Waikiki Central Hotel

Okay let's be real--if you are looking at this hotel, it's because you want to stay in Waikiki Beach but don't want to spend $$$$ on an overpriced hotel room. Totally reasonable. For the location, this place is indeed one of the better deals in the area. That said, don't come here expecting a luxury resort. Come in with realistic expectations, and you will be happy.

There are things to be aware of before you book. This is a small family-run business. The front desk is not open 24/7, and your room will not be cleaned every day. You will have to pick up towels and new toiletries yourself from the front desk. The way this place is designed, the front doors to all the rooms and the stairs leading up to the rooms are directly outside instead of inside the building. You do have to swipe your room card to get to the stairs, so it's not like it's totally unsecure, but it definitely gives the place more of a motel vibe rather than a traditional hotel. There are homeless people sleeping right down the street, though it never felt unsafe to us.

The location is both a plus and a minus. It is right in the heart of Waikiki Beach (like literally two blocks away), so it doesn't get more convenient than this. There are tons of restaurants nearby, and bus stops to anywhere you want to go on the island just two blocks away. However, Waikiki Beach is quite noisy at night, and the restaurant the next street over especially so. Our first few nights, there was loud music blaring well into the night that made it tough to fall asleep. We got used to it, but it's definitely something to keep in mind if you're a light sleeper and/or don't plan on partying while you're here. My only other complaint here was that the sheets and pillowcases smelled musty.

All that aside, there were also many things we liked about this place. Besides the awesome location, our room felt recently renovated and was much more spacious than I thought it would be. The large bathroom looked brand spanking new. Our room was clean, and the A/C and wifi both worked very well. The bed was comfortable. There was a cozy little balcony outside that was nice to have lunch on.

In addition, the front desk really make the experience. Will was a constant delight. Sometimes we would stop in just to chat with him. There was another front desk employee (sorry I didn't get your name!) who was very kind and always super helpful. We didn't meet a single staff member who wasn't awesome.

Overall, we would stay here again and recommend that others do so as well. It won't be the greatest hotel you've ever stayed in, but it is charming and memorable in other ways, and it won't bleed you dry in an otherwise very expensive part of the island.

This is probably the best budget hotel in Waikiki area....great location....rooms are roomy and clean...plus the rooms have refrigerator and microwave....plates and cups and forks and spoons...the hotel also provides boogie boards and beach chairs...so many positives...so why am I putting only three stars....the front desk is only open 8am to 8pm and they MEAN IT...
My wife and I came back to the hotel at 9pm and discovered we had left our keys in the room...there was no way in and no one to help...we called and called the front desk and only got a busy signal....we were tired after a long day, and had a few beers in us, and we're desperate for a shower and sleep...this became stressful and we made a few calls and had to pay over $200 to stay at another hotel...

Yes, I enjoyed my stay at Waikiki central and was impressed by much....but having no way to contact anyone after hours is something everyone needs to know...

If I had not forgot my key I would of given 5 stars

I'm a little embarrassed to say I stayed here, but I honestly would book it again for price and convenience. It's definitely no Sheraton Resort but when in Hawaii (or any vacation), we don't spend too much time in the hotel other than to sleep. It's a rather dinky building. My friend picked me up one day and wasn't sure she was at the right address. Our Lyft drove right by us and had to back up because he didn't realize he had arrived.

Pros:
-Few minutes walking distance from the beach and Waikiki strip
-Free beach towels, mats, boards and chairs
-Fridge+freezer and microwave in the kitchenette

Cons:
-Sketchier end of the strip (although right behind the Hyatt, relatively safe)
-No ocean view
-No daily room cleaning (understandable due to Covid)
-No hot shower water (lukewarm at best)
-Noisy location right next to the motorcycle rentals

Interestingly the elevator is located outside of the building, next to the lobby (if you can call it that, there's a door you walk through to speak to the front desk but that's about it). You need to swipe your key in order to access but technically anybody could sneak aboard. The elevator only goes up to the 5th floor so those on the 6th would have to take the stairs the rest of the way. That wasn't my problem as I was on the 3rd floor, just an FYI. I got my steps in half the time anyway.

With two large beds, it can feel tight for 4 people. The room feels rather dim and old but it's not dirty. Towels were cleaner compared to other places I've stayed! You'll have to trade in your towels at the desk if you want new ones. Friendly desk staff, there till 8pm.

Perfect hotel for the on-the-go people! This hotel was recently remodeled, the staff is amazing and very accommodating. We arrived early to our hotel and they had our hotel room ready, and when our flight got delayed they allowed us to stay later in our room. Overall great experience, great experience, great location. Definitely book with this hotel.

I loved this hotel! I don't travel to Hawaii for swimming pools and room service, just a place to sleep and shower at. This hotel fit the bill plus no resort fees! Free wifi! Parking is 25 a night which is no sweat since there are no resort fees and they watch the parking area which is very small so don't rent a large vehicle.

The staff at the desk are very kind and helpful. Can't stress that enough. I lost my phone on the north shore and staff quickly assisted me with getting to a Verizon store. Left my room keys twice (vacay with a 4 year old) and no issue getting more keys! There are some beach chairs, towels and umbrellas, oh and boogie boards free to use. I'm donating sand toys and a float tomorrow!

Room is spacious, area to hang up clothes or dry clothes since things don't usually dry in Hawaii! Kitchen area includes mini fridge, microwave, dishes and utensils for two, and a coffee maker. bed is comfortable, a/c works GREAT. Patio is small with brick wall. Standing out there you get fresh air. There is a cold water dispenser (filtered) in the lobby but the water in Hawaii is tasty.

Bathroom is clean with new shower and sink, no problems there.

There are two small restaurants across the street, the one upstairs make the BEST mai tai, happy hour til 6 I think, food is a lil pricey.

The walk to the beach is literally a few mins away. There's an ABC store next door for anything you need.

I will stay here again. Best no frills place hands down!

· It felt brand new , everything was clean and did not feel old ,like I just moved into a new apt .Furnishings were very modern and parking is not a bad price $25/day. Receptionists were very friendly and helpful, laundry onsite was a plus! The condiments were great ,they use bath and body works not the usual cheap hotel stuff and they even gave us q tips and cotton pads lol. Location was perfect , we were able to easily walk to the main parts of Waikiki and get good food . Would definitely recommend and reserve again . And much better price than other hotels with all fees included

We loved this hotel! You can't beat the price, no resort fee. It has everything you need if you are spending most of your time exploring the island. The front desk guy, Will, made our stay there even better! He was very knowledgeable about the area and gave us great tips on where to go and eat and where to find free parking on the island. The front office closes at 6pm but there is always a someone there to help guests if needed. We would definitely stay here again!

This hotel is in a great location, and the rooms are generally nice and large. They also have beach chairs and towels you can rent for free. There's no sign-up sheet for them, so I'm not sure how they prevent people from stealing stuff.

In spite of the location and the decent rooms, I had some issues with the place. The internet was not great the 2 nights I was there. Also, the water in the bathroom (both the shower and the sink) took a few minutes to warm up - long enough to where I almost turned off the shower and went downstairs to the office to ask if there was a problem with the hot water.

You have to exchange dirty towels for clean ones in the office (there's no maid service unless you're staying for at least 5 nights), but I knew this before I visited, so I figured it wouldn't be a big deal (even considering the office is only open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm). One night, I came back to the hotel at 7:55 pm. I looked in the office and saw someone sitting behind the desk, so I rushed upstairs to get my dirty towels to exchange. I came back down to the office at 7:57 pm; the person in the office was gone, and the office was locked. It was pretty irritating that they would close the office 3 minutes before the listed closing time, especially when the guests rely on the office for things like clean towels.

Also, later at night, there was a homeless guy sleeping next to the elevator for the hotel, which was a little off-putting.

The price is reasonable, all things considered. You're really just paying for the location to the beach. But if you can spring for a slightly better hotel, I'd recommend doing that.

Looking for a comfortable, clean, place to sleep without spending a premium for a resort hotel? This is it! Great location, just a couple minutes walk from the beach and great restaurants. Also complementary boogie boards & beach chairs - first come, first serve. Glad to have had the opportunity to stay here!

Great little budget hotel, with great prices, in a fabulous location just a block from the beach. I stayed here for a week and had zero complaints. Yeah, the building is old, but the rooms are clean and well-kept and have all the basics. You're in paradise -- you won't be spending much time in your room anyway! Staff are chill and helpful. Lobby has a nice little library of paperbacks left behind by travellers, and you can also borrow (for free!) items like beach towels, mats, umbrellas and boogie boards. And the in-room wifi was solid and FAST.

The only downsides were the cigarette smoke from adjoining balconies, and noise in the mornings (the garbage truck seemed to come by every morning at like 6am). But that's simply the location, not the hotel's fault. The front desk has a safe for your valuables, but a couple times I was in the lobby I saw the safe was left open while the staffer had left the room for a minute. I'd left my passport in there, and in the end it was fine, but I admit I was a little worried.

If you're a no-frills budget traveller, you can't go wrong at the Waikiki Prince. I would definitely stay here again!