Diamond Head Retreat was the perfect place for an extended holiday weekend stay for me and my friends. The ocean views from every window were breathtaking and the location was prime spot on the outskirts of the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. Walkable to the beaches and shops around. The host was so welcoming and very responsive throughout the stay. Would absolutely book again!!
Diamond Head Retreat was the perfect place for an extended holiday weekend stay for me and my friends. The ocean views from every window were breathtaking and the location was prime spot on the outskirts of the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. Walkable to the beaches and shops around. The host was so welcoming and very responsive throughout the stay. Would absolutely book again!!
You cannot beat the location, and the building itself is pretty cool. It is shaped like a triangle so the higher floors are narrow which means you have windows on both sides of the room. Between the tall height of the building, the trade winds and the open windows, it is breezy and super-comfortable. My issue is with the description as "Sleeps 4" and with the property management. We had a 9 and 12 year old with my wife and I. They are still small kids, but the futony-couch thing was unusable. It is very small and the single most uncomfortable piece of furniture ever. There is another settee that is so small neither child could fit on it either. I contacted the property manager to ask to remedy, and of course they would do nothing about the sleeping situation. We had this unit booked for 16 nights so getting the sleeping squared away was important. I also had to contact the manager about getting some extra shampoo, an extra key fob, and extra trash bags. The response was either "no" or go see the front desk. But this isn't a hotel with a staffed front desk, nor is it a pure rental condo. It is some sort of hybrid. So, it is completely on you as the guest to run all this down. Mgmt. doesn't seem to do anything for your needs. The long story short is we had to purchase two air mattresses which were much, much more comfortable and worked for our needs. Sometimes, there would be a girl at the desk and she was not helpful. The young man was great.
You cannot beat the location, and the building itself is pretty cool. It is shaped like a triangle so the higher floors are narrow which means you have windows on both sides of the room. Between the tall height of the building, the trade winds and the open windows, it is breezy and super-comfortable. My issue is with the description as "Sleeps 4" and with the property management. We had a 9 and 12 year old with my wife and I. They are still small kids, but the futony-couch thing was unusable. It is very small and the single most uncomfortable piece of furniture ever. There is another settee that is so small neither child could fit on it either. I contacted the property manager to ask to remedy, and of course they would do nothing about the sleeping situation. We had this unit booked for 16 nights so getting the sleeping squared away was important. I also had to contact the manager about getting some extra shampoo, an extra key fob, and extra trash bags. The response was either "no" or go see the front desk. But this isn't a hotel with a staffed front desk, nor is it a pure rental condo. It is some sort of hybrid. So, it is completely on you as the guest to run all this down. Mgmt. doesn't seem to do anything for your needs. The long story short is we had to purchase two air mattresses which were much, much more comfortable and worked for our needs. Sometimes, there would be a girl at the desk and she was not helpful. The young man was great.
Pros: Location. Views. Comfortable bed.
Cons: Unit was significantly more dated than what is shown. Overall cleanliness could be improved (mold in shower, dead bugs in dishes...).
Drapes didn't block light into the bedroom. Impossible to get darker than a twilight glow. Drapes are not what's shown (not an issue in & of itself), but the drapery rods are missing and/or broken in places and the drapes themselves have not been hemmed to the correct length & pose a substantial trip hazard when using the sliding doors.
The kitchen is very worn. Coffee filters and sugar were provided, but basic ingredients typically found in this type of rental were not (salt, but no pepper or cooking oil).
The bathroom has been remodeled sometime in the past decade. The shower has good water pressure. The sink area is very small. A shelf behind the sink would be a welcome addition.
None of the windows lock. Not an issue for the back side of the unit as it's on the 12th floor, but the widow to the left of the front door doesn't lock either & someone could easily enter if they were so inclined. The building itself is gated, which does provide some level of security.
We were in town for a family wedding and had other relatives in different rentals, all within walking distance. For reference: we had the smallest property in our group & paid the most for it. All said, we'd stay again, but not at the price we paid.
Pros: Location. Views. Comfortable bed.
Cons: Unit was significantly more dated than what is shown. Overall cleanliness could be improved (mold in shower, dead bugs in dishes...).
Drapes didn't block light into the bedroom. Impossible to get darker than a twilight glow. Drapes are not what's shown (not an issue in & of itself), but the drapery rods are missing and/or broken in places and the drapes themselves have not been hemmed to the correct length & pose a substantial trip hazard when using the sliding doors.
The kitchen is very worn. Coffee filters and sugar were provided, but basic ingredients typically found in this type of rental were not (salt, but no pepper or cooking oil).
The bathroom has been remodeled sometime in the past decade. The shower has good water pressure. The sink area is very small. A shelf behind the sink would be a welcome addition.
None of the windows lock. Not an issue for the back side of the unit as it's on the 12th floor, but the widow to the left of the front door doesn't lock either & someone could easily enter if they were so inclined. The building itself is gated, which does provide some level of security.
We were in town for a family wedding and had other relatives in different rentals, all within walking distance. For reference: we had the smallest property in our group & paid the most for it. All said, we'd stay again, but not at the price we paid.
Great stay! Gorgeous views. Location is ideal. Close to everything, without the chaos.
Great stay! Gorgeous views. Location is ideal. Close to everything, without the chaos.
Great condo, perfectly located!
Great condo, perfectly located!
The view spectacular! We had everything we needed in the kitchen. The location was great because it was quiet and calm out of the hub of Waikiki. The beach close by, but we couldn’t lay in the sun right in front of the hotel. The location in the view made it for, I would definitely recommend it!
The view spectacular! We had everything we needed in the kitchen. The location was great because it was quiet and calm out of the hub of Waikiki. The beach close by, but we couldn’t lay in the sun right in front of the hotel. The location in the view made it for, I would definitely recommend it!
This is our second stay here. Love the location.
This is our second stay here. Love the location.
Loved being at this end of East Waikiki. Great to have a huge park in front and be right on the beach. The unit is like a large sun deck. I could hang out there all day. Property building is well maintained with a beach front that is perfect.
Loved being at this end of East Waikiki. Great to have a huge park in front and be right on the beach. The unit is like a large sun deck. I could hang out there all day. Property building is well maintained with a beach front that is perfect.
A guest from Lafayette, LA - Louisiana
Aug 02, 2023
The location of the "Gold Coast" down the shore from the bustle of Waikiki is the best, convenient but yet a refuge from the crowds and noise. Our views from the 12th floor were also amazing. Don't think I would want to ever go and stay anywhere else when I have the opportunity to return to Hawaii. May have wished that the air conditioning was a bit stronger to help cool us off when sleeping though.
A guest from Lafayette, LA - Louisiana
Aug 02, 2023
The location of the "Gold Coast" down the shore from the bustle of Waikiki is the best, convenient but yet a refuge from the crowds and noise. Our views from the 12th floor were also amazing. Don't think I would want to ever go and stay anywhere else when I have the opportunity to return to Hawaii. May have wished that the air conditioning was a bit stronger to help cool us off when sleeping though.
Pluses: for the location, the price was good, and quite a bit less expensive than hotels in the same area. You're literally on the shore, 5 minutes from Kuhio Beach park! We stayed in the first week in January and the daily rate was less than $300.
On the plus side: The apartment was clean and quiet and when the hairdryer didn't work, the front desk immediately gave my wife a new one. Access was easy. The towels were generous and nice. The bed was not new but still plenty comfortable. The kitchen was clean and everything worked.
On the less positive side: I'm not particularly fussy but this one could benefit a lot from just little bit of work. Finishes like tile and paint look like they were mostly DIY. The bedroom in 1202 is very narrow to accomodate the elevator shaft. So a queen bed only barely fits with maybe 15" on one side to spare. You can't get out of bed on both sides of the bed. If there are two of you, one is going to need to crawl over the bed to get out. Not a dealbreaker but I wish someone had mentioned it in another review.
The view is fantastic - - and there are big sliding doors with great ocean views. But the windows were dirty. I washed the windows myself, it made a huge difference. There was a buildup of dust and salt film outside, also a bit grime on the inside. So heads-up that your cleaning crew doesn't do windows.
The air conditioner is too noisy, but you don't need it most of the year.
There were a few folding beach loungers for taking down to the park, but they were broken.
Pluses: for the location, the price was good, and quite a bit less expensive than hotels in the same area. You're literally on the shore, 5 minutes from Kuhio Beach park! We stayed in the first week in January and the daily rate was less than $300.
On the plus side: The apartment was clean and quiet and when the hairdryer didn't work, the front desk immediately gave my wife a new one. Access was easy. The towels were generous and nice. The bed was not new but still plenty comfortable. The kitchen was clean and everything worked.
On the less positive side: I'm not particularly fussy but this one could benefit a lot from just little bit of work. Finishes like tile and paint look like they were mostly DIY. The bedroom in 1202 is very narrow to accomodate the elevator shaft. So a queen bed only barely fits with maybe 15" on one side to spare. You can't get out of bed on both sides of the bed. If there are two of you, one is going to need to crawl over the bed to get out. Not a dealbreaker but I wish someone had mentioned it in another review.
The view is fantastic - - and there are big sliding doors with great ocean views. But the windows were dirty. I washed the windows myself, it made a huge difference. There was a buildup of dust and salt film outside, also a bit grime on the inside. So heads-up that your cleaning crew doesn't do windows.
The air conditioner is too noisy, but you don't need it most of the year.
There were a few folding beach loungers for taking down to the park, but they were broken.
The location was perfect just outside of all of the craziness of Waikiki. Easy access to the beach. The place had beautiful views no matter which direction you were looking. Excellent communication and response from the property manager. We had an issue with our parking the first day, I contacted the property manager and they quickly took care of the problem and refunded 1 night of parking without me having to request a refund. Futon a little uncomfortable for my teenage daughter but overall everything we expected would highly recommend this place.
