Hawaiian City Garden

StopMoskowitz :: The Coalition for Justice in Hawaiian Gardens and Jerusalem Support the Coalition with your Donation Donation Amount $25.00 $50.00 $100.00 $250.00 $500.00 $1000.00 thank you The Coalition for Justice in Hawaiian Gardens and Jerusalem P.O. 67903, Los Angeles CA 90067 310 553-1146 email -- Tri-City Hospital's Tax-Exempt Status - An Abuse of Public Trust? An organization is not a non-profit simply because it says so. There are state and federal standards that non-profit entities must meet in order to maintain their legal status -- and to qualify for tax-exemption. A review of California state health care data, Internal Revenue Service non-profit guidelines as well as Tri-City Regional Medical Center's lease with owner Irving Moskowitz all strongly suggest that rather than serving the health needs of Hawaiian Gardens and the surrounding community, the hospital is mainly operating as a private surgical facility for a wealthy physician's stomach stapling practice. Meeting the Community Benefit Standard Providing health care is not enough to qualify as a non-profit. According to IRS guidelines, a hospital may qualify for tax-exemption only if it is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes and if it meets the community benefit standards. 1 Tri-City fails on both scores. The IRS defines community benefit as the operation of a hospital in a way that helps the community as a whole. For the IRS, Tri-City's failure to provide charity care to poor patients should be a red flag. The IRS gives points to organizations that have a formal policy to provide free care to patients who are too poor to pay. 2 Tri-City has such a policy - it just doesn't follow it. When it applied for 501c(3) status, the hospital's application declared, "With regard to charity cases, the Hospital's policy is simple. The Hospital will not turn away any patient for financial reasons. When a charity patient is admitted, the case is handled individually on a case by case basis. In some cases, the Hospital absorbs costs associated with providing services to charity patients." 3 But in 2000 and 2001 the hospital provided zero charity care, despite net income of over $2 million in 2001 alone. Tri-City also reneged on another policy it presented to the IRS when it filed for tax-exempt status - its commitment to pre-natal care. The hospital's administration promised that, "Prenatal Services will provide care for the female patient during pregnancy, labor, delivery and the post-partum period." 4 There were no babies delivered in Hawaiian Gardens in 2000 and 2001. 5 Tri-City's administration might argue that its failure to provide obstetric services is the result of a lack of demand from the community. But by the IRS' lights, it would be hard for the hospital to know what the health care needs of the surrounding area are unless it consults with the community. As part of its review, the IRS looks for a governing or community board composed of civic leaders rather than ones dominated by hospital administrators, physicians and other professionals connected to the hospital. 6 Again, Tri-City looks good on paper but failed to live up to its promises. In its application for 501c(3) status, the hospital touted its 25 member community advisory board which consisted of "school officials, clergymen, business owners, city government and community organizations. The board assesses and determines the prevalent health care problems in the community." 7 According to one former city official who sat on the hospital's community board, the advisory board ceased meeting soon after it was formed. Citing the high cost of treatment at Tri-City and the lack of charity care, he said few residents of Hawaiian Gardens use the hospital now. State health care data backs that assertion up - despite its proximity only 13.7% of all Hawaiian Gardens residents who were hospitalized in Los Angeles County last year were admitted to Tri-City Regional Medical Center. Hawaiian Garden residents admitted to the hospital represented an even smaller percentage of Tri-City's total patient census - just 5.4% (Less than a fifth of the patients treated by Tri-City lived within a five-mile radius of the hospital). 8 Hospital charges were also higher than the norm - no one from Hawaiian Gardens was discharged with less than $2,900 in charges, less than one in ten left with charges under $5,000. 9 This includes patients who used the emergency room for relatively simple complaints such as a cut, chest pains or a child's broken bone. On average - Tri-City patients from Hawaiian Gardens were charged well over $10,000. 10 Many of the residents of Hawaiian Gardens are immigrants without insurance to cover their health care costs, so for them, Tri-City's high charges are all but unaffordable. Beyond the degree to which a hospital serves the community, the IRS also considers whether or not the majority of its activities promotes a tax-exempt purpose. 11 Arguably, Tri-City is doing more to advance the business of Dr. Mathias Fobi than it is to promote the health of the surrounding community. The for-profit Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity is located within the Tri-City Hospital campus. The center, which provides surgical stomach shrinking services to the morbidly obese, generates at least one quarter of the hospital's surgical cases and probably a good deal more. Last year, 439 of Tri-City's patients underwent the stomach stapling procedure and on average, they racked up $50,000 in hospital charges each. Total charges for those patients totaled $21,936,400 - representing close to a third of the hospital's gross charges for the year. 12 Another 15 patients received "tummy tucks," their total charges ranged $24,000 to $100,344. 13 And more than 200 of the hospital's other patient discharges involved some sort of abdominal procedure such as an abdominal CAT-Scan, a procedure which is often associated with stomach stapling. 14 The hospital discharge data strongly suggests that perhaps as much as half of Tri-City's surgical practice is tied to the Obesity Center. Insiders, Disqualified Persons and Private Benefit While Fobi charges for the surgeries he performs, the hospital also would typically bill patients for the use of its operating and recovery rooms and other medical services it provides. Tri-City's IRS form 990 from 2001 (the most recent one that is publicly available) indicates that year it paid Fobi's private firm, FOCA Management Company, $2,293,044 -- more than its next four highest paid contractors combined. 15 Stomach stapling accounts for a large part of Tri-City Hospital's tiny patient census. Whether the firm is managing all or just part of the hospital's patient care - $2.3 million is an extraordinarily large amount for a non-profit of Tri-City's size (the hospital has less than 130 licensed beds) to pay for an administrative service. At minimum, it suggests the potential for a conflict of interest on Fobi's part, particularly if the firm's fees are based on revenues. 16 At worst, it could represent a violation of federal anti-kickback laws governing doctor-hospital relationships. The payment to the management firm also has the potential to put Tri-City's tax-exempt status in jeopardy. IRS guidelines expressly forbid those having an interest in the hospital from benefiting from its net earnings. 17 A public trust? The same rule that draws into question the large payment Fobi received also applies to the hospital's former for-profit owner, Irving Moskowitz. Moskowitz is neither a board member nor a Tri-City executive and, at least technically, he does not maintain ownership of the hospital. But Cerritos Gardens General Hospital Company, a private firm run by Moskowitz, has received more than a million dollars in annual rent from Tri-City since it spun off the hospital as a non-profit in late 1996. 18 The rental agreement alone does not necessarily jeopardize the hospital's tax-exempt status. However, both members of Tri-City's two-person governing board and the hospital's president (who is also one of the two board members) are long-time Moskowitz associates. And, a review of Tri-City's financial circumstances indicates that Moskowitz retains a level of de facto control over Tri-City. Immediately after Tri-City Regional Medical Center was converted into a non-profit, the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation 19 donated $4.9 million in tax-free proceeds from its Hawaiian Gardens bingo to the hospital. 20 California state financing records show that in 2000 the foundation made an additional transfer of funds to Tri-City. The state financing statement does not record the amount of the loan but it does indicate that the hospital pledged its accounts receivable as collateral. 21 Two additional state financing records, dated February 2, 1999 and January 25, 2001, show the hospital also is indebted to its landlord - Cerritos Gardens General Hospital Company. What's more, a clause in the lease signed between Tri-City and Cerritos Gardens grants Moskowitz's private firm the right to resume control of the property at any time, regardless of whether the lease remains in effect or not. It states that the "Lessor may re-enter or resume possession of the Hospital, and remove Lessee and Lessee's property there from, and at its option either terminate this lease, or without terminating it, lease the Hospital for the account of the Lessee for the remainder of the term or terms as Lessor shall see fit." 22 The social contract of tax exemption for charitable organizations is based on the assets of those organizations being held in trust for the public - not for the benefit of an individual or a group that controls a charity. A case could be made for Moskowitz and his firm making a calculated decision to rid themselves of the inconvenience of paying state and federal tax on the facility while continuing to reap a profit through sizable rent payments (subsidized first by a grant from his own foundation and later, from the net earnings derived from business generated by the for-profit obesity center). All the while he and his firm would be able to maintain control through the hospital's financial obligations to the company and his foundation. And, if that did not work or was no longer the optimal business model, the for-profit firm could resume possession of the land and the building at any time. It is a classic case of having one's cake and eating it too. It is also an affront to the basic tenets of public trust and hardly what the federal government had in mind when it established tax-exempt status for non-profits. 1 J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003, p. 2, "The promotion of health for the benefit of the community is a charitable purpose. Engaging in health care activities alone does not necessarily further charitable purposes." and p. 9 "The test used fro determining if a health care provider satisfies the IRC 501c(3) operational test is the "community benefit standard" enunciated in Revenue Ruling 68-545, 1969-2 C.B. 117, and court cases that apply Rev. Rul. 69-545. The community benefit standard is the test used to determine whether a hospital, clinic or other health care provider is operated to promote health in a way that accomplishes a charitable purpose." 2 J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003. p. 9, "Prior to Rev. Rule 69-545, tax-exempt hospitals were required by rev. Rul 56-185, 1956-1 C.B. 202 to admit and treat patients who were unable to payAlthough a formal policy to provide charity care is still relevant, the new standard also takes into account a number of additional factors indicating that the operation of the hospital benefits the community as a whole." 3 Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Inc. 1023 IRS application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code Addendum to Schedule C - Hospital and Medical Research Organizations, November 25, 1997. 4 Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Inc. 1023 IRS application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code -Exhibit B "Statement of Activities," November 25, 1997. 5 California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), Patient Discharge Database, 2000 and OSHPD Annual Utilization Report of Hospitals, 2001. 6 J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003, p. 10, "As used with regard to a hospital, the "Community benefit standard" in Rev. Rul. 69-545 includes the following factors: Does the hospital have a governing board, community board, board of trustees, or board of directors composed of prominent civic leaders rather than exclusively members who are hospital administrators, physicians or other professionally connected to the hospital?" 7 Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Inc. 1023 IRS application for Recognition of Exemption, Exhibit B, November 25, 1997. 8 According to the 2002 OSHPD Public Patient Discharge Data, 136 Tri-City discharges came from the Hawaiian Gardens zip code (90716) and Tri-City Regional Medical Center discharged a total of 2519 patients that year. Less than 500 patients discharged from Tri-City lived in zip codes that were within a five-mile radius of the hospital. 9 2002 OSHPD Public Patient Discharge Data 10 Ibid. 11 J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003, p. 33, "Each director, principal officer and member of a committee with board delegated powers shall annually sign a statement which affirms that such person understands that the Corporation is a charitable organization and that in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes." 12 2002 OSHPD Public Patient Discharge Data and OSHPD Annual Utilization Report of Hospitals and 2001 OSHPD financial data. and The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), National Center for Health Statistics, 2002. 13 2002 OSHPD Patient Discharge Data and The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), National Center for Health Statistics, 2002. 14 Ibid. 15 Gardens Regional Hospital - DBA Tri-City Regional Medical - 2001 federal tax return. 16 J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003, p. 18, "If compensation is based on revenues, the potential for unreasonable compensation warrants a close review." 17 J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003, p. 4, "IRC 501 c(3) expressly provides that to qualify for exemption, no part of an organization's net earnings shall to the benefit of private shareholders or individualsin practice the inurement prohibition applies to insidersIn the health care setting physicians may be insiders depending upon whether they exercise control." p. 8 also notes that insider status is not necessarily a pre-requisite for a violation of the inurement prohibition, "if the charity confers a private benefit on non-insiders, the charity is nor operating exclusively in the public interest and its exemption may be jeopardized if the private benefit is substantial." 18 According to Los Angeles County property records Cerritos Gardens Hospital Company currently owns the property at the hospital's address. Irving Moskowitz is identified as the company's managing general partner in his casino application submitted to the city of Hawaiian Gardens. Hawaiian Gardens Card Club, Inc., Information in Support of Application for Card Club License, January 25, 1995. 19 Moskowitz and his wife Cherna have presided over the Foundation as President and Secretary Treasurer since at least as far back as 1988. Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation 990s, 1987-2001. 20 The Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation 1997 990, Statement 7, p. 28 (On p. 23 the Foundation notes that, "Concerning grants and allocations to Gardens Regional Hospital and American Friends of Mercaz Harav which are listed on statement 7: the donees have agreed under specified circumstances to return a portion of the grant to the Irving Moskowitz Foundation."). 21 UCC Record, California Secretary of State, May 15, 2000, debtors: Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Inc. and Tri-City Regional Medical Center, Secured Parties: Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation. 22 Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Inc. 1997 1023 IRS application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code - Exhibit E, "Lease by and Between Cerritos Gardens General Hospital Company, a CA limited partnership and Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center," November 25, 1997. The lease agreement notes that the hospital's dba (doing business as) name is Tri-City Regional Medical Center. p. 36, Para 25.1. J.E. Gitterman and M. Friedlander, "Health Care Provider Reference Guide," Internal Revenue Service, 2003, p.17 - Retained Rights - A review of the underlying docs is necessary to determine if there is retained authority by the seller and on p. 11 it states, "Financial control may include the right to approve annual operating and capital budgets, strategic planning initiatives, and significant sales, leases, mortgages, or other transfers of encumbrances of real estate or personal property." It is worth noting that the lease between and Between Cerritos Gardens General Hospital Company and Tri-City includes a demand for an annual review of the non-profits financial statements. View all news reports 2003 the Coalition for Justice in Hawaiian Gardens and Jerusalem

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Hawaiian music is Don

Eye of Hawaii - Hawaiian Music M usic is just about as important as food in Hawaii. You will never go to any gathering where music is not heard. It is part of island life. And this is an aspect of Hawaii you do not want to miss out on. Don't let the fact that some of it is in a language you don't understand scare you away or make you feel like an outsider. It's beauty and joy and humor will transcend this if you let it. For many people Hawaiian music is Don Ho, ukulele and steel guitar. They have only heard the hotel music of Hawaii. But there is much more. The traditional ki ho'alu (slack key) and falsetto style is still alive, actually enjoying a renaissance, but then so is all music of the islands. There is Hawaiian reggae, called Jawaiian, as well as pop and rock performers. Some of these artists, like Keali'i Reichel and Hapa, and recently Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, have made some inroads on the mainland. Below I've listed some of my favorites to get you started on your way to appreciating the new and traditional sounds of Hawaii. The Ka'au Crater Boys Basically the guitar and ukulele duo of Ernie Cruz and Troy Fernande z, aided by various sidemen, doing upbeat and catchy pop/country/jawaiian, in other words, good-time music. Tight harmonies and arrangements but the outstanding feature is Fernandez' incredible, hot-licks ukulele. My favorite album, On Fire , featuring North Shore, Opihi Man, House at Pooh Corner and the incredible title song. Hapa Anothe r incredible duo, Keli'i Kaneali'i and Barry Flanagan, joined by superior studio musicians and several well-known friends. The word "hapa" in Hawaiian means half, but is used to describe a person of half Hawaiian, half haole heritage. This music is just that. If you are an acoustic guitar fan you're in for a real treat. Beautiful, haunting melodies and harmony as well as thoughtful lyrics, some in Hawaiian, some in English. I highly recommend both of these albums. Also, Hapa always provides excellent liner note and lyrics with translations so you can listen to a song sung in Hawaiian and get the full impact of what these talented musicians are saying. This music is a rare expression of the real Hawaii, updated and modernized, but faithful to the roots of Hawaiian music. These two albums shown here, the self-titled Hapa , and In the Name of Love are must-haves. I like too many songs to pick favorites, but one standout for pure imagination is In the Name of Love (yes, the U2 song) wherein they combine Martin Luther King's famous speech with an oli, a Hawaiian chant. Gives me chicken skin every time. Keali'i Reichel Where does one start with this phenom? Reichel has almost single-handedly brought Ha waiian music, real Hawaiian music, into the mainstream. A tremendous showman, gifted singer and player, he is backed by lush arrangements and flawless production. His style is quite varied, b ut he always includes and oli and sings some songs in Hawaiian and some in English. He even covers some show tunes periodically, but his tender, sincere ballads will always be my favorites. I also appreciate this man as a human being, especially for his selfless devotion to promoting the Hawaiian language and the constant support he provides Na Punana Leo, our Hawaiian language immersi on program. He probably plays more free concerts to benefit our children than anyone else. And this concern for olelo Hawaii is evident in his music, which is consistantly praised for its faithful use of Hawaiian. Like Hapa, he always includes very detailed liner notes and lyrics, even explaining the kauna , the hidden meaning, of some of his songs. These are three of my favorite albums, Lei Hali'a, Kawaipunahele and E O Mai . The title song E O Mai will always be one of my favorites. I can now almost listen to it without tearing up. Don Tiki Here's so mething completely different. This band has faithfully, though with tongue firmly planted in cheek, recreated the lounge music of Hawaii that was so popular in the 50s, right down to the birdcalls. The musicianship is absolutely first-rate, and there are several guest artists like Martin Denny, king of schmaltzy piano, as well as Teresa Bright and Jimmy Borges. I can imagine being in a backyard luau in Cincinatti, circa 1953, with tiki torches blazing listening to this great stuff. By the way, the band leader goes by Perry Coma. With songs like Occasional Man, Barbi in Bali, Maidenhair Fern, Clutch Cargo Cult and Bam-Boozled you can understand why this CD is titled The Forbidden Sounds of Don Tiki . It was recorded in "pulsating polynesian polyphonics" by the way. Gary Haleamau Local Kona boy and very good musician, as well as a wonderful person. Known primarily for his almost inhuman falsetto ability, Gary is also an excellent slack key player. His music is much more in the traditional style and is almost all in Hawaiian. This is my favorite album of his, Ho'opomaika'i . Oh yeah, he also yodels like a madman. Favorite song: E Ku'u Lei, E Ku'u Ipo . The Pahinui Brothers All the brothers are great on their own, but this particular album is one of my favorites. Bla, Cyril and Martin just sound so good. This is a combination of slack key, blues and Hawaiian traditional and somehow it works great. My favorite song is Jealous Guy . Wonderful vocals. If you like this be sure and check out their huge selection of solo albums, too. And don't forget Gabby. Peter Moon Peter Mo on has been around a long time and has more albums out than I can remember. He tends to rock a bit more than a lot of his contemporaries and has a rougher, more gravelly singing voice. a good introduction to Peter Moon is his Greatest Hits Collection #1 , featuring Slack Key Samba, Slack Key Minor Blues , Unchained Melody and my personal fave, Chinatown . Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Brother Iz left us in 1997 after succombing to morbid obesity. He will always be re membered here for his warmth, his self-deprecating humor and his talent as a singer and gifted ukulele player. I remember seeing Brother Iz at the Keahole airport shortly before his death, and though he could only walk with extreme effort and even performed with oxygen, he never stopped. Recently his music has gotten some mainland attention with the release of the movie, Hannibal , in which his version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow is heard. It's unfortunate that people are only now discovering this literally huge talent. He was a gentle soul and Hawaiian through and through. I love all his albums, but have picked this live one, Iz, the Man and His Music , released posthumously, because it has so many of my favorites, like N Dis Life, E Ala E and Maui, Hawaiian Suppa Man . By the way, his name, Kamakawiwo'ole means fearless eyes . We will miss him. There are dozens of other artists and groups worth noting, and new ones appearing all the time. Some others to check out are Sista Robi Kahakalau, Bruddah Walter, Willie K., Harold Kama, Jr., Walter Boy Tavares, Cecilio & Kapono, The Cazimero Brothers, Keola Beamer, Teresa Bright, Brother Noland, Ken Emerson, Fiji, Makaha Sons, Na Leo Pilimehana, Sean Na'auao, B.B. Shawn, Sunday Manoa just to name a few more. For the best on-line selection of Hawaiian music I have ever seen, plus music books and even hula info, check out this site: Mele.com Hawaiian Music Island . They should have every CD I've described and a few thousand more.

Waikiki Beach Hotel (formerly

Orbitz: Hotel Details Your pop-up blocker is preventing you from viewing this content. Override the program by holding the Control key while clicking the link. Welcome to Orbitz. Sign in Register now Site feedback Printer-friendly version Hotel details Return to hotels From: $149* *rate found for check-in Feb 24, check-out Feb 26 Check prices and availability ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel (formerly Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel) Honolulu (Oahu), HI View all promotions Overview Map & area info Features Photos Rooms Reviews 2-for-1 Luau when you stay 5 nights or more!ResortQuest Kids, Stay, Play & Eat Free! Complimentary signature "Breakfast on the Beach" dailyOffer is subject to change without notice and is based on availability. see below for more details "Hip Hawaiiana" or "Aloha With Attitude" are just a few ways Waikiki Beach Hotel is being described. The hotel is setting Waikiki on fire with its recently completed $30 million renovation. The hotel is located on the most scenic end of Waikiki Beach. The new ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel features two towers consisting of 716 rooms with eighty-five percent of the guest rooms flaunting beautiful partial or full ocean views. Oversized tiki torches, a three-story volcano with a 15-story light, and gentle trade winds blowing in the night create the perfect island setting for hot Hawaiian nights. All guest rooms have received makeovers featuring striking tropical colors and cool decor that deliver hints of Hawaiian nostalgia in an urban, energetic style. The Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel's signature amenity, "Breakfast on the Beach", is a breakfast like none before. "Breakfast on the Beach" is a full breakfast with American and Asian fare that is served on a portable "to go" fashion on the pool deck each morning from 6:30-9:30am (coffee service begins at 6am). Complimentary beach chairs are provided for our guests so that they may enjoy this "to go" breakfast on beautiful Waikiki Beach. "Breakfast on the Beach" is provided as a complimentary service (excluding stays in the Mauka Tower and Standard Room).The new ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel - Where Aloha Burns Bright! 2-for-1 Luau ,certificate for all guests staying five (5) nights or more thru 01/01/06. One per room, guests will make their own reservations using show times and locations printed on the certificates)"Aloha Book" with hundreds of dollars in savings, presented to guests upon check-in.ResortQuest Kids, Stay, Play & Eat Free! Children ages 12 and under receive free activities, meals and merchandise.Offer is subject to change without notice and is based on availability. One FREE kids admission, meal or retail deal per PAID adult admission.Complimentary signature "Breakfast on the Beach" daily, excludes stays in the Mauka Tower and Standard Room.Parking available for $13 per day. Plot this hotel on a map | See more photos | View hotel features and amenities Reviews from our users Overall score 4.2 out of 5 (63 reviews) About the scores 1 2 3 4 5 Amenities Maintenance Hotel Staff Room Comfort Location Value See scores and reviews by these travelers: All travelers (4.2 of5) Leisure (4.2 of5) Business (4.4 of5) Family (4.1 of5) Couples (3.9 of5) Hotel address: 2570 Kalakaua Avenue,Honolulu (Oahu), HI 96815 Area served Honolulu-Oahu, Waikiki, HI Area airports HNL - Honolulu International Amenities Pool Restaurant Concierge Room Service High Speed Internet Complimentary Breakfast (All Rooms and Rates) Conference Facilities Dining Coldstone Creamery Nextdoor to Wolfgang Puck Express. If you haven't had one yet, you just gotta come and get it - you haven't tasted ice-cream until you try one of these treats. Wolfgang Puck Express World renowned chef with lots of restaurants and express outlets. It's hip, upscale and he uses the freshest ingrediants to create excellent, casual Eurasian cuisine. Serving everything from soups, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, desserts & specialty items. Hours are from 11am-10pm. Tiki's Bar & Grill Tiki's is a blend of the old and the new, the nostalgia of Trader Vic's and the excitement and "attitude" of Hard Rock Cafe. The outdoor bar will sit under shadow of a 30' volcano and will offer breathtaking vistas of the ocean and Waikiki. The restaurant will have both indoor and outdoor seating, serving Hawaiian Regional and American cuisine. Tiki's open 10:30-1:00am. Nightly entertainment during Happy Hour from 4-6pm and from 10pm-12am. 1 of 21 Ocean View Room Room features an ocean view with either one king bed, two twins or two double beds. Includes full bathroom, alarm clock, radio, refrigerator, in-room safe, dataport, cable TV with music and in-room movies, hair dryer and iron/board. Complimentary "Breakfast on the Beach" available daily for guests staying in this room. Junior Suite Junior suite features one king bed or two double beds and sofabed. Includes full bathroom, alarm clock, radio, refrigerator, in-room safe, dataport, cable TV with music and in-room movies, hair dryer and iron/board. Complimentary"Breakfast on the Beach" available daily for guests staying in this room. Standard Room Room features two twin or double beds or one king bed. Includes alarm clock, radio, refrigerator, in-room safe, dataport, cable TV with music and in-room movies, hair dryer and iron/board. Ocean Front Room Room features an ocean front view with one king bed or two double beds. Includes full bathroom, alarm clock, radio, refrigerator, in-room safe, dataport, cable TV with music and in-room movies, hair dryer and iron/board. Complimentary"Breakfast on the Beach" available daily for guests staying in this room. Partial Ocean View Room Room features a partial ocean view with either one king bed, two twins or two double beds. Includes full bathroom, alarm clock, radio, refrigerator, in-room safe, dataport, cable TV with music and in-room movies, hair dryer and iron/board. Complimentary "Breakfast on the Beach" available daily for guests staying in this room. Reviews from our users Overall score 4.2 out of 5 (63 reviews) About the scores 1 2 3 4 5 Amenities Maintenance Hotel Staff Room Comfort Location Value See scores and reviews by these travelers: All travelers (4.2 of5) Leisure (4.2 of5) Business (4.4 of5) Family (4.1 of5) Couples (3.9 of5) Most recent user reviews Score 4 out of 5 Pracltical Points Anonymous Dec 23, 2005 Would recommend to a friend! Location is very conveiennt to the Beach. The operation of the elevator is ludicous, and quite combersome. No direct ... View full review Score 4 out of 5 Quick tip Fairly nice place Jonathan, Kansas City, MO Dec 17, 2005 Would recommend to a friend! This hotell has,,,,, unique rooms I upgraded to a corner front room. The check in person showed me a floor plan of the hotel ... View full review Score 5 out of 5 The best people in the business. michael, Dallas, TX Dec 16, 2005 Would recommend to a friend! My family and I had the best time,everything was perfect.The room was large,clean and refreshing.The location as we found out ... View full review See all 63 user reviews Reviews represent the opinions of Orbitz customers, not of Orbitz or its staff. Introducing hotel reviews! Don't just take our word for it. Now you can see what fellow travelers have to say about this hotel and thousands of others, including: Opinions, insight and first-hand observations, sorted by traveler type. Customer ratings for service, comfort, location, amenities and value. Practical, money-saving tips on what to do, where to eat and how to get around. Expert reviews from Recommended After a $30 million renovation on a very old and tired hotel, Aston opened this kitschy 717-room (85% with ocean views) property in late 2002. The location could not be better -- directly across the street from the beach. The rooms couldn't be ... Read full Frommer's review ©2005 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Quick tips from our users Shopping tip, Short Drive Go to the flea market at the stadium near the airport. It is held on weekends and wednesday. Everything you would want to shop for in the expensive shops near the hotell is 75% less at the flea market. Great fun to walk around. --Jonathan, Kansas City, MO Dec 17, 2005 See all quick tips from our users For prices and availability, please enter dates below. Check-in Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Check-out Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Rooms 1 2 Guests 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (Total # in all rooms) Find Hotel policies Check-in: 3 PM Check-out: 12 Noon Local currency: USD Terms and conditions Rates quoted in currencies other than the hotel's base currency are subject to the rate of international exchange. Rate may change throughout stay. Rate may reflect average nightly rate. Extra charges may apply for children. Incidental charges, such as room service, are not included in the rate. The amenities and/or facilities may not be located at this hotel, but within a reasonable distance and additional charges may apply for use. All information has been provided by this hotel. 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