Update: After my initial review, I requested a refund and was told they might consider it—if I took down my negative review. I responded that I didn’t feel that was ethical. No reply. It wasn’t until I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau that they refunded my money, along with an update saying they were “updating the website” to more accurately describe the so-called “podcast” room.
Original review -----------------
Avoid Hawaii Coworking "Podcast Room" – Misleading, Disorganized, and Unprofessional
I booked time at Hawaii Coworking specifically for their advertised “podcast room.” What I got instead was a frustrating, misleading, and frankly gross experience.
I arrived 10 minutes early, but it took 15 minutes just to figure out how to get inside—no clear signage, no instructions, nothing. Once I finally entered, there was no one at the front desk, and I had to wander the space on my own. There was no room labeled “podcast.” I eventually found a door marked “film room,” which looked nothing like the photos online—just a cluttered storage closet with some lights shoved inside.
No one around seemed to know where the podcast room was, either. I waited 30 minutes into my scheduled time before a passerby (who didn’t even work there) finally helped me find the space. Surprise: the podcast room was, in fact, that sad little closet. Tiny table, no real setup, no podcasting equipment in sight—unless you count the pile of random gear tossed haphazardly into a nearby closet. I genuinely feared opening it would cause an avalanche.
To make matters worse, the room was filthy—clumps of human hair on the floor, cheap materials, and absolutely not the “fully soundproofed” space advertised. I tried recording, but the background noise from other rooms bled clearly into my audio.
This was a total bait-and-switch. Unlabeled, unstaffed, unsanitary. If you're looking for a legitimate place to podcast or record, do yourself a favor and stay far away. Hawaii Coworking is not ready for professionals.
