The Polynesian Beach Hostel vs. the Cabana at Waikiki

So, with having to make multiple trips to Hawaii to pick up and return my son, and, wanting to take advantage of that opportunity to laze in paradise (it is paradise, you know, I have it on the highest authority) I sought affordable accommodations.

Now, in past trips, including the one with the LTR, we stayed at the Cabana at Waikiki.

I thought this trip I'd try a hostel, the Polynesian Beach Hostel. After all, I could get a private room and only have to share a bath...and pay less than $50 per night and actually be closer to the beach than is the Cabana.

When I checked in, the buff shirtless older (my age) surfer at the front desk told me my private room was only accessible by walking through one of the dorm rooms. My first thought was, what do you mean, walk through a dorm room?

My second thought was....SURFER BOYS!!!

Imagine my horror when I went to put my key in the lock and I spied through the window into the said dorm room and saw...tits. As in the female breast. The surfer dude failed to mention it was a CO-ED dorm. And apparently I was the only co to the female ed in this particular menage.

They didn't seem to mind as I hauled my luggage through their room to mine to nurse my dashed expectations.

My room was okay if austere but one object grabbed my attention. An extra bed. Although this was supposed to be a private room how private could it be if I had to walk through a gauntlet of surfer chicks, past a shared bathroom into a room with another bed? What if I were there peacefully sleeping and some complete stranger walked in and pushed my suitcase of what I assumed was a spare bed and sprawled out there?

To make matters worse, the shared bathroom was filthy. Now, I am no neatnik. But there were dark curly hairs on the toilet seat that I knew were not from me. And there was no toilet paper, which meant I had to walk down to the front desk and ask for some, then, carrying it like a urine sample through a crowded doctor's office, through the co-ed dormitory back to the place where it was needed most.

I decided I would give it a night.

And I did. And the next morning I called the Cabana.

They welcomed this prodigal gay traveler with open arms...and clean toilet seats.

I learned some things this trip...including the fact I'm not as bohemian as I thought I was (or wanted to be). I figured some other things out as well...stay tuned.