Polynesian Beach Club

We fortunately only stayed here for one night.
Like everybody else, we booked a private room that was not cheap at all and we had to go through a dorm to enter it, plus bathroom was shared.
The bed was of poor quality. And overall this place felt like a dump.
Some of the worst hostels I have booked around the world are in Hawaii… they really take it for granted that they can bill you shocking fees for a service that is very low compared to anywhere else on the planet. Just because it is a beautiful place, does not mean your experience will be great.
I beg of you, there are other options in town. You can get a decent hotel for twenty dollars more and not go out feeling dirtier than when you checked in…

First of all I would like to say that I don’t write a review unless the place is really good, or REALLY BAD. Having said that I would like to tell you about my horrible experience here. We stayed for 4 nights and booked a 4 bed mixed dorm for 3 of us. When we arrived the desk guy asked us REPEATEDLY if we were sure we wanted to pay for all 4 nights at the same time because the would be absolutely no refunds, little did we know there was a reason behind it. We got up to the room and there were 2 beds taken already so we went downstairs to have the desk guy come fix the situation he said there was a guy who checked out and there should be another girl in the room with us. He then proceeded to take the guys items off his bed and take them downstairs… and I’m wondering, «if he checked out why would he leave his clothes and suitcase» ?! Nothing else was thought about it it until we came back at 11pm the girl was asleep and we ran into the guy who we were told checked out (and also was told his key would not work, which was a LIE). Turns out he actually had a reservation for 5 more days! So the desk guy comes up and they FINALLY figured out that they had put this poor girl in the wrong room and had to wake her up in the middle of the night get all of her things and make her move. WOW. The rooms have no air conditioning at all. Not a vent, not a fan, nothing. Non existent. It was so hot. The common area smells like straight vomit which makes sense since they were down they screaming and getting drunk til late hours of the night and one night the police were even called! Our door didn’t work for 2 days, meaning anyone could just open the door without the key. I complained several times about this. The sink broke while we were there it wouldn’t drain at all. And my pillow that was on my bed when I got there which I’m guessing was at some point white, was piss colored yellow and severely stained, I could not bring myself to sleep on something this filthy so I used a jacket I brought as a pillow instead. I would not recommend this place to anyone unless it’s a last resort. Right above sleeping on the street. Stay somewhere else. Mahalo!

Sadly, tonight is my last of 8 nights at the Polynesian Beach Club. I have enjoyed my stay here and would recommend it to anyone. I made some friends and talked to some ubercool people.
Initially, after booking airfare to Hawaii, I went through Expedia to find a hoTel… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Then after realizing how irresponsible it would be to cash out my 401(k) for a vacation, I had the epiphany to look into hoStels. I read reviews and went with the Polynesian because it was the only hostel that had no reviews by someone who contracted Bed Bugs. And it just so happened to be one of the cheapest.
I was checked in by Daniel, very friendly and professional. I got the semi-​private room for $ 65 that had a full sized bed with a shared bathroom. There were sheets on the bed but luckily, I’d read a suggestion in another Unilocal review to bring a blanket as they do not provide them and I was glad I did.
I went on several excursions that the Polynesian runs and I encourage doing the same as they are a great bargain and fun experience. Tuesday morning I took the hike to Diamond Head with Joe as the tour guide. He is a kind, thoughtful person and offered up a bunch of tidbit information throughout the hike, plus some helpful advice. Wednesday I took the North Shore tour with Jess as the guide. He is a fun cool laid back person who made the tour fun for the whole group. They also offer tours to Kailua (I went there on my own and it was nice) and scuba diving excursions. They’ve stopped doing Pearl Harbor even though I think their website still shows that they do.
They have dinners a few times a week that you sign up for. During my week I had the Chicken Alfredo Pasta ($ 5), Roasted Pig/​Pork w/​Rice ($ 7), and Spagetti Pesto ($ 5). These are great because they’re cheap, tasty and convenient, plus they come with cake! Kevin who cooked is great and so is the friendly older guy who acted as his maître d.
Jen and Daniel who both work there do massages for $ ²⁵⁄₃₀ minutes. I got one with Jen and it was nice after a long hike.
I was pretty stoked about the Free Pancake breakfast I’d seen advertised. It’s served from 8:30 — 10:00 am… and I do mean IT, and PancakE breakfast, as in singular not plural. I was surprised my first morning when I learned that you get ONE pancake at a time. You can get back to the end of the line after you finish your one pancake, or if you go at 9:15 instead of 8:30 you may luck out and be able to take more than one, if there’s nobody behind you in line. They also offer coffee and tea in the office.
When I’d read the Unilocal reviews on the Polynesian, the most common complaints are about those pancakes (being «monotonous»), the cleanliness of the hostel, and the noise. Well just to address those points, nobody’s forcing the pancakE down anyone’s throat, it’s a complimentary amenity they offer. Yeah, it’s not as clean as, say, The Waldorf Astoria, but it’s a HOSTEL. It should be a prerequisite that anyone who wants to review a hostel must first be able to DEFINE hostel. It’s cheap, basic, communal accomodations that’s half a step above camping, it shouldn’t be compared to a five star hotel. As far as the noise, yeah it’s pretty noisy at night. Luckily my old apartment (in FS NY) was above a bar and an Irish tap dancing school, so I’m quite used to noise and it doesn’t bother me.
If you do decide to book at Polynesian, here’s some suggestions:
1. Take a blanket and (2) thin towels-​one for shower, one for beach
2. Go to the Safeway and buy some groceries-​fruit, yogurt, whatever you like to
eat with your pancakE.
3. Sign up for the tours and dinners and talk to people!
4. Rent a moped from Paradise on Wheels on Kuhio, NOT the place next door!
It’s $ 19.95÷3 hours, $ 29.95÷8 hours $ ³⁴⁄₂₄ hours-​head east on 72 ;)
5. Wear flipflops around your room/​the hostel because it’s impossible to get rid
of every grain of sand when it’s a block away from the beach even though
they do clean.
6. You will certainly be stopping at the ABC store at some point. They’re on
every corner. Save your receipts because if you spend $ 100 combined, you
get a prize like a mug or something.
7. Be prepared to witness the homeless epidemic. They are everywhere.
I heard multiple people from the hostel saying «If I had to be homeless, at
least it’s in Hawaii», well these homeless are often addicts, and too zonked
out to even know what planet they’re on, let alone they’re in beautiful
Hawaii. I usually played Santa Claus to them and gave them multiple
cigarettes or cookies or whatever, because what other pleasure do they
have in life. Try to be kind to them or at least don’t be disgusted.

In summary, the Polynesian has friendly and helpful staff, many extras to offer, very low rates, incredible location, and No reason NOT to stay here.

Though cheap, not at all maintained. Mold in bathrooms, rusted walls, no AC, and no needed amenities (soap and paper towels in bathroom, locks for lockers if you’re in a shared room). Could not wait to get out!

2 stars only for price… When I arrived to the mixed bunk I was freaked out at first bc I was the only female and there was a sixty + shirtless guy sitting on the bottom bunk who actually turned out to be very cool and had to show me how to use the showers. My main issue. Was dirty. And the guy working in the morning was kinda rude. He asked «how was it»? And assuming he meant the accommodations I said uh ok. He got snotty and said «well .get what you pay for, it’s Waikiki. Yikes, ok dude…

This place is a dump and the employees know nothing about professionalism. There are many better options in/​around Waikiki but if you insist on staying here (and you shouldn’t because you’ll regret it!!), beware of a few things: the rates are higher in person than online, there is no a/​c and only one small fan per room, the beds are squeaky and uncomfortable, the «breakfast» is just pancakes (in fact, most of the «freebies» are a joke), a «private room» just means a room within an occupied room (you still share a bathroom – which likely won’t be clean), if you’re in a shared room the outside noise and lights will keep you awake, the wifi is super laggy, and if you park your car in their lot, they insist that you give them your keys (not a good idea).

Don’t stay here. Spend a little more and get a hotel or stay at another hostel. This place is dirty. I think for $ 75 a night for the private bedroom, they should make the place more comfortable. There was a hair on my bed and stained linens which made me think that my bed wasn’t cleaned from the last guest. The bathroom was beyond gross. I would rather shower in a prison than this place. It looked like mold was growing all over and they tried painting over some of it. There were chipped tiles in the tub and it just looked overall disgusting. The internet didn’t work on my laptop and was glitchy on my phone. The lounge area was nasty as well. What also freaked me out was that when I arrived, there was no one in the 6 bed dorm room attached to my private room and when I woke up at 5:30am, no one was there again but there were clothes in the storage area and a lot of different soaps and shampoos in the bathroom. I’m not sure if a group of people decided to not come back or the hostel just didn’t clean up/​throw away stuff from previous guests. The only perks were group outings and free breakfast. I stayed at this hostel the last night of my trip and I honestly wish I could have canceled and slept in my rental car. Just don’t stay here. It’s the type of place that you would catch bed bugs at.

I stayed here in January 2014, I had a blast. My husband and I wanted to see Hawaii on a budget, and this place made it possible to stay for 10 days without breaking the bank. We splurged a little getting a private room with a mini kitchen, but two nights we stayed in a semi private and it was still nice. It’s not swanky but it’s clean enough and the location is on par with the $ 300 and up hotels along Waikiki Beach. My advice is to meet people, there’s a lot of interesting ones, and take the tours. We got to see and learn so much about the beautiful island. I’m not sure if he works there still, but Grandpa was the best. Super cool and knowledgable. Also, take the bus. It’s cheap and easy to get around if you aren’t heading on a tour. Best adventure I’ve had in a long time, meeting fun people and exploring. And the breakfast is really good for being complimentary, especially if Bob makes it.

A pretty chill place to stay if you’re looking for somewhere cheap with just the basics. I stayed here with my sister for 8 days while visiting Oahu and had no complaints! We paid about $ 30 a night for a mixed 4 bed dorm room with one bathroom to share with another private 2 person room. No AC except for one lone fan lol. We were given fresh bedding upon arrival and for an additional $ 2, a towel that could be exchanged for fresh ones whenever for the rest of our stay.
Other amenities include free pancakes every morning and a ton of beach gear for borrow. There are optional dinners and excursions that one can take part in as well. We stayed with other tourists from Switzerland, Australia, and England who were all chill and did their own thing. Btw, there are also lockers in each room, so don’t forget to bring a lock for your valuables. A great place to stay just a block from Waikiki Beach if no AC is not a problem!

This place has awesome tours on monday, wednesday, and friday. They’re $ 25 and I can definitely recommend them!
Each tour takes you to a different part of the island, and when you’ve taken all of them you’ve pretty much covered all of Oahu.
The staff is very helpful, always available for advice on where to go and how.
Breakfast is included but it’s always pancakes (different kinds) so after a couple of days you might wanna go elsewhere for breakfast.
The dorms feel a bit crammed and there’s no airconditioning, but if you turn on the fan in the room and open the windows, it isn’t really a problem.
Three times a week there’s dinner for $ 7, and the food is just lovely (can definitely recommend).
All in all I give 4 stars for the tours, the staff, the atmosphere, and the dinners. The missing star is for the dorms and the slightly monotenous breakfast.

Great location, great staff, da kine onoliscious breakfast and essentially clean comfortable rooms. Mahalo guys, I’ll be back, Aloha

Sorry we can’t remember your name but guy with hat and beard that works mornings is GREAT. He was extremely helpful and accommodating the past few days.
Room was clean. Good to have 12 check in. Pancake man is excellent, perfect pancake again and again. Room cleaner was so nice and had a big smile. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. Would stay again.

Well what can I say? The bathrooms are filthy, I booked a private room (2 female) however it was adjoining the four ppl female dorm, not worth the money. The hostel is itself and it’s surrounding was so noisy at night time and I heard construction noise early in the morning. Definitely shouldn’t book a room in a dorm with 4 ppl or more. The space is so small!

I thought this place was pretty clean and well run by the staff. $ 20 a night? U can’t beat it! Just a block away from the beach

I love this place!!! My man and I took off last minute from LA to enjoy a budget trip to Oahu and PBH was the perfect host for our adventure. One block from the beach and near everything! We never needed a car. Free wi-​fi, pancakes in the morning and on some nights, free BBQ! We had the semi-​private room for privacy and the décor was bohemian, simple and clean. We made new friends and enjoyed the tours (Rob, Margaret and Sean are awesome guides!!!) Jesse the manager runs the ship and keeps the vibe relaxed and friendly. Wish we could have stayed longer than 5 days, but we will definitely be back for more! =)

My massage therapist recommended this place along with two other people I came across on the mainland. It should have been a red flag for me that these were all recommendations from men and punk ones at that. I’m always up for adventure and figured I’d save money and meet some people.
Britney checked me in and she’s lovely. The most helpful front desk person besides Shelly, the owner. Britney encouraged me to sign up for a north shore tour they have on Fridays, and I did sign up I was about #5 on a list of 20, with several stand bys. Well, unfortunately I didn’t get to go because Bob (the skinny guy who makes pancakes on Saturdays) remade the list and took me off so that staff members could go instead. let me say, that I’ve never stayed at a hostel where the staff got priority over guests for tours. Especially since the guy Chad, who went instead of me missed two back to back shifts on top of taking my spot. Well, let me add that Chad is the worst staff member there. On a Tuesday night a random guy I had never met came into my room with a key and he said Chad told him the lesbian with the tattoo was up here– well, I’m not sure if Chad was drunk or just stupid, but registered guests (like myself) aren’t allowed to bring in overnight guests and I was the only one registered in my dorm room. This random guy said Chad gave him the key so I went down to ask Chad why he gave a room key to a random stranger. He seemed to think it was very funny that he called me a lesbian and sent up a random guy with a key to my room. He laughed and said hey I thought you were a lesbian– so I sent him up there.
***are you ready this people???***
When I went down to speak with Bob or whoever I thought was a manager I was told oh well, sorry that happened. Very unenthusiastic apology. let me add that this hostel is near a LGBT bar, Hulas. I was shocked by this behavior.
After these things happened I realized the hostel is run by unprofessional trashy people from the mainland. Oh, did I mention Chad came into my dorm to spend the night with a girl who was in my room? He’s staff. And let me tell you, I’ve never been to a hostel where the front desk guy openly comes into rooms to sleep with guests.
Don’t expect this to be anything like a traditional hostel– the staff is mostly lazy, unprofessional (as stated by other reviewers), and dirty. Cleaning consists of spraying the floor with green clean and wiping. that’s all. I stayed here two weeks and was here during the cleanings.
The guests that stay here are also sketchy– for example one night I wasn’t able to use the bathroom in my 4 bed dorm because a woman there was in there for over 4 hrs!!! over night— eventually I put two and two together and realized along with another staff member and guest that she was using either dope or crack.
Also, a few nights before my arrival there was a physical FIGHT that resulted in stitches and charges being pressed by the victim who was some gypsy looking woman with wild hair. I avoided her the whole time as it was my understanding that the fight was between three women. Scary! also the woman leaving my dorm my first week told me she had a few things stolen from her bag including a bikini.
There was also one day where the bathroom to the dorm next to mine didn’t work so all those people were diverted to the bathroom in my dorm which resulted in many random people coming in and out of the room. (To their credit the issue was resolved within two days, if that’s fast enough for you readers)
Later the staff also acknowledged that there was a known prostitute staying there as well. Later during my stay I realized that Waikiki has a trashy side and most of them live here at the polynesian.
I admit, it was my mistake for staying here two weeks.
My advice is, if you are a straight male this is a good place for you. Single females and any LGBT stay away!!! Seriously! my German friends were accused of being gay for no reason and then well, if you don’t sleep with short ugly Chad then by jolly you must be a lesbian!
It is also my understanding that they aren’t even supposed to have a stove on the premises since it’s basically out in the garage aka kitchen. When the inspector comes by the remove it and buy pizza. Also, the fridge is a joke. I never cooked anything here not left it in the fridge. It was disgusting– beyond.
The only reason I’m giving them 3 stars is for lockers, no bed bugs, and location.
I also got excited about what seemed like an awesome staff but they are a bunch of haters. BTW the Alonzo pancakes or whatever aren’t good at all, but major props to bob for making them anyway, since he’s tryin to get out of making them.
Too many staff members that treat this like their own place without regards for the people who keep the place going financially– the guests! ME!
P. s. When I asked to speak with the owner Shelly I was told she’s gone and I was given a general email address

What an experience! The people are what makes this awesome, such a wide variety on such a social level I have not seen before in a hostel. The rooms are clean, the beds are protected and from what I hear the bathrooms are just slated for renovation!
If you want a clean place to stay (quiet after 10pm!), steps from Waikiki beach and excellent excursions around the island, I recommend this place!

General hosteling advice: the experience you have really depends on what you’re looking to get out of it. If you’re interested in adjectives like «spacious», «spotless» or «immaculately clean» you are probably better a few blocks down at the Royal Hawaiian or any of the other huge hotels. If you want to have fun and enjoy everything Waikiki has to offer, stay here and you won’t regret it.
The wi-​fi is nearly nonexistent, but there is a Starbucks right around the corner if you’re desperate for internet!
I stayed in the 12-​person co-​ed dorm, which sounds bad until you think about how much time you will actually spend in there. (You’re in Hawaii! Go out and enjoy it!) That said, every one of my dorm-​mates came to be a friend in the brief time I was there. It was great being able to share traveling tips, stories, and fun hidden spots we’ve found around the island.
Regarding the claims of bed bugs and other uncleanliness, all the beds are equipped with those plastic bed covers and your sheets are given to you at the front desk when you check in. The bathroom in the 12-​person dorm was a little sloppy (not unexpected) but I’ve seen the ones in the 4-​person dorms and they are much cleaner if that’s important to you.
If you can, arrange to be at the hostel on Saturday mornings for a special event called «Alfonzo’s Pancakes». Alfonzo is actually Bob who lives and work at the hostel, and made me the most amazing sizzling-​bacon-​and-​cheese pancake the morning I had to leave. It was an amazing way to end my too-​short trip to Honolulu, and I left with the solemn promise that Waikiki, Bob, and the Polynesian Hostel Beach Club have definitely not seen the last of me!

I’ve stayed at many hostels (8 beds, mixed rooms, the lot), and this one is possibly the worst one I’ve ever encountered.
cons:
— BUGS. FILTH. The bathroom was disgusting and both the room and bathroom were crawling with bugs.
— Couldn’t sleep due to the street noise, bright lights from street signs, and fear of bed bugs (I didn’t actually get any bites, but the place was so gross I was convinced there had to be bed bugs).
— shitty beds. The frames were falling apart. I was worried the bed would collapse while I climbed up to the top bunk.
— I made the mistake of going with the mixed dorm because I wanted to be in the same room as my male friend. I ended up the only girl in a room full of sketchy guys, but I guess that was just bad luck.
It was so bad that even with ear plugs I decided to try to sleep on the hammocks they have downstairs. I ended up being eaten alive by mosquitoes
pros:
— boogie boards, beach mats, and other fun stuff you can borrow for free.
— good location near the beach and stores
My fault for being cheap. Might have been better to sleep on the beach in a tent.

If you’re looking for a cheap bed by the beach, this is a safe and friendly option. The sheets and the bathroom in my four bed shared room were clean. Check-​in was ridiculously slow but you know, it’s a hostel and they’re on island time. So don’t expect anything to happen snappy.
The common area was a bit quirky. A big tele seems to entertain the masses and nobody was interested in the lone hammock but me. Go figure.
Laundry facility available, though the blond bare-​chested hostel clerk managed to set the drier on fire but stuffing a foam mattress in there. He seemed a little clueless, that one. Hopefully they’ll have it fixed shortly.
Oh, if you haven’t stayed in a hostel before… bring earplugs. Good ones. Since there are a lot of bars and clubs nearby, people were wandering in/​out until very late at night. Not a family friendly atmosphere, but just fine if you’re 21 – 50 years old.