Villa rentals sky high
 

Does anyone know why villa rentals in Hawaii are so damn expensive? Caribbean villas are much more reasonable, but it is so very expensive to fly down to the Caribbean--at least from Alaska.

Have you priced Hawaiian real estate recently?
A million buys a shack in bad neighborhood.

Babs, what kind of house are you seeking? what resources are you using to look for rentals?

There are tons of listings on vrbo.com, for example. This summer we have reserved a 3 bed, 3 bath a couple of houses from the beach on O'ahu for $250 a night---not a bad price for lodging for six people. Of course, the supply of houses is limited, so you do need to plan ahead.

The rates are higher at Christmas, and would be expected to go up during special events like surfing season, triathlon, etc. I will also say that, the last time I looked, rentals on Maui seemed significantly higher than the other islands.

But a couple of years ago, a friend suggested a trip to the Caribbean, so I did a bit of research on the USVI. I concluded that I could get airfare from MO to HI for about the same price, and at that time rentals in HI seemed cheaper.

Babs

We are getting a two bed/two bath on Kauai in Princeville for $150/night. It's right on the cliff with water views from all rooms. I'd say that's VERY reasonable. We leave this weekend so we are getting it right at the end of the off season.

Keep looking, I found a ton of place for incredible prices.

There is a difference between a villa and a condo. A villa is likely a stand-alone home. An upscale villa may have a pool/hottub and is going to be quite expensive.

As aloha says, maybe you would be better of in a condo, rather than a villa. Condos are available in less expensive price ranges. All depends on the location, too. Kapalua and Wailea will have the most expensive rentals.

Hi AG3046. I was not really suggesting a condo--my example was for a stand-alone house--but I agree that a condo is probably cheaper for the same number of rooms, and that if one wants very "upscale" accoutrements in any type of rental the price will be higher. I haven't seen the word "villa" used for Hawai'i rentals, so I do wonder exactly what Babs is looking for....

Friends of ours are planning to go to Maui at x-mas. Their famiy of 5 plus gramma and grampa. I've been checking out vrbo and other vacation rental sites and I know what you mean about expensive! The unfortunate thing though, is that the majority of properties are already booked. It must be a beautiful place.

Hi aloha. Yes, I agree that the term "villa" is not used in conjuction with Hawaiian accomodations. I assumed it was an upscale, stand-alone house, but, like you, I don't really know what the OP expects.
Most everyone finds condos are less expensive that home rentals, and usually in a location more convenient to the beaches. A fair number of home rentals are also done illegally, without having the required safety and building standards or paying taxes.

And to finish my post...

I know if I was a full time resident and had a neighbor that was renting their home to vacationers, I would be very unhappy about it.