HI - Waikiki Hostel

Bright, airy, clean, safe, cheap, and in a great location
I stayed at the hostel for two nights in April, 2008. Roberts Hawaii has an $8 shuttle bus (air-conditioned!) door-to-door service from Arrivals at the airport to the hostel. The room was very clean and bright. The mattress and pillow were very comfy, but the sheets were very worn and frayed -- but hey! It's a hostel! The kitchen was spotless. I saw the girl from the front desk clean it throughout the day. The staff are incredibly fun and friendly, but professional. They can direct to all the sights easily by bus. The each is less than a five-minute walk. I honestly cannot think of anything negative to say.

Can't Beat It!
Just got back last week from five days staying at Hosteling International Hostel on Prince Edward Street, Waikiki. You cannot beat the location (three minutes walk from Waikiki beach), price ($23), and friendly staff. If you're going to be out and about all day and just need a place to crash and shower then this is it. If you want bath robes and full frontal ocean view rooms stay across the street at one of the $250-plus hotels. I didn't use the kitchen at all but it was clean, same for the dorm room I was in. Building is an old converted apartment building so when you walk into female room # 4 you have the room you're standing in, with three female beds (single and a set of bunk beds). Off the main room is another dorm room with again just a single bed and one set of bunk beds. Finally, also off the main room are two private rooms which house the female staff and of course the shared bathroom is also off the main room. Secure overnight parking available for $5 a night, internet access $1/ten minutes. Island tours leave Mon/Wed/Fri and apparently are well worth it $35 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Plenty of street noise starting early at approx 6 or 7 a.m. but it didn't really bother me, was up early for breakfast and fun every day anyway.

Good location and price
location (in the center of waikiki, about five minutes to beach to go, bus to downtown two minutes to go, quiet street, a lot of shops and restaurants in the near). Good price; quiet street; shops, pubs, restaurants; bus stop; internet, kitchen; private car park; friendly service. Bad high stairs to the office; no a/c. If i come back here, i will stay here again!

The worst hostel I have ever stayed in.
I was curious to see the comments for this hostel, which I stayed at in March of 2005. While two years ago, this place left such a poor impression on me that I still remember it and wanted to leave some deserved feedback. This place is beyond rundown, and just has a very drab and depressing atmosphere. For the $20/night I paid, however, my expectations we not high. My problem was with the staff manager whose behavior was beyond words or explanation. I stayed two nights at this place. On the third day I went for a walk and also to the ATM to get some more money to stay a third (and final night). I was going to leave that day, but I didn't feel like packing my stuff and it was already past check out anyway. Well, when I got back the desk manager told me "ok, what I need you to do is take the next five to ten minutes, pack all your things and leave." At first I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. When I asked what the problem was he just said that he didn't have to explain himself to me. Since I didn't plan on leaving that day all my stuff was all unpacked and out on my bed. after fifteen minutes, I was almost finished when he showed up at the door and said he told me to take ten minutes and leave, and he had given me fifteen, and if I didn't leave then he was going to call the cops. I just told him I was going as fast as I could, and then left five minutes later after turning in my key and getting my deposit. (should have just told him to go ahead and call the cops). Again, I asked what the problem was and he said, "ah, we got complaints from other guests." I was out almost the whole time I was there other than when I had to sleep (and I don't snore). The only other contact I had with the other hostelers was when I took a "circle tour" of the islands (not thought the hostel). Other than that I never really said anything beyond "hello" to anyone else at the hostel as it wasn't a very social atmosphere anyway. I still don't know what that guy's problem with me was. I do see that it's a pattern of behavior for him (unless you're an attractive girl). The only thing I can think of is that I was in the Air Force Reserve at the time, and mentioned that by asking if there was a military discount, and maybe he has something against the military. i don't know. Anyway, I would have (and should have) reacted more angrily if I wasn't so taken back and surprised. You go on vacation to be happy. The atmosphere of this place is depressing and why deal with that jerk? The other hostels on the island I looked and stayed at (I was in Hawaii for a week) were much nicer, so leaving that place turned out to be a good thing. My advice is not to waste your time here.

Awesome
HI - waikiki was an awesome hostel. the staff were super friendly, well informed, and fun to talk to. there were organised tours and shuttles available to be booked through the hostel, which was located one-minute walk from the beach, on a safe and quiet street. the hostel was clean, very organised, and very efficiently run. there were no bugs or anything, and everything was well-kept. the kitchen was always clean. the beds were comfortable and the atmosphere was open and friendly. i loved it here and stayed two weeks.

Stayed here in February 2006. Only good thing was that the location was only about a block and a half from the beach. I have stayed in my share of hostels but this was disgusting. If you have heavy luggage, beware as you will have to carry it up quite a few flights of stairs. The guy at the front desk was pleasant the first day but when I complained that my pillow was as flat as a pancake and requested another one, he gave me such a bad attitude that I was shocked. He said, 'Well, for this cheap in Waikiki, keep your expectation way low!" wow. What was weirder was that there were areas that looked condemned and had the yellow "crime scene" type tape so you wouldn't lean on the walls or else they might crumble. Our bathroom looked pretty yucky so I never took off my shoes. Camping would be a better option or find another hostel.

This place is dirty as can be. The staff are rude, and its in a bad neighborhood if you're out past eight p.m. or so. And besides that it just has a really dark and drab like depressing atmosphere. The other hotels on the island are far better and brighter.

As a single female traveller i was a bit concerned about accommodation in Hawaii after reading quite a few dodgy reviews of a number of other hostels. I was pleasantly surprised however. This hostel is safe, clean, cheap and essentially in an ideal location just one block away from the beach. I stayed for 6 nights in a female dorm which was cleaned daily, the bathroom was nice and the bed comfy. The lounge has a relaxed atmosphere and there are books and magazines and a TV and plenty of information on the notice boards. I had no problems with the staff who were happy to help me when i asked for information. This is an ideal place to stay in Hawaii for the budget traveller!!

I brought a group of Waka Ama competitors to Hilo in August 2005. We originally had booked into another hostel, which shall remain nameless. That hostel was so disgusting we changed hostels to this one on our return to Waikiki. I found this hostel to be fantastic compared to the first one. The price is great and the location is great, as we only wanted somewhere to basically sleep. My only complaint is the absolutely rude office staff person. He really made us all feel that anything we asked him was just such a huge effort for him to answer. Get rid of the yucky staff and find someone who really does enjoy their job and visitors. My suggestion would be to give the outside of hostel a well-deserved new paint job. Other than this, this place is a great place to stay. We are planning another group in the future and I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

I spent a week at this hostel. For the most part it was comfortable but the building is old and the rooms need new furniture. If you don't have any illusions that this is the Four Seasons then you will be fine. The location is perfect. There are plenty of things to see and do 24 hours a day. Waikiki beach is a short 2-minute walk. Lots of Europeans, Japanese, Aussies, Canadians and Latin Americans made the place feel like a United Nations camp, but it is a good place to meet interesting people and make lots of friends. I definitely would stay again.

I stayed here for a couple of nights in August 2005. The place is fairly depressing and in need of a total renovation which doesn't do it any favors in terms of atmosphere. Neither does the moody staff manager, who doesn't seem to understand guests should be treated with at least some respect. One in particular was a total arsehole! Besides location this place has nothing going for it. Avoid at all costs unless staff is replaced and extensive renovation undertaken. I would strongly recommend you try out the other hostels in Waikiki, they are much more pleasant in terms of atmosphere and location isn't really an issue because anywhere in Waikika can be considered a great location.

I stayed here several months ago. The price was right, the location was great, and the guy I dealt with was a total creep. Besides being extremely rude and unprofessional I didn't appreciate the way he seemed to stare (gock) at me. The last time I checked, my face was still on my head and not on my chest. If you're reading this, looking at someone's face when you're talking to them would be a good bit of advice for you. This is the kind of person you wouldn't want to stay in the hostel with, let alone be someone working there. Everything else was pretty satisfactory. The place was kind of a dive (even compared to other hostels), but for $23, not too bad. The circle-island tour was nice. However, I would recommend doing it, and staying at hostel other than this one.

It was relatively clean. The floors were really dirty in our room (your shoes stuck to them), but for $20 a night in Waikiki, you can't beat it. Really close to the beach and all the action. I will stay there again!

Great hostel in Waikiki. It's a three-minute walk to the beach, for $20 a night. You can't beat that! Staff were OK, as friendly as could be expected for the amount of people they deal with. I met some wonderful people here. Of course, being a HI there's no alcohol onsite. The hostel itself was clean enough. The TV lounge room is good. They have cable if you care with 100 channels. Internet is 10 cents a minute. It's a quiet place, good for getting rest. The Island Tour run by Jack is highly recommended. Thanks to Ben and the crew for a good stay.

We stayed there for one week in a room for two. It was a good place right in the center of Waikiki beach. There were very strict rules and policies to maintain the high hygiene in the common room (e.g. kitchen). Beside the fact we mopped the floor of our room because it was sticky when we got in, everything was good and the staff were friendly if you follow the rules. T. from Paris