BS Miscreant Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 (edited) The Mrs. and I are in the midst of planning a trip to Hawaii (4 nights Waikiki, 4 nights Kaanapali) in mid to late July to celebrate 10 years. We pretty much know what we want to do while we're there but I want to make sure I'm not spending way more than I have to for what we're getting in terms of airfare and lodging. I had a travel agent quote us about $3200pp. I then went home and in the next couple of days found similar flights and accomodations for about $2700pp. With even more research and digging I have recently found a couple hotels in the 3 1/2 to 4 star area that have specials going along with airfare that works out in total to about $1900pp. Obviously, room $$$ depends on the hotel/B&B/condo you choose so suggestions would be great but this is a secondary concern. My main concern is airfare. The best I'm seeing, from Tampa mind you, is in the ballpark of $700pp round trip (Tampa-Maui-Honolulu-Tampa). I realize that it is cheaper to go round trip Tampa-Honolulu or Tampa-Maui but when you start booking the interisland stuff separately it's more or less a wash. So... How's that airfare look to ya'll? How's the whole package look? Can I do a lot better or should I save myself the time and grief? Thanks for the help. Edited March 7, 2008 by BS Miscreant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 (edited) Air fair looks about right. I pay about $550 round trip from KC to Honolulu. $2700 per person seems awful high to me. Let me do some thinking. I have a brother who lives on Oahu and has a travel agent based there. He might be able to help you on the interisland stuff. EDIT: Just did a quick check at travelocity. Looks like you can stay at the Holiday Inn near Waikiki for $132 per night. So for 4 nights in Honolulu you are at $528 plus tax. Looks like you can stay at the Kaanapali Beach Resort for $199 per night plus tax. So for 4 nights you are at $796. So our running total is Air fare to the islands: $700 Honolulu hotel: $528 Kaanapali hotel $796 Rental car on Oahu: about $150 Rental car on Maui: about $150 Interisland air fare: $240 Total so far: $2564 plus tax All you have left are food, tours, misc. Figure another grand for that. Total trip: $3564 About $1782 per person.. July is a great month to go to Hawaii. Especially on Oahu, you can snorkel some spots on the north shore that are awesome because the surf is calm. And don't forget about Pearl Harbor. If you do ONE THING in Hawaii, go to Pearl Harbor. Edited March 7, 2008 by Chief Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 (edited) Airfare from Tampa looks about right. the best tickets I've ever gotten from New Orleans or Gulfport, Ms were $680. Congrats on the 10 yr as well. Edited March 7, 2008 by rajncajn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I think my airfare was almost close to $1000 per person but that was coming from St. Louis. I would jump on the price you found pretty quickly. We went a little crazy as far as hotel, car rental, dinners and spending money (easily over 6K) so it's hard to compare the rest of the trip. As for sightseeing if you're in Oahu, definitely check out Pearl Harbor and take a trip up to the North Shore and circle around. Very scenic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 Pearl Harbor is absolutely #1 on our list. We're probably going with slightly more expensive/upscale in the hotel department. Not Four Seasons $$$ but the better half wants a decent spa and ocean/mountain views. Thanks for all the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengal Mania Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Pearl Harbor is absolutely #1 on our list. Went to Hawaii on our honeymoon (~13 years ago). An oil spill closed Pearl Harbor for the 4 days we were in Honolulu, so the only time I went to Hawaii, I didn't get to see Pearl Harbor. Seriously bummed about that (I'm a bit of a WWII buff). Sorry - too long ago to be any help on pricing. Fun activities, though, were: Bike Ride down from Volcano on Maui Speed boat ride & snorkeling on the Napaali Coast on Kuaui (this was the best activity of the whole trip) Polynesian culture center on Oahu was cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Pearl Harbor is absolutely #1 on our list. We're probably going with slightly more expensive/upscale in the hotel department. Not Four Seasons $$$ but the better half wants a decent spa and ocean/mountain views. Thanks for all the input. Pearl Harbor is quite simply the most humbling "attraction" I've ever been to. It's actually very quiet when you're walking the grounds outside while taking the audio tour. The boat ride out to the memorial is amazing and I actually got the chills when I walked into the memorial and saw all of the names on the wall. As for mountain views on Oahu, I don't have any recommendations because Maui is probably better suited for that. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village once and then the halekulani hotel. The halekulani was amazing and Orchids restaurant was top notch. http://www.halekulani.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 Congrats on the 10 yr as well. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Pearl Harbor is quite simply the most humbling "attraction" I've ever been to. It's actually very quiet when you're walking the grounds outside while taking the audio tour. The boat ride out to the memorial is amazing and I actually got the chills when I walked into the memorial and saw all of the names on the wall. The part that always gets me are the names of the men and women who survived the tragedy but had their remains brought back to be buried with their shipmates. Gives me chills just thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Magnolia Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I used to go to HI on business once a year. I was self employed and had to pay my way and traveled economically. I found it more economical to be my own travel agent and book seperately than doing a package deal. I booked the car through hotwire.com and airfare thru expedia, travelocity, hotwire, whoever had the best deal. I stayed at numerous locations and always went back here: For Oahu: http://ohanahotels.com/hotels_detail.aspx?hotel=97 Why? Best value, big rooms, fridge, clean, right in the center of Waikiki, at the International Market with food courts (good cheap food, great if have kids), across from the mall (came in handy when United lost my luggage for three days), and right across the street from the beach without paying beach front rates. I stayed in rooms at the same rate further off the strip and beach, and paid more and smaller room. Side note: The Brady Bunch movie was filmed here and Don Ho played here. In Maui I stayed here: http://maui.net/~puluke/kbr.htm Not always this unit but was in my favorite places. I like this particular condo since it is on the top floors with great views of the ocean and Haleakala. Why: Kihei is a great value vs the Kannapali Resort or Wailea. It's still a short drive to Lahaina, closest to Haleakala and the airport without being in the low rent district Kahaluli. This condo is in So. Kihei so I could run/walk to chi chi Wailea w/o paying the price to stay there. I stayed once in Kannapali and once in Napili and got a roach invested condo for the rates in Kihei. The condo is right across from the kid safest beach on Maui (no surf) and great to do long distance swimming in the winter when the rest of Maui is "surfs up" Condo has a roof top deck with commercial Webers. I'd go to Safeway, Foodland or Costco and grill fresh fish (fresh Ahi for $2.99/lb) and meet other tourists while we watched the sunset and drank Mai Tais together on the roof. Best resturant I've ever been to nationwide is Nick's Fishmarket in Wailea. I'd eat there once, then be disappointed wherever else I went, so the rest of my stay, I'd just grill fresh myself on the roof. All the units in this building have very well equipped kitchens and plenty of two and three bedroom units if needed. I rarely went to Kauai or the Big Island where I only had a few small customers and mainly went to write off a trip and see another island. I never found THE VALUE spot on these islands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Magnolia Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Oh, one thing I forgot to mention. If you fly straight to Oahu don't book any inter island on the mainland. Wait until you get to Oahu, and there are deals and coupons in tourist magazines or just walk into a travel agency in Oahu. They stick you if you book from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyPaws Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 (edited) How fortuitous I leave for Maui in the morning. I will give Nick's a go. Thanks for the ides, congrats on 10 years, have a wonderful trip. Edited March 9, 2008 by MuddyPaws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 How fortuitous I leave for Maui in the morning. I will give Nick's a go. Thanks for the ides, congrats on 10 years, have a wonderful trip. Thanks, you too. Where you staying... or rather did you stay?... depending on when you read this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyPaws Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I leave in the morning...staying at the Hyatt Regency Maui. I won a trip based on LY sales...Airfare and Hotel stay provided by the company! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyPaws Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 got back Sunday...still working on the time zone difference. blech. At any rate, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Kannapali. Nick's- didn't get there unfortunately it was my loss, ran out of dinners and the wife voted for Mama's near Paia on Maui. Now Mama's Fish House was magnificent. Really great stuff, tasty food good enough wine selection as much as I know, and great ambiance. Road to Hana great trip but a long drive from Kaanapali area. Not enough water this year for great falls. If you drive, yield for all locals (pickups) they won't yield for you. Gets kinda sketchy on those one lane bridges... Sunrise on Haleakala (volcano on Maui) is a must do. 4th best celestial viewing in the world, if your into stars. (get a little star guide the night before) the sunrise was indescribable. Old Lahana village was a neat wlak though checking out the world's largest banyan tree. I was fortunate to see a slew of whales, July they should be gone. And don't go fishing, unless you really like it. Maui has been overfished and the chance is high that you'll come back empty handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 (edited) Prices have really risen. I got the whole family (me, wife, 2 kids) to Honolulu in 2000 for 10 days for $2,500 including air fare, car and hotel. ETA: Good hotel too, not some flophouse. Edited March 19, 2008 by Ursa Majoris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 Some updates and some more questions Went ahead and bought the plane tix... $1400 total for the 2 of us. I can live with it. Discovered we had enough points through our credit card rewards to get 3 of our 4 nights free at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Will now be paying a total of $300 + tax for that leg's accommodations. Obviously, extremely happy about that. Questions How was the Hyatt Regency Maui? Anybody ever book through or know anything about skoosh.com? How did that work out for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.