Hi all, I stumbled upon this forum via google, in reference to the Westin vs Sheraton thread.

I am pretty sure we are going to choose Sheraton maui for our Oahu-Maui honeymoon next October (or early November) 2010. This is based on several things I've come to determine in research, namely:

Better beach (satelite photos seem to confirm this)
Quieter location
Less screaming children
Newer building

Questions:

1)Can someone explain the Starwood Preferred Guest in laymen's terms? I found spg.com to be very confusing. I just want to know if there is any way for a new guest to get a discount, free night, etc. I believe we are going to stay in Outrigger Wakiki on the Beach in Oahu, but is there a discount to stay at two starwood hotels (such as [Westin] Moana Surfrider and Sheraton)? Should I mention we are on honeymoon when we arrive?

2)Shuttle service vs rental car. The Sheraton site lists shuttle to surrounding areas. Lahaina? Airport? Also, we want to do the Road to Hana. I was told you can rent a car right at the Sheraton for 1 day to do that. Is it worth getting a car for all 5 days we'll be in Maui or just that 1 day? Will a cab cost just as much for airport pickup and dropoff on arrival and departure day?

3)Assuming we book the cheapest rate, what building are we likely to end up in?

4)Does snorkeling at Black Rock on Ka'anapali rival the Hanauma Bay experience on Oahu? Should we skip Hanauma Bay since we can snorkel right at Black Rock in the latter part of our trip?

Any other advice/ideas appreciated.

Thanks

Dave