On the outside, PINK AND PERKY AT 82
By Nancy and Charles Nevil
Years and years ago, Waikiki was a tourist area known for its romantic beach, surfers, Diamond Head in the background, and a few great hotels including the famous Pink Palace named The Royal Hawaiian, the Moana, the Surfrider, the Halekulani, and only a few others. The main drag, Kalakaua Avenue had a little traffic cruising by, and strollers ambled slowly savoring the sun and blue sky. There were a few stores and the famous International Market Place where Don the Beachcomber offered up an endless supply of rum laced drinks and exotic food.
Every Friday was Boat Day (Aloha Friday) and as the Matson Liners pulled in, flower leis and streamers were everywhere. All the ladies and gentlemen in shops were dressed in Hawaiian attire. The lilting sound of Hawaiian music was everywhere.
Through the years, tourism has grown, Waikiki has become a zoo. Traffic jams are normal, old sleepy streets have become one way arteries which are barely successful at getting autos in and out of the area. Every inch of land is occupied with stores, hotels, restaurants and when we say shops, we mean those designed to get big bucks out of you, such as, Tiffany, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, just to name a few. There are so many hotels that the skyline almost looks like they are jousting with each other for space in the high rise sky. That is why, generally, we tend to stay away from Waikiki when we are on Oahu and find more restful locales to enjoy.
The Royal Hawaiian, perhaps the most well known name in Hawaii hotel legend, was closed down for over a year for much needed refurbishing (including an upgrade to the concrete mall in front of it bordering Kalakaua Avenue where once grass rolled down from the hotel to the street.) She’s back, reopened, and this historic old lady is Pinker than ever, Perkier than ever – at least on the outside.
There is no question that the view from the Royal is incredible, the surfers come right at you, Diamond Head dominates your vista, and a drink at the beachside bar at sunset will make your heart beat wildly. It is breathtakingly beautiful. 
As you pull up to the Royal, you are effusively greeted by attentive staff, who welcome you with smiles from ear to ear as they stand sparkling in their pink shirted uniforms. We mean, they wear enough pink to blind you as you step inside, out of the sun. You are guided to the beautifully redesigned check in area, seated at a desk, brought cold towels and a refreshing cold drink. To us, that was the very best part of our stay, because, for all of the new paint and new fabrics in the beautiful public areas, the fact is, the Royal is an old lady whose bones are very brittle and stuck in the past.
Walking down the hallway to our room, we admired the very attractive room doors, but were a bit put off by the new carpets which, with their muted colors, made all the “newness” disappear. It seemed dark and a bit dreary. We arrived at our room with high expectations, entered, and there it was, a slightly updated version of the old Royal whose tiny rooms still feel a bit claustrophobic, a room containing all of the amenities you would expect in any first class hotel, but nothing more, and nothing at all spectacular. Immediately we realized that a lot of money must have been spent on what is behind the walls, but the rooms had that same old feeling of being inadequate for the most famous hotel on Waikiki Beach. They are too darn small. The bathrooms have had a big makeover and look quite nice BUT, they are too darn small, with no place to put any of your toiletries. It is one thing to spend a fortune on beautiful upgraded marble, but if there is no place to put anything, the money could have been better spent elsewhere. We checked with a friend staying in a suite and she too complained about the small size of the bathroom.
When we tried to hook our computer up the hotel WiFi, we could not pull a strong enough signal to get on the internet. We would have to use a wired connection but there was no Ethernet cord to hook up in the room. We called down and asked for a line to be brought up. With no hesitation, we were told it would be on its way and that we could hook up to the side of the phone. Nice thought, but incorrect information (given us twice on the phone by two different people). We discovered the Ethernet connection was built into the side of the desk, (almost hidden), something they should have known so that we did not have to go on a treasure hunt to find it. When you upgrade the system, it would be wise to advise the employees as well! 
We checked out the Mall, (OK, but still not spectacular), the shops in the hotel (don’t see much change), and of course, delighted in the views from the grassy area overlooking the ocean. That view cannot be upgraded; it is the best of its kind.
We know that we will not return to stay at the Royal. We’ll keep our youthful memories and dreams in our hearts. That vision of romantic old Waikiki cannot be dimmed.
We’ll visit the Royal Hawaiian, take in a sunset, watch the surfers catching the last waves, and enjoy our stay at some other hotel which will have rooms that might be bigger and brighter, and perhaps a lot less expensive.