Hawaii Hotels

May 26th, 2004

There are over 250 Hawaii hotels, so how do you pick a Hawaii hotel?

Step 1.
Determine all islands and areas you will be visiting and what your arrival and departure dates will be for each place.

Step 2.
Set your budget. State tax on Hawaii Hotels is almost 11%, and that can raise the per day amount significantly so plan for it. Consider any discounts you may have. If you are a member of an organization (such as a union), it may have a percentage discount with a certain Hawaii hotel. If you have purchased the Hawaii Entertainment Book, it has several discounts on hotels in Hawaii.

Step 3.
Consider brands. This step can save you time. Some well-known Hawaii hotel brands are:

• Aston - Full range of prices. Several inexpensive hotels in Waikiki.
• Four Seasons - high-end
• Hilton - high-end
• Holiday Inn - one in Waikiki and one on Kauai
• Hyatt - high-end
• Marriott - high-end
• Ohana - Family-oriented. Low prices.
• Outrigger - Quality. Full range of prices. (my favorite local hotel brand)
• Sheraton - high-end
• Seaside - low prices

Step 4
If you have individual hotels in mind, check their websites for prices and amenities. When checking prices, do not automatically assume the hotel's website is the best you can get. Always check a third party booking engine like Travelnow; I have found mixed results. Usually the online booking engine gets me the best price, but occasionally I have found the best price at the website (especially when the hotel offers a package like room and car or room and meals).

If you are attempting to book less than a month or two out or during any major holiday or event, it is helpful to use a third party booking engine's ability to check what hotels are available during the time you want to visit. That way you avoid entering your information a dozen times and getting back "no rooms available". Try Travelnow's availability engines for Big Island, Kauai, Oahu, Maui.