Friends, I love a good staycation.

Luckily for me, I spent the better part of a weekend lounging by a pool at the Laylow– a newish and stylish hotel on Kuhio Avenue in the middle of Waikiki. I had been curious about the hotel, having seen it being built and then all over social media – it is ultra instagrammable. With a few clicks I had booked a “Ho’okipa Level Corner Suite” at a travel agent rate. The TA rate for the Ho’okipa level corner suite was slightly better than the kama’aina rate that weekend, and the Ho’okipa level rooms came with “light snacks” and “non-alcoholic beverages” daily, so I was like “yea that sounds worth it.”

Autograph Collection hotel, which is Marriott’s distinctive luxury boutique brand. The Mauna Kea, another of my favorite hotels from this year, is also an Autograph Collection property. So – while travel bloggers were upset a few years ago when Marriott acquired SPG, there are some distinct perks: Marriott is a huge brand that is opening new hotels around the world every single week, so there are more choices in each city for you to spend points and build loyalty.

There’s no executive lounge for executive-level guests. You still have access to the executive level snack bars on the 15th and 16th floors with your key card, but these were quite disappointing as well. On Sunday morning, The non-alcoholic drink selection was limited to orange juice, coffee, and different types of water, and the self-serve “ham and cheese croissants” that were supposed to be there were conspicuously absent. (The sign and crumbs were there, but alas… the promised food was not).

Overall, it the Laylow was a nice surprise in the middle of bustling Waikiki, and I would absolutely go back and recommend it to friends. 

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Hotel from the street. It’s nestled between International Market Place and the new Nordstrom Rack.  Yay, shopping!