tripadvisor is a great resource and one of the most accurate tools out there for honest reviews about hotels.
Generally avoid people who start their comments with the following though
I have stayed in many 5 star hotels around the world
I have traveled to many hotels in many countries
As a person with discerning taste
You get the idea, when reading reviews take everything with a grain of salt, one person can have a really bad experience while the next has a perfect experience
Look at the pictures taken by the reviewers they usually tell more than what is written.
As for cost, yes Wakiki is expensive for what you get but it is a lovely place but is being developed very fast and hotels like Trump will spoil the charm
I stayed at the Outrigger Regency on Beach walk which is around $250USD a night, which while not cheap gives you a nice big new 1 Bedroom apartment, about a 5 minute walk from the beach. For anything beachfront in Wakiki be prepared to pay $300USD per night +++ for a small old room.
If you stay a bit futher away the price will drop.
How many nights do you have ? Do you want to visit the other Hawaii islands as well ?
I will be there in Nov/Dec as well as I picked up a Jetstar sale fare as well
