- lsktravelz@gmail.com
How I vacationed for 16 days continues. For our trip, we stayed at five Hilton/HGV properties: Las Palmeras, McAlpin-Ocean Plaza, Lagoon Tower, Elara, and Troubadour. I am a proud Hilton Honors member. Our next stop was New Orleans, and then I flew to Honolulu while Donovan headed to Las Vegas.
I made reservations at the Troubadour and used Hilton Honors points plus cash. D and I headed to the rooftop to view the city before settling in for the night. We had lunch at Oceana Grill in the French Quarter. The food was delicious, and do not forget to try the bread pudding. We made our way back to the rooftop for Happy Hour. I rarely complain, but something is bound to happen after traveling for more than a week. Even though I reported the blow dryer missing, no one replaced the dryer during our stay. I have never experienced someone leaving the safe locked, although I am sure it happens. The housekeeper also left a bottle of cleaning solution on the sink in the bathroom. You know I left the bottle there until the next day.
I must have been tired when I planned this part of the trip. I flew to Phoenix, Burbank, and Oakland before boarding a plane to Honolulu. At the airport in Burbank, I had to leave the terminal and go back through security. Did I mention I saw MC Hammer at the airport in Oakland? My first flight was at 6:00AM, and I did not reach the Lagoon Tower until 10:19PM. By the time I checked into the resort, I was exhausted. Then I heard a baby crying in the room next to me. Even though I did not sleep well, I was ready to take a walk around the property. I checked my welcome package for the guide to resort services and booked the official walking tour.
When I settled in for the evening, I heard the baby crying again. I called the front desk and made them aware of the issue. The clerk said a manager would reach out to me in the morning. There were no studios available in my tower, but they found a one-bedroom. I would pay the difference in fees, which was less than $10.00 per day. I agreed to switch from my studio to a one-bedroom. The clerk offered to send someone up for my luggage. I should not have waited until the second night to complain, but the manager quickly found a resolution, and I enjoyed my last three days in Honolulu. The room had a city view with a balcony where I enjoyed breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had a lot of space for one person, and the upgrade included a heated toilet seat.
Hawaii is expensive. For lunch, I purchased a corned beef sandwich with fries for $20.00. I saved half for dinner. Although the property has several pools, I hung out at the adult pool during my stay. Eventually, I walked to the Ala Moana Center and discovered the flip-flop workshop and Honolulu Cookie Company. You can see more of your destination if you take a walk. I stopped by one of the bars on the property for Happy Hour. You cannot leave Honolulu without having a Blue Hawaiian. I picked up a movie from the free DVD kiosk on the way back to the room. It was time for dinner, and I enjoyed the other half of my sandwich on the balcony before watching my movie.
Somehow, I missed the fine print about free samples. Even though I am not a coffee drinker, I learned how to drink coffee. Did you know that you should sip your coffee three times to prepare your palate before adding sweeteners or creamers? I also enjoyed samples of ice cream, pineapples, chocolates, Hawaiian Style Smoothies, and Pitaya Smoothies. The walking tour is 60 minutes. I did not take advantage of the free hula and ukulele lessons or movie night, but I strongly advise you to read the guide for resort services. I also discovered Speedi Shuttle. The service offers pick-ups and drop-offs to and from the airport for slightly less than rideshare.
On my last day in Honolulu, I relaxed by the adult pool. On the way to my tower, I picked up fish tacos for lunch, but there was enough food for dinner too. I went back to the mall to buy cookies for Lynn. The Honolulu Cookie Company on the property was mid-way through a remodel. As with every trip to a timeshare, I wash my clothes before returning to Chicago. My flight was early, and the time difference would put me home very late. I paid transportation costs for two people. I am not encouraging anyone to purchase a timeshare, but I use my ownership to lower the cost of accommodations. Please compare the expenses of my 16 Day Vacation to my Spring Break trip to Costa Rica. Are you ready to travel around the world? Click on the Amazon link below.
Aloha
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