My wife and I have been to Hawaii four times. Another way to keep costs down is to stay at a rental condo. You can usually find all levels of luxury and budget from $100 - $500+/night. By staying in a condo. you get a full kitchen so you can do breakfast and lunch on your own. We have used that strategy multiple times and usually go out for dinner.

On Maui we stayed in the Napilli Bay area which is located between Kaanapali and Kapalua. There is a full service super market (Foodland if I remember correctly) in the Napilli Bay shopping center. On Oahu we stayed in the Lanikai-Kailua area (opposite side of the island from Waikiki). Again full service supermarket was nearby. Finally on Kuaui, we have stayed in the Princeville area twice (super market nearby again).

In general, we found Maui to be the most expensive of the islands though we liked staying their a lot (nice swimming and snorkleing beaches, Hiking in Haleakaka, driving the Western perimeter road and driving the road to Hana including driving the back road, etc.). Kuaui has great hiking, a spectacular bird sanctuary, and nice beaches and is fairly laid back. Oahu is also nice. You can also go over to the Waikiki area for some nightlife and than escape back to the quiet of the Kailua/Lanikai area. The Arizona Memorial is definitely worth a day trip.

Another similar variation on this theme is bed and breakfasts. What you don't get with this strategy is daily maid service, room service, in-house spa's, etc. Any way, depending on what is important to you this is a good way to do Hawaii at relatively low cost.


--Jon