Just returned home after a one week stay at The Aqua Waikiki Wave. As always, the employees working the desk, housekeeping and bell desk were amazing. I visit often and have chosen "The Wave" as my home away from home. Although the rooms are perfect, centrally located near shopping, restaurants and the most beautiful beach in Waikiki........it is the staff that brings me back to The Aqua Waikiki Wave. They are friendly, helpful, professional and just fun! They are my Hawaii ohana when I am in Waikiki. I highly recommend staying at the Aqua Waikiki Wave when visiting Waikiki.

This is a value for money hotel, you arrive on the door step James always greets you with a big smile, the check in staff were efficient, unfortunately during our stay the elevators were under renovation so waiting for elevators was par for the course on this stay,but will be great once they have finished, this hotel is located on Dukes lane so easy walk to the beach and the Cheesecake Factory :).

I loved the hotel, location, and all amenities. However, Kisha the desk clerk put me right off from the start. After she bullied the sweet male desk clerk out of the way, she needlessly made me wait exactly twelve minutes, until 3 p.m. while she checked other guests in. Then she assigned me a room on the 5th floor (one of two elevators out of service) that was already occupied. Tramp, tramp, tramp down the stairs, to be reassigned to a room on the 3rd floor, also already occupied. Tramp, tramp, tramp down the stairs again. Rather than continue with that aerobic workout by trying a third room, I found a sympathetic ear in the bellman, who agreed with me and removed the luggage from room number two, making it mine. Yay! Thanks bellman!
During this evolution, I fully agreed with Kisha's mantra that "This shouldn't have happened", but when she wanted me to sit and presumably go to the back of the queue, I had to speak up.
Having finally gotten an unoccupied room for my one-week reservation, I thought all was well. Sadly, by day four, my key no longer worked. No problem, I thought, tramp, tramp, tramp down the stairs where I found Kisha, who recoded my key, but not before rudely dressing me down for carelessly putting my key near a cellphone, magnet, or any other source of powerful electromagnetic waves in my purse (!) This was particularly hurtful and insulting, as I travel for a living and spend half my nights in hotels, NOT erasing my hotel keys. This scene was repeated every night after that, (really) for my last three nights in the hotel. Way past hoping for any hint of an apology, I was reduced to hoping Kisha didn't sabotage me in some other way.
Again, I loved the property, the location, and the rest of the kind and helpful staff. Kisha, however, singlehandedly reduced my rating from a five to a three.

My mom (89) and I, her 66 year old son, stayed 3 nights and when we returned 2 PM from a morning at the Arizona Memorial Saturday March 2, 2013 we discovered our four pieces of luggage were already moved to the Pride of America Cruise ship WITHOUT US at 12:30 PM, so we were desperate for a shuttle to take us there as soon as possible, boarding passengers until 5 PM.

James W. was on duty at the Aqua Waikiki Wave that afternoon starting at 1 PM, so he sized up our situation and offered to transport my Mom and I directly to the ship in HIS PERSONAL VEHICLE. Taking charge of the situation, he went to the parking ramp and soon his dark red Jeep Cherokee appeared directly in front of the hotel and he loaded up my mom's roller walker and the two of us and sped off to the ship.

Along the way he amazed us with his frank assessment of the economic state of things in Waikiki and Honolulu. His personality and communication skills made us wonder why he didn't have a higher position in the hotel. We were impressed with this guy! He really is an "undiscovered gem".

So he became our savior of the moment and instant personal friend! On top of that, he insisted to not accept any payment of his services after he unload us at the pier!

Now into what category do you put such a person? I don't think you can find it on the five-circle rating diagram above!

Now honestly tell me, WHERE CAN A STRANGER GET ANY BETTER PERSONAL SERVICE FROM SUCH A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE ??? He was the HIGHLIGHT of HOSPITALITY of our entire 11 day stay in the State of Hawai'i ! WE BOTH WERE EMOTIONALLY MOVED and his memory will not fade away! MAHALO to James W!

I would be most happy to verify everything I wrote above as true and from my heart. My Name is Stephen D. Hottinger and my email is stepdoughott@hotmail.com and I live in Springfield, Missouri, USA.