Mom Says: A Nice Hotel with a Fun Pool and Laundry (!!)

Because we wanted to use hotel points for our trip, we only considered Marriott properties for our Hawaii vacation. And we wanted to stay as long as possible. So, when all was said and done, we ended up at the Courtyard Oahu North Shore for a total of ten nights -- that's thanks to my road-warrior husband. The Courtyard was significantly cheaper than any other Marriott in Hawaii. 

Like every other Courtyard, this was a nice hotel. It was clean. The service was attentive. And, it was strikingly similar to every other Courtyard out there -- no real personality, but that's not why you choose to stay there.

The best part of staying at the Courtyard Oahu North Shore is the location. Set in Laie on the North Shore, the hotel is within walking distance of spectacular beaches and an easy drive from all of the North Shore's attractions. Additionally, it is next door to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

This hotel is truly quiet. The town of Laie is rather sleepy -- perfect for a laid-back week. Just down the road from BYU Hawaii, the hotel was filled with families from Utah on Spring Break when we visited. Unlike some of the Waikiki hotels where I have stayed, we did not have any encounters with noisy, drunken guests or unsavory activities to dampen our stay. The Bistro’s food options are fairly basic, but they do offer Starbucks drinks.

And there are two laundry rooms -- very handy when traveling for a long time. My one complaint: there wasn't really a good place to dry out swimming suits. We hung them in the bathroom, but they didn't always get dry. I just wish hotels would put in swimming suit spin dryers! It would make mamas everywhere happy, and I am sure it would save on wear and tear on the rooms, too. Next time I will pack a salad spinner. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the pool, too -- at least in my child’s eyes. Each day we returned to the hotel in the afternoon, and despite being in the ocean all day, we headed to the pool for a little more swimming. With a waterfall feature, a hot tub, and a wading area for the littlest guests, the pool is great for families. It is quite shallow, too, which made it particularly popular with the under-48-inches set.

If you are looking for a quintessential Hawaiian experience, this isn’t the place to stay. Wanting to live like a local? Keep looking. But if you want a family-friendly hotel with all of the comforts of a standard hotel at a much cheaper price than a resort, the Courtyard Oahu North Shore is a nice option.