Hearts in Hawai'i
Our Trip to Hawai'i (2007)--Day 10
5/2/2007
Final day on Oahu
One final day to relax here on Oahu. Lots of sun today--almost too much. After talking over our choices for dinner, we decided to walk up Kapahulu Avenue to L&L Drive-in and try out a plate lunch.
L&L Drive-in
Just before we arrived at L&L, a big gap in the sidewalk caused my ankle to collapse outward (damn trick ankle!) and I ended up tumbling, landing on my right knee and tearing it up much as I did the left knee three years ago! So now I'll have matching scars. 
A good deal of blood resulted from the fall, and I wanted to use their bathroom to clean it up but the lady working the counter at L&L told us the bathroom was closed because "it's dirty". After showing her my knee, she winced a bit and handed me the key. One second after opening the door to the bathroom I understood what she meant by "dirty" but this was a level of dirty I'd never experienced before. I'll spare you the details but will say it was the filthiest public bathroom I've yet encountered. Gruesome, but I was warned...
But, back to the meal; I had a plate lunch of hamburger steak, teriyaki steak, mac salad, rice and chili. This was a huge meal for just six bucks, more than I could eat. Decent quality.
One final walk around Kapiolani Park and then a trip to Starbucks. The tripod came in handy tonight for setting up on the Kapahulu Groin and taking pictures of the hotels.
Queen Kapiolani Hotel recap
What did we like about this hotel?
The cost--at $140/night for an oceanview kitchenette with a great view of Kapiolani Park and Diamond Head, just a block from the beach, this is a steal if you can overlook the cosmetic flaws.
Comfortable bed, although having a king-size bed would have been nicer.
Location--right on the bus line, on the quiet end of Waikiki but still within fairly easy walking distance to everything on Waikiki.
Nice pool area with no shortage of lounges any time we were out there. Trade winds blow directly onto this area and really help offset the warmer temps.
On-site Expedia concierge.
What didn't we like about this hotel?
Parking in the underground garage with those tiny places at $15/night? I understand this is customary for Waikiki, but it's still brutal. It will make us rethink our decision to rent a car next time. The Bus goes anywhere you want to go, if you're willing to wait.
No hot tub. I missed the ritual established on previous trips of kicking back in the hot tub at night, conversing with various people.
No screens in any of the windows, so if you open a window, you let in any bugs which may be outside. Although, this didn't turn out to be a problem during our stay.
The air conditioner dripped just outside the lanai door, so if it's running and you go out onto the lanai, you end up stepping in the drippage (is "drippage" a word? It is now )
Our overall verdict on this hotel; very good. We consider it an outstanding deal for the money. Rating: 8
Previous: 5/1/2007--Our Trip to Hawai'i (2007)--Day 9
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