Kal,
Don't forget LaPlayita Azul!!! Let us know how it is!!
Excluding air and 7 days lodging, we spent around $3,500 for 2 weeks on Kauai in March.

$7k easy: 2 people, 10 nights, last April. Hotel we did thru hotwire, sheraton maui (4*) 6 nights $160/night, big island hapuna prince (5*) 4 nights $180?/night. Food and drink per day was even more. Drinks either place were $8 each, that adds up quick for a few drinks by the pool and a few with dinner. Rented a Jeep, then Sebring. Didn't really do any paid activities except a luau one night. $800 each for airfare from Boston. Good luck!

Thanks everyone that's provided input. We're flying from Houston, TX direct to Maui and I believe air and hotel at the Hyatt is pricing around $3,500~$4,000 for eight days. So, since we love frozen drinks by the pool and nice dinners, it looks as if we could easily spend $5,000~$6,000 for this trip. Coming from annual vacations to Mexico that cost us a little over $1,000, that's a big jump. Would you say from all your travels, its worth the $$$. It is my 10-year anniversary, so I want somewhere special!

I estimated that we spent $3500 total on our 10 day trip split between Oahu and the Big Island.

So can't help with Maui....

It just depends on where you focus your time. We our in the business/legal world and go to so many fancy business dinners, that it has lost its appeal; therefore, we tend to eat local treats and pass on four star food. That saves alot of money. Food is never the focus of my trips.

Do eat a malasada, fresh steamed shrimp and pineapple whip--Yum.

We also flew from San Francisco at $353 per person on American and got our Oahu resort hotel on priceline for $102 per night. (Stayed at the Royal Hawaiian on the beach--garden room)

Final night we had ocean front room at the Pacific Beach for $193 (cheap tickets.com) great corner room with an awesome view. Just across the crosswalk and into the water!

Personally I wouldn't spend $5,000-6,000 for one week in Hawaii. There are just too many other places I'd be tempted go given the budget, but my opinion is probably in the minority here.

It is not hard to do TWO weeks in Hawaii for $5,000 to $6,000 (or less) if you don't waste a lot of money on the over priced tourist trap "activities" such as luaus and $200 dinners.

Rusty-Doesn't everybody take 8 x travel?:-?

This year I think we budgeted a 21 day stay for around $7-8,000. Air, car, o'front and fun frolick.
But, as I usually tell Mrs Kal, just because ya brought it, don't mean ya have to spend it!!!! $)

Since we really didn't go too many places this year we're going to have a jolly good time on Kauai this trip.

I forgot to mention that we did participate in many activities that were expensive, some of which you could skip.

Honolulu Trolley Tour: $25 per person-skip

Horse back riding on BI $55 per person - very enjoyable

Mauna Kea Summit tour BI --$75 per person. Awesome, but you can drive there yourself if you have 4-wheel drive.

Full day at PCC -- $75 each --- skip.

Fairwinds snorkel cruise--$75 each --Awesome, but could take your own kayak for less.

I think it was $8 each to snorkel @ Hanuma.

We did all of this plus spent about $200 on gifts etc....

Still @ approx. $3,500 for 10-days.

I love korean food which is very inexpensive and served everywhere, so my food cost was very low. Eating heavy meals while hanging around in swim suit just did not seem to appealing.

When I go to Lake Louise in January-- I think dining will be more important part of the budget.

Aloha Calalily,

I've really enjoyed this thread...

Dreaming of indigo blue seas, rainbows,
waterfalls, whales, torch ginger, leis, skies blue w/ puffy white clouds, music to sway w/ the palms, and much aloha...

Mahalo to you all... and much aloha.

Aloha again,

Did I mention the green, green, green
mountains?

Aloha...

Kal, I thought I was the only one who ate and drank 8 x travel !!

Kal.......if Mrs. Kal doesn't spend it Mr. Kal will......I just have this feeling that you are similar to my DH. If he has a $1,000 overdraft privilege and I tell him his account is overdrawn by $600.......to him that means he still has $400 left to spend!!!!
You lucky people who are headed to Hawaii. Have a wonderful time!!

Rusty-We should start a club. But then someone would beat us with it.

i2- The only reason I've been going to the gym every day is TO EAT at La Playa, so it BETTER be good!

38!!!

Been three times the past two years.

Keys to keeping costs contained:

Airfare: Use mileage points if available

Hotels: If Starwood member (free), try and rack up points. 40000 points will get you 5 nights at Kapalua.

Car: Book early, check for best rates after booking.

Activities: Personally, I could lie on a different beach and snorkel every day and have a great vacation. It's free, too. Check out Costco for Snorkel Gear - I got a great set (mask/fins) for under $35. Same set in HI was over $80.

I've golfed, but I feel like I'm wasting my time on a golf course in HI. While there are some spectacular views and courses (Manele Bay, Prince Course, Mauna Lani), its pricey and pretty slow. However, I live in SoCal where I can golf year round, so I'm spoiled.

Food: I'm a real food snob, and I find dining the worst part of HI vacations. It's expensive, and most restaurants are very average at best and terrible values. Sansei is a decent Sushi Bar, Roy's is OK, I've yet to have a great meal at any Hotel. Best restaurants are in Honolulu.

I end up eating burgers and sandwiches for the most part. Spending $150 on a middling meal every night doesn't sit well with me.

If I didn't use Starwood points for my hotel, I would rent a condo and cook. Will look into that in the future.

HI is a fantastic, beautiful state. Just make sure not to pack too much stuff in. Part of the pleasure is falling into that laid back, mellow Hawaiian groove where vegging out is wonderful.

Aloha.

Coachboy

Hi--I am rather surprised at the high prices that folks have paid for their Maui trips. There is a nice discussion going on the frommers.com website today on reducing the cost of your Hawaii trip which might be useful
http://www.frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?128@@.eeb7f51

We are using frequent flier miles and are splurging with 3 nights on Lanai during the Christmas week for $150 per night including breakfast at Hotel Lanai, $25 ferry over to Maui, then bed and breakfast in Kihei for $80 per night (includes microwave, toaster, coffeemaker and frig), then 2 nights in Hana for $65 per night (full kitchen). Our Dollar car rental (smallest car) is $312 for 8 nights including all taxes. Got the AOA gold card and are using AAA discounts whenever possible. This is the most expensive season so think these are good rates. May should be low season so much cheaper. With tickets to Warren and Annabell's, horseback riding to the Crater, and kayaking one day, one-way airfare from Honolulu to Lanai, and gas expect to spend $2100 plus budget-moderate lunches and dinners--that is for an 11 night vacation. Several good restaurants offer discounts if you eat early--which we plan to take advantage of (e.g., Sansei, Waterfront). Also, Henry Clay's is discounted for those staying at Hotel Lanai.

You folks are spending way too much for a trip to Maui. We just got back from 7 days in Hana, staying a romantic cottage across from Waioka pools ($80 /night), and 7 days in Paia, in an ocean-front cottage with a hot tub and a pool ($130/night). We had lomi-lomis on the beach, took surf lessons, rented a Mitsubishi Spyder convertible ($279/week), did our Christmas shopping and even ate at Mama's, and we spent less than $4000. Use the Internet! Forget the resorts, rent a cottage. Eat away from the resorts--there are great little afforable places in Paia and Kihei, lots of fresh fish and mixed plate. Reserve the car at http://discounthawaiicarrental.com and shop Pleasant Hawaiian for the best airfares. We just booked a trip for New Years through Pleasant Hawaiian for air and car only for less than any of the airlines are offering for airfare alone for the holiday season. Of course, this time we will be staying in our new house, a little something-something we picked up in October, so I guess technically that last trip did cost a bit more.

Honestly, our 7 day/6 night trip to Oahu from Sacramento cost us $2000 TOTAL:

$900 - r/t airfare for two on Hawaiian
$350 - 6 nights hotel at Sheraton PK (booked via Priceline at $55/night + tax)
$180 - rental care
$80 - $100 per day spending money (we only had 2 meals per day)

If you're budget minded, you cannot beat Oahu.

For a seven nighter on Maui last month we spent about $2200, this was everything for the two of us except airfares (which we got with FF miles). No, we didn't stay in a flophouse, we stayed in a very nice 1Br/1Ba condo a little north of Kaanapali and rented a convertible too.
Paradise doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Hey Kal - I'm off to Kauai in 16 days. Where is La Playita? We love Mexican.

here_today,

What is the name of the cottage you stayed at in Paia, if you don't mind?

Thanks.