has 3,500 rooms in seven towers (two of them are timeshares). There are many reasons to stay here but these are my favourites, and frankly, with Children…..I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else.
1. Location
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is about a  20 minute drive from Honolulu International Airport (HNL) and is located on the south shore of Oahu at the very far end of Waikiki Beach,  and you can see Diamond Head from some of the tower rooms. It’s a great place to stay if you don’t want to be in the centre of Waikiki as it’s a good 10-15  minute walk. But there’s so much going on at this hotel that you don’t even need to go into Waikiki.
2. It’s a village
You could spend a week at the Hilton Hawaiian Village without leaving the property and you still wouldn’t be able to experience everything it offers. The Children will be in paradise with Dairy Queen, Free samples at The Honolulu Cookie company , Benihahana's amazing Teppanyaki Grill and Lappert's ice creams, and Shakes are to die for, the ABC stores are super convenient and where you can grab pre made salads, yoghurts, Bagels and fresh fruit etc which are perfect for lunch on the beach. As you’ll see below they have tons of restaurants, shops and activities. Here’s their resort map.



3. Dining
The Hilton Hawaiian Village has over 20 restaurants, cafes, bars, and grills, with options that span from a Benihana's Teppanyaki Grill to  Round Table Pizza. There’s even a Dairy Queen on the property. There’s something for every budget including family-friendly kids’ menus and beach-side grab & go. 


4. Shopping 
The Hilton Hawaiian Village has over 90 shops, from high-end options like Louis Vuitton to  the infamous Honolulu Cookie Company where you can sample the amazing cookies that are produced on the Island, speciality Boutiques, and the good old fashioned Lapperts Ice creamery, that make milkshakes to die for.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Hawaii Feb 2014 -0015. Gardens
I adore the gardens of The Hilton Hawaiian Village. It's beautiful manicured gardens, waterfalls and Koi ponds, featuring penguins, turtles, and an array of bird species. The grounds showcase over 50 varieties of flora indigenous to Hawaii and from regions around the world such as Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Fiji, tropical Asia and other exotic locations. At night the property is at its best as the tiki torches line all the pathways.


Feeding time at The Hilton Hawaiin Village can be viewed daily from 8 am

6. Lagoon
The Hilton Hawaiian Village has a family-friendly lagoon, which is an ideal spot for kids to swim ,learn how to paddle board  or hire a paddleboat since it’s so shallow. Just on the other side of the lagoon is the ocean which is super safe for swimming and Surfing lessons, which my eldest son did.
Paddle boarding in The Lagoon…..


7. Pools
The Hilton Hawaiian Village has a choice of five swimming pools and a sixth for kids. The Super Pool is 10,000 square feet and the most popular since it’s located between the Rainbow Tower and Ali’i Tower. Then there’s the Paradise Pool, which is a 5,000-square-foot family activity pool that boasts the longest slide in Waikiki and overlooks the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. The Tapa Pool is a tropical pool located between the Tapa Tower and Diamond Head Tower and the Kalia Tower Pool is an infinity pool located on the fourth floor that displays a mosaic-tiled maile lei intertwined with ilima and pikake flowers. The Ali’i Tower Pool is only for guests staying in the exclusive Ali’i Tower and has a sundeck and whirlpool. The Keiki Pool is a tiered pool off the Super Pool that’s shallow for kids. 
8. Activities
Again, there’s something for everyone, Yoga classes every morning at 06.00 ,hula dance lessons,ukulele lessons, wildlife feedings, fitness classes, Surf School, Club Penguin, Dive in Movies, a resort tour and much more! Here’s a link to their daily resort activities. The Hilton Hawaiin Village offers Dive in Movie nights, which are featured in the pool and on the great lawn. The kids will love it…..







9. Dive in Movies night
The Hilton Hawaiin Village offers free Dive in Movie nights weekly, which are featured in the pool and on the great lawn. The kids will love it!!



10. IHOP is across the road
Treat the Children to breakfast at the iconic all American diner IHOP. IHOP is situated across the road from The Hilton Hawaiin Village and serves the most delicious array of Pancakes, Waffles and Big Breakfasts. ihop.com

Will and Louis hanging out with our AWESOME waiter Cal, who you can also find doing the night shifts at Denny's where Kids eat free on Tuesday nights...





11. Fireworks
Every Friday night at around 7.45, the Hilton has a spectacular firework show, which are locally known as “Friday Night Fireworks.” It’s a fantastic service they offer to everyone in Waikiki—not just their guests. One hotelier from a competing hotel told me that all the hotels milk the Hilton’s fireworks. I would too!






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