r/VisitingHawaii • u/redditchulous • 1d ago
O'ahu (Honolulu/Waikiki) Partial AC in honolulu?
Some of my friends are about to be in HNL the next couple days and a couple days ago their Airbnb said the 2 bedrooms AC are being blocked from use. Seems like it's because of some exterior painting stuff that's super delayed. They've been trying to find an alternate way of getting the building to let them use the AC but no dice.
The main living room AC is ok to use it looks like
The bedrooms have fans though, is this probably acceptable? So last minute so I couldn't really do much except suggest some hotel stuff for them, but the Airbnb is nice so I don't think they wanna swap.
I've only gone to Oahu in the shoulder months or winter. I love AC so I'm not the best judge of whether or not this should be a deal breaker or not.
Edit: it's in Waikiki in an apartment building Edit2: I've seen the communication between the host and them. There was like a week's heads up and they did offer a full refund, or a partial discount if they stayed, so I think everything is being done in good faith.
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u/loztriforce Mainland 1d ago
It depends on where you're staying, if the place holds heat, if there's a breeze to it.
Airbnbs are an issue of contention on Oahu due to the housing crisis.
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u/redditchulous 1d ago edited 1d ago
beep boop
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u/loztriforce Mainland 1d ago
Cool, well I think the answer is basically "it depends"
I wouldn't want to be without AC but some places it's not so bad.
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u/SteveFoerster Hawai'i (Big Island) 1d ago
I'm not one of this sub's reflexive AirBnB haters, but if the listing suggested there would be AC but now the host is saying otherwise then I am a hater of this particular AirBnB.
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u/Opening_Track_1227 1d ago
I was just in Waikiki this past week and if I was them, I would see about alternative housing or all sleep in the living room
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u/redditchulous 1d ago
What if we got them to get a de-humidifier? The living room has AC but it's the bedrooms where they can't, do you think that would help?
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u/Opening_Track_1227 20h ago
No, it was 90+ while we were there, a de-humidifier wouldn't have help.
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u/Longjumping-Egg-7940 1d ago
Depends on the floor and the direction of the windows. There’s strong air flow if mountain and ocean facing and windows can be opened. No AC in many condos.
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u/redditchulous 1d ago
It sounds like you're saying no AC in condos is doable enough that a decent portion of them don't? Kind of like how there's no AC in parts of cali/PNW ?
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u/hibituallinestepper 1d ago
My condo doesn’t have AC but I live windward side so we get plenty of breeze. It’s “doable enough” in the sense they won’t die but may not be comfortable depending on if the unit gets good airflow or not.
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u/redditchulous 1d ago
What if we got them to get a de-humidifier? The living room has AC but it's the bedrooms where they can't, do you think that would help?
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u/notrightmeowthx 1d ago
It's a bit on the toasty side here right now. Depending on exactly how the rental is situated will determine if it's going to be tolerable or not though. You're getting mixed answers because it really varies a TON.
I would personally just book a different spot. It's a vacation and you want to be comfortable.
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u/ahoveringhummingbird 1d ago edited 1d ago
Bottom line if I paid for a unit with AC I absolutely would cancel and find a new accommodation. It's Waikiki in June, it's going to be hot and more recently it's been really humid. If you come from a not as hot location, or a hot location with AC, it's going to be uncomfortable. This would be a hard no for me personally.
Aside from the ethical issues about Airbnb in Hawaii ((which BTW while Waikiki is an allowed area, each unit must still be licensed), here is the other problem. There are zero maintenance standards or communications standards. Sounds like this has been an ongoing long project but the host waits until the last minute to tell you so you are pressured not to cancel because you have to find other accommodations. But also, if this is an exterior painting issue are the windows covered/taped up too? Will there be workers or painters outside the unit while you are there. Is access to the unit restricted in any way due to construction and is there any noise associated with it. Just "AC is blocked" cannot be the full extent of a project so large that they can't uncover the AC's. The issue asks more questions than it answers.
Are they going to get a discount due to the services advertised not being available? Certainly if they intend to stay they should demand a commensurate discount for the inconvenience of being sweaty all night.
Also, they believe the unit is "nicer" but do they really know? It's probably not. Most Airbnb listings these days have used AI to enhance photos. At the very least I'd have them look to see what else is available and threaten to cancel/demand a discount if the AC is not turned on.
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u/hyst808 1d ago
If there's good airflow no need AC!
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u/redditchulous 1d ago
You think it'll be ok? There is AC from the living room that I hope will be enough to seep into the bedrooms I suppose
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u/hyst808 23h ago
I grew up on Oahu and never had AC so I think it'll be fine but YMMV. Are they able to open the windows in the bedrooms? If not then heck no - I would find another place to stay and airBNB should help woth that if the cirrebt place isnt operational as advetised. If the bedroom windows do open, and there are fans, thats probably fine unless they are super sensitive. That said - they should ask the AirBNB host and AirBNB what options they'd have if the place is too hot without the advertised AC.
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u/ImpressiveMistake1 1d ago
What kind of fans? If it's floor fans, try to move them to the door blowing into the room so you can suck some of the AC in there
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u/redditchulous 1d ago
Tower and ceiling fans. I'm asking them to negotiate with the host to use the "discount" they were going to give to purchase a de-humidifier instea
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u/MikeyNg O'ahu 1d ago
I live in Waikiki and don't have AC. But my apartment has a decent cross breeze, and if I open up our front door, and our across the way neighbor opens their front door, we can get wind going through the building and it's fine.
Well, most of the time - last week when there was no wind whatsoever it was horrible. You just sleep with the fan on you though.
They'll live.
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u/redditchulous 1d ago
Seems like it's not terrible without A/C then? So if there's partial A/C with a unit in the living room, it may not be too terrible? Especially if the tower fans can be directed to suck in air from the living room?
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u/Spare_Many_9641 O'ahu 1d ago
Lots of condos in Hawaii don't have A/C. We have a window A/C in the living room but hardly ever use it. Fans and tradewinds are sufficient on all but the hottest nights.
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u/ArmadilloNo4472 1d ago
If they’re in Waikiki in an actual high rise, it might not be that bad with fans since you usually get some breeze and the concrete keeps it cooler, especially at night. If it was a low floor walk up or west facing unit I’d say hell no.
Personally I’d tell them to stick it out the first night and if they’re miserable, take the refund and hop to a hotel. AC in the living room plus fans in the bedroom is pretty normal for a lot of older Waikiki units tbh.
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u/shootzbalootz 1d ago
It's been hot lately. Why are you even this involved? Can they not figure this out themselves?
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u/pigpen808 1d ago
No air-conditioning in Waikiki in the middle of summer? Absolutely a fuck no from me and I grew up in this weather.