Maui or Kauai in October with mother
 

Greetings -
I am overwhelmed by the amount of information on the various islands and everything I find out leads to more questions. So here are the facts:
I am taking my mother for her first visit to Hawaii in October for one week.
I anticipate spending a couple days relaxing on the beach, and other time out exploring.
My mom is in her early 70s and relatively active - no hiking/biking/etc., but she is able to keep a good pace when she travels.
My mom had no idea the idea of a resort hotel existed until she stayed at one in Florida for a few days. She loved general quietness of a private beach and easy access to the hotel while sitting on the beach with chairs all set up, umbrellas, etc..
Money is an object on one hand, but yet we may splurge a bit for a nicer place.
When i have looked at various beaches and hotels I have been unable to gage if they will give my mom that "resort" feel that she wants. Some beaches don't seem like the relaxing experience she had in Florida.
The main thing i am trying to determine is what beach in Kauai or Maui gives us that without it being crawling with people. Once i narrow it down to the beach i hope to figure out the hotel (but am certainly open to your suggestions).

Check out the St. Regis Princeville - at the end of the road in Princeville - or next door - the Hanalei Bay Resort is less expensive - some condos - and you can walk down a little road to what is essentially a private beach below the St. Regis.

You can also check out our timeshare place - the Cliffs Club at Princeville - which has a quiet/adults pool.

What are your flight options for getting to Hawaii? (Maybe you are west coast, but I'm not, and it's a long flight for this Senior.) Also, Day One is spent catching up to the time change.

What's the budget? October is pretty nice all over the state, but oceans will be calmer south on any island.

I think I'd 'prescribe' Waikiki, and the Royal Hawaiian there.

I don't know which resort, but I think Maui is your island!

They are both very nice but I'm biased toward Kauai. The St. Regis is lovely but pricey and sits up on a bluff. Hanalei Bay Resort is nice also and they will take you down to their beach or back up via golf cart. However October is a transition month on Kauai so I'd stay in Poipu, Sheraton has a very nice beach, Grand Hyatt is beautiful but expensive and the beach is not swimmable but Poipu Beach Park is a short drive away.

Do any of the resorts in Hawaii offer what the OP has requested (chairs all set up on beach with umbrellas, etc.)? I thought all the beaches in Hawaii were public, therefore there generally aren't areas where the resort has area roped off right on the beach. I've seen cabana rentals on the beach (or above the beach) on Kaanapali Beach near the Sheraton in West Maui (which is great, btw), but am struggling to think of a hotel I've stayed at on any of the islands that has hotel specific loungers on the beach just for guest use.

I agree that Maui and Kauai are both good choices. Waikiki is pretty packed/popular and I think the OP was looking for lesser crowds. But if Oahu is the preferred choice, then something like Turtle Bay on the North Shore might be a better fit.

I've seen it on Waikiki, beanweb24.

I love Kauai. The St. Regis and Grand Hyatt on Kauai are on "public beaches"--meaning the public can walk and swim there--but they have lounge chairs set up, water, and waiter service that are only for their guests' use. FYI, although the entrance to the St. Regis is on a bluff, those who stay there take an elevator and walk out onto the pool and beach area. Both of these hotels are expensive.

But ... both of these beaches will be full of people who are staying at the hotel. The (almost) secluded beaches in Kauai are not attached to hotels.

Thanks - so much helpful info. The St. Regis is too much of a splurge for me. I didn't know that most beaches are public in Hawaii so that is useful as well. It's hard for me to give you an idea of my budget as so far I have just been looking at packages with airfare (from Minneapolis) and car included. It doesn't have to be private as long as we can get/rent chairs pretty easily, nor does it have to be super quiet. My mom has had a tough year and my suggestion of a trip to Hawaii at a resort did wonders for her mood. I was briefly in Waikiki a few years ago and I think that area had too many people around. You have given me some great advice to narrow down which areas to look at while taking weather in to consideration.

I've been to Hawaii several times in October and have not found the beaches overrun with people. I agree with staying in Poipu and the Sheraton beach is very nice. We stayed next to the Sheraton at Kiahuna Plantation but it is probably not what you are looking for resort wise.

I also like the beaches in Wailea on Maui but the hotels can be a bit pricey.

We look for a nonstop on a wide body aircraft for the longest leg of our trip. We avoid 757's and west coast connections, which usually give you TWO cramped 757's from the midwest. Our AAdvantage miles go for upgrades on AA's 767 out of DFW -- choice of HNL or OGG. If we can only get HNL, we stay within airport security for two hours before taking the 'hop' to Maui on Hawaiian Airlines. If you want to do this, and you have checked luggage, you want the hop or hops on your mainland flight ticket. Otherwise you must claim luggage, recheck it, and go back through TSA again.

I suggested Royal Hawaiian because it is a historic grande dame. It also has a little *space* between it and the hustle/bustle of Waikiki. They've sold off some of the big, beautiful gardens, but enough is left to create a little oasis that makes even garden view rooms nice.

Honolulu has a lot of the history that Seniors remember. Pearl Harbor has the Arizona Memorial, plus more ships now open to tour. Punchbowl is a must. The east and north shores of Oahu are beautiful. This is a typically tropical island once you leave the city. Turtle Bay on the north shore is in a beautiful location, but it's not a really wonderful hotel and has few food choices.

You'd only need a rental car outside of Honolulu, whereas you need one everywhere else in Hawaii.