The Waikiki Edition: Ukulele Among Amenities

The Waikiki Edition offers complimentary wired and wireless internet access.
In addition a full desk pad to jot down notes is included rather than the
few sheets that has become common practice at many hotels.

Guests are invited to use the sarongs and
ukulele during their stay. They can be purchased
should guests wish to take them home.

In a day when everyone is wired through a laptop, smart phone or tablet such as the popular iPad, internet (wired and wireless) is free at The Waikiki Edition along with loaner iPads. Just logon and enter your room number and last name and you're still in touch with the outside world. Such complimentary amenities is part of Ian Schrager's strategy to make money with higher rates and higher occupancy rather than nickel and diming guests for every little comfort. He has definitely created a place where very little is sacrificed to stay in one of the coolest places in town.

There was one thing obviously missing in the room that is commonplace in almost all hotels: the coffee maker. Instead complimentary coffee is offered on the hotel's first floor.

This post offers photos and information about some of the complimentary in-room amenities. A separate post (coming soon) lists some of the prices to purchase some of these in-room amenities to take home after your stay. A complimentary newspaper of your choice is delivered to the room.

This is one post in a series about the Waikiki Edition. Click HERE to view the full series of posts.

Each room features a 46" flat screen LCD TV with full cable access
and high-definition channels.

The small alarm clock can be used no matter on which side of the bed you like to sleep.

A JBL Docking station for your iPhone or iPod. The stereo sound these
units offer can give the impression of a party going on your room.
The hotels offers complimentary use of specially programmed
 iPods upon request.

Although the bath robes and golf umbrella are available to use during your
stay, Guest Services can be contacted to purchase a new one. 

Room slippers are complimentary. Unique are the laundry and shoe bags
manufactured of cloth rather than plastic.

The electronic safe located in the room closet.

Left to right: umbrella, shoe horn and lint remover.

The Waikiki Edition: Room 636 City View with a Terrace

(all images: TheHopefulTraveler)

King Bed with Frette linens.

Closet storage.

There's a saying that "the anticipation is always better than the reality" which could be applied to our expectations when staying at a hotel for the first time. At 340 square feet I was not anticipating much from the city view room I was assigned for a "kama'aina rate" (Hawaii resident rate). But upon entering this corner room I realized how well arranged and designed the room appeared to be.

Unlike the standard rooms at The Waikiki Edition, this corner room situates the closet between the door and the bed so the closet is the first thing a guest sees upon entering. A sharp left and then right leads to the rest of the room. Guess this is a good thing with the closet serving as a buffer from any noise emanating from the hall.

The closet separates the bed from the door in this corner room.

Generous desk space and additional seating.

Door to bathroom and full-length mirror. 

The most conspicuous aspect of the room design is the color white. So white that one hesitates to sit down at first for fear of defiling any fabric. The room ultimately constitutes an ideal version of a relaxing and comfortable personal living space. I always felt a hotel should feel and be treated as a home away from home and this one fits the bill albeit a luxurious one with a soothing atmosphere.

A custom teak sliding screen with adjustable louvers and curtains along the sliding doors to the terrace modulates the natural light entering the room. The oversized terrace is furnished with a pair of comfortable lounging chairs and an accent table. Of course with city view rooms situated at the north end of the hotel, the noise from the busy intersection below drifts upward. But the traffic would subside as rush hour eases slowly throughout the evening. Until then the sliding doors sufficiently muffled the discord of vehicles below.

This is a room also made for working with a large generous desk space and chair. Bright custom lighting features around the room makes up for the lack of a central lighting fixture. Some of these fixtures have dimming switches. With no armoire or drawers, most of the storage is relegated to the closet with a shelf column. Combined with a full-length closet shelf, this is more than adequate to keep personal effects organized in one singular space. An upholstered armchair with ottoman offers additional seating.

Corner bathroom and flat screen television.

Furnished terrace.

Shelf column.

The custom king size bed with imported linens by Frette, down comforter and pillows and luxe bed throw provides a relaxing destination for a quick nap or an evening's rest. The appearance of the limited square footage is diminished by a full length mirror securely leaning against a wall and floor space is ample to prevent bumping into furnishings. Although not suggested to actually do I often measure extra room area by the number of places on the floor one could open a full size piece of luggage of which there is appropriate space.

The Waikiki Edition is 18 floors with 322 rooms and 31 suites. All city view rooms range from 340-390 square feet. Ocean view rooms are 390 square feet. Ocean front (485 square feet) and ocean view (665 square feet) one-bedroom suites also available. The 1,400 square foot penthouse includes an additional 1,500 square foot terrace.

This is one post in a series about the Waikiki Edition. Click HERE to view the full series of posts.

View into bathroom.

The quiet dimly lit hallway provides a relaxing path to guest rooms.

The Waikiki Edition: Lifestyle Hotel & Surfboards Wall

The Surfboard Wall at the Waikiki Edition's lobby.
(all images: TheHopefulTraveler, except where noted)

What is a lifestyle hotel?

According to Hospitality Trends, "Lifestyle hotels are the next generation of boutique hotels. Driven by the chains, they borrow the best elements of boutiques -- small, intimate and modern -- and throw in advantages only a chain can offer, like loyalty perks, consistency and economies of scale. As a result, lifestyle hotels are generally more affordable and accessible than boutiques -- and soon to be ubiquitous. Virtually every major hotel group is vying for a piece of the action. Marriott has Edition Hotels. Lifestyle hotels by definition must evolve with the changing tastes of travelers."

Upon entry to the intimate lobby of The Waikiki Edition hotel, one realizes the designers wanted to create a unique and captivating world. Soothing to upbeat music pumped into the lobby and shades of beach-washed white and wood accents greet the senses of the hotel visitor. Hotel associates are dressed in grey and white with valets sporting dressy button-down sweater vests, white long sleeve shirts and shorts. The front desk associates wore a similar ensemble with the female associates adorned with long sleeve grey sweaters and white slim-fitting sportswear. This is in stark contrast to the aloha attire donned as uniforms at other Hawaii hotels.

Above: front desk and lobby entrance.
Below: Bookcase which rotates to reveal the Lobby Bar.

During the check-in process the front desk associate introduced me to the conveniences of the hotel such as dining including an option to have the mini-fridge cleared to make way for one's personal use. At the same time one of the bellman, also dressed in a sweater vest, brought out a tray with a hot towel and welcome drink of lemonade. This is a personal touch that if characteristic of my stay would definitely make the hotel a favorite of mine.

The obvious and unusual element dominating the lobby is the surfboard installation by artist/surfer Herbie Fletcher made of over 100 boards broken in half. The surfboards were collected from some of best pipeline surfers including Mick Fanning, Christian Fletcher, Nathan Fletcher, Andy Irons, Bruce Irons, Joel Parkinson and Kelly Slater. The installation has become a popular photo stop by guests. At the other end is the large lobby bookcase which in one piece rotates to reveal a passage leading to the hidden Lobby Bar behind it. The bookcase alone seems alive with several digital photo frames dotting its shelves.

A refreshing complimentary welcome drink served at check-in.

The concierge desk is located nearby where I noticed guests making inquiries being offered the personal use of iPads. One should note that the lobby is located on the ground level and that the second level is the first floor and so on.

The hotel's only parking option is valet at $28 per night. Visitors to the hotel's restaurant, bar or club are offered validation. Otherwise there is self-parking across Hobron Lane. It's important to know that this parking is not affiliated with the hotel. Because of this be sure you make it clear if you are visiting the hotel for a few hours or staying as as a guest overnight or for a few days to be sure you are charged the correct parking rate. Those who visit for a few hours of dining or clubbing are charged a flat $7 rate at this lot for 10 hours. Always make a reality check as parking rates, especially anywhere in Honolulu can change regularly. One of the harsh truths about Honolulu is that parking is often scarce and when not free is awfully expensive.

Upon entering Hobron Lane from Ala Moana Blvd, the valet parking and hotel is on the right and self-parking on the left, entrances to both located mid-block. Guests who self-park can enter the hotel through second level pedestrian bridge. After entering the hotel, take the elevators to the ground floor. Those choosing to cross the street at ground level must do so at one of the designate crosswalks at either end of Hobron Lane. Hotel check-in time is 3pm and check-out at 12pm.

This is one in a series of posts about the Waikiki Edition. Click HERE to view the full series of posts.

The bellmen and valets at the Waikiki Edition.
(image: J Heckathorn/Hawaii Magazine)

Staycation at The Waikiki Edition: The Hotel

The hotel name is placed inconspicuously on the property at the corner of
Ala Moana Boulevard and Hobron Lane. (all images: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Waikiki Edition debuted with much fanfare last fall with a weekend featuring celebrities and ushering in the introduction of the newest and one of the most luxurious hotels to open in Honolulu. The hotel also served as the launch of Edition, the newest brand in the Marriott collection. Other brands of the lodging company include Renaissance, JW Marriott, Courtyard and Autograph.

Some of the excitement of the hotel's opening is from this first partnership between Marriott and hotelier and real estate developer Ian Schrager. He is famous for his hand in co-creating the boutique hotel genre. Among his creations which are characterized by their sophisticated and modern designs are the Royalton (New York), Mondrian (Los Angeles), Delano (Miami) and Gramercy Park (New York) Hotels.

View of hotel from Ala Wai Yacht Harbor.

Living in Hawaii, I've been trying to experience the hotels of Marriott and Hilton located in Hawaii over the years. Since I also belong to each of their loyalty programs (Marriott Rewards and Hilton HHonors) and earn points at their hotels when I travel out of state, stays in Hawaii offered the opportunity to accrue points without the need for airfare or grand purpose other than to just get away. So I was eager to add this first Edition property to my list of visited hotels.

With the Waikiki Edtion rates advertised for this weekend starting at $379 for a city-view room and topping out $1,395 for an ocean-view suite, I was sticker shocked. But a call to the hotel's reservations desk resulted in an unadvertised 'kamaaina rate' (Hawaii resident rate) of $199. It should be noted that almost all of the hotels in Hawaii offer a discounted rate to residents with a Hawaii state I.D. or license normally requested upon check-in. Often the discounted rate is only a few dollars less than the website rates but it's always a good idea to call and ask.

The hotel's balconies along Hobron Lane.

I initially booked a two-night stay but due to prior commitments, this staycation was reduced to just one night but it still allowed lots of time to experience the many aspects of this hotel property. Part of looking forward to this hotel stay was the inclusion of dinner reservations at Morimoto Waikiki located on the property and serves as the primary dining option for the hotel. The following posts features various aspects of the hotel and photos from this June 2011 stay at the Waikiki Edition.

Currently the only other Edition property is The Istanbul Edition. Other cities announced to host the brand are Bangkok, London, Mexico City and Miami Beach.

This is one in a series of posts about the Waikiki Edition. Click HERE to view the full series of posts.

'The Importance of Being Earnest' Video Clips

Enjoy these clips of the 'The Importance of Being Earnest' playing at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway and filmed live for limited movie screenings this month. Visit the prior post for a review and information about the show.

'The Importance of Being Earnest' on the Big Screen

left to right: Santino Fontana, Charlotte Parry, Sarah Topham and David Furr
(all images: Joan Marcus)

This weekend theatre fans will have the choice of seeing one or two shows filmed live in New York City earlier this year. The first is 'Company' (see review) which premiered last night on movie screens nationwide. Tonight a filmed presentation of the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' premieres continues limited showings throughout the month.

This would be a treat for me since the production will be closing before my next visit to NYC later this month. In addition at $20 for a movie ticket compared to a top $127 Broadway ticket the screening was a bargain.

Filmed live on March 11 & 12, 2011 at the American Airlines Theatre in New York City, this classic farce is about mistaken identity, which ridicules codes of propriety and etiquette. Dashing men-about-town John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff pursue fair ladies Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Matters are complicated by the imaginary characters invented by both men to cover their on on-the-sly activities, not to mention the disapproval of Gwendolen's mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell.

The cast is lead by director Brian Bedford as Lady Bracknell. David Furr (John), Santino Fontana (Algernon), Sara Topham (Gwendolyn) and Charlotte Perry (Cecily) play the young romantics. Dana Ivey, Paxton Whitehead, Paul O'Brien and Tim MacDonald complete the cast.

David Furr and Santino Fontana

Brian Bedford and Charlotte Parry

The production is very different from the 2002 film adaptation that starred Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Frances O'Connor and Judi Dench (as Lady Bracknell). The glory of this revival from the Roundabout Theatre is the well chosen cast who lifts Wilde's words from the pages into larger than life characters and deliver every comic subtlety. Bedford is especially delicious with each line he utters. Fontana as Algernon is exceptionally funny and continues a string of diverse roles that confirms he is among the brightest young stars on Broadway. Sumptuous set designs and costumes add to the entertaining performances. It's always a joy to witness stage pros Ivey and Whitehead on stage again but Furr, Topham and Perry hold their own as the entanglements become more complex as the show's story progresses. It's a play with no pretensions other than to be just silly fun.

Unfortunately unlike 'Company' the night before which played to an almost full house, 'Earnest' only played to a very small crowd at the same movie theatre. This was an evening performance and one would wonder if 'Earnest' would attract a larger crowd during a scheduled matinee over the weekend.

See the next post for video clips of the production. The film was screened at the Kahala Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii.

'The Importance of Being Earnest' is presented in HD on select screens nationwide at various dates and times through June 30th. Check your local listings for participating theatres, dates and show times or click HERE to find a theatre near you. The show is currently playing an extended run at the American Airlines Theatre in New York City. Visit roundabouttheatre.org for tickets. The production which opened on January 13, 2011 (previews from December 17, 2010) closes on June 26, 2011.

Sarah Topham, David Furr and Brian Bedford

Dana Ivey and Paxton Whitehead

'Company' Starring Neil Patrick Harris Video Clips

In case you missed the movie presentations or were not fortunate to see the production live, here are a couple of video clips of 'Company' starring Neil Patrick Harris, Stephan Colbert, Jon Cryer, Christina Hendricks, Patti Lupone and Martha Plimpton. See the related post below for a review of the production. The first clip is the trailer for the film presentation and the second is the Tony Awards performance by the entire cast.

A 'Company' Movie Review: Good and Crazy People

(image: Screenvision)

The company of 'Company' (images: *Chris Lee/NY Philharmonic)

(image: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times)

The experiment continues with Stephen Sondheim's 'Company' as more stage productions are filmed and screened at movie theatres nationally. Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") leads the star-studded stage cast which includes Patti Lupone, Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer ("Two and a Half Men), Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men"), Craig Bierko and Martha Plimptom ("Raising Hope").

This new production of the 1970 musical revolves around Bobby (Harris), a single man unable to commit fully to a steady relationship, let alone marriage, five married couples who are his best friends and his three girlfriends. It's a concept musical composed of short vignettes, presented in no particular order, linked by a celebration for Bobby's 35th birthday. Rounding out the cast are Katie Finneran, Aaron Lazar, Jill Paice, Anika Noni Rose, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Jim Walton and Chryssie Whitehead. The film was captured live in April 2011 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York City and features the New York Philharmonic.

Patti Lupone*

Martha Plimpton, Stephen Colbert & Neil Patrick Harris*

It appears the publicity of a featured performance by the cast on this year's Tony Awards, movie posters and trailers in addition to the starry television and stage cast paid off. A full house viewed the first of four scheduled screenings of the production at the sole theatre in Honolulu presenting the film. With the four live performances in NYC sold out, Screenvision (which is presenting the film nationally) saw the potential for a niche audience to see a filmed production not just in the Big Apple but also across the country.

None of the actors, some of whom are not known for their singing, embarrass themselves. Though experts and Sondheim fans will likely pick over every minute detail and compare these performances to the original Broadway production or recent revival, this production stands on its own. Using the comic talents of the cast, director Lonny Price has paid attention to the storytelling as much as to the songs themselves. Rather than the production becoming just a staged concert, Price with choreographer Josh Rhodes gives the production movement via the use of couches on wheels.

Aaron Lazar & Katie Finneran*

Anika Noni Rose & Neil Patrick Harris*

Lacking a definitive dramatic storyline the cast keeps the show buoyant even in the lesser known musical numbers. The biggest applause was for Patti Lupone's performance of "The Ladies Who Lunch" which is tuneful, classy and sardonic. She makes the number listenable rather than resorting to the screeching that has become characteristic of other renditions. Her bigger than life stage presence even carries onto film as her costars fade slightly into the background in her few scenes. Few would say that the delivery of "Being Alive" by Harris is far from definitive but many would be surprised that he has the vocal heft to bring the number to a shattering climax. His likable persona makes his journey one the audience is willing to follow.

Plimpton and Colbert as one of Bobby's married friends makes the most of a comedy element as a karate-fighting couple. Hendricks is a real surprise nailing down the comedy as Bobby's Pam Am flight attendant girlfriend. Anika Noni Rose as Marta, another of Bobby's girls, has the difficult task in making "Another Hundred People" her own. If her delivery of the song is restrained it is still melodic and she makes every word clear.

Neil Patrick Harris and Christina Hendricks (image: AP)

Neil Patrick Harris, Jon Cryer & Jennifer Laura Thompson
(image: **Walter McBride/Retna Ltd)

Cryer and Thompson with Harris have fun as the couple "stoned" on the reality of marriage. One of the most challenging numbers is "Getting Married Today". It is one of the most funny, word-a-multi-second songs ever written. Even with the limited rehearsal Finneran nails most of the song's comedic punch lines. Other highlights include "You Could Drive A Person Crazy" by Bobby's three girlfriends and the Act 1 closing number performed by the entire cast as a kick-line complete with straw hats.

Chryssie Whitehead, Christina Hendricks &
Anika Noni Rose**

This concert production neatly presents number after number as Bobby examines the multiple relationships around him and in the end examining himself and the choices he has made. It's a worthy production for fans of musical theatre and those fans being initiated into experiencing a Sondheim musical for the fist time. See the next post for a video sample of the show.

The original Broadway production was nominated for 14 Tonys winning Best Musical, Book, Score, Lyrics, Set Design and Direction.  A 1995 revival played a limited run at the Roundabout Theatre. More recently a 2006 Tony-winning revival starred Tony-nominated Raul Esparza as Bobby. This last production where the actors also played the instruments was filmed for Great Performances on PBS and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.

'Company' was screened at the Kahala Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 15th at 7:30pm with tickets priced at $18. Additional screenings of 'Company' on June 16, 19 and 21 at select movie theatres nationwide. Advance tickets available at participating theatre box offices and their online ticketing service. Check local listings for exact show times. No announcement has been made if this production will be released on CD or DVD/Blu-ray. More production photos below.

The Organized Madness of New York City Traffic

The video below has some reporters warning people to stay at home or extolling the danger of New York City traffic. But it also shows the organized madness that is part of the city's character. For the uninitiated visitor it could be a nightmare but for those who observe the locals learn quickly on how to navigate traffic in Manhattan.

A School of Visual Arts thesis project called "3-Way Street' by artist Ron Gabriel, gives a bird's eye view of the intersection of 28th and Park Avenue. On Gabriel's blog he points out the study shows the "interconnected role in improving the safety and usability of our streets." The video utilizes graphics marking the positions of cars, bicyclists and pedestrians to show key interactions during the day's traffic. Yes, this crossing of streets should be safer but the same can be said of countless other intersections across America.

There should be a way to include this video in NYC travel guidebooks. It's funny but also enlightening. By the way this is just one intersection of 12,370 in the city. Visit blog.ronconcocacola.com for more posts by Ron Gabriel.

World's Most Expensive City: Can You Spare A Yen?

Often vacationers wish they lived in the city that they are visiting. But it's no secret that it's one thing to visit a city and another to be a resident of one. One big difference is simply the cost of living.  Bloomberg Businessweek reports on the most expensive cities as ranked by ECM International, a global human resource firm. For comparison purposes the report shows the cost of a quick lunch, beer at a bar, kilogram of rice, a dozen eggs and movie theater ticket in each city. It should be noted that the report considers the price of food, basic goods and services but not housing, utilities or schooling.

No U.S. city even ranks in the top 30 mainly due a weakened U.S. currency. Outside of the top 30, the highest U.S. ranking belongs to New York City, New York at #44 (down from #28). The second most expensive city is Honolulu, Hawaii at #62 (down from #40).

The city ranked at the top? Here it is:

World's Most Expensive City 2011

No. 1: Tokyo

Quick lunch: $20.80
Beer at a bar: $10.56
Kilogram of rice: $9.80
Dozen eggs: $4.50
Movie theater ticket: $23.80

Although the consumer price index in the Tokyo area has been falling since 2009,according to data from Japan's statistics bureau, the city remains the world's most expensive. While housing costs are not included in this survey, ECA International estimates that the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Tokyo stood at $4,352 in September.

Japan in fact has four cities ranked in the top 10 alone. Besides Tokyo: #3 Nagoya, #5 Yokohama and #9 Kobe.

Visit businessweek.com for the full report.

The Shattered Expectations of 'Paris Syndrome'

(image credit: zenra/flickr)

An interesting report was published by asitbreaks.com about a psychiatric disorder called 'Paris Syndrome' that affects Japanese tourists after reality shatters their expectations upon visiting the city. After this culture shock a dozen or more Japanese tourists yearly want to go back home.

The report says the stress comes mostly from experiencing a bad-mannered taxi driver or a Parisian waiter who addresses a customer loudly that cannot speak fluent French. The Japanese culture is based on politeness with a society that is accommodating where the people rarely raise their voice. Being in Paris shatters their dreams. The experience becomes a nightmare causing a stressful breakdown.

The Japanese Embassy in Paris had to send four tourists back to Japan after going through the experience. Others had to be accompanied by a doctor or a nurse on the plane to assist them with getting over the shock. The embassy has a hotline available to Japanese people visiting Paris who suffer major culture shock.

The syndrome, diagnosed 20 years ago by a Japanese psychiatrist, can cause the hallucinations, feelings of persecution and anxiety. The disorder can be experienced by people from other visiting countries but the Japanese are the common people who fall victim. Another report indicates the same thing does not happen when visiting New York because the expectation there is vastly different as fast-paced and tough so visitors are psychologically prepared compared to romantic images of Paris.

(image credit: andreasnilsson1976/flickr)