Waikiki Beach Tower

Hotel Information: An international clientele wishing to be insulated from the Waikiki whirlwind, while enjoying the beach, shopping forays, and sightseeing trips.

Set back from the street, Aston Waikiki Beach Tower offers immediate peace and quiet as guests arrive under the shaded entrance, or approach from the street on a flagstone walk bordered by lava-rock walls and an arbor dripping with blossoms.

Amenity highlights: Despite Aston Waikiki Beach Tower's seclusion, Waikiki Beach and the Pacific can't be missed from the unit-wide balconies that offer views of both. Crossing the street is all that's necessary to arrive at the beach, along the back of which runs a lovely, grass-and-palm-tree park.

Breakwaters offshore ensure calm swimming conditions. (Locals call the beach at this point in the sandy sweep toward Diamond Head "Kuhio Beach." To visitors it's all Waikiki Beach, offering access to the warm Pacific waters.

The 40-story Aston Waikiki Beach Tower is across the street from Waikiki Beach, and provides 140 units with one or two bedrooms. Unit-wide balconies offer partial or panoramic ocean views.

Condos at this Honolulu hotel include kitchens with refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, microwaves, cookware/dishes, wet bars, and washer/dryers.

Large living rooms provide sitting areas and dining room tables. All units have cable TV, DVD players, and complimentary high-speed Internet access.

Smoking is not permitted inside hotel rooms.

The hotel provides two complimentary bottled waters upon arrival.