If you want to stay in Waikiki during your visit to Oahu, consider the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. The location is reason alone to stay here, as it’s within easy walking distance of Waikiki Beach (just across the street), the Honolulu Zoo, and the Waikiki Aquarium (a small, but fun diversion for young kids). It’s also close to Waikiki Beach Walk, where you’ll find high-end retail stores, boutiques and restaurants galore- not that you need to leave the resort to find those things.

The hotel offers five restaurants (seven if you include two coffee shops), plus several boutiques. It also offers cultural activities for children, two swimming pools, and the area’s only designated family rooms, complete with balconies and mini-fridges. Bonus: The Waikiki Beach Marriott is the only hotel in Waikiki that offers unobstructed views of Diamond Head Crater.

Wi-Fi isn’t free, but is included in a mandatory, daily resort fee. You’ll find a resort fee most anywhere in Waikiki. You just have to decide if the extra fee at this hotel is worth it. If you ask us, the answer is yes.

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The hotel has a total of 1,310 rooms, each one featuring fresh, modern décor, a relaxing balcony (or two), and a mini-fridge to store snacks and beverages (no charge); some suites also have microwaves. Bathrooms feel slightly dated, but have shower/tub combinations to ensure bath time is easy with young kids. Both cribs and rollaway beds are available should you need them; there's a daily charge of $30 for rollaways. The only issue with rooms is that the walls seem to be thin.

Family Room
The hotel has Family Rooms that aren't advertised on its website (as there are only 19 of them). These rooms are equipped with two queen beds and two double beds, sleeping up to eight guests.

Guest Room
This room has one king or two double beds and the option of a city, partial ocean or ocean view. In this case, partial ocean view means you can see the ocean if you look out the side of your balcony.

Premium
Premium rooms offer more space than standard guestrooms, and come with full or partial views of the Pacific Ocean.

Deluxe
You're guaranteed a view of the ocean from this room, which offers one king bed or two doubles.

Junior Suite
This corner room offers not one, but two balconies, and the option of one king or two queen beds. You can also opt for a view of the ocean, or to be completely oceanfront. Bathrooms are particularly spacious in these units.

1 Bedroom Suite
Equipped with one king or two queen beds, this room features three balconies, 1.5 bathrooms and a sofa bed.

Beach
Waikiki Beach is just across the street from the hotel, and the stretch of sand and surf closest the property is especially perfect for families with young children. A man-made wall keeps the strong waves at sea, only leaving gentle, shallow surf for little ones. Teenagers who want to take their rafts and boogie boards out a little further can walk a few blocks down the beach to do so. Speaking of water sports, private vendors rent stand-up paddleboards, snorkel gear and more on the beach.

Pools
The hotel offers two outdoor swimming pools, perfect when it's time for a break from the beach. The smaller of the two is often used for water workouts and other activities, included in the resort fee. The pools are often open as late as midnight.

Cultural Activities
The hotel offers cultural programming at an activity area in the lobby daily -- a major hit with kids. Activities include lei-making, hula dancing and more.

Scuba Diving and Snorkel Lessons
If your kids are curious about scuba diving and snorkeling, Waikiki Beach Marriott is a good place to start. Complimentary classes are offered at the resort's main pool on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. Reservations are recommended.

Pro Surf School Hawaii
If your teens have an interest in surfing, the resort has that covered, too, with Pro Surf School Hawaii located right onsite.

Nearby Activities
The hotel's location not only puts families close to Waikiki Beach and Waikiki Beach Walk, but it's also located within walking distance of the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium.

Kuhio Beach Grill
This is a fantastic option for families, with extensive buffets for breakfast and dinner; kids' pricing is available. Breakfast begins as early as 5 a.m. and dinner is served until 10 p.m.

Moana Terrace
Moana Terrace is a great family restaurant onsite, with outdoor dining and casual vibes. The restaurant serves burgers, sandwiches, salads and more, plus live music most nights. Kids' menus are available; hours are typically 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Sansei is famous for ornate (and delicious) sushi rolls. If you want your kids to try sushi, this is the place to have them sample it. It's open 5:30 to 10 p.m. daily, with extended hours until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

d.k Steak House
d.k Steak House specializes in slow-aged beef, with all preparations conducted onsite. It's open 5:30 to 10 p.m. and offers a kids' menu.

Arancino di Mare
Best for date night or families with teenagers, Arancino di Mare is a fine-dining restaurant that serves Italian food, with a good selection of fresh seafood and an extensive wine list available to patrons. Breakfast and lunch are also served, with hours beginning at 7 a.m.

Seattle's Best Coffee
The hotel has two Seattle's Best Coffee locations for a caffeine/pastry/snack fix, both of which open at 5 a.m. daily. Both will soon close to make way for a different coffee shop.

Room Service
Want to enjoy a meal from your balcony? Room service is available 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

All About the Extras
Resort Fee
The hotel charges a daily resort fee of $30 (a commonplace for Waikiki). It includes Wi-Fi; activities, from yoga to lei-making; and long distance phone calls (up to 60 minutes per day).

Fitness Center
The hotel has a large fitness center -- it's actually the largest resort gym in Waikiki -- with both cardio and strength-training equipment available. Open 24 hours, it overlooks one of the pools. Fitness classes, such as yoga and Zumba, are included in the resort fee.

Shopping
Waikiki Beach is a shopper's paradise, with boutiques and high-end retailers extending into hotels, including Waikiki Beach Marriott. Check out Angels by the Sea, which sells beautiful, locally made beach wear, jewelry, and more.

The Art of Smart Timing
Oahu bustles with excitement year-round; in fact, the majority of Hawaii's population lives here. It's especially busy during spring break, summer and the winter holidays. You'll find slightly fewer crowds and lower rates right after those periods.

Getting There
The hotel is approximately 25 minutes from Honolulu International Airport, and an easy drive despite the hotel's city location. You won't need to pay any tolls on your way there (or back).

Getting Around
It's easy to get around Waikiki on foot, but you'll want a car to explore other areas of the island, such as Diamond Head, an easy hike for families; North Shore, world-famous for surfing; and Kualoa Ranch, the setting for "Jurassic Park" and "Lost." If you decide to take public transportation to the hotel, you can still rent a car after you arrive -- Enterprise provides cars for day trips right onsite. Both valet and self-parking are available; valet is $37, plus tax and self-parking is $32 plus tax.

For Mom and Dad
Of course, there's nothing more romantic than a sunset stroll along Waikiki Beach, just steps from the resort. If you'd like to splurge, head to the hotel's newly renovated Royal Kaila Spa, an Aveda salon with all manner of services -- soothing scrubs, wraps, facials, couples massages (in a room that overlooks the ocean) and more. Appointments are recommended.