Poll: Hawaii
 

Recently, as is the norm, there have been some threads regarding Hawaii. As one might expect, the questions are readily answered and the threads wind off into general tips for the travel to the 50th state. This got me thinking, since so many FTers are so well versed in HI hotels/attractions, why not start a poll as to what the "best" of Hawaii really is. Thanx for your responses.

1:What are your favorite and least favorite islands?
2:What are your favorite Hotels?
3:What is/are your favorite Beach(es)?
4:What is your prefered routing to get to the Islands?
5:And finally, I know that they are virtually the same, but pick one, Hawaiian or Aloha for interisland ?
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At risk of being the only person to answer my poll(boy would that be embaressing) I think i will get the ball rolling with my answers.
1) Favorite: kauai and Big Island
Least: Maui
2) Mauna Kea beach resort on the Big Island
Kahala Mandarin oriental on Oahu
Halukulani on Oahu
3) Poipu beach on Kauai
Lanakai Beach on Oahu
And a little blacksand beach on the big Island whose name eludes me
4) UA via SFO sure beats NW via DTW and SFO
5)Aloha, because its easier to spell.

Favorite Island: Maui
Least Favorite: Oahu
Favorite Hotel: Rennaisance Maui, Hilton Big Island
Favorite Beach: Green Side Sand Traps on the Kings Course, Big Island
Preferred Routing: BOS-EWR-HNL-OGG/KOA
Favorite Inter-Island Bus: Hawaiian (CO Miles)

Favorite island: Molokai
If you are looking for a romantic, "don't bother us", type of place, this is it. The peace and solitude is the best. However, apparently there's a little too much peace and solitude and this island has never caught on with tourists, therefore the 2 or 3 hotels on the island have not been kept up as well as I would have hoped. But the sheer beauty of the island (south shore) is worth the trip.

2nd Favorite Island: Big Island
Hawaii as it oughta be.

Worst Island: Oahu
To call anything in Hawaii the "worst" is really an oxymoron, but if we must pick one, Oahu is the island to avoid if you don't want to feel like you are in downtown Tokyo. If you can only do one island, I guess the quintessential bang for the buck must be
Maui.

Has it all. Yes, more commercial than we'd like, but still has unspoiled beauty, volcanoes, nature, and terrific beaches.
Ask me again after I get back from a trip there in August !!!!!!!!!

Favorite Island: Hawaii & Maui
Least Favorite: Oahu
Favorite Hotel: Ritz Carlton Kapalua (Maui)
Favorite Beach: Kapalua (Maui)& Waikoloa (Hawaii)
Preferred Routing: JFK-LAX/SFO-HNL (with an overnight in California; avoids redeyes)
Preferred Inter-island airline: HA (AA)

Favorite Island: 1)Maui 2)Hawaii
Least Favorite: Oahu
Favorite Hotel: Whaler condo - Maui
Favorite Beach: Kaanapali(Maui)& Waikoloa (Hawaii)
Preferred Routing: MSP-LAX-OGG
Preferred Inter-island airline: No preference

Gwen

1) Favorite: Hawaii
Least favored: Oahu

2) Favorite Hotel on Oahu: Princess PK for a good balance of cost, service, entertainment. No preference on Hawaii; we stay in rented condos.

3) Favorite Beach: Hapuna in Kohala. Marvelous water, sand, and few people.

4) Route: YVR - HNL - KOA

5) Airline: Whichever one is *A

1) Kauai - best; Big Island - least
2) Not sure, but Sharaton Kanapaali look ed great!
3) Kee beach, Kaui - Kanapaali, Maui - Poipu, Kauai
4) Anything with a 777!
5) Never flew interisland, but Hawaiian 717 would be first choice!

1) My favorite islands are Kauai for beauty, Hawaii for diversity, Oahu for nightlife, Molokai for quiet.

Mauai was "ok" but didn't seem to impress me. Perhaps I should try it again.

I've not visited Lanai. $60 or more a day for a rental car??? I think NOT!

Kauai is my overall favorite.

2) I'm pretty cheap! Favorite places to stay, on Oahu the Waikiki Beachcomber. Comfortable, convenient to Waikiki and the internet special of $80 a night per room is nice.

On Hawaii (Kona) the Royal Kona Resort. Internet special of $89 or so. Short walk into town. Great dinner buffet.

On Kauai I stay at a bed and breakfast run by friends. I get to make my own breakfast if I want and have the run of the house. During the halloween party last night, I was tasked playing a hunchback in fvront of 50 neighbors. A room and a show. What a deal! :-)

3) I don't do beaches much but on Oahu, Waikiki to people-watch. Kauai would be Ke'e for snorkling with turtles and Anini and for beauty, Polehale.

4) Prefered routing? Any one that would give me a chance of getting bumped. I told you I was cheap!

5) I choose Hawaiian, but I had good experiences with them, Aloha and the defunct Mahalo.

Favorite Island 1) Maui 2) Big Island
Favorite Hotel - Foud Seasons on both, then the Orchid on the Big Island.

1. Favorite: Kauai/Big Island
2. The Orchid on the Big Island - somewhat expensive, but extremely elegant.
3. ?
4. I live on the east coast, so I like to go through Dallas (AA). It breaks the trip up and lets me get up and move about.
5. Hawaiian - but only because I can earn AA miles.

1. best: Hawaii, of course!
2. Orchid Hotel on Kohala Coast: best snorkeling right from the hotel bay - giant turtles every time!
3. Poipu
4. Delta, cuz I am PM and sit in front :-)
5. Interisland - whatever has best schedule to get me on the beach the fastest!

[This message has been edited by NancyD (edited 11-02-2001).]

[This message has been edited by NancyD (edited 11-02-2001).]

1:What are your favorite and least favorite islands? Kauai is favorite. Oahu is leas
2:What are your favorite Hotels? Hotel? Does Hawaii have hotels? Never stayed in one.. I always rent a house. So much cheaper.
3:What is/are your favorite Beach(es)? All on Kauai... Grandpa's beach in Hanalei for hanging... Ke'e for snorkeling with turtles. Tunnels for general snorkeling.
4:What is your prefered routing to get to the Islands? I stop off on my RTW fares or use WorldPerks on NWA... usually something convoluted like JFK-MSP-HNL-LIH
5:And finally, I know that they are virtually the same, but pick one, Hawaiian or Aloha for interisland ? Hawaiian.. I have had some great customer service experiences with them.


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NWA Platinum Elite, Centurion

Found this post after doing a little housekeeping. According to our archives, this is one of the the first posts on the Hawai‘i board, so I'd thought I'd bring it back up so I could respond (see what happens when you have a few days off work!?) ;)

1:What are your favorite and least favorite islands?

Favorite: Maui Least Favorite: The one I live on

2:What are your favorite Hotels?

My personal favorite is the Princeville Resort and because it has sentimental value, the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

3:What is/are your favorite Beach(es)?

Anything outside of the city limits here in Honolulu, especially on the East, North and West facing shores.

4:What is your prefered routing to get to the Islands?

My Honda Accord. I guess I'm not really supposed to answer this question.

5:And finally, I know that they are virtually the same, but pick one, Hawaiian or Aloha for interisland ?

I used to fly Aloha, but ever since they took away my Executive Plus status, I only fly where my miles take me.

Your turn!

aloha, a hui hou, e mālama pono

1:What are your favorite and least favorite islands?

Favorite: Maui Least Favorite: Big Island. Disclaimer: I've only been to these two plus Oahu. I actually like the Big Island quite a bit -- just like the other two better.

2:What are your favorite Hotels?

Personally, the Four Seasons Maui, but with kids, the Hilton Waikoloa.

3:What is/are your favorite Beach(es)?

They're all so good in Hawaii. It would be splitting hairs to pick one over another.

4:What is your prefered routing to get to the Islands?

Aloha First Class, OAK-OGG. I only did this once, but it was terrific. It seemed like they had 12 FAs for the 12 F passengers. Best meal I've ever had in the air.

5:And finally, I know that they are virtually the same, but pick one, Hawaiian or Aloha for interisland ?

Can't say I care for such short flights.

1:What are your favorite and least favorite islands?

This really depends on my mood and what I'm looking for at the time. Sometimes it's Oahu I'm longing for; other times Molokai. I suppose the Big Island really offers the most variety though.

2:What are your favorite Hotels?

I've stayed in probably most of the major hotels on each island, but my favorite places to stay are some very secluded B&Bs I've found on different islands. Since I've found them I've stopped staying at the resorts. No points, but I'd rather have serenity.

3:What is/are your favorite Beach(es)?

Whichever one has no one else on it. Most of my favorites I know by mile markers, not names.

4:What is your prefered routing to get to the Islands?

SFO to whichever island I'm visiting.

5:And finally, I know that they are virtually the same, but pick one, Hawaiian or Aloha for interisland ?

The one question I have a strong opinion on ... I've boycotted Hawaiian for about 10 years now since I had some really bad service from a check-in agent. That makes it Aloha for me.