HIFlya

What dates are the race? Maybe this explains why the Vegas mid-week prices were not normal for my kid's fall break.

Eujeanie

Yes, Ali'i is the very top tower, not necessarily because of the size of the rooms (although they also have suites that we've never been in) but because of the private pool, location, private check-in, other perks. I would never count on an upgrade. If we go we pay for the room we want, the cash price is (usually) not too much higher, it's the way Hilton crazy does their points on premium rooms.

Besides Ali'i, what's considered a specialty tower - Rainbow? I love not having to fight for a lounge chair at the pool - always plenty available at Ali'i.

HIFlya

Ali'i is different than Kalia right? Kalia has a private pool? But I guess the views from those rooms are like the worst out of the bunch?

Eujeanie

I have no idea. I thought Ali'i was the only one with a private pool - that's great if Kalia does, too. I know most of the towers have a separate pool, but you can travel around to all of them. Ali'i you must be staying there to access it.

Eujeanie

Looks like the Kalia tower is not near the water. You should really ask your questions over on the HHV forum before we get kicked out of here.

hawaii.hawaiiresortmaps.com

HIFlya

Yup that is what I thought. Yeah we were kind of going off the rails. Will stop now.

jazz12pg

Nov 16th-18th

jazz12pg

Anyone know if the 2 queen deluxe ocean view rooms have a sofa? Or if the resort has rollaway cots? There's 4 of us per room but wondering if there's an option for someone looking to sleep by themselves.

Irishthelucky1

How were you able to add on the “Indulge Your Senses” promo when your post below explaining the membership program states:

• Room discounts are applicable to the “flexible rate” selling price only and not applicable to other offers, promotions, or third-party packages

jazz12pg

Maybe that only applies to room discount specific promos? The Indulge Your Senses promo was a booking promotion ("Book between X and XX dates") and when I went through the Elite Member booking (where the room rates are already reflecting the 30% discount) there was a place to add a promo code and that's where I added the Indulge Your Senses code and my confirmed reservation shows it as an Indulge Your Senses booking.

DaveInLA

I'm trying to decide if I should get a rental car for my family trip. I'm going with my wife and 5 year old and 3 yo in late Dec-early January, total 5 nights. We don't plan to venture out much, mostly stay in resort and likely the Shops at Wailea, but I would like to be able to occasionally buy some local food and bring back to resort (prob just me, not the whole family).
Cost of rental SUV is $450-500
Cost of valet $65 + tips x 5 = $350
Plus few bucks for gas
Total to "rent" $800-850
If we Uber, I believe will be $75 each way (will choose the XL option), but lose the convenience of driving for quick eats.
I read there's an Enterprise on site, but the prices are crazy.
What other options for local transportation are there at GW?

Seph87

Your other options are walking and biking - the hotel offers free bike rentals though they're not exactly the best bikes. Think simple beach cruisers and not something you'd want to go long distances.

You can pretty easily walk to the shops and other resorts in Wailea. Kihei is about 4 miles away so would be 15-20 mins on a bike each way. Beyond Kihei you would definitely need a car / Uber.

You're never going to come out ahead financially by renting a car. The daily valet rate alone is more than a round trip Uber to anywhere you'd want to eat around the hotel. It's really up to you how much the convenience of having your own car is worth vs. potentially waiting a while for an XL to pick you up.

jazz12pg

Did the same calculations and we decided to rent a minivan for one day and planned around it. The day we have the minivan is right in the middle of our trip and we will be driving to Makawao for a pineapple farm tour, do some shopping, and do a birthday dinner in West Maui. Renting from the Budget in Wailea Town Center that is about 10-15 minute walk from the resort. Picking it up at 8am, hitting the road, then when we get back I will drop it in the overnight return and won't have to worry about parking/valet. Booked via Costco for $90-some with taxes for the day, plus whatever we use in gas.

We're there for 7 days and 3 of those days we are doing off-resort activities that either pick us up (Road to Hana and Haleakala sunrise) or are walking distance (sea scooter snorkeling), with the rest just hanging at the pools, beach, shops.

Eujeanie

There's a small Island Market in the Shops at Wailea where you can get prepared food to bring back to your room. And you can get stuff like that at the Lulu (or whatever it's called, the old Cafe Kula) - are you Diamond or Gold with Hilton? If so don't forget to use up your $50/day it's use it or lose it daily.
Because your kids are so young I can see why you don't really care about sightseeing. But I do like Jazz's idea of just renting a car for one day to get out and see more of the island if Mom and Dad get stir crazy.

jazz12pg

Saw some recent reviews for late June stays that said many of the pools/slides were closed down due to pipe repairs that were needed. Anyone staying there since that knows if everything is back up?