chemgirl

I've had good luck with Priceline in the past for hotels when I didn't care if I had a specific hotel in mind. We're kind of in that boat for our Hawaii Honeymoon this fall. It's the last week and a half of October, so I thought maybe we could get some good deals during the low season. I did a search and read posts that people found good hotels for under $100. I also checked out the better bidding website that somone had reccommended earlier. My question is-- would you reccommend using priceline (or hotwire, etc) for a Honeymoon-2 nights in Honolulu, 5 nights on Maui? It's hard to decide which hotel so maybe this would help by choosing for us!

sherrie

$100 a night isn't much, even in low season. I would be a little concerned about the places you might get for that amount per night. It is your honeymoon and you don't want to be miserable because of a flea trap you are stuck in. Check out Tripadvisor for reviews of budget hotels and then start calling the hotels directly to see if you can negotiate a good rate. Ask if they have an Entertainment Book Rate, and if so, get yourself an Entertainment Book which has a discount card to use at many places, especially on Oahu. If you go through priceline, you pay for the whole thing up front (which I am sure you know) and have no recourse if you don't like it. If you make the ressie yourself and don't like the hotel once you get there, you can cancel and go somewhere else. Just my opinion. I like Priceline for cars, but don't think I'd use them for hotel unless my budget was big enough to shoot for a 4 to 5 star, resort hotel. Good luck.

DebitNM

Can you stomach a 90 minute time share presentation? If so, you can get a nice room, car and gift certificate at Ko Olina Marriott on Oahu.

We did in October 2006 and it was low pressure and we walked away on time and no one bothered us again.

5 nights averages around $750 [depends on what state you live in].

http://www.marriott-vacations.com/default.jsp

chemgirl

Thanks for the ideas. I don't think we could handle the time share presentation, though.

I thought the same thing about a hotel for $100 in Hawaii. When I looked at Priceline for the 4 star and resort hotels they offer (not the name your own price option) they have good reviews and were in the 300-400 per night range. I usually halve that for my first 'bid' on my own price, so maybe I can get lucky with $150 on a 4 star or resort property. Chances are we'll still end up spending more, but I hate to throw out too high a bid when I could have saved more. Anyone with experience on this?

iceeu2

chemgirl, also read biddingwithtravel.com to check on priceline bids.

I have used priceline twice in Honolulu and once I got the Marriott and another time the Prince.

Have never used hotwire, but lots of people do so successfully as you will see at betterbidding.com

iceeu2

i meant biddingfortravel.com

GoTravel

I think the year round average daily rate for Hawaii hotels in the four star range is so high that you might have a problem getting 5 nights together.

Especially if you are going over Columbus weekend.

Also, even though it is low season, October is peak convention and conference month and they usually pick pricier hotels.

What about www.VRBO.com? You might find a condo at one of the nicer resorts that isn't on the resort rental program?

sherrie

VRBO is a good option, especially on Maui. Many, many nice condos at reasonable prices. I believe the Mahana condos in Kaanapali offers an entertainment card rate that is very good. I think I read it was $170 or something like that. You would need to book through Resortquest to get the entertainment rate, but many Mahana condos are on VRBO also. It's ocean front. I'd try for a decent hotel on Oahu since you're there just two nights, and I'd go for a less expensive condo on Maui. Gives you the option of having some meals in too.

DebitNM

Is this your first time going to HI? If so, not sure why you would want to split your week into 2 nights on Oahu and 5 nights on Maui.

IMHO 2 nights on any one island won't get you much time to see anything once you check in [late afternoon] and checkout out in morning of departure.
Then there is the time to get to airport, go through security, fly to Maui, go to hotel, check in etc etc.

IT's far better to spend the week in one place.

If Maui is where you want to go, then either fly there directly to OGG [Maui] or if you can't do that for some reason, fly into HNL and then take interisland flight same day to OGG; allow about 2 hours after arrival for departure to Maui.

Barblab

Since you have used Priceline in the past with success and don't have to stay in a particular hotel then what do you have to lose, try it. As long as you are happy with any hotel in the area you chose, with the star rating you choose, then go for it. Book the best deal that is cancellable then give Priceline a try until you leave. Good luck, and congrats on the upcoming wedding!

chemgirl

The original plan was to spend the whole time on Maui but the historian in me can't leave without seeing Pearl Harbor (so that added a day on Maui) and my 85 year old grandmother might disown me if we don't hike up Diamond Head (she's been a dozen times and can't make it now so I'd really like to do it once to be able to talk to her about it before it's too late). We're also interested in the Punch Bowl cemetary and the Polynesian Cultural Center, which brings us to 2 full days on Oahu, hoping to fly to Maui early on day 3. On Maui our 'must' attractions are the road to Hana and a day at Haleakala. Fi would like to try snorkeling and we're still working on other things to do on Maui. But that's our plan so far...

DebitNM

"can't leave without seeing Pearl Harbor (so that added a day on Maui)"
Wouldn't that add time in Oahu?

Not sure I follow your timeline either. Assuming you arrive in late afternoon into HNL, that day is shot - jetlag and time difference. That would would be first night in Honolulu. Next day would be first full day, then second night and then second full day. Unless you are staying a 3rd night you are out of time.

Trying to see Pearl Harbor {you don't just mean see it do you? You want to go to USS Arizona and Missosuri and tour right?}; hike Diamond Head; Polynesian Cultural Center, Punchbowl...will take closer to 3 full days and you won't have 2.

What time are your flight arriving in HNL and out to Maui?

Something's not adding up in my mind. Did I miss something?

chemgirl

Sorry--you're right, I meant an added day on Oahu, not Maui.

The idea is to fly in to Oahu on Day 1, arriving around 6pm. That night is for relaxing-no plans, stay in Honolulu/Waikiki Beach area.

Day 2 will be an early day to get tickets for the Arizona Memorial (seeing MO and the Bowfin will be nice if we have time to spend before our tour time). After that, we could head to the Punchbowl and/or have a free afternoon (Punchbowl is in the 'nice but not necessary' column).

Day 3 is a morning hike up Diamond Head and then the PCC in the afternoon/evening for the luau and show. This night would also be spent on Oahu.

Day 4 we head to Maui. (how much in advance do we need to plan our schedule and book the inter-island flight?) Upon arrival, we head to the hotel and have the afternoon free.

Days 5 and 6 will be a day each of the Hana Road drive and Haleaka (not sure which order yet).

Day 7 is open for now.

Day 8 is our flight back to Oahu sometime before our evening flight back home (4:30-ish).

So that's the (incredibly) tentative itinerary. We would like to do a helicopter tour and snorkeling, so plans may change as we re-prioritize. Is there a certain time of day that is better for snorkeling? Mornings or late evenings? It looks like for most of our trip the sun will rise at 6:30 and set by 6.

I realize it's a very whirl-wind honeymoon but with our schedules it's all we could swing this time around. We might be able to add one more day in at the end. The PCC and Punchbowl are negotiable. Would hiking Diamond Head in the afternoon be too much if we spend the morning at the Arizona Memorial?

DebitNM

A short kind of answer for now.

To see USS Arizona - you have to get a line at Pearl Harbor to get tickets to get on boat that takes you to USS Arizona. Depending on when you get there, your assigned time could be within 45 minutes, or 4 or 5 hours. That leaves you with some possible odd free time. We were there early - 7:30 and were on 8:30 tour. We spent the wait time looking around the museum, then got on the boat. You only have a certain amount of time at actual memorial. We were back within 45 minutes, I think. We then went on a tour of USS Missouri. We used Entertainment Book 2 for 1 coupon and took the special tour. IT was just us and a guide and we spent about 3 or 4 hours going through almost every area of ship. It was amazing. It was early afternoon when we finished. There was no way I would hike or do anything more that day.

I admire that you want to do so much while you are there. But don't overplan -- take some time to relax, lay around, and be on a honeymoon. It shouldn't be a "Supermarket Sweep" thing. Make of list of things you'd like to do, and then see how it goes. Hawaii seems to encourage that laid back feel that we all need sometimes. I know, I am a BIG planner most trips, but this one was more about doing what you wanted at the time.
IMHO of course.
Debi

chemgirl

Thanks for the insight, Debi. I figured we'd have to be at PH by 7:30 to make sure we get an early tour. We definitely want to make sure to relax and let it sink in that we're married but at the same time who knows when we'll be back?! I'm leaning towards ditching the PCC and Punchbowl and just focus on PH and Diamond head. The Missouri and Bowfin are on the agenda only if we have the time before visiting the Arizona Memorial. Maybe we can spend one morning/afternoon at Pearl Harbor and the other morning at Diamond Head with both afternoons/evenings free. Then we can fly to Maui at the end of day 3 instead of early on day 4. I did just buy the Entertainment Book also, so hopefully we'll get some good deals out of that. I don't so much want to plan out every single day but rather like to have a general itinerary to refer to. No sense in going on vacation to be tied to a timeline! Thanks for the tips.

MrsJenn

I would skip PCC and fly into Maui at the end of your day 3. I went to the PCC when I was 17 and did not get much out of it. The luau was nice, but you can see one when you get to Maui (Feast at Lele is nice. It has a sit down dinner and a fire dancer. The Old Lahaina Luau is another option).

Also, take DebitNM's advice. Lay around and let your new marriage soak in with the sun at least a day or two on your honeymoon! Believe me, you'll be back to Hawaii. We were there Sept 2005 for our wedding/honeymoon and loved those days of nothing but sand, sun, that beautiful ocean, and each other. We are returning this Christmas, just a little over 2 years later!

sherrie

Instead of the whole day at PCC, how about a leisurely drive to the North Shore to check out the beautiful beaches there, have lunch at one of the shrimp trucks and take in the beauty of that area. Have you decided on using priceline? If you do go with priceline, let us know what you end up with. Good luck and congratulations.

carolyn

You will want to hike up Diamond Head early, too, because it gets so hot later in the day. It won't take you long--maybe an hour and a half--so you will have a good deal of time that day to do other things.