I read the reviews of this hotel on Tripadvisor.com and took into account the plusses and minuses of this property before booking my reservation. I just returned from a five-night stay at the Outrigger Luana and I'm happy to say I made the right choice!
For $135/night, I got a "park view" studio room, which faces Fort DeRussy R&R Park and the ocean, which was very nice! I found the queen bed and furnishings extremely comfortable and nice to look at. There's an "eSafe" in the armoire closet for your laptop and other valuables. There's a good-sized TV and an Ethernet cable connected to the Internet! Granted, it's not wireless, but it's cable Internet (Oceanic Cable) and it's FREE. No dial-up here.
While I didn't have a kitchen room, my studio room had a nice granite countertop, sink and mini-fridge, which kept my leftover dinners fresh. (Just go downstairs to the friendly Front Desk folks and have them microwave your meals.) I bought fresh fruits, veggies, bagels and cream cheese, and guava juice. Having the fridge saved me money. There are kitchen amenities like utensils, plates and glasses too.
I had a handicapped bathroom without a tub, which was fine; the shower was great. Some reviewers mentioned there's a lack of space for personal toiletries, which is true. So I kept them on the granite countertop outside.
I exercised at the small Fitness Center, mostly for weight training (machines and free weights). There are two treadmills and a bike, which is just right for this small condo hotel.
The Luana staff are extremely friendly and helpful; they greet you when you leave and greet you when you return. Check-in and check-out was extremely fast and efficient. Security is always a concern for someone traveling alone and I felt very safe; it's very comforting to see hotel security walking the property. The Bell Staff and Housekeeping are also friendly and helpful too.
I didn't bother getting a car since I'm from Honolulu and know my way around by bus (TheBus) and by foot. The Luana is so close to everything, just get a good map (ask the Front Desk for one), buy a multi-day bus pass and explore on your own. The Luana is centrally-located and close to shopping and transportation. I'm a runner so I ran all over Waikiki and Honolulu with a runner's backpack, water and food. You might see runners training for December's Honolulu Marathon (they run in packs).
Something fun you might want to try is going on the Outrigger Reef Hotel's catamaran, which is within walking distance of the Luana. Supposedly, it's the fastest catamaran ride in Waikiki. The hour-long experience is better than an amusement ride that last mere minutes.