Maui- A few more questions (and thanks)

ETA new questions:

1. figured out the traveling into one island and out the other.

2. I was TOLD that I should just book a flight between islands to go from "big" to Maui. ANY advice on that?

3. Hotels. I would LOVE to stay at the Mariott, but I think its out of my budget. We wanted to stay around the $200 mark per night. We could go higher, but it does get expensive. so...

I think we have decided on the Kaanapali beach club. It will be about $2k for the 8 days.

Can anyone here say that "you MUST stay at X property and spend the extra money" or say "spend the money to stay at a nicer place in general, you get more"?

I just don't want to make a huge mistake. If people are saying "spend the money on a nice place" I would do that.

This is SO difficult!!!!!

Message edited 2/15/2015 11:36:27 AM.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

I can only speak of my experience from my HM.... we flew into Oahu, spent a few days there and then took an short inter-island flight (via Hawaiian Airlines) to Maui for 6 days, and left to go home from there. Overall the airfare was costly to begin with, but I think it was more convenient to us, to fly out from our last destination (which was Maui) vs having to take another inter island flight back to Oahu.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

Don't go roundtrip. Fly into the Big Island, then hop over to Maui and fly home from Maui (no need to backtrack).

Inter island flights can usually be gotten for under $100 per person if you book early. It's super easy to island hop. Of course, security since 9/11 has changed things so you do still have to check in at least an hour before your flight, etc., but it really couldn't be any easier.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- where to stay etc.

I just started doing some research and what you all say is true. I figured I can go into one island and off the other.

Now. Any suggestions as to hotel on Maui? I think we prefer a resort aka: things to do, cool pools, etc etc.

but we are open to suggestions.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

There are two main parts of Maui that have resorts. Kaanapali Beach and Wailea. Kaanapali is older but it's right near Lahaina and it's more lively. Wailea has nicer (more expensive) resorts but it's quieter.

We usually stay at the Hyatt on Kaanapali. But have also stayed at the Sheraton and the Westin there. We came close to staying at the Fairmont Kea Lani when we went this October, but since we usually go into Lahaina several times on our trip (sometimes even twice a day), it didn't make sense to stay on the Wailea side of the island.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

I would also stay in the Kaanapali area since its closer to Lahaina where there is shopping, restaurants. We stayed at the Hyatt and it was nice although I wasn't crazy about the beach there.

ETA this is making me miss Hawaii so much!! Have a great time.

Message edited 2/11/2015 2:18:04 PM.

Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

We stayed at the Hyatt in the Kaanapali area also and were very happy there. We also rented a car and drove all over the island to see as much as possible, including driving the Road to Hana. Absolutely spectacular views.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

one of the great things about Hawaii is that all of the beaches are public. So even if you're staying at the Hyatt (which doesn't have the best beach), you can head over to any other beach and use it.

On our first day of each of our trips, we hit up Boss Frog's or Snorkel Bob's and rent snorkel gear, an umbrella and beach chairs for the week and throw them in the rental car. It makes life so much easier, and it's relatively inexpensive.

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

I stayed here and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Westin



I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the place too

Re: Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

Posted by LI2VA

I stayed here and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Westin



I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the place too

Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

We haven't been to Hawaii in quite a few years but I remember thst traveling roundtrip was cheaper than flying in and out of different Islands. Island hopping by plane was very easy and not very expensive. In Maui, Grand Wailea had an amazing spa, the old Lahaina luau was my favorite luau, and there were some very scenic hikes.

Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

We stayed at the Hyatt as well and I wasn't crazy about it - we were on our honeymoon and there were a lot of kids around and very noisy. We were hoping for more romantic. We should have stayed at the Ritz Carlton - it's a five minute drive north and it was beautiful! We could have gotten a suite for what the Hyatt was charging for an ocean view room. Their beach and pool were gorgeous too. You have to drive to Lahaina from either area so I personally would have preferred the Ritz.

Hawaii - Need help- Island to Island, where to stay etc.

We stayed at the Valley Isle resort in Maui. Rented a condo for about $150 a night back in 2007. It was great because it had a full kitchen and laundry so we could have breakfast and lunch there and splurge on dinner. http://www.valleyisleresort.com
We plan to go back this year and stay at the same place.

Re: Maui- A few more questions (and thanks)

bump for new questions

Re: Maui- A few more questions (and thanks)

The interisland flghts are easy to book. As soon as you know your definite dates, I would book. Again do a milticity itinerary rather than flying back to the big island or oahu.

Are you talking about the kaanapali beach HOTEL or the kaanapli beach CLUB? The club is not located in the same area as the other kaanapali resorts. It is north of black rock and is a condo/timeshare property. The HOTEL is on the same strip as the sheraton and hyatt. Its right next to the sheraton. My SIL stayed there and we met up with them from the hyatt. Hotels is very hawaiian. Its small and quaint without all the bells and whistles of a big resort.

As far as where to stay, what do you want to do on Maui? Sightsee? Hike? Explore? Go into town? Or do you want to lounge by the beach all day? Do you prefer beach or pool?

Re: Maui- A few more questions (and thanks)

I went to Maui and the the Big Island on my honeymoon in 2006. We did the inter island flight and if I recall, it was pretty easy/convenient.

We stayed at The Hyatt Regency on Maui. I liked being in the Kaanapali beach area to walk to restaurants and nightlife. But we stayed at a more secluded, quiet resort on The Big Island, which kind of gave us the best of both worlds.

Re: Maui- A few more questions (and thanks)

Re: Maui- A few more questions (and thanks)

OK - went there in 2007. We did San Diego. Then flew to Oahu, then flew to Kauai, and then lastly Maui :)

Let me answer your questions:

I researched this to the point of exhaustion LOL. I can say without reservation or hesitation, that spending the money on the place we stayed in Maui was the best thing I have ever done when traveling. It is called "The Grand Wailea" and when I saw it on Oprah and then on The Travel Channel, I realized I HAD to go there. It was pricey, yes, but on par with all of the other beach resorts at that star level.

For me, at the time, I was childless but wow it becomes even more worth it if you have children. The pools and the slides and the waterfalls are the best - I mean, the BEST!!!!! Wailea, as an area, is beautiful because it's a short drive from the airport but a million miles away from the hustle and bustle -- but yet not rural either. Wailea is compromised of a vacation timeshare place, the Grand Wailea, then the Fairmont Kealani (also TO DIE FOR GORGEOUS -- my #2 choice), and then the Four Seasons. That's basically it in the area aside from beautiful private homes.

Wailea beach has like a nutmegy almost cinnamon colored SOFT and gorgeous sand. The water is crystal clear and sky blue. The beach had nice waves - not too big, not too small, perfect for jumping and just past the waves, you could just lay on a raft. Lovely. I'll never forget it. There were literally no rocks and shit on the beach -- meaning nothing like jellyfish, nothing like seaweed, NOTHING. It looked like a calendar picture lolol. I remember the Travel Channel saying it was one of their top three beaches in the world -- at the time. They do one of those specials each year.

The pools at the Grand Wailea are most known for their water elevator -- lol, quite impressive. The man who originally built the hotel had a son in a wheelchair so he made this water elevator that uses water pressure to pump the guests up from the lower level pool to the top level pool. IT IS AMAZING. You never have to leave the pool to get up to the top to go down all the slides. You slide down, you go through they have this like "course" of slides and pools and rapids and in-water bar and restaurant!!! and then you come down eventually to the lower pool, wait for the elevator and go back. I mean, I'm an adult and I was like a child in HEAVEN.

The customer service was amazing. The restaurants -- Humu Humu I highly recommend and all of the others, they are fantastic. I have never had such unbelievable customer service.

That was the greatest vacation of my life. And it was because of where we stayed. The area and the hotel. Hands down.

We flew Hawaiian Airlines inter-island. It was cheap, easy, quick -- perfect. Just book through them and it's pretty simple.

Yes you can go from the Big Island - which was the only major island we did not do... I'm just not a lava girl. But yeah it's pretty simple. Keep in mind, the area right before you land when going into Maui -- it is down a stretch in between two volcanoes and mountain ranges -- it causes a wind tunnel effect. So, the pilot warned us ahead of time that it is quite normal when coming into land and going toward the runway -- it is VERY BUMPY -- I am afraid of flying and if he didn't warn us that this happens every time because of the wind tunnel effect, I would have shit myself. Just keep that in mind. :)


ETA - a lot of people will tell you to stay near Lahaina or Kaanapali -- I say the opposite. EVERYONE goes there - Wailea is removed but still has tons to do, you'll have a car because you need to rent one when in Hawaii, and it's just nice to be away and the place is so unique. And since you have a car, go wherever you'd like. It's so easy to get from place to place because the islands are relatively small.

Message edited 2/20/2015 11:52:14 AM.