BEAT OF HAWAII AND BEYOND

If you’re looking to spend Valentine’s Day in Hawaii, here’s a deal from Pleasant Holidays that’s too good to pass up to Honolulu, Maui or Kauai.

• $189 per person, fly round-trip to Hawaii, including Hertz rental car for 3 days (hotel not included).
• $225 per person, fly round-trip to Hawaii and stay 3 nights at one of their partner hotels (car rental not included).
• Valid for travel between San Francisco/ Los Angeles and Honolulu/Maui, and between San Francisco and Kauai.
• Travel can also commence in Hawaii for California bound locals.

Otherwise, Hawaii airfare deals aren’t as plentiful as we’d like to see. For a vacation of a week or longer, the amazingly cheap hotel deals you can find will likely more than make up for expensive airfares.

Pleasant Holidays continues to stand out in this lull between deals.

They are selling their seats purchased in bulk from United Airlines.  When they aren’t able to sell all of them, and departure time is fast approaching, they successfully use Social Media (Facebook and Twitter) to push those seats into our willing hands.

I do expect to see more airfare deals announced soon, for the mid-April through mid-June shoulder season.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Seattle and New York Win Best 2010 Hawaii Airfares
• Affordable Hawaii Summer Vacation
• Hawaii Car Rental Cost Up 400%

If you didn’t hear the live broadcast, we were featured on Frommers Travel show Sunday. You can listen to the interview here or on the show’s site. It’s at the beginning of the broadcast.  Arthur and Pauline produce a savvy two-hour national weekly radio show heard in 100 markets.

Arthur and I discussed:

• Summer and Christmas vacation strategies.
• Finding the cheapest airfares.
• Getting the best accommodation deals.
• Where car rentals fit into your planning.

Extended interview on Frommers website:

After recording the interview, Arthur asked me to provide their listeners and readers with our best Hawaii tips which we did not have time to cover on the show.  This can be viewed on Arthur’s blog and includes:

• Negotiating your hotel deal.
• Ancillary accommodation fees.  These can quickly ruin your good deal, so make sure you check in advance about things like resort and gym fees, late check-out charges, wi-fi, cleaning fees (vacation rentals), and more. One Hawaii 4-star hotel told me they charged higher fees for Priceline guests.
• Important car rental tips.  Be careful about lack of availability at peak times.
• Packing to save money.

Lastly, Arthur’s recent book, Ask Arthur Frommer: And Travel Better, Cheaper, Smarter, is one I thoroughly enjoyed. It covers multiple destinations and reflects his 50+ years as the travel guru.  Here’s the Amazon link.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Affordable Hawaii Summer Vacation
• Cheap 4-Star Hawaii Hotels On Priceline
• 2010 Hawaii Travel Trends

If you plan on flying inter-island, here’s a word to the wise, watch out.  It’s a new era in Hawaii transportation, and this isn’t good news for visitors (or those of us who live here).

We had two years of affordable airfares within the islands, which has now come to an abrupt halt.  The good deals started with the entry of Mesa’s Go! Airlines, and was further aided with the entry of Mokulele.  Unfortunately, however, Mokulele decided to call it quits recently, which returned Hawaii to the two-airline duopoly of Hawaiian and Go!.  Island Air remains a relatively minor, non-jet third player which is aligned with Go!.

Inter-Island airfares are on the rise, and they won’t likely be stopping where they are at.  They are working against us in three distinct ways:

1.  Base fares.  The base fare has risen steadily over the past number of months and today sits at $58, per segment, plus tax.  If you’re flying from Maui to Kauai for example, that counts as two segments, and you can plan to pay approximately double, or over $100 each way.  I expect the airlines will attempt to raise the base fare to approximately $80, as conditions permit.

2. Demand-based pricing.  As you can see from the above photo, the base fare is not always available.  And you should not count on it.  During any “projected” period of demand, the carriers are raising the price to as much as double the base rate or more.  The fares in the image are between Lihue and Honolulu, mid-week, next week.

3.  Ancillary fees.  Inter-island carriers have implemented bag fees of $10 for the first bag and $17 for the second bag.  Ouch.  Don’t forget to watch for excessive change fees as well.

Here are my suggestions:

1.  Plan your inter-island transport well in advance.  When buying mainland to Hawaii tickets, have a look at inter-island pricing before making your trans-Pacific reservations.  That way you’ll have some idea of what to anticipate.  Once you’ve purchased your mainland to Hawaii tickets, buy inter-island tickets as soon as possible, but keeping change fees in mind.
2.  Avoid inter-island flights whenever possible.  That means flying directly from the mainland to your Hawaii destination.  Even though that may cost more than flying to Honolulu, it won’t likely be as much as the cost and inconvenience of inter-island flights.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Is Hawaiian’s Coach Plus Worth It?
• Top Posts of 2009
• Take 5% off Continental or Hawaiian

Earlier this week, I posted an unpublished price of $145 each way on Hawaiian Air, through early March.

Delta has now joined in with a $152 fare ($325 round trip, all-inclusive).

While this still isn’t as good as what we saw last year, it is starting to give me hope for renewed competition and better fares for the mid-April through mid-June Spring season.

• Airline: Delta Airlines.
• Price: Approx. $325 round trip (all-inclusive).
• Availability: through mid-March.
• How to find dates: I used Travelocity flexible date search, then went to delta.com.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Los Angeles to Honolulu $145 Each Way
• Seattle and New York Win Best 2010 Hawaii Airfares
• Why Airfares Vary From Site To Site

I’m always keeping an eye on airfares. When an exceptional Hawaii cruise deal comes along, however, I take notice.

These cruises on the Carnival Spirit happens twice this year in each direction. They include the 5 day ocean voyage to or from the West Coast (Ensenada or Vancouver).

Each trip also includes 7 days cruising around the islands. With your meals and room provided at no extra cost, this is truly a great deal.  You would expect to pay this much for a 7 day NCL inter-island cruise that does not include transportation to/from the West Coast.

This has all the makings for a fantastic first trip (or even a return visit) to Hawaii. You’ll need to add one-way airfare which (to Los Angeles) is approximately $300.

If you live in Hawaii or would like to begin your cruise here, catch either the return voyage to Vancouver on April 22 (from $899) or to Ensenada on September 26 (from $749).

Here’s the April itinerary from Ensenada, priced from $779:

April 11 Depart Ensenada, Mexico
April 17 Hilo, Hawaii
April 18 Kona, Hawaii
April 19 Kahului, Maui
April 20 Lahaina, Maui
April 21 Nawiliwili, Kauai
April 22 Honolulu, Oahu
April 23 Honolulu, Oahu Disembark

Prices are for inside rooms, per person, based on double-occupancy.  Ocean view starts at about $300 more. I found these deals on the Carnival and Vacations to Go websites. What are you waiting for? I’d jump soon at this offer.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Last Minute Valentines Day in Hawaii
• United Hawaii Mileage Sale – Save 20%
• Seattle and New York Win Best 2010 Hawaii Airfares

Coffee is serious business to us. We’re home roasters with access to hundreds of wild coffee trees, and enjoy visiting plantations while island hopping. Recently, the manager of Molokai’s Coffees of Hawaii, Maria Holmes, invited us for a tour and coffee tasting. How could we refuse?

Before we go any further let me just say that their Muleskinner brand was excellent. During taste testing we scored it highest overall. I love a strong coffee without the taste of rancid oils. Muleskinner scored well in freshness and buzz factor. It’s a great and distinguished morning cup, and features a medium-body, with complex clear flavors and aromas.

We visited the plantation several times during our stay on Molokai. There’s a small cafe and I recommend you try a Mocha Mama (photo below) after hiking Kalaupapa.  They are en route. On weekends the plantation hosts a jazz night with food. During the week there are Morning Espresso Tours and a Mule Drawn Wagon Tour (call for times and availability).

Maria was kind enough to give us a personal tour of their 500 acre plantation. Spending time with Maria we could sense her dedication to the land and to ensuring only the best coffee is produced. I was impressed that they use many environmentally friendly practices like composting, water recycling, and complete sun drying.

Facebook aficionados can join the Coffees of Hawaii fan page to stay on top of deals and what’s happening at the plantation. I noticed they currently have a 10 percent discount for on-line orders and free Fed-Ex shipping with a purchase of $100 or more.

I also suggest visiting the Coffees of Hawaii website which offers many features including videos and even Hawaii proverbs. Better yet, plan a trip to Molokai on your next Hawaii vacation and visit the plantation in person.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Molokai Hot Bread Run
• Top Posts of 2009
• How To Avoid Checked Bag Fees To Hawaii

At long last, a reasonable price to Hawaii on the single most traveled route. This is an unadvertised fare on Hawaiian airlines that has good availability through March 10. For travel in April, May and early June, the cost is $28 more each way.

• Airline: Hawaiian Air.
• Price: Approx. $311 round trip (all-inclusive).
• Availability: February and early March.
• Pricing is based on published fare of $152 each way, less 5% savings using an Hawaiian Air Affiliate link.
• How to find dates: Use Hawaiian’s monthly fare calendar.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• LAX to Hawaii Market Heating Up
• Why Airfares Vary From Site To Site
• Don’t Get Stung Inter-Island

When TripAdvisor’s list of the dirtiest hotels in America came out last week, the Laie Inn on Oahu’s North Shore was missing. A wrecking ball saved it from the list and innocent guests will no longer have to endure its nightmare.

Laie Inn closed in October and is being demolished this week. This is good news for the 45 year old Mormon Church owned property adjacent to BYU-Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center.

When I stayed there several years ago, it was Pro Bowl Weekend and this was the only hotel with a vacancy. That should have been the first warning flag but we were desperate.

Not only did the Laie Inn reek of fake reviews, it also remains the single worst hotel I’ve ever had the privilege to stay at. This is the hotel that first perked my interest in TripAdvisor reviews and the issue of review fraud.

I remember having paid $100/night and encountered the following issues:

• Blood-stained sheets and towels.
• Dangerous parking lot; so much so I was afraid to leave the room.
• Worst bed and bedding ever (think I Love Lucy).
• Broken plumbing and lighting fixtures.
• Missing and broken windows, some boarded, some not.
• Loose electric wires hanging outside room.
• Unfathomable guest laundry (photo)
• Pathetic continental breakfast.
• Oblivious management.
• Outrageous price.
• False advertising.

All of the Laie Inn reviews on TripAdvisor have been removed, post wrecking ball. The Church is planning a new 200 room hotel in its place that may be branded a Marriott.

Did you ever stay at Laie Inn? If you have any memories to share please leave a comment.

Subscribe to our email updates.

(Photo taken on a property walk during my stay at Laie Inn; dozer added for effect).

Related Posts:

• Can TripAdvisor Stop Review Fraud?
• Google Places For One-Stop Reviews
• USA Today: I’m Not Alone in Hotel Extreme Makeovers

Our friend Arthur Frommer, spoke yesterday on his blog about a question we’re also frequently asked. His readers, like ours, are often unable to replicate a fare that we’ve researched and know is available. Arthur gave his good thoughts behind the discrepancies and points to the provisional nature of air fares typically presented on the meta-search sites.

Here are my thoughts:

Meta-search companies, like Kayak, Momondo and others, do not generally show fares available “now,” but rather fares that were recently found.  That is true for example when looking at a fare calendar.

Only after you input specific dates, or sometimes when your search is turned over to the provider who is paying the meta-search company, will currently available pricing be presented. Because initial pricing is looking back at what someone last paid, it can vary a lot from site to site.  Final pricing for your trip can also sometimes be significantly different than what you first see, even staying on the same site.

I recently spoke with the CEO of one of the meta-search companies, who explained that the reason they do it this way is two-fold. First, the cost to perform the actual fare and availability search is relatively high. It can be up to $1 per search. Second, presenting past fares is far faster and less expensive for them.

Suggestions:

Always go beyond the fare calendar to check specific dates and flights and determine actual pricing.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Los Angeles to Honolulu $145 Each Way
• LAX to Hawaii Market Heating Up
• Google Places For One-Stop Reviews

It’s unusual to see a Hawaii mileage sale, so this is a great find. Instead of 40,000 miles round trip, you can visit Hawaii for only 32,000 miles.  From the East Coast, smaller cities, and even most West Coast cities, this represents excellent value.  I typically think of miles as being worth one cent each, by which calculation you fly to Hawaii for the equivalent of about $300.

• Book by February 2
• Valid either starting on the Mainland or in Hawaii
• Travel from January 26 through May 12
• Fly any day of the week (subject to availability)

Related Posts:

• Los Angeles to Honolulu $145 Each Way
• Hawaii Car Rental Cost Up 400%
• LAX to Hawaii Market Heating Up

Recently TripAdvisor contacted me to verify that I authored an unfavorable, three star review five years ago. They gave me two weeks to respond or else my review would be removed from their site. That’s right, before I questioned Trip Advisor’s authenticity I was a frequent contributor.

So why, 5 years later, has TripAdvisor questioned my review?

• The email indicated that the verification process is random.  Having never received such an email, however,  I’m frankly suspicious about whether that is true.
• I noticed that the hotel I wrote about has responded to virtually all negative reviews. Is it possible they asked TripAdvisor to authenticate mine?

Too little, too late.

I can appreciate that, just perhaps, TripAdvisor is making this effort in order to attempt at least some form of verification.  After all, if you write fake reviews, you may have some trouble keeping up with all of the different email addresses in order to respond timely and thus keep the post active.

Here’s what I suggest TripAdvisor do:

- Implement a Real Name feature like we see on Amazon reviews. This requires that the reviewer confirm his/her identity with a credit card.

- Link reviewers to their hotel booking if their stay was booked on an Expedia site.

Why won’t TripAdvisor clean up its act?

There appears to be far more financial value in quantity of visitors and reviews than in having a virtually assured review authenticity.

Until then.

While consumer generated content (reviews) have definitely changed travel, reviews simply will not be trustworthy unless a credible identity verification process is in place.  Until then, TripAdvisor reviews will remain corrupted by the travel industry, and thus I suggest using them with a great deal of scrutiny and skepticism.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• Google Places For One-Stop Reviews
• A Wrecking Ball Saved This Hotel
• Top Posts of 2009

Priceline is a great way to keep accommodation costs down. I’ve used it myself when traveling throughout Hawaii.

The deals are even cheaper now than in our last Priceline report on Hawaii hotels in June 2009. Following are some examples of Winter deals on 4-star properties recently achieved through Priceline bids, as reported on Bidding For Travel.

1.  Prince Hapuna Beach (Big Island):  $75/night.

An unbelievable price for one of the best locations in the state.  A Beat of Hawaii favorite on the iconic North Kohala Coast.

2.  Hyatt Regency Maui:  $131/night.

A fine hotel located on 40 oceanfront acres at Kaanapali Beach.

3.  Hyatt Regency Waikiki:  $93/night.

Directly across the street from Waikiki beach.  A great value.

4.  Hawaii Prince Waikiki:  $82/night.

Another Beat of Hawaii favorite.  At the Ala Wai Canal entrance to Waikiki.  All rooms feature ocean/marina views.

Note: Check for hidden resort fees and other costs.  Priceline or not, remember that hotels are quickly joining airlines in the ancillary fee game.

Comments.

Subscribe to our email updates.

Related Posts:

• 2010 Hawaii Travel Trends
• Visitor Drownings: How To Stay Safe
• New Travelocity Features Find Hawaii Deals