Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

As the sun began to slip down in the western sky over Oahu, I met a friend at the Moana Terrace at the beach end of the pool deck. After ordering a Blue Hawaii cocktail and some pupu's (appetizers) it was time to sit back and enjoy the music of Aunty Genoa Keawe with her signature falsetto voice. Aunty Genoa performs most Thursdays at the Moana Terrace. In fact, the Moana Terrace is one of the best places to find free Hawaiian musical entertainment every night of the week.

Every Saturday night, the "Old Hawaiian Nights" Concert Series brings the best local musical masters with a different band each week. Every Sunday, local musicians George Kuo, Martin Pahinui and Aaron Mahi perform. Their weekly show has been honored by Honolulu Weekly as the "Best Free Waikiki Entertainment."

Soon it was time for dinner and I had selected the d.k. Steak House located on the resort's third floor. After two weeks in the islands eating mostly seafood, my stomach was yearning for a good steak and I wasn't disappointed in the wonderful dinner I had while sitting al fresco overlooking Waikiki Beach.

The d.k. Steak House shares space with the Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar. The two restaurants share a common bar but offer totally separate and unique menus. While d.k. Steak House features superb dry-aged steaks, the multi-award winning Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar serves delicious seafood, "New Wave" sushi and contemporary Japanese specialties.

Following dinner there was time for a walk along Kalakaua Avenue, the "main drag" of Waikiki. The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is located within easy walking distance not only of the beach which sits immediately across the street, but such favorite spots as the International Marketplace, Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park.

A walk down Kalakaua Avenue after dark is one experience that visitors should not miss. With an international mix of tourists, local street performers and artists, and great shopping, Kalakaua Avenue has it all.

The next morning arrived with a cloudless sky, one of the first I had seen on this trip. Prior to Oahu, I had spent a week on Maui and Kauai where it was cloudy and hazy every day - quite unusual for the early fall since it was well before the annual rainy season.

I had a quick but enjoyable buffet breakfast at the resort's signature restaurant, the Kuhio Beach Grill which offers not only a breakfast buffet but also a dinner menu featuring continental cuisine infused with the flavors of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim. (A prime rib & crab leg buffet is offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.)

My next stop was an early morning appointment at Paul Brown's Spa Olakino Salon. This 6,000 square foot full service spa was created by and is managed by world-renowned hair stylist and developer of the Hawaii-branded hair care products, Paul Brown. This independently owned and operated spa is located on the second floor of the Kealohilani Tower, overlooking Waikiki Beach. An abundance of fresh Hawaii-grown papaya, Kona coffee beans, aloe vera and other exotic plants are blended right before your eyes and then applied as a face or body spa treatment.

I selected a facial and was impressed by this different approach to the treatment offered at the Spa Olakino Salon.

As is usual for one of my visits to Oahu, the rest of my day was taken up with exploring more distant parts of the island. This day's destination was an area east of Diamond Head at the easternmost end of Maunalua Bay called China Walls and Portlock Point. The hit television series Lost had done some filming here and I wanted to get some photos of the area for our Lost Locations features.

All too soon, my days in Waikiki came to an end and I headed at for a couple of nights at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina.

I really enjoyed my stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. The property has everything that you might want in a Waikiki property plus a bit of the feel of the Neighbor Islands. Their top notch staff really excels at a warm, friendly and efficient service.

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_{As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with a complimentary tour for the purpose of reviewing the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.}