spgplat21

If it's not going to change your decision on whether to stay, I would just show up and see what happens and ask again nicely if they say no at first. I think if you try to pin them down with an official answer beforehand, you're more likely to get rejected to avoid a written response being seen as an official policy.

skj

I've always reached out in advance when I've booked multiple rooms as I want to make sure the property understands our preferences, e.g. same floor or don't care, connecting rooms or not, and any other requests. During that discussion - typically a phone call in my case - it's easy to ask about other items including Glob benefits. In every case, the person I've been speaking with (usually the VIP manager, the Director of Rooms, or the Front Office Manager) stated all the rooms would get Glob benes without me having to ask about it. Note that many resorts will block rooms 3 or 4 days in advance so I usually make the call about a week before we plan to arrive, knowing it may take a day or two to connect with the right person. Most of the time I'll get an email from someone at the property before my stay, welcoming me and asking about any special requests. That's a good person to respond to and start the discussion.

Kacee

Prices here have gone from insane to, well, what's beyond "insane"? Now seeing base rate of $849 most of March and April, with some nights over $1000.

platbrownguy

Makes sense to me. A lot of people, IME, are deterred from international travel now because of the requirement of a covid test to return. I know several people who have friends who tested positive while in Mexico or the DR and are (or were) stuck for an extra 14 days.

Currently in Puerto Rico where demand seems to be through the roof. Managers at both St. Regis and Hyatt Grand Reserve have indicated that rebookings from international are a big part of this. I can only imagine the same is true for Hawaii, particularly West-Coasters going there instead of Mexico. Plus increased demand from folks with money and vaccines who are willing to pay for beyond-insane because they haven't traveled in a year.

jasonvr

Glad I got a points booking and a suite upgrade when I did then! Flight on WN on points with CP as well. So far just paying for the car for the week (and of course food and activities)

canyonleo

FYI, I have found discounthawaiicarrental.com to be such a great deal I no longer look to use my Hertz points. The use real reservations with Dollar, Hertz, National, Avis, etc., you get a real confirmation number from the rental car company so once you have it booked you deal directly with the rental car company not discounthawaiicarrental. I've been using them for years, great prices, same reservations as booking directly (but much cheaper).

jasonvr

Thanks for the suggestion. I can use my corporate discount for personal travel and it is crushing any available public rates. Already got an autoslash quote too and it wasn't even close. I've got 360 including taxes for a week of a Wrangler

AllThePants

Yeah - March and April are peak times in Hawaii --- with spring break for a lot of folks. Myself included. I'm lucky I got my award bookings in in early Feb (also with cheap southwest flights at the time). With most people hankering to travel again -- and Hawaii feeling *relatively* safe in current environs - and the hotels ostensibly operating at xx% capacity --- demand for some semblance of sanity is far outstripping supply right now.​​

FWIW - the week-long car rental I have booked for under $400 is now consistently priced at over $1000.

josephstern

discounthawaiicarrental.com is not showing good rates for me for either of my next two trips.

I'm surprised I can't get a good rate for a trip in March. Seems like those car lots should be full, but I guess Hawaii is really rolling again.

If you do use discounthawaiicarrental.com, can you enter your car rental elite number and skip the line and go right to your car? Nothing like spending five hours on a flight to paradise and then getting stuck behind people who showed up at the counter without reservations and they're trying to decide on the different car types and prices and whether they should try a different company . . . being able to just go to my car is worth real money to me.

redbirdsj

I'm here now and lucky to have booked on points since I do believe there has been a surge in demand based on vaccine availability coinciding with spring break season and the continued reduced capacity of hotels. Restaurants are also at reduced capacity as well so we've found it difficult to eat at the more popular places so far without a reservation. The upside is that attractions without capacity controls (e.g., the road to Hana, state parks) are noticeably less crowded than normal.

There was talk above about the Andaz suite. I'm in one on 1st floor of Makai tower, facing the spa but west of the pool suites toward the ocean. I think there is only one or two of these on this side of the tower. The view isn't great but there is a good view of the sky/trees at sunset and some ocean if you're tall enough. With two kids, the extra room and extra bathroom are great, but I can see why a couple would rather downgrade to an ocean view room if space isn't a priority.

josephstern

Do you have any privacy there? Can you walk right out to the pool area from the room, or are you above the slope there enough that you have a balcony?

Kacee

The car rental agencies all downsized their fleets. Empty lots have been pretty common across the country, especially during (relative) high demand periods.

josephstern

So they actually shipped these off Maui? Or sold them on Maui? Seems like given the shipping obstacle getting them in and out you'd tend to wait this out a bit.

redbirdsj

It's actually pretty private. There's enough vegetation in front and around that it feels tucked back. Sitting on the lanai working for the last 45 minutes and haven't seen a single person in view.

No walk out access. It's probably 6-8' above grade. It is the same level as the pool suites but beyond where the stairs descend from the adult pool going toward the main pool area.

canyonleo

Yes, you can use your loyalty number and receive benefits/points. They are merely a wholesaler so you are getting a real reservation with a real (not micky mouse fringe) rental car company - on the airport! I find their prices beat my company (F500) negotiated really low rates.

But, anyone trying to rent a car with only days/weeks notice, in booming Hawaii, is not going to find a deal nearly anywhere IMO.