Hi all,

Ok, I'm about to book 3 nights at the Fairmont Kea Lani. I just got comfortable with the idea of booking a "moderate" room for $395/night, a relative bargain. HOWEVER, this is will be a 10 year wedding anniversary trip, and I'm feeling like we shouldn't "cheapen out" so-to-speak.

From everything I've read, the Kea Lani sounds to be a definite heaven-on-Earth. So, I'm sold on the location. Though, The Grand Wailea has always been in the back of my mind).

My main freak-out at this point is the sticker shock. Which goes as follows:

$395/night - Moderate room (parking lot or alley way view?!)

$495/night - Mountain view

$575/night - Partial ocean view with furnished lanai (angled view of ocean from lanai)

$675/night - Ocean view

$715 - Deluxe ocean view

$1700 - Starting point for a Villa.

It seems like spending $395/nt for an "alley view" is ridiculous. We'll be staying for 3 nights, so that will equate to $1200+ (I'm about to pass out).

For a little bit more, we could actually have a decent lanai & sliver of an ocean view.

A couple questions ...

Is there hope to get a non-alley view room for less than rack rate?

If not, how do those of you that have stayed in Maui's 5-star hotels palate these high rates??!!!

Ack! I don't know how they palate it, I wouldn't!

I can't believe you have to pay those rates, my motto is, never pay rack rate.

Can you work out a deal with Priceline using Biddingfortravel to narrow it down to a great hotel?

Otherwise, fly to Phuket where you can get a 5 star hotel for $100 a night, it would be worth it!

Picklepeach, the year I worked for a travel agency I learned one thing right away. Ocean front means that you can see the ocean from your hotel room. Ocean view can mean anything (including peaking through a bathroom window to catch a peak of the ocean).

Sort of like airlines descriptions. People think that direct flights fly from point A to point B. Actually that only means that you will stay on the plane all the way from Point A to Point B but it does not mean that there will not be stops along the way. Flying from Point A to Point B without any stops is a Nonstop flight.

So the $715.00 deluxe "ocean view" would not assure me that you would have an ocean view from your room as it is not described as "ocean front".

I would investigate further if I were you. And Happy 10th Anniversary!!

Hi there.....the Kea Lani is wonderful, although we stayed there ten years ago on our honeymoon. I would try Priceline if I were you and the Bidding for Travel website for 5** and see what comes up. That is too much to pay.

PP..sign up for the Fairmont's President's Club right away via their website. Being your anniversary, coupled with a Pres.Club Member, you are most likely to get upgraded as well. We always have if available. The Kea Lani is wonderful..Nick's FishMkt. is a great place to eat. Adult pool is so nice, and the twice daily room service is glorious. LOVED the bathrooms!!! IMHO...you picked the right place; however, the XL lanai was spectacular for us...would hate the thought of the Kea Lani with an alley view...no,no,no...