Thanks to everyon who gave their input on Hawaii over the past several days. I've learned a lot already!
My wife and I are planning to spend 7 nights...2 on the big island and 5 on Maui. We are staying at the Royal Kona Resort on the big island, and the Ritz-Carlton on Maui. Any feedback on these 2 resorts, plusses, minuses? Also is it more advisable to get the AOA gold card on Maui ($20) or buy the Hawaii edition of the Entertainment book ($30)?

Hi Parag,I can't speak about the entertainment book other than I beleive it's cost is more than $30.However I purchased the A.O.A.gold card for my upcoming trip to Maui and I've prebooked the Old Lahaina Luau and the Triolgy Lanai trip for four adults at a savings of approx. $180.00,quite a bargin for a $20 investment,and virtually every activity grants a discount with the card.Hope this helps some !!!

Thanks, Charlie!

By the way, it sounds like Kapalua in mid-September will be cold and rainy, is this true? Also, is it true that the ritz is NOT on the beach?

Which is better on Hawaii, Hilo or Kona. (We'll have a car)

Thanks for the advice.

Yep..that's what I heard. The Ritz is not on the beach. As for the Entertainment Book, if you already have the book from one state, it's $29.95 to order another state. If you don't have the book, I think it's $35.

I recently returned from a trip to Maui/Oahu and had both the Entertainment Book and the A.O.A gold card. The only thing I used the Entertainment Book for was a two-for-one parasailing coupon, at a savings of $55 through UFO Parasail in Lahaina. I got my $40 investment back from the book purchase, but that was it. I never ate at any of the restaurants in the Entertainment Book, probably due to poor planning, but it seemed hard to plan to be at a certain restaurant with so many other activities planned. I needed more time to appreciate the value in my Entertainment Book. Also, I couldn't find any of the suggested restaurants from this forum for discount meals in the Entertainment Book. That's probably another reason why I didn't use any of the restaurant coupons.

But the AOA gold card was a tremendous value to me. Saved $31 x3 on the Outrigger Wailea luau and $57 x2 on the Maui Mountain Cruisers sunrise bike tour of Mt. Haleakala.

Don't remember if they had parasailing coupons, but I probably could have got a deal on that as well, and saved the $40 I spent on the Entertainment Book.

Get the Gold Card, and have a great trip.

Yep,the Ritz is set back from the beach. I'm told, that when they started construction on the beach they discovered an old Hawaiian burial ground and this required that they set back the hotel location.The added benifit was the new location supposedly has better views.

Yep,the Ritz is set back from the beach. I'm told, that when they started hotel construction on the beach they discovered an old Hawaiian burial ground and this required that they set back the hotel location.The added benifit was the new location supposedly has better views.

The Entertainment Card is the most useful if you are spending several days on Oahu (there are some really good restaurants honoring the card on Oahu, but very few on the outer islands), OR if you are using it to get your hotel half-price on any of the islands. I believe the Royal Kona honors the Entertainment rate, by the way. There are quite a few coupons for water activities, helicopter tours, etc., on the outer islands; you can save money on those things too. But you might be better off with the AOA Gold Card, since you will mainly be on Maui, unless you'd use the Ent. Card for the Royal Kona.

No, Kapalua is certainly not cold and rainy in mid-September!!! It will probably be the most comfortable place on Maui that time of year. The temperature will probably be low 80's and breezy, while Wailea, which I love November through July, will probably be 90 and baking! So you will be in the right place.

The Ritz-Carlton is on the beach, just set back some so you'll need to walk a couple of minutes to the water. I can't believe you'll have any complaints!

The Royal Kona will not be nearly as "Ritzy" as the Ritz, but it's location is excellent on the Kona Coast, and you will probably not be unhappy there. If I had two days on the Big Island, especially if one of them is my arrival day, I might just enjoy the Kona side, and save Volcanoes National Park for another visit. There are wonderful things on both sides, but it's a huge island. You can only see a fraction in that time. At most, I'd do a tour to Volcanoes National Park, and enjoy the rest of my time in Kona.

Have a wonderful trip!

Aloha, Ruth

PS (to my above post): Regarding the "rainy" part of your question, Parag, the northern parts of the islands are always rainier than the rest of the island BUT in four trips to Hawaii, the rain that I've seen has been "short and sweet" and nothing more than I expected in areas that green! You may find weather "cooler and rainier" than another part of the island but definitely not "cold & rainy" as I think of it here in North Carolina!

Thank you all. Your responses are very helpful!

I feel you should select a corresponding 5-star resort on the Big Island as well, such as the Mauna Lani Bay, the Orchid (formerly Ritz-Carlton), Mauna Kea or Four Seasons!