chris

Hi,

My husband and I am making reservations today for going to Maui and Kauai in May 2001. I would appreciate advice on the following:

On Kauai we are staying at the Hanalei Bay Resort. I have heard that most of the rooms are timeshare now, and you get pestered about that. Is this true? Also, have read in the "The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook" that the hotel rooms are not good, and to get a suite. Any opinions on that? What is the one bedroom suite like? Full kitchen, spacious?

We are arriving in Honolulu on a Saturday and then plan to see Pearl Harbor on Sunday. Will we be too exhausted on Sunday (due to jet lag -- have to fly from Detroit to Los Angeles then to Honolulu) to do Pearl Harbor on Sunday? After Pearl Harbor, we will fly to Maui on Monday, and then travel to Kauai on the following Sunday, and then leaving for home on the following Saturday. Will six days in Kauai be too much?

What about the weather on the north shore in Kauai in May (May 5-19)? They say north shore in winter, and south shore in summer, but since May is in between I'm not sure.

Finally, do we need a four wheel on Maui and Kauai?

Thanks,
Chris

karen

Chris -

I'll attempt to answer your questions. Here goes.

We have stayed at HBR many times and have always rented a suite. Yes, they are going timeshare, but they will not harrass you. If you want to do a presentation, they will give you $75 for dinner if you want to "waste" 90 min. of your vacation. Your choice. We are going to HBR this Feb. and have found the best prices through an agency called Allglobe travel. Wonderful prices for a premier suite at HBR overlooking Bali Hai. HBR is great, but not all suites/rooms have great views. I worked with a girl named Amy (800-688-2254, Ext. 105. The unit we have is a 1 bedroom in the Bamboo section #9323)one of the best buildings to stay in. check with her. Website is allglobetravel.com. The HBR is a great resort; you won't be disappointed. Full suite contains kitchen; living/dining room combination; bedroom/bath with lanai and fairly spacious. The view is why we go to HBR and Bamboo is a winner.

You should be fine the following day to do the Pearl Harbor Tour. We find jet lag much worse going home than arriving. You are so geared up for the trip, you will be fine.

Six days in Kauai is wonderful - not enough to do all there is but a wonderful taste for your first trip. We have been going to Kauai every winter for 12 years and never get bored. There is great hiking in Waimea Canyon, the North Shore and East side of the island. There is kayaking on any of Kauai's navigable rivers. Helicopter tours of Kauai are the best you will find in the islands. Restaurants are very good and the beaches are unsurpassed on Kauai. No, you will not be bored.

We are brave enough to do the North Shore of Kauai in winter which is "chancier" than in the summer months because of the rainfall. Actually, you should have very nice weather in May; we have great weather in February/March or we would not be going this time of the year, so don't concern yourself. It can rain anytime of the year. The temps should be in the low to mid 80's - a little cooler up North at night, but very enjoyable.

You need a vehicle on both Mauai and Kauai but definitely not a 4-wheel drive. Anything from a subcompact to full size will work, depending on how much you want to spend.

Have a great time!

Lani

Chris,

In my opinion, you're shortchanging Oahu! There is so much wonderful there, I would give it at least two nights, even better, three. (I'd chip a night off both Maui and Kauai!) May is a wonderful time to vist all the islands, and the North shores should be great then. I love all of them, and find that often, people just don't realize what a fabulous island Oahu is! Have a glorious time!

Aloha,

Lani

Lani

Sorry, Chris! What I meant to say, above, is that I'd give Oahu three or four nights!!!

Aloha,

Lani

john

Chris -

Be glad you are doing Oahu first. You will be glad to leave for Kauai and Maui. Oahu is not what envisions the Hawaiian islands to be. Six lanes of traffic, skyscrapers, crowded Waikiki Beach, some really seedy areas if you travel off the beaten path - just like any major mainland city. That's not what Hawaii is about. I advise people to fly in and out the same day if time permits. If you must see Oahu, see it first and really begin your Hawaiian holiday once you leave Oahu. You won't be disappointed. Thankfully, Oahu will not be your last memory upon leaving for home.

Chris

Thanks all for your response.

I'm glad to hear they won't harass you about timeshare at HBR. That has happened to me before, and I really, really hate it. Another question: At HBR I have (on hold) a one bedroom suite, mountain view. Do you have any idea how far this would be from the beach?
Glad to hear the weather in May is okay. I'm not planning any extra time in Oahu, but I have heard that this island is more than Honolulu and Waikiki.

Chris

Karen

Chris -

There is a path that will take you down to the same beach that occupants of The Princeville Hotel use. It's at the end of HBR property (by the Bamboo buildings). It takes about 3 minutes to walk (all downhill going to beach). It has some decent snorkeling. However, the best beaches are ones you will drive to on the North Shore. Buy one of the local guidebooks, i.e., Kauai's Underground Guide by Lenore Horowitz is one of the best for beaches, restaurants, and just general information. You have a plethora of wonderful beaches to see. Try not to miss any of them - if you can from Kee at the end of the island (about a 15 minute drive) to Anini, Anahola, Tunnel's, Lumahai and all those in between.

Michelle Ward

Hi Chris!
My husband & I spent our honeymoon in both Kauai & Maui; it was the most unbelievable experience to say the least. 6 days on Kauai is perfect and i would highly suggest a 4 wheel drive vehicle for all of the uninhabited terrain you will be exploring. Eat at The Beach House if you do anything - simply wonderful! On Maui, we stayed on K'aanapali Beach and were very pleased with it. Visit the main street(I forgot the name of it) for dining, bars and shops. Also, we had the best meal of our lives to date at the Anuenue Room @ The Ritz. All I wore all week were sundresses and my husband, Jeff, rayon Hawaiian shirts. We have already planned a trip in Winter of 2002. Enjoy!

Michelle Ward
508-261-1477

Joseph

Chris,

John does not know what he's talking about in regards to Oahu - sorry, I don't know any other way to say it! Honolulu is a city but a beautiful, clean tropical one with glorious Waikiki Beach. There is so much of historical value around Honolulu, and the rest of the island is just flat stunningly beautiful in many places with everything you could ask for in an island vacation.

Have to agree with Lani on this one - you'll really be missing out hurrying through Oahu!

Have fun,

Joe

Shannon

Hi Chris, We just returned from Kauai and agree on the return jetlag being more significant. You should be fine to visit the memorial on Sunday.(For some reason,you cannot convince your sleepy body to rest anyway!) I would suggest that you purchase earplugs and eye cover to sleep on the plane. This was one thing we ended up regretting not having on the plane. Lots of water helps too! We visited the North Shore-absolutely beautiful. A popular mode of mobility-Ford Mustang convertible to inhale the fragrant air and for panoramic beauty enjoyment!!Kauai is slow paced,and beautiful. Have a wonderful time....

Dana

We stayed at HBR two years ago and loved it. Although we'd booked a studio
(Kitchenette&Bedroom) we were UPGRADED
to a 1 BD Condo with an Ocean View in
building 8, right next to bamboo. I didn't like being down in the 8&9 area
only because it was a very LONG HIKE UP
A HILL to get to the lobby/pool et cet.
However, if you're in good shape, no prob. And also, you can call the shuttle. As for the beach. Too long a hike to the nearest beach, and don't bother anyway, because like the others have alluded to, Ke'e beach and the others are superb!!!! I would definitely
go back to HRB, and know several others
who have stayed there and loved it too.
However, I really wouldn't do 3 islands.
It's just too much packing and unpacking. Believe it or not, even though the islands aren't very far apart, you lose a lot of the day traveling, i.e., having to stand in line, checking in, pick up luggage, be at the airport early, et cet. I would ONLY recommend doing 2 islands max. And that's the general concensus among those that I know. Also keep iin mind that
check-in isn't until 3 p.m. in all the hotels, unless you're lucky, so you really do lose a lot of the day even if you have an early flight.

Rebecca

I agree with many of above responses. I'd do 2 islands max.Of the ones you mentioned, i'd recommend, for this trip, Oahu and Kauai. Honolulu is a GREAT international city . BTW, Oahu is the island, not the city, which one writer seemed a bit confused on. Yes, it IS a ciiy, with many wonderful areas and neighborhoods including Waikiki. Its history, as with all of Hawaii, is fascinating. And the rest of Oahu is wonderful. Kauai is wonderful too in its own way-- great people, scenery; much slower pace. The Big Island, once away from resort areas, is even slower and more "country"--put that on your list for the next time to Hawaii--paradise!! Do LOTS of reading and research. Like an earlier writer, i highly recommend Lenore Horowitz's book "The Underground Kauai Guide." There is also the Ultimate Guide to Kauai that everyone recommends, tho i prefer Lenore's book. Feel free to email for any other info. Aloha.

chris

Thanks all for sharing all your information. I am going to try to get a room at HBR that is closer to the beach. Also, we only plan to stay in two islands -- Maui and Kauai. We are in Oahu for one day because we have to fly into Honolulu; I can't get a flight into Maui from the mainland.

Chris

Gail

I have to agree with Karen and John (I think) that Oahu is the most unremarkable of the Hawaiian islands. Perhaps if you had no other choice, Oahu would do, but you have the choice of all the others that are so much better than Oahu unless you are looking for hordes of people, traffic jams and high rise buildings. Honolulu is just too much like being on the mainland, and I don't think that is why most people travel all those miles. Just my opinion. If you like Honolulu, fine; we just do not. The Sandwich Isles are just so much better than Oahu. I always feel badly for people who only see Oahu and think they have seen Hawaii. They are missing so much. So, Chris, spend as little time as possible there.

Anna

We flew from Milwaukee to Minneapolis to Honolulu in April. The time difference was 4 hours, so we were up the first 2 mornings by 6:00. The first morning we visited the Arizona Memorial, we were able to get on the first boat across. The second morning we went to Diamond Head just after dawn. We found the jet lag to be worse at night, when we were ready for bed by 9:00.

You don't need a 4WD on either island. We had a Jeep Wrangler on Kauai and a Grand Cherokee on Maui and it wasn't necessary.

Have a great trip!

lisa

Hi Chris. Just got back from HBR and was very disappointed in our room (a mountain view standard room), but if you are getting a suite then maybe yours will be better. Our room was pretty run down -- stained carpet and walls, etc. We also had consistently bad service at the hotel, from checkin to housekeeping to slow service in the restaurant to checkout. The pool area and beach were very nice though. The concierge called our room and told us she had something for us at the desk, then when we went there to pick up whatever it was (a coupon book, which actually did end up saving us some money on meals), she made a pitch for us to attend one of their 90-minute timeshare presentations (which we did not attend). Overall I was disappointed in this hotel, except for the general setting and the great views.

I personally do not think 6 days would be too much at all. We were there 5 days and thought 6 or 7 would have been even better.

We did not need a 4WD on either Maui or Kauai -- got around fine with a regular midsized sedan.

chris

Lisa,

Thanks for your reply. We do have a one bedroom suite, and everything I've read or heard has said that the hotel rooms are not good, but the suites are. Most posts here also said that the pool, beach, views, and the food are good. There have been different opinions here as to how the service is. Also, thanks for your trip report. It means alot to me to hear from people who have been there.