Royal Hawaiian, Honolulu

Advantages: Variety of Shops & Restaurants, Beautiful Setting
Disadvantages: None

...I love the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu - I have visited it twice now on both of my visits to the Hawaiian Islands. It is a large shopping centre, part of which is in the open air. It is lovely to walk around, browsing in the shops and feeling a nice cool breeze as you do so. There is a wide variety of shops, from department stores to supermarkets to clothing stores and bookshops to small, speciality stores selling gifts, cosmetics, etc. The locals tend to shop there, so it is not full of tacky tourist shops or shops with rip-off prices (as tends to be the case in much of Waikiki). There is a also a wide range of places to eat. My favourite place is the food court, where you have a wide variety of choices from traditional Hawaiian to contemporary American to Chinese. All of the food in the food court is very reasonably priced... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Hawaii in a shop
Disadvantages: NONE

...walk in and are often greated with free coffee or juice, given a lay andyou begin your shopping. There is so much to choose from. t is a very colourful exciting shop that really gives the essence of Hawaiian culture. You can collect tockens and if you spend a certain amount in any combination of Hilo Hatties you can get a free gift. Depending on which shop you go in the experience will be different. In Honolulu the shop gave us free coffee and was packed with loads of different clothes. The changing rooms were not overly friendly or tidy. In Hilo however, the store was packed with non-clothing items and food stuffs to take home. I got some very cool seeds to grow my own hawaiian pulmaria at home. Because this shop is for tourists thay have information regarding travel regulations. Like the seeds I bought can go through customs... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: This Island is beautiful.
Disadvantages: All the problems a tourist spot has.

...Honolulu is Hawaii's largest City, (about 400,00 people), but it is not the Capital City of the Hawaiian Islands, (Hilo on the Island of Hawaii is the Capital). We always stay on Waikkiki Beach. I have visited the Hawaiian Island of Oahu from 1956 when we Honeymooned here until the time my Nephew was killed in a car crash that was caused by a drunken driver. The first time we stayed at the Royal Hawaii, (a grand Hotel that is part of the Sheraton Chain), all the Towers in the Hilton Hawaiian Village and in our own Condo. On our Honeymoon we flew there on Pan Am with Ed Sullivan and his wife sitting across from us. We have flown on United and Canadian Airlines as well. There are six large Islands in this Chain and many small ones that aren't only have plants and animals on them or shown on a Map. Oahu is the 4th largest, (Hawaii... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful