The Lotus at Diamond Head — Hotel Review Rating: 3.5 Pearls

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Oyster Hotel Review

Reporter: Hailey E.
Updated: September 16, 2009

 Scene

It may have been rechristened the Lotus at Diamond Head by budget hotel company Castle Resorts in January 2009, but to some staffers and locals, it's still the W -- an upscale, boutique branch of Starwoods Hotels. Ask a Honolulu cab driver to take you to the Lotus, and you'll get a blank look. Ask him to take you to the old W, and he'll quickly whiz down Kalakaua Avenue, away from crowded Waikiki, just past Kapiolani Park, and drop you at the hotel's small but chic entrance and lobby.

In many ways, the hotel still feels like a W, albeit a small, extremely laid-back one. The airy, off-white lobby still has the same chic Polynesian decor, with a wall of candles and a velvet sofa, and large guest rooms still have lovely teak molding and wonderfully comfortable beds. While some W room amenities, such as robes and stocked minibars, are gone, the featherbeds, down pillows, comforters, and iPod docks remain. Still, for the price, you get more space and style in these rooms than you could ever find in central Waikiki.

And for many guests, the Lotus' distance from the action is its best attribute. Kapiolani Park, Honolulu's equivalent of New York City's Central Park, sits both across the street and adjacent to the hotel. That big, beautiful ol' volcanic cone called Diamond Head looms over the hotel. But with the restaurant closed for renovations, the only place to grab a bite without getting in the car or taking a 15-minute walk is the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel next door.

Outside the luxurious-for-the-price rooms, however, the hotel has little else to offer: no pool; no fitness center. And unlike one of its equally stylish competitors, Hotel Renew, Lotus offers no free breakfast, or even any place to buy breakfast.

 Service

When I visited in July, 2009, the casual, familial staff made the beautiful lobby even more welcoming with their helpful service and ready smiles. There were lovely, high-end service touches throughout my stay like a fresh orchid and a welcome note on my pillow upon arrival. The front desk answered calls and fulfilled requests promptly. When my lost baggage arrived in the middle of the night, there was someone available to receive my bags, though I had to call down to the front desk in the morning to learn for myself that they'd arrived. Since my visit, however, the hotel has been purchased by a new owner, though Castle Resorts is expected to continue managing the hotel as before.

• Porter station outside that awaits arrivals
• Nightly turndown service includes fresh towels, but no chocolates.
• No concierge or activities desk, but front desk staff provides thoughtful restaurant advice
• No room service (there's no restaurant)

 Location

The hotel is located on the eastern outskirts of Waikiki, a half-mile from Kapahulu Avenue and the eastern boundary of Waikiki, and another half-mile from most of the restaurants, shopping malls, other hotels (a 15-minute walk). Many guests seem to enjoy the hotel's quiet and relaxing location, but for some it may be too isolated, especially with the hotel's restaurant closed for renovations. The only place to grab a bite that doesn't require a 15-minute walk or short drive is next door at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, which has two restaurants and a small convenience store.

• One block from Sans Souci Beach, a smaller, less-crowded beach than Waikiki's main stretch of sand
• 2.5 miles (an eight-minute drive) from Diamond Head volcanic crator
• Kapiolani Park, more than 100 acres of green grass and towering ficus trees, is across the street.
• Waikiki Aquarium and Honolulu Zoo are both less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
• Honolulu airport is about 10 miles away, or a 30-minute drive. A taxi runs $40 to $45 with tip, more than a ride into central Waikiki. (Note: Many taxi drivers still know the hotel as the W, not the Lotus at Diamond Head.)
• Parking is $15 a day (valet only).

 Beach

The hotel is a half-block from the ocean, but it doesn't have direct beach access. (The New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel next door does.)

The nearest beach is Sans Souci Beach, a calm, small beach on the far eastern end of Waikiki that's a bit out of the way and attracts more locals than tourists. Since there's no direct path from the hotel to the beach, guests have to walk about a block, around the New Otani, to actually set foot on sand.

• Calm waters, quiet beach, and lifeguards on duty make it perfect for little swimmers and relaxed sunbathers.
• Less picturesque, but also less crowded, than Waikiki Beach
• Slightly clearer water than at other beaches in the area, but the sand is coarser; occasional debris.
• Shallow coral reef; good for beginner snorkeling
• Hotel provides towels, mats, and chairs for free ($45 refundable deposit).

 Rooms

Accomodations have as much style and comfort as you can get in or near Waikiki for a moderate price. The look and feel of the rooms have changed little since the hotel was a much chicer and more expensive W hotel. The generous space (455 square feet), teak furniture and molding, and white-and-ecru color scheme give them an airy, beachy feel, and the featherbeds are still supremely comfortable. But the bathrobes have disappeared from the closets and the minibars are now just small, empty fridges -- typical for an Oahu hotel.

• All rooms (save the penthouse suite) are large -- 455 square feet -- and have similar layouts.
• Views -- either ocean (more expensive) or the nearly as stunning view of Diamond Head -- mostly differentiate room types.
• Balcony in every room; corner rooms -- called "premium" rooms -- have a small, second balcony that is unfurnished and less than two feet wide (it's not worth the upgrade)
• Beds, set atop elegant wood platforms, are extremely comfortable -- padded Simmons mattresses topped with a featherbed; 350-thread-count sheets; large down pillows
• iPod docks and high-design Tivoli Audio alarm clocks
• TVs in standard rooms are old 26-inch Toshiba tube TVs
• DVD player in every room, plus a DVD lending library with about 20 titles at front desk; pay-per-movies also available.
• Wi-Fi and wired Internet, both $12.95 a day, are reliable but not lightning fast.
• Lovely bathrooms are larger than usual and have a glass-enclosed shower and sizeable wooden shelves, but no tub.
• Castle Rock toiletries -- the hotel's own budget brand -- lack a distinctive scent, and soap bars are skimpy.
• Just one suite, a stunning two-bedroom Penthouse Suite on 13th floor, with a huge, wraparound lanai and full kitchen

 Features

• Business center is a single computer in the lobby, which costs $5.95 per 15 minutes; you can send and receive faxes at the front desk at no extra charge.
• Coin-operated laundry facilities
• Parking (valet only) is $15 per day for hotel guests; a bit cheaper than elsewhere in Waikiki.

 Family

With no pool and no restaurant, the Lotus at Diamond Head doesn't qualify as a kid-friendly hotel, though the large, 455-square-foot standard rooms can easily accommodate a family and the calm waters at the nearby beach, Sans Souci, is perfect for little ones.

• No pool
• No kids' club or daily activities
• Standard rooms are available with two double beds or a single king.
• Cribs are free; rollaway beds are $25 a night.
• Quiet location

 Cleanliness

Overall, thanks to the modern design and good light, guest rooms and common areas feel clean and fresh.

 Food

As of August 2009, the Lotus' new owners closed the Diamond Head Grill indefinately for renovations.

• Free morning coffee and tea in the lobby, but no free breakfast as you'll find at the equally stylish Hotel Renew
• Next door, you can get a good but expensive breakfast at the Hau Tree Lanai restaurant in the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel
• No room service; rather, the hotel has a "Room Service in Paradise" menu, which is a basically just a collection of dozens of local delivery menus from restaurants ranging from P.F. Chang's to Yama's Fishmarket.

 Bottom Line

Formerly the W Waikiki, this scenic and stylish 50-room boutique hotel is about a block from the beach and a half-mile from Waikiki's crowds. Features are few -- no pool; no fitness center -- but the standard rooms are huge, and though they still have the W's chic decor and incredible beds, they now cost much less.