Guide40080803252
2024 年 2 月 19 日
Unbeknownst to us, the Aulani apparently hosts American Idol filming annually during a week in February. For a special family vacation, we chose Aulani only because we were able to book a Grand Villa (at full price) 11 months in advance that directly faced the beach and ocean. Aulani notified us in late November that a TV show would be filming during our February visit on a segment of the beach. The show was not identified, and nothing was said about music and bright lights. Of course, by then it was too late for us to change plans anyway. Bottom line, the American Idol production was incredibly intrusive. We suffered very loud music between about 11 am and 8:30 pm every day. We had to keep balcony doors closed to reduce the noise level enough for conversation and for small children to nap. Sound level near some of the pools was also extremely loud at times. Moreover, after the music stopped in the evening, sporadic night-time spotlights from different directions sometimes made our balcony further unusable. A lot of guests were very annoyed by the filming, in part because crews were everywhere, for example filming in the store, conducting interviews, and blocking key pathways when moving equipment and running electrical cables. They also took complete possession of a prime deck area not on the beach. Clearly Aulani chooses not to be upfront, open, and timely in notifying guests. When we asked if we might be due some compensation for our disappointing experience, we were rather abruptly told that this was not negotiable and that we should have asked for a different room – as if any of the rooms with a great view would not also have great noise. If you love American Idol, book one of the expensive rooms facing the water. If you prefer quiet but must go in February, book a room overlooking the luau grounds. During other months, Aulani is really quite a wonderful place for small children, though not very attuned to the Hawaii experience.
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