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Sprawling over 20 acres, this is Waikiki's biggest resort -- a minicity unto itself, so big it even has its own post office. You'll find tropical gardens dotted with exotic wildlife (flamingos, peacocks, even tropical penguins!), award-winning restaurants, 100 different shops, a secluded lagoon, two minigolf courses, and a gorgeous stretch of Waikiki Beach. This is a great place to stay with the kids.

There's a wide choice of accommodations. Rooms, which range from simply lovely to ultradeluxe, are housed in five towers: Rainbow, Tapa, Diamond Head, Alii, and the new-in-2001 Kalia. Despite the hotel's mega-Vegas size, this division into towers, each with its own restaurants and shopping, cuts down on the chaotic, impersonal feeling that might have resulted. Still, this is the place for a lively, activity-packed vacation; those seeking a more intimate, relaxing experience might want to look elsewhere.

All rooms are large and beautifully furnished; if you can afford it, we highly recommend the ones in the Alii Tower, located right on the ocean. Guests in these 348 amenity-laden rooms and suites get the royal treatment, including in-room registration, an exclusive health club and pool, and the full attention of a multilingual staff. Each room has no fewer than three phones (one of which is PC-compatible) and even a mini-TV on the bathroom vanity. But if you choose a room in one of the more affordable towers, you'll still be happy.

In 2001, also opening were two new spas: Holistica Hawaii (a wellness center with high-tech body scanning equipment) and Mandara Spa (a state-of-the-art fitness center and traditional body-treatment spa). Also new at the Hilton is Waikiki's first full-service, 24-hour hotel business center, located on the ground floor of the Diamond Head tower. Even if you don't stay here, stop by the Bishop Museum at Kalia

Facilities: 18 restaurants (including an award-winning Cantonese/Szechuan eatery; a romantic oceanview dining room serving Pacific Rim cuisine; a sushi bar; and a branch of Benihana); 6 bars; 3 outdoor pools; 2 minigolf courses; fitness center with free classes and high-tech equipment; brand-new superplush Mandara Spa; watersports equipment rentals; year-round children's program (one of Waikiki's best); game room; concierge; activities desk; car-rental desk; Waikiki's only 24-hour business center; huge shopping arcade; salon; room service (6am-midnight); in-room massage; babysitting; same-day laundry service; dry cleaning; concierge-level rooms.