Recently, my family and I (my wife, our toddler, and infant) stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village from March 4-10 as a rewards stay, and it was quite the experience! As a Diamond member, my expectations were high, and for the most part, the hotel did not disappoint, though there were some surprises and challenges along the way. The adventure began with an unexpected upgrade – initially booked for a partial ocean view, we were pleasantly surprised to be offered a full ocean view in the Rainbow Tower upon check-in. However, considering our need for space while traveling with kids, we expressed a preference for more room. The staff, incredibly accommodating, placed us in a spacious Tappa Family room, equipped with two queen beds and a king. This upgrade significantly enhanced our comfort during the stay. The room was recently remodeled and featured a large balcony with city views, perfect for relaxing evenings. The resort's lagoon and Waikiki Beach views were picturesque, providing beautiful scenery right out of a postcard. To save on the steep parking fees ($69/day) at the hotel, we opted for the more economical Ilikai marina parking garage ($28/day) just two blocks away. This proved to be a wise choice given our limited use of the car. Navigating the massive Hilton Hawaiian Village felt like a mini-workout, but it was worth it for the access to amenities. The pools were beautiful but often crowded and seemed to need more attention to cleanliness. The frequent closure of the kids' slides was disappointing, particularly since they were a much-anticipated feature for our little ones. A few issues arose during our stay, such as a moldy coffee maker, which the hotel promptly addressed by providing a new one. The chat feature in the Hilton app proved invaluable for this and other requests, like extra towels. We encountered a minor hiccup with the DVD player missing its HDMI cable, though we chose not to request a fix for this. Housekeeping was diligent, visiting daily. However, they missed changing our bedding as requested after a formula spill, which was a noticeable oversight. Dining at the hotel was expensive, but the daily credit made it manageable, allowing us to enjoy on-site meals without overspending. One aspect that caught us off guard was the difficulty in locating where to obtain our complimentary water bottles as Diamond members. It was somewhat challenging to figure out that the water was not available at the check-in desk but elsewhere, and the bottles provided were unexpectedly small. This was a minor inconvenience but surprising nonetheless. Overall, our stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village offered a blend of wonderful upgrades, beautiful views, and practical challenges. The service was mostly excellent, with a few areas for improvement. Despite these minor issues, our family enjoyed the overall experience and would consider returning, now better prepared to navigate the minor inconveniences for a more pleasant stay.…