Room check: The Modern Honolulu, Hawaii

An Ocean View Suite at The Modern Honolulu. Photo / Supplied

Paul Davies stays at a full-service lifestyle hotel close to Waikiki Beach.

Getting there? The Modern sits at the entrance to Waikiki, about 20 minutes from Honolulu Airport. That's how long it took in a limo. The less glamorous shuttle bus on the way back took a little longer.

Check-in experience? Incredible. Casually dressed in tennis whites, friendly staff pamper you throughout your arrival. On a hot day being served home-made lemonade and a wet towel as they ready your room key is incredibly welcoming.

Room? Big, comfy, clean and stylish. I got lucky with a corner suite, giving me two balconies from my spacious lounge which was 80 per cent couch.

Price? My room was $699 but you can get a basic one for $289. If you're out to impress, the penthouse is $5000.

What's so good about this place? Its rebellious charm. Unlike most hotel chains on Waikiki, The Modern is independently owned so has its own character. Chefs, artists and musicians want to work here so the quality is high and the creativity higher.

And the bad? Perhaps that it's not right on the beach. But being tucked away keeps the melee at bay.

What's in the neighbourhood? Plenty, it's Waikiki. Beaches, babes, boulevards and broken dreams. Go surfing, paddle boarding, eating, drinking, shopping, ride a Segway, shoot a gun (US, baby), it's all there. Or, just park up and relax, The Modern's got it all.

Toiletries? The best I've ever had (and, yes, they restocked me every day).

Food and drink? The Modern's restaurant and bars have their own identity. Morimoto Waikiki was started by Japanese chef, Masaharu Morimoto, from the TV series Iron Chef. Apparently, it's a favourite of the President, who visits every time he's in Hawaii (though none of the staff had heard of John Key). The Study has a fun facade. It's a bar behind a bookshelf in the lobby. The bookshelf spins open in the afternoons for all to enjoy. It does everything a bar should, with a good range of Hawaiian craft beer, incredible food and great musicians. They also have their own nightclub so it's quite hard to ever actually leave this place.

The bed? Perfect. Big enough to bust an impromptu starfish and comfortable enough without feeling like you're sleeping in quicksand.

A room with a view? Absolutely. A marina and the vast blue Pacific one way with the city the other.

Bathroom? Clean and modern.

Noise? Waikiki's busy so it can be loud. The rooms are well built so you don't hear a thing.

Perfect for? Adults on a romantic getaway, but there were also groups of friends staying as there's so much to do in the area. Keep the kids at home.

Would I return? I will return.

Highlight? Seeing them transform their pool into a massive deck for a Hawaii Food and Wine Festival event. Quality chefs from Asia and the Pacific served up their best small plates beside locally inspired cocktails and Californian wine.

CHECKLIST

The Modern Honolulu is at 1775 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815. Phone: +888 970 4161 or email: info@themodernhonolulu.com.