The Outrigger Waikiki boasts one of the best beachfront locations in Honolulu — but like all beaches in Hawaii, it's shores are open to the public and can get crowded

In town for a destination wedding, I set off for the Outrigger at around 10 a.m. to see if I could store my bags before check-in. Taking the escalator up from the busy Kalakaua Avenue, I found an oversized lobby with leafy earth-toned carpeting, impressive murals, and a traditional wooden canoe, which I would later learn originated from the 1800s.

At this time of day, there were only a few guests milling about, and no one waiting at the check-in desk. The friendly attendant invited me to sit down and I was treated to a complimentary glass of mango guava juice, which arrived on a wooden platter with a cold wet towel and tropical flower.

To my surprise, I was able to go straight to my room and, without my asking, I was upgraded from a City View room to a Partial Ocean View. The check-in attendant was not aware I was a member of the media, so I viewed this as a bonus anyone might enjoy if a better room happens to be available.

However, I do think checking in early on a Sunday morning when no other guests were present increased my chances of an upgrade.

Within minutes, I had my surfboard-shaped key card and was on my way to my room on the second floor.

One of my favorite parts of staying in historic hotels is that the rooms are enormous, and my 360-square-foot room at the Outrigger did not break the mold. With a King-sized bed, a full sofa, and a huge walk-in closet, I was quickly impressed. Entry-level rooms come with the same amount of space but have two Double beds or a Queen instead.

While the decor was traditionally beachy and not particularly exciting, the ocean view was much more than the sliver of blue I expected for a category deemed "partial," located on the side of the building. However, I couldn't see Diamondhead Crater, and because I was on such a low floor, the patios and rooftop below me did make up a prominent portion of the view. If uninterrupted views are your priority, an Oceanfront room, which starts at $409 per night, is your best choice.

In the room, I was happy to find a coffee maker, a refrigerator, and two bottles of water that were refreshed daily whether or not I had used the previous day's bottle. Nobody comes to Hawaii to spend the majority of their time indoors, but when I was in my room I made use of the balcony where I could see the surfers bobbing up and down in the water waiting for the perfect Waikiki wave.

The bed was very comfortable, though on the softer side, and the bathroom was large, but not particularly modern. I appreciated that the sinks were in a separate room. Although the shower had a tub, it was pretty narrow.

The large walk-in closet was a nice feature and allowed me to actually unpack and feel at home for a couple of days.

Even though I was on the second floor above the lobby, I didn't have any issues with noise while sleeping. However, the hotel is located in a busy part of Waikiki and the pool area can get quite boisterous, so the sound does carry if you have a room facing the beach or the street. Luckily, things typically died down around 10 p.m.

I was happy to be upgraded to a room with an ocean view, and particularly loved that I could see the gentle waves from my bed each morning. But for the price, I would have been satisfied with the city view considering how close the beach was. Though, being on the second floor didn't help me get down there any sooner.

The hotel has an automatic elevator system, which means you select your floor before the elevator arrives. For those of us on the second floor, this often meant a long wait as the elevator picked up riders above us first for the sake of efficiency.

Unfortunately, there was no easy stair access to walk one floor down to the lobby — a common gripe I shared with my fellow second-floor dwellers while we waited for the elevator.

The hotel's five restaurants keep the lobby very busy, especially because two of them are particularly iconic. Duke's sits right on the stretch of beach where Hawaii's most legendary surfer, Duke Kahanamoku, grew up surfing. On top of that, it's well-known for its Hula Pie and great breakfast buffet.

At night, music-lovers flock to the Blue Note Hawaii, a world-class jazz venue that has hosted musicians as big as Kenny G, along with comedians like Amy Schumer.

If you book a club room, or pay an additional $70, you'll have access to the Voyager 47 Club, a lounge overlooking the beach where you can eat breakfast and enjoy a free drink at sunset. I was given access during my stay and found that the decor in the club felt much more breezy and modern. The breakfast and evening appetizer spread were nice perks and had a decent amount of variety, but I did find it a bit inconvenient that I wasn't allowed to take anything back to my room.

With many cheaper alternatives within walking distance, I probably would not have paid for club access myself, especially because it's only open in the morning from 6 to 9:30 a.m. and the afternoon from 5 to 7 p.m. The club was also quite busy, so showing up early to secure a good seat for watching the sunset is key.

While the view overlooking the beach from the club is nice, the best views at the Outrigger (besides the Oceanfront rooms) are at the top-floor Infinity Spa, where you can enjoy a penthouse view of the ocean from your treatment room or the balcony lounge.

It's also important to know that the room rate, whether you book with club access or not, does not include a daily $35 resort fee, which goes towards use of the Outrigger Trolley, two bottles of water per room, daily activities like lei making or yoga, a souvenir tote bag, and other perks.

There is also a pool area with a hot tub that is just for guest use, but it is on the smaller side and gets crowded.

Like all beaches in Hawaii, the beach in front of the hotel is open to the public and since it's one of the busiest stretches of Waikiki, it gets pretty crowded around noon and especially during the sunset hours.

I found it somewhat bothersome that the daily resort fee did not cover using the hotel's beach chairs or umbrellas and there was instead an additional fee. If you have a longer stay, it can be cheaper to just buy your own, which is easy enough to do at several nearby convenience stores. The hotel doesn't lend out watersport equipment either, but you will be able to find many surf shacks on the beach where you can rent a board, snorkel gear, or whatever else you need to enjoy the water.

The Outrigger's biggest perk is that the calm waves of Waikiki are right outside your door. However, there's plenty to keep guests busy beyond the beach scene.

Amid Waikiki's main strip, almost anything you can imagine is nearby, including the International Marketplace, a mall where you'll find all the big shopping brands, plus all the restaurants and bars on the main strip.

Japanese food in Waikiki is huge and from the Yokocho food court and the blockbusting noodle shop Marukame Udon, you could spend a whole week eating Japanese and never repeat a restaurant.

The hotel also makes it easy for guests to get around with their free trolley, which makes stops at the Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, Diamondhead Crater Lookout, KCC Farmers Market (on Saturday's only), and the Ala Moana Mall.

The Outrigger Waikiki has earned 4.5 out 5 stars on Trip Advisor with over 10,000 reviews, and 8.5 out of 10 on Booking.com.

The 5-star reviews rave about the food and atmosphere at Duke's, as well as the friendly service. The middle-of-the-road reviews note that the pool and beach areas are quite crowded, but praise the location and the views.

Some reviewers complain about the hotel's older aesthetic, but other guests describe it as "classic Hawaiian." First-time visitors should go in knowing that many of the buildings in Waikiki have been around for decades and that this is a historic hotel — don't expect to see the latest Instagram decor trends.

There have also been complaints about the on-site pool being small. But that's also not uncommon for hotels on Waikiki, especially since the ocean is so famously calm and swimmable.

Who stays here: Repeat guests returning for the comfort and nostalgia the hotel provides, as well as solo travelers who enjoy the social pool scene and central urban location. You'll notice an older, senior crowd here made up of couples and some families traveling with grandparents.

We like: The staff's friendliness and unexpected perks like an instantly calming cool towel and juice at check-in.

We love: This hotel is really in the best location on Waikiki. You're perfectly positioned to watch the sunrise and sunset, there are iconic restaurants right downstairs, and all of Waikiki's best offerings are within walking distance.

We think you should know: Things can get a little loud and crowded by the pool and on the beach, which is great for social butterflies. But if you're looking for seclusion, this isn't it.

We'd do this differently next time: If I were to splurge on an Ocean View room again, I'd ask for a room on a higher floor to make it worth the extra money.

The Outrigger isn't the trendiest hotel on Waikiki, but it's not trying to be. While the decor might not appeal to the influencer set, travelers who care more about good service, easy beach access, and mingling with other guests will certainly feel at home.

If you're envisioning a trip to Waikiki with panoramic ocean views and Diamondhead Crater, you're best off splurging on an Oceanfront or Ocean View room on a higher floor. You can request a higher floor, but the only way to guarantee it is by booking a room with club access. If you know you're going to be spending more time with your toes in the sand than up in your room, a City View room is just fine and can save you the extra expense.

The high quality of service and friendliness of staff speak to the Outrigger's half-century of experience in hospitality. The rates are not cheap, but they're on par for the location and are actually more affordable than larger resorts further away from the beach. At times, the hotel shows its age, but the central location and impeccable service are hard to argue with.