i was 1 of 2 in hotel picks in hawaii. if only i stayed here for the entire duration, would have been 1 of 1. paid $20 less than the previous hotel, clean and comfortable rooms, nice pool, very good location, everything's nearby, Tony Romas, ABC Stores everywhere, the bus on Saratoga, (19,20,42) very frequent, you got the trolleys as well, wish they had subway though, just like in New York hehe, but of course it will take away the beauty of hawaii... other than that this hotel is a steal at $80 a night.

The Ambassador Hotel is what it is, a reasonably priced hotel with reasonably good facilities. If you are after a 5 * accommodation then this is not the place for you, but if you are after a clean and well-located hotel with no frills then this is perfect.

I will start with the very few minor defects that I experienced:

1) The pool is small and shallow and can get very busy. Also it is only open from 10am – 7pm.

2) If the people in the next room are dedicated door slammers, you can here them practicing their art.

3) The Superior room only had a shower, which was a bit compact.

4) I did worry about the height of the wall on both the room balcony & walkways, just seemed a fraction too low. We were on the 16th floor and if you have small children I would ask to be on the lower floors.

That is about all really. We stayed in a Superior Room with a kitchen. The room was fine, good size and the kitchen had all necessary amenities and was very clean. The linen was also very clean. The wallpaper and carpeting were a bit worn in places, but nothing that was of any real concern. The style is a bit outdated, but again when you are on holiday in Oahu my guess is you won’t be in the room much anyway!

Now for the Good stuff:

1) The hotel is in a very good location, an easy stroll to the beach, restaurants or the shops in downtown Waikiki.

2) If you are a shopper (this from my wife), then it is also finely located for jumping on the bus for a 10 minute ride to the A-la Moana Mall. There is also a big Wal-Mart nearby if you want to buy food etc.

3) The hotel staff were all friendly and very helpful regarding any request we had. All are needs were small, but absolutely no complaints regarding the reception / cleaning staff.

4) The price – we paid about $95 (including taxes) per night. For where the hotel is situated and for the standard of service / rooms it was a good deal.

Overall it was an enjoyable experience staying at the Ambassador and we would be happy to do so again.

One thought though is to think about how much you are really going to use the kitchen during your stay. In the end, apart from the odd bit of toast, the only appliance we used was the fridge. Maybe for around the same price you could find another hotel with better rooms without the kitchen.

I had a chance to tack a few extra days onto a business trip in February but couldn't afford to do that at the Hilton that company put me up in. So, in preparation I hit the Internet to search for what I thought would be a near impossibility - a cheap hotel in Waikiki. Imagine my surprise then when I found this place. Pessimist that I am, I expected to have problems or meet a real let down, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The front desk was friendly (and the women good looking, especially the shorter one in the Hawaiian dress!), the rooms were clean and large, and parking was right on the premises. Being directionally challenged myself, the front desk workers were helpful with directions, even giving me the location of the local Wal-Mart (which, by the way, had the best price on Macadamias anywhere on the Islands). Washers/dryers are available on premises, and the hotel is in the heart of everything and plenty of shopping, food, and fun within walking distance. I don't see how you can go wrong with this place. The only drawbacks in my estimation: no microwave in the otherwise large kitchenette, and if you're not Japanese you're a minority. (Not a problem there, lots of cuteys in the place!)

The Ambassador's location in Waikiki is great, just at the end (or beginning actually) of all the action. You're close to restaurants, shops, and the beach. It's not beach front, but if you don't mind walking, it's a nice walk (or jog) through some nice grounds just across the street, then just cut through the Hale Koa and viola, you're at the beach. It's an older building with a modest decor, but for what we paid we felt we got a great deal. We got a room on the 7th floor which is great for the views. We recommend getting a room with a kitchen, it's a huge life savor. (The hallway to the rooms are exposed, so you get a nice view and breeze...) Our room was spacious, and clean and had everything we needed. The room didn't have a coffee maker but there was a great coffee shop in the lobby where we got our morning latte and pastry. Staff was courteous and check-in and check-out was fast and friendly. If you prefer resorts then this might not be your place. I prefer to spend my money on other things while on my trip, sometimes the hotel is just a place to lay my head at night. The beds were the only thing I didn't like about my stay there, but a few mai tai's did the trick for a restful sleep :)
I would definately stay there again!