The Ilikai - Where Waikiki Begins

We (family of 4, kids are 13 &11) stayed in Sam's condo for 1 week in July at the beginning of our 4 week trip to Hawaii. The condo is exactly as pictured and the view is beautiful. The location was perfect for us, with a very nice walk down the beach to the heart of Waikiki for shopping or dining. Ala Moana Centre is just a 10 min walk the other way, with everything you need, and there is an ABC store right across the street from the Ilikai. The Hilton Lagoon was great for the kids and they loved renting the stand up paddle boards. The beach is rocky, so water shoes are a good idea for the ocean, but otherwise, the Ilikai and Waikiki were a perfect fit for us. Honolulu is a great city with lots to see and do. I recommend hiking Diamond Head, taking in all the sites and museums at the Pearl Harbor site, and definitely take a day and spend it on the North Shore! We stopped at Shark's Cove, Waimea Valley where you can swim under the falls, and absolutely go to Macky's shrimp truck for lunch while in Hale'iwa town! It parks beside the 7-11 on the edge of town--the best garlic shrimp around! (this was a tip by a local and we were SO glad we had lunch there!) Then grab a Shave Ice at Matsimto right on the main road in town. Enjoy Sam's condo and the area, it was a blast for us!

I stayed in Sam's condo with my two kids aged 14 and 20, and it was a hit with all of us. The unit was in great condition and the location was perfect for us. The proximity to the Hilton Hawaiian Village with their shops and restaurants greatly expanded our options. My autistic son loved watching the Luau from the lanai every night and commented that it would be too loud for him to be closer. It was easy to stay there without a rental car and the staff at the Ilikai were helpful in providing walking or bus directions. It was nice to be at the end of the beach and out of the conjestion, but easy enough to walk down to the heart of Waikiki.

Our family recently stayed at Sam's amazing condo. It was much more than any one of us were expecting. The view from the room and the balcony is postcard perfect and a joy to wake up to each morning. From the balcony we could watch the Hawaiian Hilton's Luau each night, what a bonus. The room has everything we needed and aws extremely clean and well presented. It is only a short bus ride to Waikiki and we enjoyed staying out of the main tourist area. Can't wait to go back. Loved it!