JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa at Ko Olina

Wonderful view no matter where you look

From our balcony (lanai) we could see the ocean, the mountains, the gorgeous tropical fish ponds, and the stingray ponds. We did the "Reef and Ray Adventure" at the hotel (which was the most memorable part of our trip). We got to feed the sharks and stingrays. We even got to pet the rays. The beds were ok, but we’ve slept on better. The hotel did not have Wi-Fi internet (not even for a fee). And there are NO inexpensive restaurants anywhere near the resort location. The Japanese restaurant at the hotel was well worth the price, however. The views were breathtaking and the staff was all very helpful and very friendly.

When shopping for souvenirs, go to Waikiki. The prices are most reasonable there. We learned the hard way that you can find the same things there that you can in every one of the tourist traps, but they are all significantly cheaper.

So Convenient

Went to visit my brother who has a small apartment that would not be big enough for the addtional family. This resort was literally across the street. We could not have stayed any closer. The lagoons were a nice change from the big beaches and the spa facility was nice and clean. Overall it was a great vacation and I would definitely go back.

no worries get away place

Snokeling,turtles in lagoons,beautiful fish.All of the beaches here have enough space for romance and enough space for family fun.Located away from crowded tourist area.But if you need anything, 2 or 3 exits before ko’olina exit is the town of Kapolei and there is a variety of stores, and food choices, movie theatre, etc. very convenient. We enjoyed surfing in the mornings at north shore, and coming back to the resort in the afternoon to relax and enjoy the beaches at the resort. nothing was too close or too far.It was just right. Have stayed many places on Oahu, but from now on, will only stay here.

Quiet and beautiful

The Ihilani resort has a beautiful lobby, beautiful grounds,pool, and beach. The poolside service was excellent. Our room was nice and roomy with an incredible view! The problem with our room was that you had two temperature choices; freezing cold or hot. The resort is far from waikiki, but we were okay with that because waikiki hotels and beaches are so packed, it was nice to go back to our quiet, calm resort.

The North Shore and the Japanese Temple.

Very Happy

The JW was beautful! The staff was extremely friendly and informative! Take advantage of the lounge in the evenings, the casual dining area has a great menu and definitely splurge one morning or evening on room service, it’s worth price tag! The lagoons were amazing... spend some time on the beach when the sun is setting and in the evenings to look at the stars- you’ll never want to leave! The location was nice- peaceful with the exception of Luau nearly every night next door at Paradise Cove, but then again it just made it feel more like a tropical paradise! The construction next door isn’t as disruptive as some other reviews make it sound- I hardly noticed it! And, the site is concealed so it’s not a big eye sore! Within 5 miles east on H1 there’s an exit with some fast food, and grocery, and a little bit futher east (within 10 minutes from the hotel, look for an Old Navy on the left) Waikele has a GREAT outlet mall if you want to do some shopping! All in all, if we ever had any desire to go to Oahu again (very busy island) we would definitely stay at the JW Marriott!

Shop in Waikiki- part at the zoo and bring lots of quarters. 1 quarter = 15 minutes! Drive through central Oahu and go to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. From there go straight north to the North Shore and drive from one end to the other stopping at all the beaches! From the hotel go east past Waikiki and keep going all the way to the end of the East Shore and then when you think you’re done- go north to Hanauma Bay and keep going... there are lots of places to pull off take pictures and take it all in! Go to Pearl Harbor and do everything you can there, Hanauma Bay to snorkel, climb Diamond Head Mountain... BE A TOURIST- DO EVERYTHING AND THEN RELAX!

picture perfect

My wife and I agree, this is the most beautiful and welcoming hotel we have ever stayed in. Aside from the hefty parking fee, our stay was excellent. We whole heartedly recommend the JW to anyone!

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Get familiar with exit 1-A for all your shopping and reasonably priced dinning.

Best secluded Hotel

This Hotel was so relaxing. I wish we could have stayed longer. No need to go anywhere else!! It was a beautiful hotel and the staff was so friendly.

Traveler's tip on dining

There is a wonderful breakfast off Exit 1 passed the Costco named Ziggys and Napoleons Bakery that is open 24 hours great food low prices.

Delightful!!

the hotel and staff were an absolute delight. Friendly and courteous all day and night. The resturarnt and snack bar, bar people were always glad to see you and had a smile. Food prices were high but we expected that. I think the $30.00 charge for parking the car per day was outrageous. The only complaint that we had is that apparantly the guests before us had spilled a bottle of s omething by the refrigerator and as the week went on it got dirtier and dirtier. I am sure that it was cleaned up because we mentioned it to housekeeping when we left. I would love to go back ha ving lived in Hawaii (Oahus) in the downtown 50’s and again in the 70’s downtown and Waikaki left me cold it was so crowded but at Ilihina we had plenty of room and friendly people literally taking good care of us.

Very nice and off the beaten path....

Pros: -Totally away from Waikiki Beach and the majority of the tourists. -Grocery store one exit away. -Small refrigerators in room for drinks, etc. -Private lagoon beach, steps away from hotel elevator with restroom facilities close by. -Clean beach towels that can be exchanged at anytime at poolside. -Free coffee in the morning in lobby. -Safes in room. Cons: -Bus shuttle tours to various attractions not available due to distance from hotel. -Taxi fare from airport to hotel $75 also because of the distance. -Hotel restaurant very overpriced.

Traveler's tip

- Take advantage of the room’s small refrigerator. - Rent a car due to remoteness of hotel. - Make a trip to grocery store for snack items.

JW Marriot Oahu

Big room. Large foyer entrance. Bathroom had a hot tub+ marble shower. Very nice. Staff was very friendly. I like the semi private lagoon. Property was well kept up. Only concerns were the $29.00/day parking+ $12.95 internet usage fee. I asked if they have a flate rate resort fee for all these, but they did not. I felt like they were nickel and diming me for such an upscale property. Overall, will still recommend this property.

Costco/Target just one mile from property.

Five Stars!

We were totally spoiled at the JW Marriott Ihilani! Our private balcony overlooked the ocean, and we enjoyed watching the sunsets and ordering room service. Our room was so comfortable, we could live there. Great food in the restaurants and a beutiful pool. We loved hanging out at the lagoon. Very romantic! Hope we can go back again.

wonderful place to stay

we were very happy with everything but the pushiness of the people who kept bothering us and trying to sell us a time share, we lost an entire 10 hour day of our vacation on a wild goose chase that they sent us on and that upset us very much. We Will go back to the Koolina because we love it there!

Traveler's tip

Don’t fall for the crazy trips that the people selling time shares try to send you on

Lovely Resort

The food at the hotel was good, yet you’re mostly paying for convenience. Since most comparable restaurants would be in Honolulu, it wasn’t a bad deal. Oh-- and the danishes sold near the free coffee in the morning were wonderful. The hotel itself was great. The grounds were exceptional with the man-made bay for low-wake beach swimming, beautiful foliage, and of course the amazing fish ponds filled with tropical fish, rays, and hammer-head sharks. We were pleasantly surprised with our room too (ocean view). It was room itself was quite large, as was the balcony, and the bathroom had separate sinks/vanities with a soaking tub and a shower. We loved eating breakfast and drinking coffee out on our balcony in the morning and watching the sunrise. As many mentioned, the $29/day parking was quite steep, but thankfully we knew this before we booked the room.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

We bought some beer and breakfast stuff at one of the grocery store nearby since there was an in-room mini fridge.

Needs carpet repair

Great hotel, staff was extremely friendly and helpful in making the stay relaxed and fun. The only thing that was noticable was the wear and tear on the carpets especially in the hallways. There were cobwebs in the hall on the 5th floor near the windows and with the cannon lights shinning they were very noticable.

if we go back to oahu again this is the hotel

Very nice hotel, we had a wonderful vacation much of it due to our stay at JW Marriott , beautiful ocean view room, we loved the lagoons, hotel staff were friendly , nice , kind ,and professional, we loved the lagoons. good restaurants, hotel rooms and furniture in balcony need some up-grade , overall great hotel , definitely recommend it.

Traveler's tip

rent a car

Absolutely Beautiful

We had an amzing time and absolutely loved this hotel. Every staff member I spoke to was super friendly. We never ate at the hotel but we looked at the menus and it seemed pretty high even for a hotel. Beautiful lagoons behind the hotel were nice. We can’t wait to go back and stay here again.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

If you are staying at this hotel you need to have a car. It is about 25 miles from the airport and Waikiki. There is not a whole lot going on in this area as it is away from most tourist areas. We loved the secluded location but we had a rental car and drove all over the place.

Our 1st time in Hawaii

We stayed there for 5 days and we absolutely loved it. Couldn’t ask for more. Everybody at the hotel is very friendly and just willing to help. There is a construction going on next door but it didn’t bother us. The lagoon is very beautiful, just to sit there and enjoyed the view is very relaxing. We’d love to go back next year.

Dole Plantation and Polynesian Cultural Center is a must see. Waikiki is a little too crowded for us, it’s almost like Vegas. But the international market there is good place to buy souvenirs.

Disappointing

This hotel is in dire need of an update. The rooms smell of mildew, and the common areas look a bit worn and uncared for. The pool area is pretty small for a hotel of it’s size. The one real plus is the beach, which is beautiful. The staff down by the beach was real nice as well. We didn’t try any of the restaurants after eating what was absolutely the worst breakfast we have ever experienced at any hotel--anywhere. The plates and coffee cups were dirty, and there were flies everywhere. This is not what you would expect at a 3 or 4 star hotel in Hawaii. I would not go back to this hotel, and I think it really drags down the whole vibe at Ko Olina--which is going to be real nice after Disney opens in 2 years. The Marriott Club time share down the beach is much nicer in every category, and the Beach Villas are Ko Olina are truly in a different class. If you are going with a family check out the Beach Villas. You can use all the facilities at the Ihilani without having to eat their food or sleep in their musty rooms.

A Two-Star J.W. Marriott Hotel

I was somewhat disappointed by the level of hotel amenities offerred by this JW Marriott Resort hotel. I was expecting excellent room service, room cleanliness, lush pools/gardens and hotel restaurants. Unfortunately, I was let down. The room bath/toilets were poorly cleaned and often smelled, the hotel has construction going on next to it with noise all day long on the lagoon beach, and the menu at the hotel resaurants can not compete with what is available in downtown Waikiki. I didn’t expect this since I often stay at the JW Marriott Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona which is 5-Stars by comparison to Ihilani’s 2-Stars!

Traveler's tip on dining

Eat at the many fine restaurants in Waikiki: Roy’s, Chef Mavrue’s, Room Without a Key, etc. P.S. Avoid the luaua at Paradise Cove - the food is terrible!

Impressive

The hotel was impressive. They upgraded our room to an ocean view upon arrival without extra cost. Only drawback was the distance from the airport and price of the taxi service. The hotel itself was spectacular.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

There is a Luau on a nightly basis within walking distance of the hotel.

Nice, quite & relaxing but won’t go back

Upon entering our "ocean view" room on the 6th floor we were instantly hit with a very musty oder. I took my shoes off right away to change and instantly realized where the musty smell was coming from. The entire floor was SOAKING wet. Like if you had slippers/socks on it would have soaked all the way through. After a few phone calls and my husband going down to the desk, they finally gave us a nicer room on the 9th floor that had a full ocean view. The view in the first room was more of a "if you turn your head really far out to the left and lean out the balcony ocean view". The restaurant "Zenon" or something like that was terrible. My husband and I both had the same dish and barely touched it. When we informed the waitress, she did nothing. Not even an apology. $50 later we left hungry and upset. We love the setting, seclusion and the pool area up keep with fresh towels was wonderful. The staff were all very nice and helpful. Like everyone else we were floored with the $30 a day to park. Overall it was a very good, expensive for what you get stay.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Don’t let the staff at the hotel park your car. Park it yourself and walk. It’s good exercise and it’s not like it’s bad weather. That will save you some bucks right there. Also, visit the football stadium to buy anything Hawaiian. They are open weekends and Wednesday’s. It’s well worth it!! You will save on everything you can find outside of the stadium big time and you don’t have to pay taxes if you pay cash (which most booths only take cash).

Did not want to leave.

We went on our honeymoon and really enjoyed the facilities. The Spa was outstanding and spent time there everyday. Not much to do late in evenings if looking for nightlife. Perfect Romantic Hotel!

Very Nice

I recently stayed at this hotel for my honeymoon. Despite some small criticism, we’re very happy to have stayed here. The location is A+. The scenery is beautiful. The hotel is clean and not crowded like other parts of the island. The lagoon is fun to swim/snorkel in. I don’t know how it’ll be when the disney resort next door is finished, but right now you really feel secluded at this resort. This whole area seems a little sleepy, so If you want to do any dining, shopping, clubbing after 11pm you will have to drive somewhere else on the island. The rooms are very nice, but not quite what I expected from a resort of this caliber. I’ve had nicer rooms in hotels that are 1/2 the price. There are weird switches for lights/a.c. in the room, that didn’t work at times. Fortunatly they have a cool phone that controls everything as well. For some reason you have to request a coffee machine. This hotel does seem to nickel and dime you a bit. The parking is 30 dollars/night! Internet in the room isn’t wireless and costs about $13/day BUT you have to pay a seperate fee for EVERY computer you want to connect. To me that’s tacky and a rip off. Food from room service was good ($20 hamburger). Food at Ushio Tei was $40/person and pretty bad. Poorly cooked, prepared and presented. The swimming pool is fantastic. The streams filled with sharks, manta rays and tropical fish are beautiful. The staff in this hotel is also fantastic, friendly and very helpful.

best hotel... but I chose wrong one...

this hotel is really good.

but if you are the 1st visitor of Hawaii, please think about it... because this hotel located far from airport also there’re noththing to see except see and beach... so, if you want visit for tour course in Hawaii, you need to choose different hotel. also in Waikiki beach side hotels case you don’t need rent car....all of good plase give you transpotation in waikiki hotels... not JW area... and parking cost is 30 dollars a day... huge.....wow....

Lovelyl resort on the beach

Hotel is located on a beautiful swimming beach. Kids and adults will love the grounds with the shark and stingray pools. Get up early and watch them feed the fish. Could not have been happier with the vacation. Staff was friendly and helpful. Dining at the resort was excellent, if a little pricey. Expedia local expert is the person to see for maps, and bookings at all the local destinations. There is a lot of construction going on next door to the hotel as of August 2009. We really weren’t bothered by it, but some people might be. Hated to leave and would love to go back.

Traveler's tip on dining

Check out the Target store for some good deals on wine. Watch the menu boards at the resort dining areas for special price fix menu items. Did not have a bad meal at the resort. Free coffee is available at the breakfast area in the lobby.