Originally Posted by
josephstern
OK, but I was seeing these couples at the Andaz, which has very limited award availability. Last two times I was there, unless you planned more than six months in advance, rooms were going for $1600/night.
I went to Vegas for work when I was 20something and playing the $5 blackjack table. I was amazed to see “kids” playing at the $100 blackjack table - and this was at a downtown (not lux strip) casino. Even now I’m amazed at how anyone can play $5/10 poker where there are no tv cameras.
so zero surprise to see people of all ages, including 20-something, sitting in F, staying at nicer lodging… driving nice cars. I don’t know them, I don’t ponder much about how they can afford it, and I just know that it happens.
we flew annually (during our child’s school breaks) to Maui in F and paid cash at honua kai / westin condos / grand Wailea because even full point stays weren’t easy to get there during “spring break” when demand is high :-). Covid ended our run.
it sucked for me one year to run into our teacher on our flight - they were stuck in kuaui and got rerouted via OGG. It was better to just run into friends from school at grand Wailea, waving from our cabanas. $700 back then - I think now they cost more and have gotten smaller due to bigger furnishings. Blech.
I agree that maui / Hawaii costs more than before which is why I’m grinching my family by saying No for a Hawaii return. The $4800 we save on airfare can be spent at Lux in California. But mostly after our friend got a false positive at the airport, that’s really what’s also stopping me. I don’t need to spend $4800 on airfare only to get a false positive. Blah!