Honolulu International Airport: Approximate driving time is 20 minutes.

Driving directions from Honolulu International Airport: Take H1 Freeway east, to Honolulu. Once on the freeway, look for Waikiki directional signs and stay in the right lane. You will exit onto Nimitz Highway. Stay on Nimitz Highway (which will change into Ala Moana Blvd) for about 15 minutes. Pass the Ala Moana Shopping Center on the left and Ala Moana Beach Park on the right. Go over a short bridge, then watch for the Hilton Hawaiian Village sign on the right about 2 blocks. Stay in the right lane. Turn right on Kalia Road (right after the sign) and you'll see three bronze statues. Go 200 feet then turn right into the driveway.

Bali by the Sea - Open at the front for a romantic beach/ocean view, this lovely restaurant blends soft greens, recessed lighting, and tropical plants into a soothing backdrop for island-inspired fare and an award-winning wine list. Look for preparations such as island bouillabaisse, opakapaka with kaffir lime sauce, Sonoma paniolo-style rack of lamb, and sake-steamed Kona lobster.

The Village Steak & Seafood Restaurant - This popular spot offers menu options ranging from crab cakes, hickory-smoked baby back ribs, Hawaiian lobster alfredo, and Black Angus prime rib to sashimi and catch-of-the-day Canton-style, Thai-style, or broiled with lemon-caper butter. A lava-stone back wall, oil lamps, and light-wood pillars and beams create a casually elegant ambiance.

Tapa Café and Pasta Festival - Styled the Tapa Café for bountiful buffet breakfasts, this place becomes the family-style Pasta Festival for dinner, offering traditional Italian preparations.

Rainbow Lanai - Next to a waterfall and a koi pond, this outdoor/indoor restaurant is the place for buffet breakfasts, international-themed buffet dinners, and à la carte lunches. Sundays offer exquisite brunch with over 55 menu items.

Private-dining and room service are available during limited hours.

Amenity highlights: Take your pick. The 42,000-square-foot, two-floor Mandara Spa and Holistica Hawaii Preventive Medicine center with sun terrace, infinity pool, spa-cuisine indoor/outdoor cafe, full-body diagnostic scan, therapeutic treatments, exotic facials, and state-of-the-art cardio center? The Atlantis Submarine underwater discovery voyages? The colony of tropical, black-footed penguins? The Friday night Polynesian extravaganza complete with fireworks? The lush gardens, waterfalls, and lava-rock koi pools? Waikiki's deepest beach and the warm Pacific with its line of offshore surf and surfers? The options compete for guest attention.

Insider tip: The resort's South African penguins are fed twice on weekdays, 8 AM and 3 PM, at their grotto lodgings between the Alii Tower and the lobby.

The Village provides many activities for children. Parents can leave kids for full- or half-day programs at the Rainbow Express Keiki Club, which features various recreational and educational activities with a focus on Polynesian life. Free activities in the Village include a wildlife and ecology tour to visit the tropical penguins, flamingos, turtles, and koi carp living there; a lending library of books, toys, and games; and the opportunity to parade with the King, Village Guards, and Drummers during Friday evening's King's Jubilee Polynesian extravaganza.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort and Spa also features a florist shop, post office, a tour/travel services desk, and services for the hearing impaired, in addition to the property amenities listed below.