Hawaii on a Dime

An article with a lot of helpful, specific recommendations and suggestions about making your visit to Hawaii less expensive:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/27...83e&ei=5087%0A

A real helpful link with a great and motivating video.

Welcome to the Hawaii Travel Forum on FlyerTalk, BeckFly!

Enjoy your stay!

Aloha Kakou!

I read this article yesterday, and quite honestly, walked away unimpressed.

You can't adequately describe doing Hawaii on a budget in a few pages. The article should have focused on NOT using travel agency packages and using the other options such as renting condos or timeshares, as well as priceline, etc.

If you're looking to do Hawaii for a week for about $1k, well, these may be good suggestions, but I'm familiar with many of the places mentioned, and this is definitely not the way I would want to do it. For $1k more you can have a far better time and eat in normal places.

I would run screaming from any sub-$100 per night property in Hawaii. Plus, the locations listed are small properties, and well, now that they've been mentioned in the NY Times, reservations are going to be impossible to get

Not necessarily..........

We've stayed at the Ocean Resort Hotel, Waikiki; King Kamehameha Hotel, Kona; Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Hilo; Kaluakoi Villas, Kaunakakai; Kalani's Hideaway, Hana; just to name a few < $100 per night accomodations that are perfectly acceptable. Mrp Alert recently spent a weekend in Kihei, on the beach at the Aston Maui Lu for < $100 per night. He said it was great! The Kaanapali Beach Hotel usually has on-line internet specials for tourists, with rooms < $100 per night in the slow months.

Not that there aren't those that would send you screaming, mind you!

Anything's possible!

True, however, I wouldn't stay in Hilo, and I don't think many others would either, unless they spend a single night to see the volano I certainly wouldn't ever recommend someone staying there as a base to explore the island. Too much is on the other side.

As for Waikiki - if there's a gem out there for under $100, I certainly haven't found it Perhaps you're getting kaamaiana (sp) rates?

For most people, except the most budget conscious who simply MUST go to Hawaii, this article is just a bit too much on the rustic side. It doesn't have to cost $650 per day, but it also can but just a bit above the author's $170 per day and you can eat more than noodles and self-made sandwiches.

But then again, I would rather not go than go with such a strict budget.

To each his own, I guess.

That's why so many Kama'aina live there.......few out-of-state tourists!

We've enjoyed the heck out of our stays on the East side of the B.I.!

P.S. There are lots of hotels on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki for < $100 per night. I'd say about 1/3 are to be avoided at all costs. If you're not intent on staying on Kalakaua, Waikiki hotels are actually price-warring for your business! The Ocean Resort Hotel Waikiki and the Maile Sky Court offer 'Business" rates to tourists for less than $100 per; we've stayed at, and survived, both, and would do so again, if price was the motivating factor. The Ambassador on Kuhio is known as a decent "value priced" hotel, though we have not stayed there.

FYI these hotels that offer "business" rates give them to whoever asks, no proof required; unlike kamaaina rates, where ya gotta show a HI drivers license.

Mary2e, I think you should give Hilo a second chance! There are some great B&B's on Reed Island, there's an interesting Farmer's market in town on the weekends, and there are a lot of unique restaurants to choose from.

Using Hilo as a base, you can explore the Hamakua Coast with its spectacular waterfalls and a world-class botanical garden, or travel along Kapoho Kalapana Road for some beautiful ocean views. And, as you mentioned, there's Volcanoes National Park

Yes, it's rustic, but in a beautiful, laid back and charming way.

I never meant that it wasn't charming or that I don't enjoy going there. It's just not where I prefer to stay.

1 night & 2 days there and I can see all that I want to, including the items you mention.

I'm also not a B&B person. I would prefer a condo over, what I consider, sharing a stranger's home.

Kaukau - what places would you recommend in Waikiki? I am in need of a rental for some guest coming in from out of town and I am going to try to rent the place myself to get the Kamaaina rate.

Here are some places that I have seen have good rates (rates below are non-kamaaina for the 1st week of April):
Waikiki Parc (near HHV) - 57 (this is rated as a 3 star on Kayak dot com)
Aston Honolulu Prince - 79
Waikiki Grand Hotel (would prefer not to b/c I live on the other side of Waikiki) -80
Castle Maile Sky Court - 82
Castle Ocean Resort Hotel - 83 (Is this the "Ocean Resort" you mentioned above?)

Any personal experience recommendations on a clean place is greatly appreciated. Mahalo!

You've got P.M.

I like the Waikiki Parc. It's also a sister property of Halekulani.

Let me qualify that by saying that I am a huge fan of W hotels.

Totally agree on the OR.

I've stayed at the Ocean Resort (Castle Ocean Resort) many times.
Its no Hilton or Marriott, but it's at a quiet location 1.5 blocks from the beach, is well maintained but a little worn, has friendly staff, and is a steal.

Will stay in May for $67/night in the kitchenette room.