Upon the conclusion of the 2016 International History Olympiad on July 24, any interested students and their families may continue their stay in Hawaii in Waikiki. We are formally recommending students and their families stay either at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa or the Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel. The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa is also right next door if people would prefer staying there, so that is also an option. Rates for the Hyatt and the Marriott are running about $350-$375 a night (including tax and resort fee – the quoted prices do not include this and are much less). Rates for the Aston Waikiki Circle are about $225-$230 a night (again including tax and resort fee – the quoted prices are once again less. Unfortunately, as the number of interested families is impossible to predict, we were unable to guarantee a certain number of rooms at any hotel, and thus it was not possible for us to secure a group rate.
These rates were current as of June 4 on hotels.com but of course are subject to change. You might also find cheaper rates or better deals at priceline.com, kayak.com, or the official Marriott.com and Hyatt.com websites. If you do book on hotels.com, consider creating an account with them, as you get a free night once you book 10 nights (without the use of discount codes) on their website; Olympiad staff have often used this perk.
Another option would be to try and find accommodations on airbnb.com or elsewhere in Waikiki – as the Olympiad officially ends on July 24, you are responsible for all travel arrangements after that. The above hotels are recommended solely as they may make it more convenient for students and their families to continue to spend time together. The post-Olympiad stay is entirely optional, and does not constitute an official part of the Olympiad. Olympiad staff will be on hand through July 27, and will coordinate several events (i.e. daily sightseeing tours, surfing lessons, hikes, etc. ) for anyone interested. Some of these events will meet at the Marriott, so staying there would make taking part in those events more convenient, but is by no means a prerequisite for participation.
On July 25, we will also coordinate a family-based quiz tournament where a student may play with a parent or other family member. On July 26, we will coordinate a quiz tournament for teams of two students (students may make their own teams). Both of these tournaments will be complimentary for any student who attended the Olympiad, and will be contested with battery-operated buzzers outside on Waikiki Beach. Further details will follow once students register for the Olympiad.