Beach vacation over Christmas / New Years?
DC based and love Hawaii but think we may have done it all there. Would you mind helping me out and recommendation a good fit for this upcoming Christmas / New Years? Kids are 10 and 7 and my wife and love Hawaii despite being East Coast US based. We did Hualalai for many years and found it is extraordinarily expensive for what you get and know it gets mixed reviews here, but we liked it . Tried the Fairmont in Wailea last year and were disappointed. It is not imho close to a Four seasons. The Wailea Four Seasons in Maui is meh over that period of time as I think it is overrun and not relaxing and the Andaz was fine and we checked out their rooms and they were tiny and fine. Concerned about the rain and clouds in Kapalua. Every time over that period of the year I have been there it has been raining. Not sure if anything is actually luxury in Kaanapali (and have stayed at the Westin, Sheraton, Hyatt and Hyatt residences there). The new Timbers on Kauai is in a ok place but not sure I want to gamble that it is up and running properly by then. Kukui’ula is promising but we can not get in there then and not on the ocean. Have stayed at the Hyatt on Kauai and not really luxury imho. And it just rains too much up in Princeville IMHO. On the Big Island, I have had meh reviews from friends and otherwise of the Fairmont, Mauna Lani is closed for a year or so. Not sure the refresh of the Hapuna will be luxury and the never a huge fan of Mauna Kea with a huge premium for ocean facing rooms and the tiny tiny pool. The residences up there are interesting but you really have to drive to the resorts every day which seems a bit much. Do not want to do a full ten days on Lanai right now. So at least Hualalai luxury in Hawaii or Mexico (Punta Mita or Mayakoba maybe) or the Caribbean. I think SE Asia is probably pushing right now. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance.