How many months ahead should I book Hawaii Trip?
 

For those of you frequent travelers. If we are planning a trip to Hawaii Sept 2004, when is the best time to book are rooms? - How many months ahead of time is needed to get the best rates and still get good rooms?

Thanks.

Go to Pleasant Holiday's website. Check out the deals. Many deals expire today. Book through a consolidator like Pleasant or Classic Custom Vacations(which I prefer, better customer service). Then keep checking to see if rates drop at all before your vacation. If you purchase travel insurance you will be refunded the difference. My trick is to price Pleasant than take the price to my Travel Agent and book the trip to Classic Custom which doesn't have online booking at this time. But the consolodators will generally be much cheaper than booking through the hotel direct.

When we went in Sept 01 we bought our tickets in May and then arranged our condo after that. I made all our arrangements on line and found prices were lower than an agency. Sept is a bit quieter in HI as most families are back at home with kids starting school. The weather is still outstanding.

Nancy, planning on a hotel or condo?

Hi Nancy,We booked our Oahu trip thru Expedia about 5 months early-went in Sept.also. I've been watching fares-just this past week they dipped under $400 from Atlanta(Continental).The Expedia deal was a pkg. deal. I know now I can do better on my own buying flight/hotel separate. We're going again in Nov.2004.My dream site is the Princeville on Kauai-but may settle for Oahu again if the $$ is tight. What city are you departing from? I get frequent Hawaii deals emailed to me but they're never leaving from my town!
You've got plenty of time-if you go on a site like Expedia you can surf around to see all kinds of hotels/specs with photos to help with your decision(don't have to book).
We are SOOOO blessed here in Atlanta to have Clark Howard, a consumer advocate who announces travel deals daily on the radio-AND he has a website you can check regularly. Just go to his front page, click the travel deals and look at the deals each day. One thing though-some travel "steals" fizzle out in a matter of hours-they're so fantastic! Keep an eye on it.
We stayed at the Waikiki Parc on Oahu last visit-a charming boutique hotel 100 yds. from beach-heavenly service, great breakfast buffet(NOT continental)and the rental car was thrown in on the deal(see their website).Planning is half the fun!

Here are my trip plans

Tampa, Florida to Kauai

7 nights - Secret Beach Hideaway
(Intimate wedding there)
(Helicopter trip)
(Napali Boat Ride)
(Hike)
(Kayak)
(Relax)

Kauai to BI
3 nights Kona Village
(deep sea fishing)
(Horseback Riding)
(Relax)
1 night Kileau Lodge
(Volcano hiking)

BI to Maui
3 nights Sheraton
(Feast at LeLe)
(Shop Whaler's Village)
(Snorkle Black Rock)
(Relax)

2 nights Hana Maui
(Hike)
(Relax)
3 Four Seasons
(Snorkel crater)
(Dinner Cruise)

Maui to Tampa, FL

We will probably fly with Frequent Flyer miles so fly and drive won't work.

But would like to get some upgrades on rooms. Is that easier through a travel agency? Will need a car on each island.

Thanks for any help.

nataliemm:

I don't quite understand what you mean.

Do you have to use your travel agent to use Classic Custom? Or is you tavel agent classic custom?

Hi Nancy, yes, for classic custom you must use a travel agent. Also, you should use a virtuoso certified agent to get upgrades in hotels. I've had a lot of luck with upgrades with my virtuoso travel agent. One was at the 4S maui on your list, we booked a mountain room and were upgraded to a partial ocean exec suite which had a large sep living room. You may be loosing some disounts as many hotels run promotions with the 4th or 5th night free including breakfast. If you're really interrested you can email me and I'll give you my travel agent's name but please only if you are serious about booking. I'm not familiar with the Secret Beach Hidaway, is it a hotel or B&B, comdo?
Regarding car rentals you may want to try priceline or hotwire.com for the cheapest prices although hotwire can be competitive.

P.S. My parents stayed at the Sheraton Maui and really enjoyed it there, on the BI I stayed at 4S next to Kona Village and it looked really beautiful. I just watched the travel channel best hotels for relaxation and I think KV was around #4 ;)

nataliemm: How do I find a virtuoso travel agent?

Here is the website for Secret Beach, we are going to get married on the property - I want it to be very private.

http://secretbeachkauai.com/intro.html

I don't want to stay too long at one place as I won't see enough without constantly driving back and forth. Last summer we spent 10 days in Europe and spent:
1 night in a small old town in Germany, 2 nights in Munich,
1 night in a small village in the mountains of northern Italy,
2 nights in Venice,
2 nights in Zermat, Switzerland
1 night in Nancy, France
1 night in Frankfurt, Germany

It was perfect. I like to see the land, I don't shop or do museum stuff very often. I don't like to wait in lines. Driving the countryside was wonderful although many people of Fodors thought I was crazy. But I started planning this trip in February. I have read hours of information on the net and here on Fodors. I look at all the posts for Hawaii each evening and all of the Revealed books for Kauai, Maui and BI.

People here on the forums give me lots of great information.

Thanks.

www.virtuoso.com. Also I would suggest a virtuoso travel agent based in LAX or New York, these larger agencies have more clout with hotels. I totally understand about wanting to split hotels. The hotels like to keep your business so unfortunately I guess that's why you have to stay 5 days or more to get the best rates.

You may want to intermittantly check www.luxurylink.com which offers packages at the hotel Hana Maui, but I think the packages started last year towards the end of summer/fall. Also, you may price different options via American Express or United vacations, you can book hotel alone w/o air.

Hope this helps and best of luck to you!

Oops I mean American Airlines!