Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club

My family and I just returned from Ko Olina and can't wait to go back next year. We're already booked. The resort is beautiful and immaculate. The staff is friendly and efficient. I was worried that the opening of the first half of the third tower might cause problems, but it has only enhanced the property. The new pool area with it's water falls, water slide and jacuzzis with heated water falls are wonderful. We appreciate being away from the crowds and noise of Waikiki. Make sure you schedule time to just enjoy the resort. We love this property.

Loved this property! Perfect family vacation spot for kids of all ages! Kids (ages 9, 12 &14) enjoyed pools, waterslide and lagoons! Very friendly and relaxed staff! Clean BBQ's! Great shopping close by- Costco, Safeway and Longs. Property has great security.

Miss it already!

Love this property and location.

Absolutely one of the best timeshares we have stayed at. The staff are very friendly. The grounds are immaculate.

We also love the location on Oahu. We had given up on going to Oahu, due to how busy the island was, but once we found Ko Olina, it's like the best of both worlds. We can enjoy surfing on the north shore, eating in Waikiki and touring the great attractions like Pearl Harbor. Yet at night, we get to retreat back to our own sanctuary.

This is the best Marriott I have been in. The location is perfect. It's close to Honolulu if you want the shopping and restaurants, yet out of the way for privacy to relax. The units are gorgeous and the grounds well kept. I will go back often.

We just came back from a five-day stay at the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club. We were assigned a studio that faced the parking lot, but other than that, everything else was great. The property is beautiful and pleasant with lots of palm trees and flowers. Owners have access to a private beach right outside in the common area. It's just a very well-designed, clean, secluded beach area that's shaped like a horseshoe. There is a free shuttle that takes people to the Marriott Golf Club (where Roy's is located) close by and the Marriott Hotel about 2 minutes down the road. The restaurant at the hotel, Azul, is superb. If you request to sit outside, you are steps away from sting rays and small sharks (not sure what they are called) that roam around in a pool. The designs/architectures indoors and outdoors are beautiful and magnificent with huge white columns and lots of greeneries. The most important aspect , of course, is the food. It's excellent and very reasonably priced. Back to discussing the Marriott Ko Olina...The location is great. You are about 5-10 minutes away from Costco, Safeway and Long's Drugs. There is a huge shopping plaza in the same area. You can find lots of restaurants there, too. Yes, it's about 30 minutes away from downtown Honolulu, but it's not so bad. I guess if you prefer staying in a quieter area, it's a better choice.

Ko Olina is the place to go if you don't want the Big City life of Honolulu and Waikiki. Yes, it's 30+ minutes from downtown Honolulu, but for us this is part of the charm of Ko Olina. Unlike the crowded and narrow beach walk of Ka’anapali on Maui several people have mentioned, Ko Olina provides a beautiful wide walking / jogging path right along the lagoons and ocean.

UPDATE: Visit www.jwilmsphotos.com. Click the link to "Enjoy the Beauty of Hawaii", select the Oahu Gallery, the majority of theses photos are of the Ko Olina area. Enjoy!

The resort will open the third of four buildings in January 2009. Like the Moana (#2) building, it will be opened in two phases with the second phase projected to open in 2011 or 2012. But the exterior construction of this building is complete as is the landscaping and pool.

We have stayed at Ko Olina a number of times and have always found the staff to be accommodating and friendly and so find the negative comments quite surprising. In our experience, notifying the staff or member of management of an issue will usually result in a prompt resolution.

We have a list of pros and cons that may help others in making a decision to choose Ko Olina over someplace on Waikiki.

Pros: * Secluded and quiet. Many people find this to be a plus for this area. * Good restaurants in the area. Chucks Steak and Seafood on property, Roy's (Hawaiian Fusion) at the Ko Olina golf course clubhouse and three nice restaurants at the J.W. Marriott Ihilani, Naupaka Terrace (American), Azul (International) and Ushio-Tei (Japanese). You can walk to the off property restaurants or ride the complimentary shuttle. * Easier access to the Haleiwa and the North Shore * The town of Kapolei, a 10 minute drive from Ko Olina offers additional places to eat and shopping. Kapolei is expanding rapidly with new businesses opening every day. The official plans are for Kapolei to become the business and shopping hub for west Oahu (aka the Waikiki of west Oahu). * If you like to cook out, there are several gas grills located near each of the three buildings.

Cons: * Prices at the resort have become increasingly excessive, especially at Kolohe’s Beach Bar & Grill. We do not patronize this establishment much as it is just too high priced, a point of view we share with many other guests. And a point expressed to the Ko Olina general manager, Mr. Gumm.

Comments & Recommendations * Parking spaces are tight, but this is true almost everywhere in Hawaii. With this in mind, leave the need for an SUV at home and rent a smaller car for your island transportation needs. If you are in a large group, it may be cheaper to rent two smaller cars or a small minivan. Check with the rental car companies. * Public transportation is another decent option. O’ahu has a very good and relatively inexpensive bus system. Check out www.thebus.org for routes and schedules * If you are headed to the North Shore, take the Kunia Road or Route 750. Two lane road, but is interesting and scenic * If you like the big city life, the ability to walk everywhere and like being elbow to elbow with a half million or so other people, then you will feel more comfortable at Waikiki and Ko Olina is not for you. If you spend the entire visit to Hawaii on Waikiki, then you have missed most of Hawaii. * We highly recommend calling the resort 1 to 2 weeks prior to your arrival and discussing room views and current construction. They can make suggestions on rooms not to select. * There are only two "View's" available at Ko Olina, Mountain (aka Island) and Ocean. If you rent or buy a Mountain View week, call as indicated above and ask for a room overlooking the pool, this will be the closest you come to a view looking into the Pacific. There is no guarantee you will get one of these few rooms, but it doesn't hurt to ask. If you want Ocean View, then rent or buy Ocean View and ask for a high floor. * If you like a secluded, picture postcard spot for a quiet and relaxing vacation, then Ko Olina is a good place to spend your time.

The Ko Olina is a beautiful resort in an ideal setting. It is close enough to the city to visit and far enough to enjoy the spacious grounds and beaches. The staff is very nice and the restaurants are reasonable for the quality of the meals along with the beautiful setting. This is a special spot.

Ko'Olina is a beautiful resort on a lagoon. The rooms are nicely appointed although our couch was already in poor condition. Nice pools and activities onsite alhough most charge a high fee. Monday evening complimentary managers party not to be missed. Service is not 5 star. Front desk and pool staff were not friendly and less than impressive. To describe one incident, we had a late checkout and I used the pool sauna/shower facilities for women. When I came out of the shower half dressed, there was a man cleaning the shower area. I reported it very nicely to the pool staff in charge and the replied I received with no apology was " we have woman cleaning the men's room as well" . Cleaning people of the opposite sex usually wait till the toilet or showers are empty before entering to clean. Ko'Olina charges Waikiki prices of $20 per day for parking unless you are an owner. There are few convenient parking spaces and the garage is very full all the time.

I love visiting Ko Olina - it is so private and beautiful! everything you need is close by, without all the crowds. Highly recomended.

I agree with previous comments. After just spending a week at our place at the Westin Kaanapali Villas North, The Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club is a 4 star at best. Yes, the rooms are nice, beach is nice and the walking path is nice...but nice doesn't make it a 5 star. Check-in was HORRIBLE, food was expensive and outside of the resort its a 40 minute drive to shopping and dinning at Waikiki. I prefer Maui, its a much better ROI...

A lovely, beautifully landscaped resort. There were plenty of planned activities and the man- made lagoon provided a nice swimming experience. Nearby construction was not problematic. The unit we traded into, the guest suite, was clean and nicely furnished.

We own an ocean view unit here at Ko Olina and have been there two years straight now.

Our two girls love Hawaii! Living in the mid- west, I now have a 17 year old surfer girl and a 12 year old who loves going in the shark cage adventure on the North Shore. We are outside all day, usually on the beach and enjoying the beautiful resort property, especially at sundown.

The staff is very friendly and there is never a shortage of things to do in and around the area. All of the instructors and guides are great with the children, they will have fun!

The Ko Olina property is safely away from busy, and very crowded commercial area of Waikiki Beach. We can't wait for Spring Break again!

Just returned from a week at Ko Olina. If you are going to stay in Oahu this is the place to be. Far enough away from Honolulu to not know that it is even there but jump in the car and you can be in Waikiki or North Shore in no time. The resort itself is great. Pools are nice and the beach is outstanding.

Being kinda spoiled I was disappointed that they do not offer any room service. The staff was freindly and helpful. Units are very nice, spacious and most importantly quite. We will likely return in the next couple of years.

Ko Olina ia such a beautiful resort. Just returned on June 12th The construction going on was not that intrusive. The staff was wonderful, and we had a great time. It is a really nice place to go for R and R. They are building a multi million dollars high rise condo next door. These units will sell for 2 million. No riff raft here. Great investment, and a wonderful vacation.

Just returned from Koolina on June 25th. We had a 3-bedroom for (7) of us and had plenty of space. Construction was going on, but it was really not intrusive. We had a great time snorkling and certainly enjoyed the atmosphere at the Fia Fia luau. The Chief made us feel like part of his family. The staff was very friendly and helped to provide a special family vacation that we will charish always.

Visited this resort with a trade of our Maui time. Very relaxing and comfortable. Loved walking the walkway down to the JW. Peaceful and beautiful. Lagoons for swimming and kayaking, laps, you name it, couldn't be better! The second time we returned, Hawaii had their earthquake and we lost power, as did the whole island. Could have been a really bad situation. However, the Club was outstanding in trying to make everyone comfortable, going to incredible lengths to accomodate us all (we had checked out and were supposed to leave that day, but returned as we had no place to go with the airport shut down). Bravo, bravo to the staff and Marriott for their extraordinary efforts. We'll be happy to return to this resort!

We just returned from our stay at the Ko Oleana Beachclub resort. It was a great stay as we enjoyed the water sports, massage on the beach, and the marina next door. Lots of construction going on as the build new towers and the resort next door. Surprisingly it did not interfer much at all with the tranquility of the location.

They advised us that they are building even another pool that will have even more amenities and also an adult only pool area that we will enjoy. We love kids but a steady dose of Marco Polo when you're looking for a little piece and quite gets on our nerves after a bit.

We're looking forward to our next trip.

Just finished a preview stay. I own at Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas North. This Marriot just seemed not wuite right. The setting is nice, but the place is not run well. Housekeeping is slow. The resataurant is bad and expensive. The resort concierge staff is selling too hard. The villa amenities are sub par for a "5 star" resort (No washer/dryer in studio, no jacuzzi tubs, etc.). I will nto go back

We gave this resort a very high rating a year ago, and we bought a unit. Big mistake. It has gone downhill. Things that used to be free are now expensive. Beware if you have booked an ocean view unit. It just means that you are on the ocean side of the resort. The first 5 or so floors, at least in the Moana Tower, do not have a drop of ocean in your view--the ocean is 100% blocked by palm trees.

If you book a guest suite, beware that it is not particularly well designed--there is not even a work surface that is decent for using your computer. The resort is isolated and requires a half hour drive to go to Waikiki, where parking is difficult and expensive.

Also, beware of eating at Chuck's, the main dinner restaurant on the premises--you do not get Marriott Rewards points for room charges there, perhaps the only on-site restaurant in the whole Marriott system that is like this. This is a big deal because it means 750-1,000 points foregone for every dinner there.

The good news is that it is a nice walk along the beach to get to the JW Marriott Ihilani, where there are good (but expensive) dinner options.

I was born and raised in Hawaii and now live in California. Staying at the Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club was an Awesome welcome home for me. We stayed in a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, 4 tvs, dvd, internet, the whole works. It was 1880 sq. ft. There were Bar-B-Ques in front of the tower and the pools were great. There are these magnificent lagoons that seem to be private but allow some beach access to non guest. However, after sundown, the beach seemed close to the public because we had it all to ourselves. The staff there is second to none. The ammenities were superior to most other resorts I've ever been to and the Sunsets were breath taking. This is truely the best place to stay in Hawaii because of the seclusion away from the city, but you are still a short drive in if you please. Ko Olina is where IT is at!!!

We had a wonderful week at the Ko Olina Resort. There is construction at the resort to build a new restaurant which is needed by those who don't have a car. This is the first time we have agreed to a lockoff unit but it was adequately large and had evreything we needed except for a washer/dryer. We had to go down one floor to do a load of laundry a couple of days before we left. Roy's Restaurant was well worth a splurge. The concierge desk was helpful and the valets were very quick and right on with directions. The resort is well located to see all the island (stay away from Honolulu during rush hour).

Just back from our week. We are owners with an Ocean View unit. The resort is great but gets 3 out of 5 stars - read on.

Housekeeping staff seems out of sync with the rest of the staff - I think they need to be sharpened up. The first unit they placed us in was not even cleaned after the previous guests had left - a snafu by housekeeping. We were required to wait another two hours before a unit was available. Our kitchen lacked some basic items - coffee filters, pans, lids for pots, bowls. This is not acceptable.

Lots of construction going on all around the place. The large lot to the north where a Ritz hotel was initially planned is being developed and heavy construction is pesently going on to build a high rise condo - similar in style to te timeshare buildings. Three huge tower cranes are on the job site. There are great views of this if you have an "ocean view" room in either building. They are more like "ocean/construction" view. To the south, the third Ko Olina building is in early stages of construction - site prep and footings being poured. There is lots of noise that is obtrusive when you are on the beach.

The overall ambiance is presently below par now and the lackluster housekeeping is why I rated an otherwise 5 star property at a 3.

A full service restaurant is under construction in the original building. In the interim, a buffet is offered four nights a week. On Tuesday's there is the "Fia Fia" show and luau. This is a four hour dinner and show that we think is worth it if you haven't seen one before. The Ko Olina golf course is great; as is Roy's restaurant.

Very nice changes to the pools for the kids. Back in 2004 the pools were plain. The two pools now look nice and appropriate for the property. The pool for the third building will be even better - something to look forward to.

The Ihilani Marriott hotel is an easy walk and it has some good shops and restaurants. We took the "owners update" tour only to get the free tickets for snorkeling. The trip is OK but inferior to the snorkeling you can do on Maui or Kauai. The Polynesian Cultural Center is worth the day trip to the North Shore.

The next 18 months will be less than perfect here.

We stayed here just for one night in April. Loved it. We were in a new tower with one wing open and the other still under construction. Did not notice any disturbances. Only used amenities one day, loved the lagoon and hot tub. Wondered about activities at the resort since it is in such an isolated place. The units were very nice as are all Marriotts. Hope to return.

Wonderful, relaxed, casual setting. Extremely friendly staff.

This is absolutely the best resort in Honolulu. The resort is spotless and the amenities bountful. The pools are perfect for children of all ages. They especially loved the shaved ice which comes in two sizes. The portions are very generous compared to any place else including North Shore. The four lagoons provide plenty of opportunities to snorkel and view tropical fishes up close. This is the place to be if you want to truly relax.

The grounds are spectacular and the units are terrific and spacious. We'll go back over and over.

Have traded in here twice...the past to Decembers. True, the construction of the next tower is taking place but itreally wasn't a problem. The resort itself is beautiful, the lagoons are magnificent, the units well appointed and comfortable. It is quiet and secluded which is what we were seeking. Ko'Olina looks poised to be the next Kaanapali. Can't wait to go back.

We stayed here in July, 2005 and love it. The resort itself is absolutely beautiful, the lagoons are so pretty. The grounds are well maintained, spotless to be exact. The staff does an excellent job always helpful and accomodating. The units are decorated with style with all upscale amenities,whether you stayed in the master suite or the efficiency unit. It was a very relaxing vacation and can't wait to do it again next year. We were so sold on Ko Olina that we bought a timeshare.

Wow, this place was jaw dropping! Marble, dark rich colors and huge rooms made this place our top resort! The lagoons were so incredible we were literally speechless for several minutes when we arrived on the sand! We have never owned a timeshare, but we are considering purchasing here. We have to return to this place; it stays in our dreams!

We stayed in a one bedroom unit, that was so large, it was as big as four hotel rooms! Gorgeous, heavy, luxury furniture and a top notch kitchen made the interior wonderful! The walk to the beach and pools was tropical and beautiful! The restaurant near the beach was a bit pricey, but the food was tasty, and if you want other restaurants, there were a hundred others within a ten minute drive!

I could not complain about anything at the Ko Olina! If there was any inconvenience here due to the construction, it made us happy to think about returning when this resort is even larger and more beautiful, if that is possible!!!

We stayed here in July, 2004. It has gorgeous grounds, friendly staff, luxurious rooms with everything we needed (even an in-unit washer/dryer), and the lagoons - wow!! We never even used the pools all week as the lagoons are just too pretty and inviting. No, one cannot cook in a guest-side room, but there is a fridge, sink and microwave, which is more than adequate for a guest side. The public access to the lagoons is severely restricted (which is what the article in the Honolulu Advertiser complained about), with only 14 public parking spaces. And besides, we have no problem with people who live behind the resort enjoying their own beach. That's why they paid big bucks to live at Ko'Olina!! The residential area behind the resort consists of very nice condos (where some of our friends live) and pretty expensive homes, so no shady characters are around to disturb one's bliss.

There are more and more restaurants being added to the town of Kapolei which is about 2 miles up the highway, and there is also a planned shopping/restaurant complex to be built by 2006 which will be within walking distance of the resort.

Fantastic place to vacation. I cannot wait to go back!

Pros - I agree w/other folks that this property is very well maintained, It has very friendly staff, nice pools, excellent work out room, activities for the kids, great lagoon near hotel, wireless internet access in designated areas, on property market a little pricey but what do you expect?

Cons: Construction going on from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We had to pay for parking our own car! Valet service was also available. We had an efficiency unit with a micro wave and refrig. We couldn't cook like we wanted like the other timeshares of Marriott. So beware if you get an efficiency unit. Also, we are used to a king bed and the efficiencies have a queen. Also, people that live in the community have excess to lagoons. So it's just not Marriott clientele at this resort. There was a write up in the Honolulu Advisor regarding this.

All in all we had a package deal and that's what we received in the package, an efficiency suite.

Wonderful resort at a secluded location. Very nice units with everything you need. Very relaxing environment, my whole family enjoyed the magical sunsets everyday from our unit.

Really want to stay here if anyone one has a good deal for the month of November let me know

Pros - I agree w/other folks that this property is very well maintained, It has very friendly staff, nice pools, excellent work out room, activities for the kids, great lagoon near hotel, wireless internet access in designated areas, on property market w/all the essentials at reasonable prices, etc.

Cons - Currently there is only 1 of 4 towers built at the resort so construction (9am-5pm; is a bit noisy at times) will be going on through 2006+. In addition, I enjoy eating well when I am on vacation so the fact that there are only a few restaurants close by was not to my liking. The on property restaurant was average at best. There are a few restaurants at the JW Marriott next door but according to the timeshare folks there will be 3+ resorts that are planned for construction. Once the other resorts are built I think the Ko Olina neighborhood may be further challenged to accommodate the guests that frequent their doors.

Overall Great Resort – Very large and beautiful lobby area. The room was great, brand new at the time we stayed. Loved all the doors some people will think it is too much. They added a marvelous touch, the sitting area off the master bed room. And the balcony was great, we had an ocean view room. It would have been nice in the master bedroom if you could have turned the fan off at night or redirected it so it did not blow on you all night long.

The beach area was great one of the best we have seen. The resort is new, but the pool area was a little small. Marriott plans on building three more buildings, so I’m certain each building will have its’ own pool area. Only one restaurant when we stayed (Dec 03) the pool bar. Shopping is close though and you can purchase groceries.

Overall though it was a great resort, you will love the man made lagoons, and walk way.

On our first trip to this are we stayed at the four diamond J.W. Marriott which is just 1/4 mile away. We stayed at this resort last Dec 03.

We have stayed at several Marriott timeshare resorts and this one is the best. Beautiful furnishing, great service, beautiful view, and the area is just overwhelming with its beauty. Wonderful fitness room, lockers and showers for those that have late flights. I can't say enough.

Beautiful resort ! So impressed we bought while we were there as did our traveling companions. This is our second Marriott . Wouldn't buy from any one else.

Everything from service to furnishings was great. Will go back again. Enjoyed the lagoons, the pool, the walking path and the entertainment. Nice to be away from the crowds of Waikiki Beach.

August 2003 was magnificent becasue this place was awesome! We traded another Marriott and of course we got what we expected. Partial ocean view, immaculate grounds, and top flight staff. Spectacular golf (at a discount) across the street. Its a little out of the way from the airport, but well worth it!

We traded a week and had a most wonderful experience.

Like all marriotts it is first class.The beds were especially comfortable and ohhhh the down pillows were great.

We loved the ocean coves for the kids, swimming in the ocean isn't usually very easy unless you are really experienced, so the kids loved to play and swim and snorkle there and then hit the pool for a refreshing swim too.

We loved it, if you get a chance, be sure to spend a week there.

One of the nicest Marriott properties we've traded to. Excellent beds and nice linens, unusual for a Marriott. The best part was the beach excellent for swimming,lots of white sand.