Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger

The hotel's prime location on Kalakaua Avenue sets it between several shops and restaurants for a lively and busy touristy atmosphere. Next to the heavily-trafficked Macy's on the ground floor, guests go up a large set of escalators to reach the expansive lobby area, which received new carpeting and furniture after our visit. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed in typical Aloha spirit.
Although popular for business travelers due to its proximity to the convention center, family vacationers frequent the hotel and children are usually occupying the small outdoor pool.
Meanwhile, the old standbys that make the Beachcomber unique remain. Most notably, John Hirokawa's "Magic of Polynesia" show, which has been a Beachcomber mainstay for numerous years.

Just a two-minute walk down to the beach, the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger is ideally situated for those who want to stay at the epicenter of Waikiki's famed shopping, dining, and drinking scene. It sits right on the busiest part of the main drag, Kalakaua Avenue, a touristy mile-long stretch of shops, restaurants, and high-rise hotels that run along Oahu's southeast coast. A Cheesecake Factory is across the street and popular among guests.
Waikiki offers a curious blend of mainland creature comforts and local flavor. On the sidewalks, Japanese tourists intermingle with tanned locals, surfboards under their arms, on their way to the beach to catch a few waves after work. On both sides of the street, high-end retailers -- Tiffany, Cartier, and even an Apple store -- are interspersed with indoor malls and streetside vendors hawking cheap seashell jewelry and Hawaii t-shirts. Several chain restaurants also occupy the surrounding streets. Towering above it all: 40-story, thousand-room hotels like the Hyatt Regency and Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, dot the landscape like pins in a cushion. Pearl Harbor, Hanauma Bay, and Diamond Head Crater -- three of the most popular tourist sites outside Waikiki -- are all within 30 minutes by car.

The Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger is across the street from the most famous stretch of one of the most popular beaches in the world. Loosely speaking, the entire 1.5-mile stretch of sand alongside Kalakaua Avenue is known as Waikiki Beach. In reality, it's more like three separate beaches, the borders of which vary depending on whom you ask. The Ohana Waikiki West is located across the street from the section called Queen's Beach, which is the part you see on postcards of Waikiki: manicured, palm tree-dotted lawns leading to a sunny white-sand beach. Children splash about in the shallow water near the shore, while surfers and standup paddle-boarders patrol the outer waters.
To summarize Queen's Beach in one word: packed. Packed with energy, packed with activity, packed -- most significantly -- with people. Towels carpet the sand like blankets at a sold-out concert. Families with small children, honeymooning couples, even locals taking lunch breaks -- they all merge here, sunning, swimming, and sandcastle-building, all the while doing their best not to kick sand in each other's faces.
The fastest way to the public beach is to cut through the Royal Hawaiian across the street. (Don't be shy -- no one will stop you.) Or use the beach-access alleyway, about a block east on Kalakaua. Free towels are provided by the hotel but umbrellas and lounge chairs must be rented from one of the many beachfront stands, which also have water sports equipment. Lifeguards monitor the beach throughout the day.

The 496 rooms and suites at the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger are like the hotel itself: They won't blow you away, but they get the job done. Bathrooms are small but have modern fixtures, free toiletries and shower/tub combos; the sink area is outside and also houses the coffee maker and mini-fridge.
Rooms also have balconies, but unless you have a high room facing the ocean, you'll have a poor view. Beachfront properties also partially block the ocean for rooms that do overlook the ocean. There are suites available. The only difference aside from the price is you get a living room area with couch, chair, and another desk and flat-screen television. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, an in-room safe, and an MP3 clock radio.
Surrounding construction can also be heard from some of the rooms, particularly those in lower-level rooms.

The Beachcomber's most unique feature is its magic show (see Entertainment, below). There's a shallow but pleasant mosaic-tiled pool, which is adjacent to a hot tub; there are several comfortable loungers and umbrella shades on the deck.
The small fitness center is bright, open and has Precor cardio machines -- two treadmills, an elliptical, and a bike -- with personal video monitors and headphones, a perk you usually see only at luxury hotels. The business center is just five computers against a wall off the lobby, but there's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. The reception desk is open 24/7 and there's a concierge activity desk that will help guests plan an outing. On-site laundry machines are convenient for families and long-term stays.
For shoppers, Macy's is on the ground floor; there's also a fine jewelry store and a marketplace to buy snacks, souvenirs and liquor. Meeting rooms are available at the hotel. There's valet parking available, but at a hefty fee.

For the past several years, the Beachcomber has played host to the Magic of Polynesia, a 75-minute magic show conceived by renowned illusionist and Hawaii native John Hirokawa. Assisted by a cadre of comely young ladies in coconut bras and their beefy, loin-clothed male counterparts, Hirokawa performs a dozen or so dramatic tricks, many of the make-a-person-or-large-inanimate-object-disappear-and-then-reappear-in-a-different-place-onstage variety. The flair is Copperfield-esque. Guests get discounted tickets.

The Beachcomber does little to cater to children -- no kids' club, no organized activities -- but at least the young ones will dig the magic show, which has reduced rates for children ages four to 11. Usually there are plenty of kids splashing around in the pool. Cribs are free and rollaway beds are available for an additional charge.

The hotel's restaurant, Maui Brewing Company, opened in the hotel lobby in 2016. The brewpub-style restaurant serves island-inspired dishes with craft beers, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There's a daily happy hour and a late night happy hour, as well as nightly live music. Hawaiian Aroma Caffé, also in the lobby, provides coffee and grab-and-go items like sandwiches and acai bowls. An on-site mini-market sells snacks and souvenirs.