Waikiki High-rise sea view free parking

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about this place? The moment you step into the lobby, you can actually hear the ocean through the windows – and I mean really hear it, not just some distant murmur. The Waikiki High-rise might have a pretty straightforward name, but honestly, sometimes the no-nonsense places end up being the best surprises.

I’ll be straight with you – this isn’t some fancy resort with marble everything and doormen in white gloves. It’s a solid 3-star that punches way above its weight, and that 8.8 rating makes total sense once you’ve been there a few days. The elevators are a bit slow (typical for these older Waikiki buildings), but man, when those doors open on the higher floors and you see that endless blue stretching to the horizon… I mean, you forget all about waiting an extra thirty seconds. The sea view rooms – and they actually have proper sea views, not those sneaky “partial ocean glimpse if you crane your neck” situations – face directly toward Diamond Head, so you’re getting the postcard shot every single morning with your coffee.

Here’s the thing that’ll save you probably fifty bucks a day: the free parking. Anyone who’s tried to park in Waikiki knows this is basically like finding gold. Most hotels around here charge twenty-five to forty dollars daily just to keep your car somewhere, and street parking? Good luck with that unless you enjoy circling blocks for an hour. The hotel’s lot isn’t huge, but I never had trouble finding a spot, even coming back late from the North Shore. And speaking of getting around – you’re close enough to walk to the main Kalakaua strip (maybe five minutes if you don’t get distracted by the ABC stores), but far enough away that you’re not dealing with the constant street noise and crowds right outside your window. Actually, the location puts you near some of the local spots too. There’s this little saimin place about two blocks away that the hotel staff told me about – definitely not tourist prices, and honestly better than half the fancy ramen spots charging three times as much.

The rooms themselves are clean and functional – think comfortable rather than Instagram-worthy. The air conditioning works well (crucial in August, trust me), and the beds are actually pretty decent. Some of the bathrooms show their age a bit, but everything works fine and the water pressure is solid. What really sells it though is waking up to that view every morning. I’d just sit on the little balcony with coffee and watch the early morning surfers before the beach got busy. You can see all the way down the coastline, and on clear days – which is most days, let’s be honest – Diamond Head looks close enough to touch.

Look, if you’re expecting resort-level service and amenities, this probably isn’t your spot. But if you want a genuine Waikiki experience without the resort markup, with free parking and a view that costs twice as much anywhere else, you’d be smart to book this place before more people figure out what a deal it actually is.

Rooms

• Apartment with Sea View with 2 × 1 large double bed for 2 adults

Reviews

• Kristin from United States (9/10)

  Awesome view, awesome location, awesome provided amenities

• Toni from United States (8/10)

  Location & view

• Daniel from Switzerland (9/10)

  The best thing was the view of the sea from the 37th floor. On Friday evening you can watch the weekly firework, which was really incredible. The free parking lot is awesome! In Waikiki, $40 a day is normal. The kitchen was great and had everything you need to cook for yourself. The bathroom is a good size. The washing machine is a big plus. The bed was comfortable. The Wifi was very fast. The elevator wasn’t as bad as we first thought. We’ll be back next time when we are in Oahu.

• Milica from United Arab Emirates (8/10)

  Nice view and free parking. We rented a car for a couple of days to go around the island so it was very convenient to have a free parking. Location is OK as well, 20-25 min walk to Waikiki.

• David from Australia (9/10)

  The location was perfect. Being right in the heart of Ala Moana was awesome, and the free parking is a huge plus as well. The space was clean and well appointed. Having a kitchen and fridge was great too, and there was a toaster and coffee making facilities in the cupboard in the kitchen. The washing machine and dryer were great as well. This stay was basically like being in your own home it was so comfortable and convenient.

• Carol from United States (9/10)

  the location was great close to everything

• James from United States (7/10)

  Good location. Beautiful view. Large space – for a studio. Covered parking. Laundry machine included. Clean and comfortable.

• Michele from United States (6/10)

  Beautiful view. Great location. Free parking. Room was clean.

• Kathleen from United States (5/10)

  Incredible view. Good location, very clean

• Anonymous from United States (9/10)

  The view

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities