If y’all hadn’t heard, I’m really into Marriott’s boutique hotel lines. They’re often cheeky, fun, and quaint. They also are set up to appeal to millennials – which I’m not, but I still enjoy these spots (maybe it’s the cougar in me). By far, one of my favorite places to stay away from home was Waikiki’s The Laylow, a relaxing little bubble of Hawaiian life with lots of island charm, and an amazing coffeeshop.
My booking was to be for a quick trip – I started a new teaching gig this fall, which means I get weeks and weeks upon weeks of days off in the summer and winter, but zilch during my two 16-week semesters. My husband and I had been planning a weeklong getaway in November to celebrate 20 years of marriage bridged between our birthdays (it’s always a very celebratory nine days right before Thanksgiving – never a good time to start in on a weight-loss plan), but with me teaching, we’d had to scale back and squeeze every last hour between my Thursday afternoon class and the Veterans Day holiday on Monday to make a mini-vacation out of it. And that’s just what we did.
Arriving just after sunset, our poolside bungalow room was a welcome retreat, at once putting us into vacay mode (although I was kind of already there by the previous Tuesday). Perhaps this place was established just for me – we had a basketful of snacks (including Hawaiian chips, which I love), complimentary flipflops (I’m always in need of a good pair), and the printed hotel agenda mentioned a little something about daily shave ice poolside at 4:00 pm (whaaaattt!???!!). Laylow, you had me at snacks. Actually, you had me at Hawaii – it’s pretty hard to go wrong there.
But The Laylow was just right for me and my boo. From that shave ice, to poolside (and bar side) cocktails, to its proximity to shopping and restaurants, to macadamia pancakes, this place got it all right. And I was even able to fill up my punch card at Laylow’s awesome coffeeshop, The Hideout Coffee (yep, in just four quick days) for a free latte. It’s no luxe resort. And it’s not a beachside getaway. But if you like a cute little hustle and bustle to your Hawaii, The Laylow’s not a bad way to do it.
The Laylow – Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection
2299 Kuhio Avenue in Honolulu, HI