Miori I.
Yelp
People in the reviews often complain that hotels are outdated or have permanent residents living there in addition to hotel guests. If you want something more upscale and modern there are several other properties to choose from. A lot of hotels are converted apartment buildings or dorms that we remodeled into hotels to accommodate growing tourist population.
The Banyan is located within walking distance from Waikiki beach on Ohua Avenue. It's literally like a 5 minute walk. Super convenient. The ocean is visible from the front of the hotel. It's moderately priced compared to surrounding hotels.
We were greeted with an open lobby and koi fish pond with waterfall. The staff were friendly and answered any questions without hesitation. We were given shell leis as a welcome, the lay of the land, and directions for parking.
There are 2 towers, an attached parking structure, a pool, bbq grills, laundry service, and a even has a small market and coffee shop near the lobby (pretty good coffee and pastries). We never got to utilize the pool. It was a little small and always packed with kids/families. Didn't bother us any since we came for the beach life anyways. If we stay here again we might bbq and hang at the pool in the afternoon when the beaches get crowded.
Our room was in tower II on the 20th floor. We didn't get a beach view, but the mountain view was still beautiful. The room had an island with plenty of stools separating the kitchen from the living room. The room decor and furnishings were outdated but not old and ugly looking. There was a sliding door you could use to close off the bedroom if you chose. AC unit is located in the living room so we left the room open. King bed with dressers and a small closet were available for clothes. Bathroom sink and mirror viewable from bedroom. Closed off toilet and shower. Complimentary bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were attached to the shower wall. Plenty of extra towels.
The space was fairly clean except for the couch which for some reason had visible dirt and maybe particles from the ceiling. We didn't watch TV so sitting on the couch wasn't for us anyways.
The balcony had a small corner style table with two chairs which was nice to use at night to have a drink and enjoy the warm evening air to end the day. The view from the 20th floor was spectacular when you look straight out on the horizon, but we had a little bit of vertigo when looking down.
People in the reviews often complain that hotels are outdated or have permanent residents living there in addition to hotel guests. If you want something more upscale and modern there are several other properties to choose from. A lot of hotels are converted apartment buildings or dorms that we remodeled into hotels to accommodate growing tourist population. In addition, spaces are made available to purchase as rental property. Not one resident bothered me so I'm not complaining about it. People have a right to live where they want.
Our 4 night, 5 day stay was overall pleasant. We left with no major complaints and would consider staying at The Banyan again. Check out was super easy. We were able to check out via text and be on our way without hassle.
Plus: there were extra rolls of toilet paper, tissue boxes, and towels in the bathroom cabinet. I took note of that the first night, because I'm not a fan of having to request a roll of tp one at a time from the front desk or tracking down any other staff.
Con: really wish there was a small gym. I would have appreciated even just a small fitness room to access dumbbells for a workout.
Con: having to pay a daily rate for parking. I understand that a lot of hotels charge for parking. However, this was the first time that I've come across a parking fee on top of a daily resort fee.