BEAT OF HAWAII AND BEYOND

Consumer beware.

Hospitality marketing firms are promoting their ability to concoct systematic fake reviews to improve a hotel’s rating and lambaste the competitors.  Consumers, however, are poised to be hurt the worst.

Can you spot these fake reviews?

I assert, definitely not.

The wide-spread belief that real reviews can be sorted from the bogus is rapidly changing through more elaborate (though not abstruse) means.

Basing your trust on those who have written more reviews, or a wider range of reviews no longer matters.  It doesn’t take a scientist to opinion that someone with few reviews and an angled perspective is likely fake, or in any event, not credible.  Professional review creators certainly understand that even better than we do, and write accordingly.

The fraud problem, previously seen as a potentially self-limiting number of fake reviews contrived by employees, friends and families in a relatively low-scale, low-tech way, is now progressing to an entirely new level of reviewer identities specifically fashioned with multiple reviews of different properties.

How it’s done:

Not requiring Herculean technology, marketers are using a multitude of reviewer locations and IP addresses, among other means, in order to to circumvent both the manual and automated fraud prevention methods that TripAdvisor employs.  Likely these black hat sculptors are several steps ahead of TripAdvisor and the rest of us in this regard.

Proof:

On a small scale, the photo example above points to a job offer to sculpt fraudulent TripAdvisor reviews.  You won’t find hotel marketers offering these services on Google. They use other, less traceable means to engage prospective properties.  It is hard to imagine many hotels which wouldn’t at least want to listen to such a potentially lucrative ploy.

Why this is working:

With an extremely challenging hospitality economy predicted for some time to come, hotels can simply not afford to leave reviews to chance.  The value in a higher TripAdvisor rating equates to rooms filled vs. rooms empty and to a great deal of money.  Or simply the ability to stay in business.

Where is TripAdvisor in all this?

Expedia’s TripAdvisor regularly states their position that while they are aware of attempts to systematically subvert reviews, they take this very seriously and have the matter under control.  As you’ll recall TripAdvisor not long ago went to the extent of putting punitive red badges on properties believed to be taking part in these nefarious activities.

That having been said, however, I believe TripAdvisor continues to be wary of anything that would reduce its number of reviews, real or otherwise. Doing so would likely bring serious damage to its advertising business, which is Expedia’s cash cow.

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Alice Walker said that, “tea to the English is really a picnic indoors.”  We felt the same way after visiting Honolulu’s Tea at 1024.

The bright airy tearoom in historic Chinatown had a festive atmosphere from the moment we walked in.  We were invited to select our teacup and saucer and a hat to wear from a large selection.  Feather boas were available too which we decided to leave for next time.

A luncheon menu was offered but we selected a British style Afternoon Tea for $15.95 per person.  Two people can share for an additional $6.95 on weekdays.

Honolulu Advertiser said, “it’s the best afternoon tea value in town.”  We agree.  The tea, food and service lived up to our expectations.  There’s a lot of Aloha served here too under the direction of Michele Henry who has owned Tea at 1024 since 1999.

What’s Included in Afternoon Tea at 1024:

A tasty spinach salad with strawberries and feta cheese, four types of tea sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream (jam too) and dessert.  The tea selection included a variety of Black, Green, Red and Herbal teas.

Location, Hours and Parking:

1024 Nu’uanu Street in Chinatown (near King Street).  Validated parking available (ask for details when you make reservations).

Open Tuesday-Saturday at 11:00 a.m.  The last seating is 2:00pm during the week and 3:00pm Saturday.

Reservations Accepted: call 808-521-9596

Rob’s Guide to Afternoon Tea for Men:

• Place the tea strainer on your cup when pouring tea: it’s loose leaf.

• Start with scones, then tea sandwiches and finish with dessert.

• Use milk in black tea instead of cream for a better taste.

• Stir tea in a back and forth motion careful not to touch the bottom or sides of cup.  This will impress.

• Leave spoon on your saucer when not in use.  Don’t cradle cup.

• Relax and enjoy the company of the person you’re with.

• Remember, tea was first a man’s beverage so you’re in good company.

Note:  We receive no compensation of any kind for our reviews.

Our top dining pick at Ala Moana Shopping Center is the Mariposa.  It’s located on the third level of Neiman Marcus.  We recently had a most pleasant and reasonable lunch there for under twenty dollars per person.

The location is incredible; upstairs and ocean side in the center of the mall.  It’s a large restaurant with fabulous views of Ala Moana beach through the park.

Half of the seating is on a covered lanai and the rest is indoors though still facing the ocean.  While still very much in the department store and the mall, the feeling is completely removed from both, and delightfully so.

We still love the warm, freshly baked popovers which arrived together with consomme, soon after we were seated.  Both are complementary.  Neiman Marcus has been serving those as I recall for at least 30 years, and I still enjoy them just as much.

Mariposa is the 2008 Honolulu Advertiser’s pick for best business lunch.

Atmosphere.

Dignified while still island casual.  Great views all day long with spectacular sunsets.

Food.

The menu is traditional Hawaiiana in the fusion sense.  We really enjoyed everything we ate.  So either the food was great or I was starving as I’m not that easy to please.  You can check out the menus on their website.

Service.

The service was okay by Hawaii standards, but not exceptional.  Others have commented similarly.

We made our reservation using Open Table, which was simple and hassle-free.  Within a few minutes of our arrival we were seated.

Details.

Open 11 am-9:30 pm (Sundays-Wednesdays) and 11 am-10 pm (Thursdays-Saturdays). Reservations recommended.  Phone: (808) 951-3420.  Level Three, Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Note:  If you want to try the popovers but can’t make it to Neiman Marcus, here’s the recipe.

I have a new and perhaps surprising favorite on the Waikiki Strip after my recent six night stay.  It’s Aqua’s Park Shore Waikiki Hotel.  This is my pick for best views and location in the moderately priced category.

Just look at the view from my spacious oceanfront lanai.  With a view like this, who cares about the hotel’s vintage (1960’s), basic room furniture and old air conditioning.  My room also had a side window looking out to Diamond Head.

Price tag for this category starts at $154 a night (depending on Aqua’s deal at the moment).  There are also partial ocean view rooms available for considerably less.

Standard Rooms are a bargain starting at $89 a night, but have no ocean view.  If you’re stuck with this type of room there may be paid upgrades available at check-in.

Best Feature:  The hotel faces away from the strip and looks to the ocean, Diamond Head and Kapiolani Park.  You have the feeling of space and privacy.  In that way, it is reminiscent of old Waikiki.

You’re a good fit for the Park Shore if:

You prefer location and view over luxury accommodation.

I liked the comfortable king size bed (from which you could watch the ocean), roomy lanai which compensated for the smaller room, spectacular ocean views, and unpretentious feel.  The staff were also courteous and helpful.

Things I’d Change: Most rooms do not have a microwave.  There’s also no guest laundry on site.

Amenities:  Two restaurants, swimming pool, ABC Store and Starbucks on property.  Free daily newspaper except on Sunday.  Coffee maker, refrigerator and ironing set included.

Money Savings Tip: Pass on the $20 a day valet.  I parked each night at the Waikiki Shell which is a five minute walk.  During the day I used the Zoo parking lot across from the hotel at 25 cents an hour.  The Waikiki Shell lot was full during the day but not at night.

Note:  This property had one of the oddest set of TripAdvisor reviews I’ve seen.  While that caused me considerable trepidation, all concerns went out the window on arrival.

For under twelve dollars, I enjoyed this hearty bowl of Udon noodles tonight at Jimbo’s in Honolulu.  This local style eatery has been a favorite of mine for years.  It’s not easy to find, tucked 50 feet back from the sidewalk on King Street, but definitely worth the effort.

Their homemade Udon noodles are always done right.  Thick, chewy and fluffy.  The bowl I had tonight included eggplant, shrimp tempura, green beans, green onions and a wonderful rich and salty miso broth.  You can also opt for cold Udon, among other choices.

Jimbo’s is a casual place to eat that’s always busy.  If there are no tables when you arrive, you’ll find a list posted to the window to sign in.  Take a seat outside and you’ll be called when a table is ready.

The best way to eat Udon is to slurp.  Don’t cut the long noodles.  Grab your chopsticks and do a continuous feed.  It also helps to keep a short distance between mouth and bowl.  If you need help, just look around and watch how the locals eat.

For an after dinner treat, I recommend their green tea ice cream with azuki bean topping.

To reach Jimbo’s from Waikiki, go Mauka (away from the beach) on McCully Street until you reach King Street.  Jimbo’s will be a block to the left.  Unfortunately, it’s a one-way street and you can’t turn left so just go around the block.  It’s about a 5 minute drive from the Ala Moana side of Waikiki.

Details:

Credit cards: Accepted if you dine in; take-out is cash only.

Price Range: $7.95 to $17.20 for lunch or dinner.

Location: 1936 South King Street

Phone: 808-947-2211

Reservations: Not accepted so get there early.

When we want to get away and escape Kauai, the first place that comes to mind is the Big Island’s Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.  We just concluded our fifth stay there last week.

Where to find the best deal:

This is not the $69 night experience we told you about in February.  The hotel’s website features some off season deals right now starting at $245 (about $100 less if you’re a Hawaii resident).  We’ve also seen some air/hotel packages at well under $200/night and heard of successful Priceline bids (see betterbidding.com).  It’s still going to be somewhat of a splurge but great value for all that is offered.

Features that bring us back each year:

Let’s start with free self parking and no resort fee.  Throw in spectacular ocean views and one of the best beaches in all of Hawaii.

Hapuna Beach Prince is one of the northern-most properties on the Kohala Coast.  That location usually bodes well during periods of VOG that normally cover the Kona area.  Hapuna’s adjacent sister property, the legendary Mauna Kea hotel, is currently closed for renovation.

The grounds are beautifully maintained and the rooms are spacious.  Standard rooms are 631 square feet and one-bedroom suites are  1230 square feet.

If you’re not into ocean swimming, there’s a huge infinity pool on the grounds.  We also enjoyed sitting in the whirlpool watching the sunset.

What we like:  Complimentary parking, no resort fee, beautiful and fragrant grounds, spacious rooms with marble baths, walk-in glass showers and comfortable beds, private front door and sliding lanai screens that allow for tradewinds to pass through, and finally the fabulous beach.  Don’t forget the Northern location either with less VOG.

Our dislikes:  Not many.  This place always delivers and leaves us feeling satisfied and relaxed.  On this visit, however, we thought the furnishings were showing their age as were the rooms.  One room we looked at had a mildew smell.  The sofa in our suite was futon like with no side cushion and lacked comfort.

Best views:  Tower 3 which is oceanfront.

Will we be back? You bet.  For us this is a place to relax and enjoy the beauty of Hawaii.  Next time I’d like to try their Hapuna Suite but at (retail) $7,000 a night, it may be too much of a stretch.

Beat of Hawaii has not received any compensation for this review.  We always pay our own way in order to remain objective.

Big Island’s beloved Mauna Kea Hotel is scheduled to reopen next Spring. I received this preview today of what it’s going to look like.

The hotel was closed due to damage from a 2006 earthquake, which was strong enough to be felt throughout all the main Hawaiian Islands.

When the hotel opened in 1965, it was the first hotel on the Kohala coast and the most expensive one ever built at that time, at a cost of $15 million. In today’s market that would be a steal. The renovation of Mauna Kea is a whopping $150 million.

Rockefeller’s Vision

Revolutionary for its time, the open air architected hotel was developed by Laurence S. Rockefeller and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Rockefeller, who died in 2004, was asked by Hawaii governor William Quinn to find a resort location that would help reduce congestion at already popular Waikiki. The chosen setting was an isolated location on the Kohala Coast. There was no highway at the time to easily transport guests. The only route from Kailua-Kona was the Hawaii Belt Road over the mountains.

Rockefeller’s vision of the hotel was that it should respect the people, culture and environment of Hawaii. Accompanying the hotel would be the beautiful Robert Trent Jones golf course.

Rockefeller envisioned the hotel as a private, personal (100 room) estate, offering a multi-cultural experience.

Amazing Art Collection

On my last trip to Mauna Kea just prior to the earthquake, I took a tour of the hotel’s art collection which included a look at its history. Rockefeller brought 1,600 Asian and Pacific museum art pieces to adorn every corner of the interior and exterior. My favorite is the 700 year old Buddha’s head sculpture, which came from Thailand. A book, “The Art of Mauka Kea,” in its second printing, gives an in-depth look at the amazing collection.

Mauna Kea is the Setting of a Mystery Book

On a side note, mystery writer Edith Skom, used the Mauna Kea as the setting for her book, “The George Eliot Murders.” You can read the book and feel like you’ve already been to the hotel.

Two Properties for the Price of One

Mauna Kea has an adjoining sister Hotel, Hapuna Prince, which is another great Kohala Coast hotel. Guests can use facilities at both hotels, and it is a short walk between the properties which we’ve done.

We’ll keep you updated on their development and intend to be there for the grand reopening.

The deals at Hotel Equus in Waikiki keep getting better.

In February we reviewed our stay in their Executive Suite. Last week we returned for a two night stay, and have updates to share with our readers.

Using Wotif we found their smaller Polo City View King for $79 a nite, based on availability. At that price, this is by far the best hotel deal in Waikiki. If you can’t find a deal on Wotif, check out the Hotel Equus Savvy Surfer Rates.

Our Polo City View room was smaller inside than the Executive Suite, but had a nice sized, somewhat private balcony. It looked out onto the apartment building next door. The street noise took some getting used to for these rural Kauai guys.

Also different, we had no built-in computer/dvd player like our last visit. There was a moderate sized LCD television (if I’d brought a cable, I could have plugged my laptop into that). We had complimentary wireless high speed internet.

The hotel has no elevator from the street to the lobby level, so you must be able to climb stairs.

As we mentioned before, hotel parking is $18 per day. On this trip we found free parking on the street where Ala Wai Canal meets Ala Moana Boulevard.

You’re A Good Fit for Hotel Equus, if you can climb a flight of stairs, don’t need a view, can be satisfied with traffic noise replacing the sound of waves, and want an upscale budget hotel.

Details: Hotel Equus is located at the gateway to Waikiki at 1696 Ala Moana Boulevard. Phone: 808-949-0061.
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As always, we pay our own way and do not accept compensation of any kind for our reviews.