On our recent visit to Oahu, we stayed in the newly renovated OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber. The resort was so fresh off its $12 million renovation that, while we were there in February, the hotel was blessed with a traditional Hawaiian blessing.

The Location
The OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber is located on the mauka side (mountain side) of Waikiki’s most vibrant street at 2300 Kalakaua Avenue. It’s centrally located and in posh company with the Royal Hawaiian Center and the Royal Hawaiian Resort located directly across the street. The long standing outdoor Waikiki shopping center, International Market Place, is right next door. More importantly, the hotel is only a block from Hawaii’s iconic Waikiki Beach.

The Rooms
OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber’s spacious rooms are nicely decorated in a retro tropical design. The style of the furniture reminded me of a sleeker version of furniture you would have seen in the 50′s or 60′s. The vintage poster art also added to the retro look. Everything is fresh and new — from the carpeting to the furniture to the bedding. Here are some of the features of the rooms:

The bathroom had a unique half bathtub/shower combination. It was large enough for a small child to take a bath but too small for an adult. I don’t normally have the time to soak in the tub while I’m in Hawaii, so it didn’t bother me. I’d much rather be on the beach than in the bath.

Views from the rooms include ocean views, Honolulu and Koolau mountain views, and some peeks at Diamond Head.

The Amenities
The OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber offers quite a few amenities that make the hotel a special value. For example, here’s what guests can enjoy during their stay.

The brand new Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber including the free Honolulu Surfing Museum is on site. You’ll also find gift shops as well as a Polynesian-themed show here, too.

Final Thoughts
We found everyone on staff — from the valet to housekeeping to the front desk — to be friendly. The OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber is a very solid three-star hotel, in my opinion and an excellent value starting at $119 per night valid through January 4, 2010. I just searched the major hotel search engines as well as the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber’s Web site and found the lowest rate is offered directly through the hotel’s own Web site, so definitely check their rates as you shop for rates. The next best rate I could find was through Expedia at $125 per night.

See all the photos we snapped during our stay at the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber.

Have you stayed at the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber? What did you think?