Care9999

Greetings Fellow Travelers!
I desperately need your help, advice, and guidance in planning the perfect honeymoon! We are super excited to be going to Hawaii on our honeymoon (flights are booked!), but we need some help with where to stay, what to do, etc.

We are going for eleven nights total- 4 nights in Oahu and 7 nights in Maui.

We were thinking of staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu. We have heard good things about that hotel and a friend recommended it, but any thoughts on it are appreciated. We love the idea that it is right on the beach because we are definitely outdoorsy people. We want to visit Pearl Harbor, the North Shore, and possibly Diamond Head and the Dole Pineapple plant.

As for Maui, we are a bit torn about where to stay. We have heard the the Grand Wailea is amazing but it's also pricey. So we were considering staying there for a couple days and then going to another area of Maui. We read staying at a place in Hana for a night or two was nice and relaxing so perhaps the Travaasa Hana hotel? Or Should we just stay there a night and head to the Kaanapali area? We want a relaxing time and don't want to be traveling all day every day but we are willing to move around a bit if it's worth it.

We also recently got our scuba diving certification so we definitely wanted to do a few dives while we are there. We heard that Maui is far superior to diving in Oahu. Any companies you guys recommend using or great dive sites?

Any and all recommendations are greatly appreciated! Please Please Please respond with any tips or advice you have!!

Thank you!!

montereybob

If you want a relaxing time, stay at only one place in Maui then you can avoid the hassle of changing hotels. Both the Wailea area and the Kaanapali area are good for honeymoons. A romantic hotel in the latter is the Hyatt. A romantic and fun hotel in Waikiki is the Moana Surfrider. It is also near the best part of the beach. The best rooms are in "the tower".

Shar

HHVillage draws a lot of families so if children are okay with you then it is nice as it is right on the beach and probably a bit more reasonable than the Moana Surfrider. Lovelyy pool but dominated by children. HHVillage has many amenities with shops and restaurants right on the property. the Moana is definitely more romantic if that is what you are after and it is Also right on the beach. The Hyatt Regency in Waikiki is nice but HUGE! The rooms are very pleasant and many overlook the beach which is right across the street. Between the two, I would pick the Moana Surfrider for a honeymoon. You might try COSTCO TRAVEL.com if you are a member of Costco as they have very good prices. Have used them several times for hotels and have always been pleased,especially saving $. Congrats on the marriage. Spending your honeymoon in Hawaii is ideal

FaceInTheCrowd

I've not stayed there myself, but from what I've read, the Grand Wailea is also a kid magnet. And I agree with Bob; maybe a night or two at Travaasa, but otherwise don't split your stay on Maui. And since you're considering Travaasa, you might also consider the new Andaz. http://maui.andaz.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html We walked by last May, and it looks fabulous.

That said, recommendations for Maui might depend some on when you're traveling, and definitely on your budget. Also, would you consider a condo? They make a lot of sense for a stay of more than a couple nights, and on Maui, deliver a lot of bang for the buck compared to the resort hotels.

ChiSue

What are your arrival and departure dates?

Eleven nights will zip by faster than you realize once you get on Island Time -- which is why people come and keep coming back to Hawaii.

HHV would not be my choice for a honeymoon. Better are Halekulani, Royal Hawaiian, Moana -- all long-established and highly rated.

I'd stay in ONE location on Maui. Travaasa is unique, but isolated -- maybe a night there on a longer stay.

Most of Maui's best hotels are in Wailea with the exception of the Ritz, up in Kapalua -- very nice, but farther if you want to sightsee across the valley to Iao Valley, Haleakala, Road to Hana. There are also lovely condos in both South Maui and West Maui -- many lack only room service when compared with hotels.

The new Hyatt Andaz that opened last fall has already been suggested. I'd skip Grand Wailea and it's kid-magnet 'pool park'. Maui's #1 hotel is the Four Seasons. Fairmont Kea Lani is all suites and very nice. Makena Beach Resort is on one of the best snorkeling beaches; pool is very ordinary (if that is important). It has a shuttle into Shops At Wailea (upscale mall).

Kaanapali hotels tend to be older. Sheraton is nice -- maybe a room overlooking Black Rock? The Honua Kai is a newish condo-tel in the same area -- well, a bit north of Black Rock and not on the shuttle that circulates around Kaanapali and into Lahaina.

You'll want to reserve your rental car early if you're coming in a High Season.

ChiSue

Oops! Forgot to tell you to skip Dole -- but do drive east and north shores of Oahu. You might stop at Turtle Bay for lunch.

Also: Never go from a *Wow* to a 'meh' hotel. Save your 'dessert' for last.

I forgot to mention Marriott Wailea as a good, less pricey option. I'd rather have a room almost IN the ocean there than something with 'garden view' at a more expensive hotel.

bridetobe2013

My husband and I did Maui/Kauai for our honeymoon and had a fantastic time. You are going to love it! In Maui, we stayed at the Sheraton Blackrock in Kaanapali and I would highly recommend it. I know they run specials that include daily breakfast and a 5th night free. The snorkeling is excellent right off the beach - we saw tons of sea turtles there every day. There is a shuttle that takes you into Lahaina (very convenient) and you are close to a lot of shops and restaurants in Whalers Village as well. I would definitely recommend staying in one spot on Maui. I would recommend checking out Haleakala, hiking around West Maui, dinner at Mama's Fish House, and Warren and Annabelle's Magic Show (sounds cheesy, but is a great time!) Happy planning!

beanweb24

For diving companies --

* If you stay in Wailea/Kihei area, go with Ed Robinson
* If you're in Ka'anapali area, my favorite dive shop is Extended Horizons

Be sure to tell both that you are newly certified. Dive within your limits and experience. I cannot in good conscience recommend Lahaina Divers, though a friend swears by them. On the one afternoon I went with them, they had ~10 divers getting their certification and only three of us who had their certification. Although I paid for a guided dive, they gave me the choice of 1) hanging out with the students while they did their skills (seriously?!) or 2) going on my own with another certified diver. They literally pointed to the end of Mala Pier and said, "go that way and look for the frog fish" (which is ridiculous - if you don't know where to look, you likely won't see one).

Both both Ed's and Extended Horizons get two thumbs up in my book.

travelmama92130

Maui is amazing an you will love it!! The main tourist areas are Wailea (stunningly perfect and pricey) and Kaanapali (close to Lahaina). If you stay on the Kaanapali side, definitely look into a voyage on the Tripoli - a catamaran ride to Moloka'i complete with beach BBQ and snorkeling on island.

Since you are outdoorsy people, Haleakala is a 'Must'. Whether you bike from the summit to the sea or just wake up early (read 3am) to get there for a sunrise, it is an amazing experience and totally worth it. The day we went, there was a woman calling a hawaiian chant to bring up the sun. I'm still getting over it...

A fun day off the beaten path would be a visit to Paia town (love the food at the fish market) and venture up the road to Makawao for a view of upcountry. Hit Piiholo zipline for adventure then unwind at Ho'omana Spa Maui for couples massage. They have an amazing roman tub house just for two that is pure bliss!

Hope this helps a bit!

suze

HHV is the only large resort in Waikiki (w/multiple buildings, pools, restaurants, etc). That may or may not suit you best. Personally I'd look at a smaller, quieter hotel like Outrigger Reef (which is also right on the beach).

simpsonc510

If you want to stay at the HHV, take a look at staying in the Ali'i tower. I've stayed there several times. Fewer kids in that building. It has its own swimming pool, which is not a large of the pools at ground level, but you can use any and all pools at HHV. The beach there is nice.