Pacific Monarch Hotel — Hotel in Honolulu

We booked our daughters to stay at this property through VRBO for near two weeks on July 2019 for trip in end of May to early June, 2020. We've even purchased trip insurance to cover over $2500 cost.

Reservation and the communication from the property went well. Then the COVID19 pandemic happened. We were hoping the pandemic would pass, but it did not. HI mandated mandatory 14 days quarantine upon arrival and this would have consumed all of the days booked. Our girls would have to leave before the 14 days are up. This did not give us much choice but to cancel the reservation. Cancellation was requested on May 8, 2020.

We understood they had a cancellation policy, but the situation was totally our of our control and the property manager stated that there would be a full refund. I was informed by the manager, the funds have not transferred from VRBO and would refund as soon as the transfer is completed.

Contacted VRBO and I were given conflicting info on the process of cancellation. After about 4th call, one of the agent stated there is a cancellation document the property has to sign and she would send that the to the property. Once it is signed and returned that the refund process can be completed.

Informed the manager on this and she would look in to this. She replied back in 6/17/20 that the reservation is officially cancelled. She needed the information on when the funds transfers were completed.

Went back and forth with VRBO and finally received the dates and the amounts transferred on those dates. It turns out the funds were transferred the day after I made the payments in July 2019 and Mar 2020. This info was provided to the manager on July 6, 2020. The manager texted me back stating that she would look into the situation. Up to this point, she has been very nice and helpful.

Today is Aug 25, 2020 and I have not received any info from her yet. I have texted several time with no reply. Assuming, it would take a little time to process the funds for refund, I have been very patient. However, since I have not gotten any reply to the request for updates, I am thinking the worst at this time. The property will ignore me and keep over $2500.00 for the stay that NEVER happened after stating I will be receive the refund.

Just so the future vacationers going through the VRBO for booking and purchasing trip insurance. With my experience, I would NEVER do that again. I have traveled to 48 states and overseas multiple times a year for over 30 years and never had this type of experience. Trip insurance company would not even consider looking into this and just kept the insurance fee. So, total waste of money and time. I would not recommend them at all.

Still holding on to hope that Pacific Monarch Condominium will do the right thing and return my funds. I would update this review as how the refund...

I just stayed here with my partner two nights ago. As another reviewer says, you get what you pay for. For $100 more, you could stay in a place with updated, modern décor with a newer pool and jacuzzi. For $100 less, you could stay in a motel or possibly a youth hostel. So the Pacific Monarch is in that niche right in between. If you have to pay extra to get an oceanfront room on a high floor, it’s probably well worth it. You would get a great view, and I’ve found that the view makes a huge difference in the enjoyment of your hotel stay (I live in Hawaii and have done countless staycations in Waikiki). I did enjoy relaxing in the lounge on the floor just below the rooftop pool.

As others have mentioned, you have to be extremely rule-abiding with the parking, which costs $30 per night. The front desk clerk makes you read and sign a form with all the rules, she goes over the rules verbally, and there is a big sign in Japanese right where you pay for the parking permit, which I assume lists those rules again. And, there are signs posted around the parking garage saying that you MUST park within the lines, or you will be towed. What else can get your car towed? Placing your parking permit upside down in the windshield! I don’t mean having the slip face the wrong way so that no one can read the information, I mean turning it upside down so that the information shows, but it’s upside down. And of course, if you don’t tape it to the windshield and the slip falls down to a position where it can’t be read – YOU WILL BE TOWED.

As I mentioned, I’ve stayed all over Waikiki, and almost no parking garage has rules this draconian. I read another reviewer’s horrendous experience after he got his car towed (and his vacation ruined, and you can bet he will be telling everyone he knows about his ordeal). The hotel says the parking is run by “someone else” so they claim no responsibility - zero. That is a cop-out. The hotel could use their influence to contract with a different parking operator or a different tow company. There is no reason they have to be bullied into submission by the parking operators. I almost cancelled our reservation after reading about what happened to the poor guest who had his car towed – how many potential guests are they losing out on because of that one review? It’s pennywise and pound foolish, and not worth the bad publicity. Ease up on the rules, just a little, to be in line with almost every other parking garage in Waikiki.

Other than that (and because I followed the rules and personally had no issue with the parking, I did...

My wife and I traveled to Pacific Monarch Hotel for our third stay. This time we were staying for 23 nights beginning 1st September. We were flying from Belfast to London and from London to Los Angeles with British Airways. Our third flight of the day was with American Airlines, and I received an email advising me that there was a 2 hour delay on our flight which would mean arriving well after 11pm. This would mean we would not be able to collect our hired car, which we had pre-booked and paid for. |I phoned the car hire company, who informed me that they were aware of the situation and would remain open for a further two hours. |Next, I phoned the Pacific Monarch Hotel, which was answered by Christieanne, who told me she wouldn't cancel my booking and advise the night staff.|We eventually arrived after midnight and were welcomed by Mayrose, who was at reception, and remembered us from last year. After completing the paperwork, we were given our key to our room on 24th floor with a great ocean view.|After a night's sleep, we unpacked our cases and went down to the lobby and out for breakfast. On our return, we met Shirley and Keiko, who welcomed us and asked if our room was ok? My wife Lynn said that we could do with a larger fridge freezer as we were going to Costco for supplies, which would need to be kept frozen. Last year we stayed in a room on the 20th floor which did have a large fridge freezer. Keiko checked and found that the room was available and told us we could move right away, and that is what we did.| The Pacific Monarch is very bright, clean, and tidy. We stayed in a studio with a partial ocean view, a small kitchen, and a queen-size bed. Three elevators take you to all floors, though one was out of operation due to it being updated.|The highest rooftop pool in Waikiki can be found on the top of the roof with magnificent 360 degree views, as well as a BBQ, hot tub, Hospitality room and a sauna.|All rooms have WiFi, flat screen TV, Microwave, Bath Amenities, Hairdryer and Coffee Maker. |What the hotel brochure does not tell you is that they have the friendliest and efficient staff that you will ever find, with Blake, Keiko, Shirley, Catherine, Christieanne and Mayrose on the reception desk, always smiling to welcome or assist you with any queries or advice.|My wife and I will certainly be returning again next year, hopefully for a longer period.|Thank you Pacific Monarch for giving us a very enjoyable and memorable holiday....