The Twin Fin Hotel — Hotel in Honolulu

We stayed at the Twin fin from 9/12 - 9/17. We have previously stayed at this hotel and have absolutely loved it up until the 15th. We had two rooms right next to each other. My daughter and I were each on our balcony's watching the sunset before we left for dinner. The people directly below us were smoking marijuana on their balcony, which I thought nothing of because it was none of my business. As we were leaving for dinner we received a text message that we were being charged $500 for smoking and/or vaping in our room. We immediately went to the front desk to dispute, but were told this is a fee they are unable to reverse once it's been charged. They use a third party that immediately charges the card on file once the smoke detector senses any smoke. We demanded that security went up to our room to also observe that there had not been any smoking done in our room. Their security guard agreed that there was no evidence that any smoking had been done in our room so with some arguing we were able to get the fee reversed, but they did insist it was best they move us to a different room. We paid extra to have an ocean view room with a balcony. When we returned from dinner I went up to the front desk to let them know we would not be inconvenienced any more and would not be switching rooms, but I had to wait as there was another couple in front of me arguing with the front desk about smoking charges as well. This couple turned to me and said DO NOT EVER STAY HERE AGAIN! THIS IS THE WORST HOTEL EVER. They then proceeded to tell me they were charged for smoking but were on the North Shore all day at their son's wedding. They were not even in their room or near the hotel when the smoke was detected.

The next morning we received a call from Fernando, the manager. He was very condescending and accusatory insisting that everyone denies they have smoked in their rooms. He then informed me it was our responsibility to report the people below us when they were smoking marijuana on their balcony. I informed him that no where in their policy does it state we are responsible for tattling on other customers. That is not my responsibility. He continued to inform me of how flawless their system is, but if you read their reviews this has been an ongoing issue and he has been mentioned in other reviews as well. I used to love staying here for the location and the fact our friends referred us to them, but will NEVER STAY HERE AGAIN AND WILL NEVER REFER ANYONE TO STAY HERE. My husband is originally from the island and we have many family members that still live all over the island. We have also let them all know of our horrible stay. Very sad this hotel is not willing to make changes to keep customers. There are much better hotels in the same vicinity and will never return here.

Also, the same pile of sand was in one of the elevators the entire time we were there. They are not a very clean hotel either. If you walk thru any of the other hotels you will constantly see cleaning crews on the grounds, there are rarely...

After spending 8 nights in the Twin Fin, we needed to extend for an additional 8 nights. The front desk was exceptional in accommodating our needs and was able to move us (the same room wasn't available) without waiting for another room. The activities offered are wonderful and I think guests miss out on how awesome the variety that is offered - hula lessons, lei making, yoga, and stargazing to name a few. My favorite was the Stargazing on Sunday nights. Our host was extremely knowledgeable and provided an unforgettable experience. He even made sure that we all got photos of the moon with detail of the craters. Breakfast at the Coconut Club on the 21st floor is a definite must. Service, the food and the view to start was perfect.

Housekeeping, Bell Service, Front Desk and the Management team of the hotel all work very hard to make every guest's experience at the Twin Fin memorable.

The rooms and public are modernly remodeled. Many of the hotels are older as the Twin Fin is, however, great effort has been made in the remodeling to provide amenities which reflect thought about conservation of natural resources. All bathroom amenities were of high quality and always full. Aluminum water bottles were provided and there are water stations located in all the public areas. I love the consideration to use recyclable resources and the effort to limit waste of disposable amenities which damage the environment. Along with beach towels, sunscreen that is not harmful to the water and reefs off the island is provided. Much thought and effort went into these changes. That is impressive to me.

Having a resource there that provided body boards, chairs, and other beach amenities available to the hotels guests avoided the same expensive amenities offered on the beach without having to buy or lug them around. Definite plus.

Having grown up in Hawaii, the location of the hotel provided easy access to all the local spots I love. It was very fun to play tourist for a couple days as a break in the commitments we were there for.

The Tiki Restaurant was perfect for hanging out with friends. Food was great as were the cocktails. Live music with a Hawaiian flair added to the ambiance of the experience.

I've seen some amazing views of Hawaii and the views from the Twin Fin are unrivaled. The location at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki provided a panoramic view from Diamond Head to Ewa. Don't miss the view of the fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Friday nights. We were lucky enough to see a drone exhibition also.

During our stay there was also the Kanekapila block party on Kalakaua featuring many local food trucks and Hawaiian artists. Along the way were hula performances to watch. The location of the hotel made this and other shopping and dining experiences within walking distance.

All in all, this was a wonderful stay in Hawaii for 16 days. I highly recommend the Twin Fin for anyone's...

This is what was previously known as the Aston hotel. The website said completely renovated. However, I'm not too sure about that. It looks like maybe some fresh coat of paint, new flooring in the washroom and that might be it? I never stayed in the Aston before so not much to compare it to.

The carpets are dated, the doors are chipped, and our room must've had a water leakage issue as a part of the ceiling looks like it. The elevators also feel old and it doesn't give a fresh and newly renovated vibe to me.

The beds are meh, one of ours sunk into the middle, which is common it seems based on the reply I got when I asked about it. Our room is very tight! With all our floaties, snorkel gear, and luggage for a family of 3, it is very snug. We have a partial ocean front room, which is nice of course the view in and of itself kicks up the wow factor.

Room service is every other day, which isn't always convenient when taking more than 1 shower a day.

The beach is literally right across from the beach! If you are not picky with where you stay, and you have little ones, then this might be ideal hotel for you.

The hotel guests also have a few other perks including 3 free items such as beach chairs, umbrella, and other items daily to rent put and return daily included on the resort fee. The staff so far have been nothing but super courteous including the valet staff.

One of the most unpleasant experiences we encountered was with Mel when we wanted to rent a car. The Avis car counter is on the main level in the hotel. Book it online first to check the price as it may be cheaper than what she may quote you. Also, she may say first that she doesn't care if you rent from her not, and then later said she receives a commission so she does care.

The safe is old, ours is very sticky too which means probably doesn't get cleaned.

Overall, mixed review and depends on what things matter to you and your situation.

Would I stay here again? Only if it was a shame-to-pass-up deal else I'd probably avoid it.

Fyi, inflation has hit everyone hard and no different here in Hawaii. The cost of food is 3xs what it should be! If you're going to hanuma bay, get up early if you don't reserve ahead of time and get there by at least 6:40 am for walk-in. Take your own towels and other equipment.

Slight update

Not sure if this is preventable or not but we returned to a giant cocroach and a small one in our room last night. Our kiddo was petrified to sleep.

UPDATE UPDATE

The staff at this place is tremendous! Our previous room (1007) had too many problems. However, after sharing my concerns, we were moved to a different room (1232) and this room definitely looks and feels renovated and much better. I've bumped the overall rating up to 3 stars if you get a room like this one!

Mahalo to the lovely staff who make up the experience...