Warehouses and car rental companies dominate the neighborhood around the Pacific Marina Inn, which isn't even in view of a marina. The lobby has a retro Hawaiian look matching its motel-like exterior, with surf boards hung on the vaulted ceiling, bamboo reed blinds, and bright tropical print furniture. Renovations in 2007 didn't modernize the hotel as much as maintain it. The front desk looks more fortified than most bank teller counters with its partitioning, but the atmosphere is still laid-back.

The Pacific Marina Inn is within walking distance of Ke'Ehi Lagoon Beach Park, but little else. Downtown Honolulu is around a 12-minute drive southeast while Waikiki is about a 15-minute drive in the same general direction; both are easily accessed from the freeway. Military personnel staying at the hotel may find it convenient that Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Tripler Army Medical Center are both less than a 10-minute drive from the property. Honolulu International Airport is just a five-minute drive west, with the inn providing free 24-hour shuttle service.

Guest rooms aren't as Hawaiian as the lobby, but rattan fans give a little island flavor that's overshadowed by bright tropical print bedspreads that are almost neon-hued. The rest of the budget decor is unremarkable save for some of the U-shaped desk chairs. Exterior entry means units have small windows with blinds drawn for privacy. With no elevators, rooms on the upper floors require a physical effort that some may want to avoid. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, but only some have mini-fridges and microwaves. Suites also have sitting areas with couches as well as wet bars. Basic bathrooms have tiled walk-in showers. 

In the center inn's courtyard, the small outdoor pool sits in view of the exterior walkways that surround it on three sides. Tropical plants ring the perimeter with a few palm trees towering above, providing a little ambiance for the cramped sun deck. Scattered umbrella-covered tables can be found further from the pool and on an outdoor patio closer to the lobby. For dining, Lagoon Chinese Restaurant, located across the street, starts serving their colorful multi-page menu early in the day, but guests will have to look elsewhere for standard breakfast fare. The dive bar Canoe Hut attracts locals to the occasional live show.