Oahu Revealed - Hilton Hawaiian Village

3,386 rooms, 6 pools (including a keiki pool), 3 spas, free fitness rooms, free room safes, coffee makers with free coffee daily, about a dozen restaurants, over 90 shops, over 150,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, 24-hour business center, room service, day spa, hi-speed Internet access in rooms, Wi-Fi in some public areas, lanais (on most), child care program, wedding coordinator, wedding chapel, lu'au. Where do we start? We've reviewed every resort in Hawai'i, and this is the biggest kahuna of them all. On a typical day they'll have over 6,000 guests serviced by 1,700 employees, which practically qualifies it as a small town. If you're looking for a pulsating, always-moving resort, this place hums. If you're looking for peace and quiet, you've definitely come to the wrong place. It can get very crowded at the pools, and their multi-level 5,000 sq. ft. Paradise Pool has a 77-foot lava tube slide and a waterfall and is very popular. Seven massive towers (the tallest is 38 stories) with the Rainbow Tower being the closest to the water and the Ali‘i Tower having the best services. The grounds are strewn with tropical plants, flowing ponds, swimming pools, some exotic birds, including African penguins. (We didn't know they had penguins in Africa.)

In some ways they seem to nickel and dime you here. They charge a whopping $17 per day to use the in-room hi-speed Internet access. There's no coin-op laundry (you'll have to valet it), Self-parking is $24 per day and valet is $30. They do give you an option to pay for their Paradise Pass at $20 per day, which gives you free local calls and some other discounts.

The Ali'i Tower is the nicest (non-timeshare) tower. It's the best furnished, there are more personalized services. (Ali'i rooms ending in -05 are particularly nice.) They have their own front desks here and in the Kalia Tower, so you can check in directly and avoid the often busier main lobby.

The Diamond Head Tower is our least favorite, the Lagoon Tower is completely timeshare, and the Grand Waikikian is currently being sold as timeshares. (You can rent a condo there until they are all sold. They're stunning but very pricey). The Tapa Tower was renovated in 2007 and looks much fresher. All the rooms are clean and contemporary with a Hawaiiana theme and the Hilton Serenity Beds. The oceanfront category rooms on the Rainbow Tower--especially those on the Diamond Head side--have smashing views down the beach.

The beach defines the northwestern edge of Waikiki and has the calmest waters. There's a lot to do on the beach and the public lagoon (which is a clean, safer place to frolic). The vendors on the beach rent gear and such for fairly high prices--like $16 for a beach lounge chair and $31 for an umbrella.

They have have a stunning wedding chapel with an on-site wedding coordinator who can help plan events there or on the beach.

If the prices of the restaurants here scare you off, the Hale Koa's beachside snack bar next door is open to you, but not their other restaurants.

The resort is well known for their fire-works every Friday night. They have tons of cultural activities to choose from each day.

Rooms (300-810 sq. ft.) are $179-$459, suites (439-1,826 sq. ft.) are $295-$4,900.