Tropical Studios at Marine Surf Waikiki — Local services in Honolulu

For my first visit, the location is decently located in the middle of Waikiki, really close in walking distance to stores, beach and restaurants. However the place is alittle on the outdated side, parking is a bit cramped getting in and out of spots in their structure and could recycle the linens a bit more often like towels and blankets here feel like they’ve been here forever. The suite could also use a deep clean as everything feels sticky like the floors and tub. There is also a neighbor that lives here as a resident in the building on the 17th floor that had a DV spat with her bf and fought and yelled for hours til someone from maybe security finally came and told the bf just to leave. It was quite uncomfortable for my children to listen to that for hours while they fought in their room and would take it to the hallway. The qualities I can say was it was on the cheaper side and free parking but you do get what you pay for.

Update on my review: Niko (owner) reached out aggressively stating i should’ve taken responsibility and called security or police, WHERE was your security at? They weren’t here nor anyone in the lobby when arriving. Excuse me but this isn’t their first interaction with that resident and her bf so I hear from “staff.” Apparently she and her bf are the reg nuisance here. He must be out of his mind because this is my first night out of seven and just landing in a new area and my first instinct was not to get involved in a dispute with people under the influence with two children in the unit and it being my first night in a new place and I’m unfamiliar with my surroundings and local contacts. He was extremely rude over the phone and even said that I’m a grown adult and isn’t my first time in the United States like that makes a difference. I’m sorry but I’m not intervening between alcoholic/drug addicts that are locals or even foreigners idc who it is in disputes especially being with children alone in fear of any retaliation or placing my children in harms way. I work in a hospital and deal with a diverse population so I know I am not getting between that as a small woman with no assistance, the unit is suppose to have 24/7 security but aren’t to be seen. It really took hours for them to respond to the incident. It is not my responsibility or others but I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who saw/heard or said anything. Giselle and Ula were really nice about the situation and was compassionate and understanding and came to do a quick clean which I appreciated. However if the owner himself could provide essentials I wouldn’t have Giselle send anyone out. I can tell he is a cheap guy looking for the best profit when seeing there is maybe a quarter of a cup of disinfectant in the unit and a cut in half sponge in the kitchenette and old towels that look like they’ve been used for more than a year. The (snorkeling gear) provided is also filthy with sand and disgusting. I had to go buy/rent towels and gear because his things here are not sanitary. I do not recommend staying under this property again. For a bit more you can have a far better experience. He continues to harass me via text messages, saying how poorly it reflects on me for not intervening and writing my review on his unit but if she’s a resident and has had multiple incidents how is she still here? He also says to not contact the property manager that all communication shall stay with him and that everyone else are just his employees but I will not be bullied and harassed by some guy who thinks he knows all, copies and paste his partial responses in reviews to make himself feel better and has a hard time with taking...

As a native to the islands, I come home at least once a year. Under normal circumstances, I stay with family. Over the years, I've stayed in Waikiki only a handful of times--from what I can remember off the top of my head: once with a boyfriend; once to avoid driving home after a night out drinking; and now because of COVID and the state mandated quarantine. While I could have quarantined with family, there are elderly family members at home, and I made the decision that quarantining at home would put them at too great a risk. As such I researched properties across Waikiki. Finding lodging for a full two weeks isn't cheap, especially if you're looking for something with a decent view, a lanai (balcony), ample floor space, and a full kitchen. After much drama with the Waikiki Marina Resort at the Ilikai (avoid if at all possible; they canceled at the last minute, and there was poor communication and follow-up surrounding the decision, leaving me (and others like me) to scramble to find new accommodations less than two days prior to check-in), I found the Tropical Studios at Marine Surf Waikiki. My entire experience with Niko and this property has been a study in contrasts in terms of an experience everyone dreads with an experience they might hold as a gold standard.

From the promptness of the email communication to the proactive nature of the communication to the overall value, this experience has been exceptional. Niko helped me navigate the State's quarantine requirements so that I was prepared to move through public health and security in order to exit the airport in Honolulu. Everything was clearly outlined in terms of how a contactless check-in would occur. The property is solid and a GREAT VALUE. While it does show some slight signs of wear, it's nothing out of the ordinary, and everything was in working order. The WiFi was more than sufficient for the work meetings that I conducted while under lockdown, and the full kitchen (w/ toaster, colander, cutting boards, basic spices/ingredients (salt/pepper/vegetable oil), flatware (dishes/utensils), pots and pans, and cooking implements ensured that I was able to prepare full meals. Controlled access to the building, a front desk, and controlled access to elevators is a plus for those concerned with security. The bed was comfortable, and the air conditioning unit worked well and was quiet.

I really can't say enough about this property and its management. My parents are scheduled to come to the islands in two weeks, and, upon my recommendation, have made a reservation here. While my experience staying at this property during a COVID quarantine period is hopefully unique (let's get this virus under control), the underlying principles of good customer service carry through all situations. Niko excels in this area, and it shows. I can't recommend this place enough. Thank you, Niko, for all you and the Tropical Studios at Marine Surf Waikiki do to make people's time, including my own, in the islands...

Horrible experience! Run away from this place! Giant cockroaches, disgusting/filthy carpet and shower curtain, paint peeling off the walls, clogged shower. Take your money somewhere else. This place is really neglected and or updated, rooms/studios do not look like in advertisement pictures . I could not let my 10 months old crawl because carpet was disgusting, my 7 year old stepped on a giant cockroach when he went to the bathroom during the night, after that he did not want to go to the bathroom by himself. I did not get the room I looked at during my reservation, and I would not mind getting a different room but the one I got was really really neglected and disgusting/filthy; I asked for a different room as soon as we got there and staff told me that they did not have any room available; after I made my Check-In review on Expedia (a bad one of course) they immediately jumped and told me that I should told them about the issues so they can "fix" them and or send me to a different room (when they told me that they did not have any). I told this guy that I did not want to sound rude and tell them that this place was disgusting so I kindly asked for a different room; since they "did not have" any more rooms available this guy offered me a refund "as a courtesy" minus $200 for a so and so fee. He wanted me to be on the streets with my 10 months old,7 year old, baggage, stroller, car seats, etc. and looking for a room? Unbelievable! Rude! We saved money to do this trip to celebrate my graduation and I did my reservation with time to get a good price; I paid with a credit card so the "refund" was going to take days to be apply to my card, therefore we could not go and pay for...