Very well said Dukey. :-)

"There seems to be a certain air of superiority creeping into some of these posts"

Care to be more specific Dukey? I don't get it. If you're referring to the last couple posts including mine, where is the sense of superiority? As for me, I WAS ANSWERING THE OP'S QUESTION. No sticker shock for me because I find reasonably priced accommodations. There is a difference between "cheapo" and economical value. When I think of cheap-o, I think of poor quality. The fact is that you don't need to experience sticker shock if you look around at other options.

"Everyone's vacation is important and nobody has the way to spend a vacation that is better than anyone else's regardless of how much is spent."

I don't think anyone wrote, "I have THE only way to spend a vacation!" Have you had your coffee yet Dukey?

Pilates, no bugs, but....how about them chickens? ha!
~:>

fivestar, I went back and you're partly right, there are many good posts. However, if you recall, there were also quite a few that stirred a lot of controversy that eventually got yanked (right suze?). And there's still the old sewerage rant that I'm not going to re-dredge. Never say "never"--those of us who live here still remember your posts, and that's why we/I often have a knee-jerk reaction to threads like this one.

Hawaii can be done on a budget, with good-quality experiences, products, and services.

"Pilates, no bugs, but....how about them chickens? ha!"

The chickens weren't disturbing but those dang ROOSTERS! You could hear them in the distance. They'd get to crowing at 0-dark-thirty every morning without fail. I'm glad they didn't hang out on our block. Even those dang roosters were manageable only because we never lost our pacific coast time internal clock. We're early risers anyway, but we'd find ourselves awake by 5 or 6 every morning and pooped by 10 pm.

MelissaHi,

What are you talking about? I have never had any posts yanked. I you are so sure I did, which ones were they. perhaps Suze knows!

I still think that the sewerage fiasco was a nightmare and so did many, many other people that were there at the time.

...i don't know about that.

But now i feel compelled to address what Dukey brought up. OK, yes i will confess to "an air of superiority" since I apparently am smart enough to arrange a vacation appropriate to my own taste, personal style, and fitting my budget.

My problem with this thread is the scenario presented - a person can afford a $500/night hotel room, books that room it, stays in it, then complains it costs too much. That's what I don't understand.

I would have the same reaction if someone like me came back & posted complaining that their $100 room was not as spanky as the Ritz. No kidding.

MelissaHI, i'm sorry did not mean to ignore you above
;-)
i do remember the hawaii thread(s) that got nasty and pulled, but don't remember all the discussion or names of various participants enough to comment for sure.

Suze, I'd be very interested in a list of your hotels if you don't mind giving them. Thanks.

Yes Suze. I would be interested in your list of hotels also. :-)

OK then- only because you asked since this doesn't at all fit the topic of the thread! Quite the opposite.
;-)

I have stayed several times at The Hawaiiana Hotel and absolutely love it there. I am not sure about the large Lewers Street construction project, if it would adversely affect staying there at this time though. It was first recommended here on Fodor's and the place is perfect for me. It looks like a 60's apartment building, with lawns, tropical plantings, two small pools, BBQs available, fresh pineapple upon arrival, juice and coffee in the morning on the patio. All rooms have kitchens. Laundry room on-site. Some rooms been remodeled and are priced higher some are in need of a touch-up but cheaper.

The hotel I have heard enough about to be excited to try next trip(hopefully January) is The Royal Grove. It is a budget favorite, again all rooms with kitchens. It sounds like it is a stuck in the 70's, surfboards in the lobby, kind of place. The pool area does not look nice like Hawaiiana, just cement. There are older rooms with fan-only (cheapest), and new-er ones with air-con. It's pink stucco and on a busy street.

The other two places I have seen and would happily try are: The Breakers (which I have walked thru often) right next door to The Hawaiiana. And Queen Kapiolani, down near the park (which I visited and looked around at rooms, common spaces, and the pool last trip).

I hate large resorts, any place with "activities", all chain hotels and high-rises... I do not mind a less than perfect hotel room (as my disclaimer!) if the place has a welcoming, fun, funky atmosphere.

>I have NEVER said anything bad about the islands.<

I don't agree with this statement.

Sorry, I have yet to go to Hawaii, what is the sticker shock?

Thanks for your list Suze. I'm very curious to hear about the Royal Grove after your stay. My mom loved staying at the Breakers, when they couldn't get into the Hale Koa (my Dad was retired military).

I just can't believe that people are willing to pay that much per night. We took our kids and Grandma last year and had an awesome condo in Kona for $90.00 a night. Three bedrooms, two bath, 4 tv's, full kitchen, laundry, pool. We ate breakfast in every day with cereal, milk, fruit from the stand, good coffee and a view of the water. Who wants to waste $500 a night when you can do this? It was very clean, safe, and of course, because we had the kids, much more comfortable for all. I don't think I would ever spend that even if I had the money. We couldn't go anywhere if we had that kind of taste. We ate most dinners out and many picnic lunches but we got to see everything we wanted to in the week, including the volcano and botanical gardens, and we didn't have to cry over our credit card bill when we got back. Now, I'm just looking forward to doing it again next year.

What have I said that was bad about the islands? What posts of mine have been pulled. Nobody seems to know what posts were pulled, but they know they were. hmmmm. Again, I have never had any posts pulled.

My point, which I have tried to explain is... I have had an epiphany that I have been foolish to pay these prices for rooms in Hawaii. I asked if anyone else has experienced the sticker shock that I have. Instead some of the people here are behaving very badly making things up. From what I have seen in other posts of a few people here this is not new behavior for them. If they don't agree, they attack. More power to the people that stay in the room rates they do, but on the other hand, don't put me down for my choices. I came to this forum to ask opinions. Why do people here have to get nasty? There is also reverse snobbery too and it's presence is definitely here from a few people. Thank you to the people who gave me an honest opinion without making things up and attacking me.

MelissaHi,

You never answered my question. What posts of mine have been pulled.

>What have I said that was bad about the islands?<

what about your "Is Tourism Dollars More Important than Tourists Health?" thread?

but I'm with Melissa - I'm not going to dredge that "sewerage" up again.

Attitude. It's all in one's attitude.

> I have become frustrated about the rising prices of hotels. It's my fault and I fell right into the five star trap. I became so spoiled in it that I didn't think I could ever "step down". That is five star snobbery at it's best.<

I don't remember the specifics, and I've not pulled up old threads to find it, but what I remember is the snobbery and rants against a five star hotel that no longer recognized you, did not automatically give you the ocean front upgrade you expected and the complaints about drafty hallways (perhaps due to ghosts). Whatever that thread was, I remember thinking "That traveler is just NOT going to be happy no matter where he/she stays".

On my last trip to Hawaii, I stayed at -
a hotel in Waikiki for less than $100 /night
The Hilton on the BI for free (points)maybe $250/ night rate? I don't know.
The 4S on the BI for free (award trip) maybe $500 / night rate? I don't know.
A cottage on Kauia for $200/ night

If one were to guess...
Which had the prettiest oceanfront view?
Which had the prettiest room?
Which had the best bathroom?
Which had the best toiletries?
Where did we have the best meal?
Where were we always greated by name?
Where did we have the best evening?
Where did we have the most fun?
If money were no object, where would we return?

...I can assure you that the rack rate of the room would NOT be the indicator of the answers.

We were happy in all 4 types of rooms. We had a great time in all 4 types of rooms. All 4 were clean. All 4 had excellent service. No kamikaze bugs were seen in any of the 4 rooms.

Attitude. It's all in a person's attitude. I have a former family member that wasn't happy in the Hassler in Rome or a suite at Georges V in Paris. It's all in one's attitude.

I think the OP is suffering from folks who remember prior negative attitudes and this thread's self-professed snobbery.

One word: denial

pila

This Feb will be our 17th trip to the Islands. We've stayed in a myriad of hotels and condos. We currently stay in a condo on Kaanapali beach and love it. We rent through an owner and that saves a bit of $$$. We opt not to have daily maid service as we feel it's inconvenient and intrusive to have someone come in every day and never knowing exactly when they might come. We're on vacation, but we're still capable of making the bed in the morning and cleaning up after ourselves. Once a week maid service is just fine with us. Any problems we might've run into with the actual condo (very rarely an occurrance) are promply fixed by management or by calling the number the owner has given us. We've seen the prices steadily increasing, but here on the mainland, prices are also increasing. Staying in a condo allows us to eat breakfast in our jammies, on the lanai, watching the whales frolic...smile. Most of the condos we've rented provide boogie boards, snorkel gear, picnic coolers and beach chairs. Beach towels are provided poolside. We use our Safeway card and the savings are sometimes unbelievable. I think everyone has his or her own comfort zone and we tend to stay within ours on vacation. We've visited some of the 4 or 5 star hotels and tend to feel a bit out of place there and much prefer the smaller, "family" feel accomodations. By now, we're kind of used to the sticker shock and try to take it in stride. Gotta eat while you're there!! Sitting on the beach at sunset...priceless!

Kalena

fivestar, you've had a series of posts that have knocked various aspects of your stays on the islands. Even I have noticed them and I'm not a big reader of Hawaii threads. Furthermore, the threads of yours I have read contain such conflicting statements, that frankly, I have to wonder if any of this is true at all, or if it isn't somehow just written for "effect"--though heavens knows why, because I don't think most of us really care one way or the other! For instance, in the "most over rated resort thread" you posted: We hated the Four Seasons! The front desk staff was pretentious and the housekeeping staff seemed to forget we were there. We had to keep calling them to get our room serviced even though we requested a certain time for them to clean. We were told we could have an early check in. NOT!" In this thread you say: I have stayed at the FS Maui and Lanai and I don't need that silly evian spritz, but I do like to know that my room is going to be cleaned and I won't have any service issues". This is just one example, but there are others.

My general experience in life has been that the people who truly can and do afford 5 star properties, would never dream of adopting the screen name of fivestar. Sorry...but something truly seems fishy about all this.