Saturday, June 16, 2012

Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk: Views from Room 2032 Morning, Noon and Night




Click on above photos for a larger view. (photos: TheHopefulTraveler)
This is one of a series of posts covering aspects of the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk.

One of the best things about having this 20th floor suite at the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk are the wonderful views. I couldn't get enough of it stepping out regularly on to either of the room's two lanais. Here is a collection of photos of the view from various times of day starting from late Friday afternoon to late morning today. My suite was located on the west side of the Hula Tower. The photos above are panoramic shots using the Pano app on my iPhone.

Some of the photos were taken from the 20th floor hallway. The doors at each end are left open offering two bonus views from the hotel, one having a panoramic view of the ocean beyond the Halekulani Hotel and the other an expansive city view of Waikiki.

LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Ocean View & Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach 
Ocean View & Fort DeRussy Beach Park.
View of Outrigger Reef on the Beach.
Kalia Road and Fort DeRussy Beach Park.
Embassy Suites Pool
Kalia Road
From Suite: Infinity pool at Trump International Tower.
Trump International Tower.
City View. Trump International Hotel at left and Embassy Suite's
Aloha Tower at right.
Ocean view from 20th floor hallway of Sheraton Waikiki (right)
 and Halekulani Hotel (bottom).
South view from 20th floor hallway of ocean and Halekulani Hotel.
South view from 20th floor hallway of Halekulani courtyard.
South view from 20th floor hallway of Kalia Road entrance
to the Halekulani Hotel.
South view from 20th floor hallway of Outrigger Reef on the Beach
and Fort DeRussy Beach Park.

FRIDAY NIGHT
Embassy Suites Swimming Pool.
North view from 20th floor hallway of the Waikiki Beach Walk restaurant
and shopping complex.
View of Outrigger Reef on the Beach.
North view from 20th floor hallway: City view of Waikiki at night.

EARLY SATURDAY MORNING
Sunrise view from north end of 20th floor hallway.
Ocean view & Outrigger Reef on the Beach hotel.
City view from suite: Trump International Tower (left) and
Embassy Suites Aloha Tower at right.
South view from 20th floor hallway.
North view from 20th floor hallway.
Kalia Road between Embassy Suites (bottom) and Outrigger Reef
on the Beach (top).

LATE SATURDAY MORNING
Ocean view of Fort DeRussy Beach Park.
South view from 20th floor hallway: The ocean and Halekulani Hotel.
South view from 20th floor hallway: Sheraton Waikiki (right)
and Halekulani Hotel (bottom).
Zoom view from suite of Fort DeRussy Beach Park.
North view from 20th floor hallway: Table umbrellas on the Embassy
Suites Grand Lanai and Waikiki Beach Walk complex.
North view from 20th floor hallway: City view of Waikiki.
From suite living room: Ocean view and Fort DeRussy Beach Park.
Trump International Tower at left.
City view of Trump International Tower (left) and Embassy Suites
Aloha Tower (right)
Embassy Suites swimming pool in the shade of the hotel's Hula Tower.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk: Swimming Pool Deck

View of the hotel pool deck from my 20th floor suite.
The hotel swimming pool in the quiet morning.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)
This is one of a series of posts covering aspects of the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk.

After breakfast I decided to lay back on one of the lounge chairs at the swimming pool at the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk. The pool deck is located on the hotel's fourth floor Grand Lanai amid palm trees and a fountain where taro plants grow.

A heated swimming pool, whirlpool spa, pool bar, covered pavilion seating and sundeck provide the alternative to a day at the beach. Pool towels provided in guests rooms.

The closest beach is at Fort DeRussy Beach Park a short walk and about a block away from the Embassy Suites.

A water fountain at one of the pool features taro plants.
The sun deck.
The covered pavilion provides an escape from the heat which also serves
as the dining room for breakfast and the manager's reception.
The water fountain by the hotel pool.
Another view of the sun deck which is shaded by the Hula Tower in the morning.
From the pool deck guests have a view of the Hula and Aloha Towers of
the Embassy Suites but also of the Trump Tower (pictured above).
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk: Breakfast on the Grand Lanai

Cute sayings on the guest room key cards reminds one daily of the
complimentary breakfast service.
My breakfast this morning.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)
This is one a series of posts covering aspects of the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk.

The Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk includes one of the hotel chain's most popular features: the complimentary cook-to-order breakfast. Plus it's served on the Grand Lanai of the hotel. Sit beneath the sky or the shade and you'll still feel like you're in outdoors enjoying the cool breeze and morning sun of a Waikiki morning.

Breakfast is served 6:30am to 10am. Guests should have their meal voucher ready in case it is needed to be presented to staff. Two separate buffet lines provides all the basics guests may want for breakfast from eggs, toast to fruit. A made-to-order station allows guests to choose fillings placed into a cup that a cook folds into the omelette. Some may feel it is inconvenient that the drinks, coffee and juices are served from a different structure but it allows to spread out the line of people in the morning. This drink hut also has two lines.

I think it's pleasant to have the Grand Lanai on the same level as the swimming pool which is lined with palm trees and the floor comprised of stone tiles. The Grand Lanai is also the location of the Manager's Reception which I missed on the night I checked-in.

Reading my USA Today newspaper at my table I never felt rushed by the staff or guests looking for a table. This brings up an issue that can be problematic with the complimentary breakfast service at Embassy Suites hotels. At some locations the dining room is not large enough to accommodate the flow of guests especially when the hotel is fully booked. There might be waits for tables and then waits in the buffet line and longer waits at the made-to-order station. Rather than risk this problem I headed to the buffet when it opened at 6:30am.

Despite the constant flow of guests at this Waikiki hotel, the line at the buffet was always moving. There was no line at the drink station and there were always tables to spare for other guests in the hour I spent on the Grand Lanai. One really can't offer generous words when it comes to a basic well-made breakfast. In the end it tastes fine but it satisfies and is filling.

The shaded dining area on the Grand Lanai.
Signs on the fourth floor directs guests to the Grand Lanai.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk: Touches of Hawaii

A set of hula girls lamps on nightstands accent the bedroom.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)
This is one of a series of posts covering aspects of the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk.

A hotel room in Hawaii is an unusual thing. How do you apply a feel of the island without it being a kitschy take of room that could be part of tropical theme hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The room designers of the suites at the Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk has accomplished that balance through color and placement of decorative furnishings. The Hawaii theme is obvious but still tasteful.

I tried to see how many different touches of the tropics is in the room and for fun decided to include them in one post through pictures. If one element that will be criticized it would the hula girl lamps in the bedroom. At least they don't wobble back and forth.

The curtain embroidered with palm trees. 

Pineapples are woven into the sofa bed fabric covering. 

The same fabric from the sofa bed, albeit just a strip, adorns the office chair. 

The frame of this living mirror is carved with hibiscus flowers and leaves. The lamp is a gourd similar to the "ipu" used by hula dancers.

Palm fronds decorate the legs of the living room coffee table. But I say they look more like banana leaves.

 The headboard cornice is adored with a decorative feature that resembles the fruit of a pineapple.

The bed scarf fabric design does not scream "loud aloha shirt".

The carpet includes renderings of palm trees.

Artwork #1: In the bedroom. This one is fun featuring flip flops, the official footwear of Hawaii. 

Artwork #2: In the living room. A trio of male hula dancers dressed in the manner associated with the kahiko (ancient hula).

Artwork #3: In the living room. Female hula dancers. See the ipu gourd that matches the based of one of the lambs in the living room. 

Artwork #4: In the living room. A kumu hula (person qualified to teach hula) performing a chant. Behind her are kahilis (feathered standards). 

The kleenex box in the bathroom is wrapped in a woven leave fabric. I'm not sure if the material is authentic lauhala (leaves from the hala tree also known as pandanus).

The wallpaper in the bathroom features a print of fronds common in tropical plants. 

Finally on the coffee table is a hard cover book about Hawaii featuring hula dancers on its cover.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

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