NeoPatrick

After years of skipping over the Hawaii posts, I'm actually here posting. Here's the deal. Hawaii remains the only one of the 50 states my partner and I have never visited. As many of you know, he has Alzheimer's. Our travel has slowed down, so for the first summer in many years we won't be heading to Europe for 2 to 5 months. Just today, I overheard him telling a client our "travel plans for the summer" -- although we have none, except NYC for June. He LOVES to travel and does pretty well with it, although the last couple of years I've stuck with the familiar. We have enough points for free AA Business Class (which really by default with our itinerary becomes first class) from Florida to Hawaii, including stopovers each way in California (probably both SF and LA). So I'm thinking maybe a month in Hawaii -- we're certainly flexible. And I'm thinking September would be a good time --after the family crowds, but still escaping Florida's high heat and humidity.

So here's the deal. I read and read and become more and more confused. We DON'T want big or fancy resorts or luxury hotels and yet we're not into little B&Bs. We MUST go to Pearl Harbor (my namesake uncle is "there"). I'm thinking Oahu, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai -- a week or slightly more each and flying between. I'm thinking we'll fly into Honolulu and back from Maui. We are traveling slower these days -- so enjoy a nice lanai or balcony to enjoy views and our breakfast from. Yet each day I think we'll want an "adventure" of some sort. We are not into "remote" and prefer being able to walk to breakfast and to dinner, but short drives are OK. While we love hikes, I fear that will be somewhat limited to shorter hikes to waterfalls or through rainforests -- not all day hikes. We really aren't so much into the beach itself -- hey, we're just a couple blocks from that at home in Florida, yet of course ocean views or marina views are wonderful. We have gotten into apartments mostly when we travel which would be nice, although we don't need a whole lot of luxury or space. Hotels (or motels) could be fine, but it would be nice to at least have a refrigerator. It would be wonderful to keep prices for lodging to about $100 a night. My preliminary searching makes me think that is pretty possible. I think the only MUST place for us might be Kilauea Lodge for two nights.

So. Where do we go from here? A plan? Four one-week long apartment rentals? Specific ideas for lodging in the budget? I'm assuming we'll need rental cars -- except maybe in Honolulu?

Any advice welcome.

bfrac

Patrick, we go to the BI every other year for two weeks so whatever advice I can offer I will be happy to do so. Yes, I think you should stay at least those two nights in Volcano Village and even a third if possible. There is a lot to see and do on that part of the island aside from the Volcano itself. It is certainly the prettiest part of the island.

And just to be able to enjoy your accomodation is important too. This area is in a tropical rainforest and is so peaceful and relaxing. We loved the Volcano Village Lodge if you can't get your first choice.

Volcano Village has good dining options and the town is tiny so you won't have to drive far on rainy or foggy nights.

You could then move on to the Kohala coast for drier, sunnier weather. Although we always stay at the Hapuna Prince, I'm sure you could find a nice condo or rental property to suit your needs. The Hapuna does have an empty fridge that you may fill yourself and they bring you bottled water twice a day.

Getting back to the condo rental there is a condo unit with rentals in Puako which is a nice quiet residential community that I would love to move to someday. There is beach access at several locations (the condo building is not on the beach). We love to just walk and turtle and whale watch. This may be ideal for you.

I would suggest more than a week total on the BI because it is so big. Perhaps you could do 2-3 nights in Volcano and 7 nights on the Kohala coast.

I really don't like the Kona area at all. It is much too touristy for me.

NeoPatrick

I had already looked at the Volcano Village and also just checked the Hapuna Prince. This is all the sort of thing I feared. One room at Volcano Village is about $200 a night (all others are much more) but it might be worth a two night splurge, but even partial view rooms at Hapuna Prince start at about $300 a night (including taxes). Sorry, we aren't looking for spending $7500 to $10,000 JUST for lodging for a month in Hawaii, although I know that's very easy to do.
You are right though, I was thinking of a one week rental on BI in addition to a couple nights at Volcano Village.

chepar

For Oahu, I'm thinking that you would want to rent a car for at least a couple of days - for your trip to Pearl Harbor and perhaps a drive around the island.

As far as lodging, if you prefer to walk to breakfast and dinner, you're pretty much looking at the Waikiki area. There are many condotel units in the Waikiki and surrounding area that combine the aspects of apartments and hotel - a small kitchenette, perhaps more space than a standard hotel room, but also daily housekeeping service, etc.

I don't have any specific recommendations of places to stay, I'll have to think about it a bit.

bfrac

That is why my thoughts went to the condos in Puako. They are much more reasonably priced. I had some rental info on them, I'll look and see if I can find it.

dusty56438

Rent a car on Oahu. You can see the island much better with a car.

You can find lodging on Oahu for under $100 a night. I don't know about the other islands.

Lots of info including sites with free brochures for all islands:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564

bfrac

Here is one link I had saved: http://www.hawaiioceanfront.com/condos.htm. They have two units for $150/night. You could check vrbo as well.

bfrac

This one has even better prices. http://www.kohalacoastweb.com/kohala...ion_condos.htm

NeoPatrick

I've been doing some looking at VRBO and it is amazing how much stuff there is -- and how much for around $100 a night or even less in September-- especially for a week rental. And a ton of nice looking places for that price at Waikiki -- I just don't know the area to judge them. I guess I'm a little hung up on what area of each of the other islands to stay on. Most seem to be removed from any real commercial or town area.

Napili on Maui seems to be one exception, but I've already lost track of a nice place I had spotted there. And on Kauai at Waipouli Beach, I found a suggestion here for Best Western Plantation Suites which looks very nice for the price and claims to be within walking of a number of restaurants, etc.

ElendilPickle

Patrick, we're visiting Maui and the Big Island in October or November (if my brother-in-law on Maui ever sets a wedding date). I've found a bunch of condos in the Kihei area of Maui for right around $100 a night.

Lee Ann

hawaiifanatic

This recent article might be useful to you for ideas for Kauai and the Big Island....

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/27....html?emc=eta1

NeoPatrick

Fascinating article. I'm taken with that "Lucky" B&B, especially with its pricing. While I say we don't like B&B's, that reminds me of some of the eco lodges we loved in Australia and New Zealand -- but a lot smaller.

Lee Ann, where did you find the condos for Maui? I'm finding some, but there are very few for that price -- particularly with any views or charm. And the vast majority are 2 or 3 bedrooms which means more space and more money that we need. Maui seems to be the most expensive of the islands from my preliminary looking.

DebitNM

Neo - tried to email you some info, but it came back {I guess it is an old email from last year}.

These condo's are nice, in a great, quieter area, yet still close enough to more activity should you want it. They are a couple miles north of Ka'annapali Beach.

Check out the 55+ Club.
Napili Point Resort:
http://napili.com/55plus.htm

They have deals that come with a car too.

Deb

NeoPatrick

DebitNM, try the same email address using embarqmail.com instead of earthlink.net

Hmmm. Are you insinuating we're over 55? Well, right you are. I'll take a look at those.

NeoPatrick

Yes, those do look nice, but still more than twice what we'd like to spend. (Even auto club discount with tax is over $215 a night) by the week if I'm reading right. I guess I'm willing to give up a fair amount of style and luxury for this trip.

swisshiker

Aloha Patrick

Don't suppose you or Lee are military retirees? The Hale Koa on Waikiki Beach is a great place if you're eligible.

In Kihei on Maui, we've stayed here:

www.sugarbeachresort.net

We had a one-bedroom, direct ocean view, no road in between condo and beach. Nice, quiet, clean. We rented it thru VRBO at the time, and it seems it was around $100 or maybe $125/night during January. If you're interested, I can look for the direct link, but there are probably others in that complex.

(Yikes - I just checked out the rates on that website. MUCH higher than we paid direct thru VRBO.)

The drive to the popular Kaanapali Beach was -- oh, this is going back a couple years -- I think a half hour or maybe more. The drive into Kihei was just a few minutes, and there are restaurants and grocery stores there.

We found two-tiered pricing at the grocery stores. If Safeway is still there, be sure to fill out one of their free "preferred customer cards", and you'll save an unbelievable amount on your food for your apartment.

swisshiker

On VRBO, there is a direct link to SugarBeach when you type in Kihei. Lots of one-bedroom units available, many in your price range for September.

Good luck!

Mambo_

On the Big Island, we have stayed three times at Sea Village condos. It's a very nice, low-key condo complex, just below Kona, so it's a short drive to Kona and if you go south, a short drive to a little cove beach. We've had two bedroom/two bath units for a very good price. I imagine they have studios, too, but I'm not sure.

We love Sea Village because there are outstanding full-on ocean and shoreline views, the units are well-kept and managed, free tennis, free parking, a nice little oceansice pool, evening reception once a week in the pretty central garden area, barbeque pits for guests' use anytime in the garden, also.

There are eight buildings, I think, each of them just three-story, so it's not a big highrise place. No elevators, though.

The units are individually-owned, so you find them all over when you Google. Some are managed by Sunterra.

Good luck. Your plan sounds mahvelous!

P.S. Once, long ago, we rented a duplex near Poipu, directly from a realtor there, for a very cheap price.
>-

jcb

Hi Patrick - Sounds like a wonderful trip! On Kauai, IMHO, the North Shore is very beautiful. Please check out rentals in Hanalei (can walk to dinner) and Princeville (short drives) if you get a chance. Here's a link to a condo in Princeville. I've never stayed there, but I saved it from someone's trip report.

http://www.kauaivacationrentals.com/...o&Avail=&Stay=

Yes, it is higher than $100 a night, but there may be condos in the complex that are more reasonable.

www.kauaivacationrentals.com has a nice search function. I have rented through them before, and they were very helpful.

crefloors

Patrick, I don't know if you are interested in this area on the Big Island, but a few years ago, my girl friend and I stayed in a duplex right at the lookout into the Wiapio Valley.

It was kind of out of the way, but I loved the location. The view was fabulous, it was high enough that it was very cool at night and I used a down comforter for sleeping...I HATE to be hot. I can't remember if it had air conditioning, but we never needed it if there was. It had a nice kitchen and two bedrooms and two baths. I can't remember the price so it may be more than you want to pay if you're interested. I was splitting the cost with my friend so maybe I'm thinking it was more reasonable that it really is.

It was so dark at night the stars were amazing and so quiet you could here a pin drop. There was pasture land below with horses grazing and then the view of the ocean. If you are interested in learning more I can e-mail my girl friend and see if she has the info...I'm sure she does, she never gets rid of anything. LOL