4 couples looking for a two wk. vacation in beautiful Hawaii. I've been to Kauai 30 yrs. ago. and was in Oahu * Maui 25 yrs. ago so we don't know yet how we're going to do this or where we're going to go. We are discussing condo vs private home and whether we should try separate condos, etc. One question - we seem to miss out on pools if we go the condo/house route- can you use the pools/bars at fancy hotels for a small fee? When we were on a Caribbean cruise, the bigger hotels did that and I was wondering if that was a possibility. Any thoughts on where we should go are very helpful - all couples are in their 50's - don't like the city atmosphere (like Honolulu) but definitely still young enough to have piles of fun!!!!! THank you

We have been to Maui 3 times and shared a condo with another couple each time. It's a great way to go but you should decide on some guidelines before going. How to split the food bought for the condo, how many cars and who pays for gas, and do you do group events or go out on your own from time to time. Plus a lot more, I'm sure. As for things to do in Maui - of my gosh. We're also in our early 50's and never tire of things to do. There's snorkeling, whale watching, biking down the volcano (a real hoot in the rain!!), golfing (yes you can get discounted rates), spending time on the beach, driving the north and south route around the island, shopping, day trips to other islands and so much more. A lot of the condos have pools with them, but I'm not sure about a fee for using the pools at the larger hotels. As stated in the forum before, a must see is now Warren and Annabelles magic show. Not what you would expect on Maui, but well worth it.
Hope you have a great time.

Most condo complexes in Hawaii have pools, but ask before you book. I would opt for a condo, because of the flexibility they offer. Like having your own apartment while you vacation, most are roomy and have all the amenities you need. 4 couples could easily rent 2, 2 bedroom condos and have lots of room. A house might be nice but then you have 8 people all sharing one place? Might be a bit noisy and hard to have any privacy. Depends upon what you are able to find. Some great house have pools too, so you just have to research it a bit. I have seen lots of adds for Hawaii house and con do rentals in the back of Hawaii Magazine so worth picking up an issue. Also try vrbo.com as it si a website for vacation rentals by owners and has alot of places on it. Good luck and have a great time.

Always happy to pass on some vacation rentals I have saved for future trips with friends:

http://www.kailua-beach-rentals.com/Honu4.html

http://www.kailua-beach-rentals.com/LanSunrs.htm

http://bnb-hawaii.com/hale_ohana.html

http://bnb-hawaii.com/lanikai_ocean_view.html

http://bnb-hawaii.com/pikake_hale.html

How much better to have your own pool and/or spa, beachfront and cheaper than any beachfront hotel room yet! Have a great time. I dream of collecting a bunch of friends for a trip to Hawaii some day.

Maggi - thanks for the great websites - I'm hoping to get the family all together in paradise this summer or next and these are GREAT houses!