Vive Hotel Waikiki is exactly what we'd hoped for ...

Vive Hotel Waikiki is exactly what we'd hoped for from a boutique hotel and then some. Located just three short blocks -- two minute walk -- from the beach, walking distance from tons of great restaurants and shops (think beach town meets Rodeo Drive) and a 20 minute cab ride from the airport, it's turned out to be a great base camp for us.

From the moment we checked in the staff has been welcoming and helpful. The front desk greeted us with cold juice and a smile, and accommodated us even when we showed up earlier than check-in. KC, the concierge, pointed us towards great cultural activities, wrote up a map of a bunch of good lunch spots in Waikiki and has gone above and beyond in answering all of our questions.

In the context of my years of traveling -- from crashing in hostels as I backpacked through Europe to staying in the W for work trips -- I'd come back to the Vive Hotel Waikiki. It's great for travelers who don't want to spend all of their vacation money on the hotel but still want the welcoming hotel experience.