111 thoughts on “Hawaii Hotel Prices Increase Up To 70%, Helping Stifle Over-Tourism”
Gloria S
Hotels are jacking up their prices because they are winning their fight to abolish short term vacation rentals.
Because of limited availability, they can charge whatever they want, and provide less quality services than they have in the past.
Big corporations have won out yet again against mom and pop businesses.
And only because they’ve gotten into lawmaker’s pockets and perpetrated a myth to turn residents against short term vacation rentals.
My husband travels a lot for business, and he is seeing this same trend happening everywhere that short term vacations rentals have been mostly banned.
Actually our residents pushed to ban short term rentals because it’s annoying most of them and I don’t blame them. Visitors should be staying in hotels not in peoples’ homes in residential areas. They didn’t have to turn us against it we were already against it.
I agree that you have a right to voice your opinion, but I don’t agree with it. I’ve been coming to the Big Island of Hawai’i for 2-4 months at a time since 2016. I only stay in vacation rentals because I like to experience a new place at the neighborhood level, i.e. the culture. I have asked many of the locals where I stay if vacation renters bother them, and I have yet to find one who said yes. In fact, the last person I asked said, “We have never experienced a problem with vacation renters. They are kind and respectful, and are only here to see what we have the privilege of seeing every day.” For me, getting to be friends with a beautiful person like that is what keeps me coming back to Hawai’i each year.
Good riddance.Get rid of stvr and keep the tourists out of our neighborhoods and in resort zones, let’s keep it up. The airbnbers that show up on southwest, make one stop at Costco and eat Mac and cheese their whole stay in their Airbnb, offer little to the local economy except more strain on beaches and infrastructure. Hotels actually pay a living wage and provide great benefits to their employees
I respect your right to voice your opinion, but I completely disagree. And I bet if you ask the majority of housekeepers at any hotel if they’re paid a living wage, they’d likely look at you as if you were nuts for having asked the question. My guests dine at local restaurants and shop at local establishments that I recommend. I hire caregivers and gardeners. I pay my housekeepers $50 hourly.
No, not 40 hours a week. In season, it can be 25 hours.
That said, the team of women I used only service STVR’s because that’s where the money is.
They don’t have to work as many hours, and yet they’re paid a ton more than the hotels pay them. Plus, they are local, so they don’t have to spend 90 minutes each way driving. More, they are treated respectfully, so they are loyal to me.
I hope this helps.
Rob S
For us I have to disagree. It started with cheap airfare. After seeing costs of hotels. It was out of our reach to go and visit to where we could enjoy the culture,food, go diving,etc. If it wasn’t for STR we would not be able to spend our hard earned money elsewhere. Those that are eating Mac and cheese have to with what hotels are charging.
I would love to be able to sometines rent out my son’s room to a visitor or a person such as your husband. The zoning laws prevent that, as it would be considered a vacation rental. People say vacation rentals are annoying. Maybe restrictions should apply to rentals where the owners do not live here.
I’m one of those hosts. I purchased land that sat on the market for years on end so that I could be on island half the year, and host the other half. I have been doing this since 2013, without a single neighbor ever complaining about my guests. The only time my neighbors call when I’m off island is to ask if they can use my driveway!
It sure seems The Powers That Be are puposely trying to squelch tourism. Residents who live here should be allowed to rent out their extra room tax-free.
What they call “afforxable housing” isn’t really at all. A future where only the wealthy can live or play here is looming.
My wife and I are spending 16 days on Maui. It’s a to do list for us. After working and saving a combined 80yrs of work and savings. We have wanted to come for quite sometime. Life is too short. Every place,peoples,culture is unique.
If it wasn’t for the STR . We personally could not afford to come for sure. And do hope we live long enough to visit other islands.
Remember that almost all this revenue leaves Hawaii to the pockets of mainland investors. We keep the pay for our room cleaners, landscapers, maintenance workers and property managers. Local Workforce barely survives.
The main land investors bribe/donate to local lawmakers who are voted in by locals. Stop voting for the same people/party and expect a different outcome.
I’d like for BOH to do an article on the exact numbers of “Mainland” investors vs. world tourism dollars coming in. I hear these statement echoed but have not seen any statistics listed.
The article’s subhead: “Helping Stifle Over-Tourism” is a bit misleading.
The whole reason hotel rates are up is because tourism has Not been stifled. Just the opposite. Market forces are in play here. If tourists will pay it, the hotels will charge it. “Nobody goes to Hawaii any more…it’s too crowded.”
Hawaii is starting to bite the hand that feeds it. In time all of us here are going to feel the deep financial crisis the hotels and law makers made. People of Hawaii be careful what you wish for, you may just get it, and you have no idea where it going to leave you. I plan of leaving after 40 years.
Also, the island of Oahu is turning into a garbage dump and a lot of crazy homeless people, and youth violence.
Good luck.
And there you have it. Because the Governor and Mayor are taking away STVR the hotels are going wild.
If there’s no tourist then Maui will have no jobs or money to rebuild.
Think this one over! Greedy Hotels. Outrageous!
Actually most of said money that you people claim is helping them to survive most of it is not even staying in Hawaii because of big corporations and all that. Despite everything even the money they make in the hotel isn’t enough to help these people. I guarantee you they have other jobs they rely on. And most of them are not even local.
At the high end, those skyhigh Hawaii room rates are before fees, taxes, and the big rental car bill. Four or five nights of that all-in cost can get you a *monthly* short-term entire-home rental in some very desirable winter locales, including Florida (Atlantic or Gulf side) Arizona (including Phoenix or a small but nice Scottsdale condo), anywhere in Texas, Nevada, South America, Australia (Brisbane), even Spain and Greece. In fact, French Polynesia is a more affordable locale at these HI hotel prices.
Hawaii simply doesn’t pencil out. Any traveler can get twice the vacation length at half these Hawaii costs + fees + taxes.
Airbnb rentals at least are illegal here in Hawaii anywhere outside resort areas. So even for those who are staying in said rentals, the owner is doing it under the radar. But the governor is cracking down on those short term rentals, but most of our residents agree with him on it it is necessary. Make them into at least 90 days or longer rentals.
Beauuuuutiful!! Mahalo to our hotels working hard to making life better for both visitors and our residents alike! I think both are being severely affected by the overcrowding here! Our residents will be so thankful! Especially as the government begins to cut back on short term rentals! Considering Airbnb is illegal anywhere outside resort areas and having visitors staying in peoples’ homes can be annoying.
I’m glad you are comfortable with this and do hope you have the ability to farm or a sustainable income from the local market. The over crowding is a sad issue. I just don’t hear from my local friends stating they are making strides in building life and making income on local small businesses. Help stops coming in 2 years! If you enjoy the hotels and resorts, you will find out that the extra building of the expensive hotels/resorts will cost you more eco damage. People who stay in hotels/resorts most often do not give a crap about where they are staying , only just that it is nice and wealthy playground. If you think tourists are entitled now, ….just you wait Erika, ….sadly, just you wait…
So I have been reading the comments today and day that in addition to the hotels raising their prices, STR’s had already been raising theirs over the last few years. A 2 bdrm condo for a week was $1925 @$275 a nite@Pali me kua. A gorgeous view and very nice place. Quiet and spacious. That was before taxes. Then they changed from a weekly rate to daily rate and prices shot up drastically. People just cut their time from a week to 3 days. All lodging has been raised by taxes and greed. Mahalo to both of you as always. The locals are affected the most and this IS their home from the beginning. Unemployment will be on the rise and mental and physical health issues also from now on. SAD to see this happening.
When tourism is the number one industry and there are attempts to stifle it what are you really stifling?Its stifling peoples ability to earn a living.Hotel workers, car rental employees, tour guides, restaurants, farmers, fishermen, taxi drivers all the suppliers of items for tourism, its a long list.So as the government stifles tourism and goes soft on crime, allows rampant homelessness, epidemic drug abuse what will the end result be?This isnt being allowed to happen this is intentional.
Despite what you might think most of the staff in these hotels are not even local, and they don’t even get paid that much to begin with, so is it really helping? Besides most of the money said going to hotels is not even staying here. So who is it really helping?
You don’t have to pay that kind of price to stay in a condo. It’s kind of hard to believe that there are prices like that. But it’s equally hard to believe that people are stupid enough to think they’re so “fancy” as to deserve to be in one of those ridiculous hotels. Neither side is doing anything but overrating itself — the hotels and the obviously self-important wannabe “rich” clients. Get a condo. You can stay a month for the price of 5 days at Wailea. Live a little.
Rentals are illegal anywhere outside resort areas and our governor is cracking down on short term rentals, there has been a fight to extend it to 90 days or longer. So good luck there.
Well…some people simply want to enjoy life with a little luxury once in a while. I think calling them all “stupid” is rather harsh. Some condos are junk, and some people want a break from cooking and cleaning. Heck, my nephews enjoyed the 5 diamond hotels and restaurants at 4 years old, because their filthy rich father only took them camping so He could save a buck.
We have been spending 2 months each winter in Hawaii, but this is our last year. We are driven away by high prices made even worse by outrageous taxes and fees. The governor’s plan to reduce tourism is working quite well.
Just depressing. I now consider us totally priced out of a vacation in Hawaii. That said, we will continue traveling the world, and I’m counting on finding many other great vacation spots that won’t cost us an arm and a leg.
I have begun to find my new paradise. I Know there is another one, hope I find it quickly at this point in my life. A 60 year visitor, Hawaiian Islands (were) my second home….no longer can afford….sadly
Well here it comes! And then the Green Fee will add some more. Don’t forget beach/parks fee also. So yes, they have achieved their purpose in keeping people from traveling there. Just happy for all my pictures and memories of trips over there. Mahalo and keep up the great work reporting these updates for us.
Been there with family twice. Prices have gotten ridiculous. Not feeling the aloha. Leaving Saturday for Turks and Caicos. Won’t be back to Hawaii. Loved what it was. Dislike what it has become.
My bucket list trip to Hawaii has been canceled twice once in March 2020 due Covid and again last March.
I lost $350 in airfare from Hawaiian Airlines because I wasn’t able to rebook within the 2 year period even though Covid restrictions hadn’t yet been fully lifted.
I live in Toronto Canada where the exchange rate is currently $1.35.
I was booked to stay at Astin Maui Hill in March 2020 and now this property has tripled in price.
I rebooked for March staying in a VRBO accommodation.
If my trip happens I know that I will never return.
The continued increase in prices for accommodations, airfare, food, exchange rate, travel distance and tour prices are far too exorbitant
Be careful what you wish for because our governor is now cracking down on short term rentals, there has been a push to extend most of them to 90 days or longer. But they are working on a bill to minimize short term rentals at this time. e
Outlawing Ab&bs, really only helped the hotels. that is why the rates are so high and occupancy low. folks are finding Ab&b elsewhere. We are not the only tropical island in the world. Lots of other choices. (Not too many in US, but lots else waiting to be discovered)
Our economy will suffer since we are so dependant on tourism.
All those short term rental converting to long term– Lots locals are moving to the mainland for higher pay, lower housing costs. So will they really stay to fill those converted homes?
Mahalo, but i still love hawaii best. The natives are always nice to me, maybe because we’re long term comers, not sure, and can’t find my zebra dove bird anywhere else! Hawaii has a special smell in the air even when not standing next to a plumeria bush. And they have kitties and roosters!
Those converted homes, will taking a beating as they are not intended for a large family situation. After the 2 year departure and it will happen in 2 years, the owners, will have to deal with the remodel and rehab. Not everyone is a neat and tidy dweller. Many are angry and will allow their kids to live in nicer places but without the skills to take care and respect….When the money stops coming in,…..the issues will all start popping out….grandly!
The more i read it’s apparent that the real reason to shut down STR is they are competition. How could anyone afford a hotel plus eating out etc? And No ….I work too hard for my money to be able to justify those rates. I can say that owners are not making 4 to 5 times what renters pay…but the hotels are doing just fine….nightly plus plus plus!
150 years my extended family has lived in Hawaii. One by one we have moved to the mainland for work. Now we can’t afford to return to vacation where we were born and raised.
Yes Carol, same here. I am 4th generation and had to leave. I can’t always stay with ohana as there are multiple families living together because of housing issues. We rent STR so that we can have them over, a hotel would not work for us and we can’t afford the hotel prices! If they prohibit STR’S we might have to bring tents and camp!
Sandi, What has Hawaii or the local residents done to you, to cause you to make such a comment? Carol S. and Rory R. are born and raised locals that were Forced to leave their beautiful home because too many people wanted their Hawaiian dream vacation Every Year or more! And the government and big business were all too happy to oblige. That is ultimately why they had no choice but to leave, only to long for their beloved home and be further saddened because they can’t even afford to visit anymore. We don’t want this to happen to locals who have been fortunate enough to still stay.
I’m sorry to say that the “Aloha Spirit” left Hawaii some time ago. It has become clear that Hawaii does not want visitors/tourists. And I’m not talking about just the “ugly” ones that do not respect Paradise. Hawaii has (or “had”) been my favorite destination since 1970 and I even moved and lived there for several years in the early 80’s. Even then, it was known that the Hawaiians did not want us “haoles”, but our money was very welcome.
It is so sad because Hawaii was my place of refuge and peace, but no longer. And, certainly with the current pricing and attitudes, I won’t be returning…too bad, because I was definitely one of the ones that appreciated and respected the culture and heritage of The Islands.
Ditto Here!. I did exactly as you did in 71…
..And those that are hell bent on visiting in this climate will still fork out there tipping dollars to those that don’t appreciate them, and continually state they are unwelcome…..I Have Listened!
LOL that’s why our government is fighting to cut back on short term rentals as well because they care so much about it! What you have to understand is this isn’t just about the residents here, even visitors don’t want to go places because it’s too crowded everywhere. This appeals to both.
Renting timeshare weeks has allowed us to take our family to Kona and Kauai. I’m sure those costs will be increasing as well. We would never pay $350+ per night for a postage stamp sized room when a resort condo can be found for half that cost. Feeling sad for the residents of Hawaii as they are sure to be affected when these high prices begin to affect their livelihood.
Oh trust me many of our residents are probably celebrating right now, even if many do it for the money they still resent the overcrowding that tourism has created here and will be relieved to see less people here, but visitors will be too because we’ve seen some comments even from them about how crowded it has become around here.
We were in Waikoloa for 3 weeks just after Thanksgiving. We were actually shocked at how few people were there. We could actually get a table at a restaurant without having to have a reservation. the only place that was crowded was the Kona Costco but nowhere as crowded as years past. We’ve been to Hawaii a dozen times in the last 10 years and this past trip had been the least crowded.
Kudos to BOH editors for reporting and following up on this critical issue. We have found annual maintenance timeshare condo fees now nearly double per ownership week since 2019 on Kauai. Supply chain, inflation costs, etc. are all a factor. A Hawaiian vacation is clearly now beyond reach for a majority of Americans. I’m hearing that hotels know that they can solve staffing shortage issues by raising their rates and running lower occupancy percentages and still make more money than pre pandemic. BOH editors, what do you think???
This cannot be sustainable long-term for Hawaii’s economy.
Aloha.
Mahalo for your detailed figures, BOH. I think it’s also important to look at the stability of the intertwined hotel and airline industries. As hotel prices skyrocket, airfares are still very low, and I imagine airlines serving the islands are taking financial hits (even beyond Alaska and UAL’s Max-9 troubles). We were able to book a return flight from Maui on another airline 36 hours before takeoff for _cheap_, after our Alaska flight was cancelled. Fewer passengers will lead to fewer flights, affecting travelers from the mainland, overseas, and the islands. Such a big imbalance will surely come with unintended consequences.
Your governing bodies are nuts. We have been going to the Big Island twice a year for 20 years. Spend 4k at a time. No more. Governor Green and his ilk have alienated a lot of the people that keep Hawaii going.
Been going to Hawaii for 50 years we tent camped on kaui and maui we had no money. We took our 4 kids every 4 years. Cost lots always worth it. Retired now. Last year Maui a decent but old condo cost 10k for the 2 of us for 2 weeks plus airfare. We are going somewhere else this year. It is about what the market will pay. When people cant afford they will stop coming. But if you are hawaii resident your stuck with unaffordable housing. That a national problem too.
I have a wonderful idea. Everyone in Hawaii (except those who own vacation properties) looks to be against vacation rentals. Outlawing them in the hope that it will create more housing for the local population. Why not just house them in all of the soon-to-be empty hotel rooms at all of these overpriced resorts?
Airbnb is still illegal here in Hawaii anyway anywhere outside resort areas. We hear good news that they’re working on cutting back on short term rentals permanently which is such a relief, the hotels are meant for visitors not peoples’ homes.
Thank the rates are high now? What if Green manages to get his fantasy of shutting down all vacation rentals.
This article re Bill 121 is five days old, but was reprinted today at the bottom of the front page of the GIN (a newspaper so thin, it only has a front page). Originally ran in Hawaii Herald Tribune:
The county indicates that there will be 6 opportunities for owners and others to express their concerns. After the first meeting, it seems quite obvious that the concerns raised by the pro vacation rental contingent are going to be ignored
We’ve been visiting Hawaii annually for over 20 years. We stopped going to Maui 5 years ago because of the crowds and chose Kauai and the Big Island as alternatives. This year we’re returning to Maui to support the local people and businesses struggling as a result of the fire. It took me days of searching to find an affordable, clean condo. Don’t know how much longer we’ll choose to pay the crazy cost!
This is Great news!! Capitalism and the law of supply and demand wins again! If I were these hotels, I would do the same thing and continue to charge as Much as the market will bear! And you know what the dirty little secret is? Anyone who is complaining about how high the prices are would do the exact same thing if they owned the hotels. No one is running a charity here. It’s all for profit and that’s the way it should be with something like this. So, good for them! This news made my day!!
I don’t agree. This isn’t greed. This is simply the market and capitalism playing out as it should. The Only way to balance out the overcrowding and over-tourism on these beautiful islands so that they are not ruined (and they are being ruined) is to raise, raise, RAISE those prices! This is a good thing! No One is having a good time under the current arrangement. Residents and tourists alike have a lower quality of life and vacation experience because there are simply Too Many People coming here. And you can’t simply ban people from going anywhere they wish in the U.S.A. And it’s not like raising prices on something that everyone wants is something new. It happens all over the world, so why start complaining now?
Hoping visitors start talking with their pocket books and book their vacations elsewhere. This is a sad situation on how greedy the state of Hawaii has become. Obviously tourists are not welcome and Aloha come with a
Price
I don’t think Pre-COVID hotel prices are a valid comparison point. You can’t compare the cost of buying a house, a car or anything else pre to post COVID. The economy in 2019 was vastly different than post-COVID across the board. That said, I think taxes & fees ( and proposed fees) are excessive.
While we concur, there’s no other point of comparison. 2022 was an entirely different beast. Now that we’re in 2024, we’ll have 2023 with which to compare.
Great article! We always book with CostcoTravel.com unless we find something through Marriott Bonvoy. There are some amazing deals on CostcoTravel right now for Maui (Ritz Carlton Kapalua and Hotel Wailea) 🙂 and the Big Island (Westin Hapuna and the Mauna Kea) :). Book early and book airfare separately.
Mahalo for having the best travel news site in Hawaii! 🙂
Wow! I guess senior citizens and middle and lower class citizens may never get to visit Hawaii amid soaring hotel prices. So unfair that the rich and elite are only ones able to afford it. I guess I won’t be able to share Hawaii with my grandchildren.
Concerned,
Senior Citizen
It’s sad that these hotels have to gouge people so much. We moved to the BI almost 6 years ago and at the time we would easily get rooms for under $100 at nice hotels, then we got AirBnB’s when we were needing to be more rural and not right in Kona or Hilo. Now both the hotels and the AirBnB cost are outrageous. Airbnb’s are really bad with exorbitant cleaning and service fees. Its criminal. Services in most hotels doesn’t justify their cost. For a staycation we stayed at the Marriott Waikoloa Resort, 1 night room and food was $1000 and that was the “kama’aina rate. They offered no room service, there was 1 restaurant that was open for breakfast and the staff was not friendly.
I booked my Outrigger Kaanapali hotel for August 2024 in November of 2023. My upgraded room was $369 a night. I went to the website the other day and checked prices again for my same dates and the rooms are now $517 a night! I couldn’t believe it! I’m feeling grateful for the price I got and it may be my last Hawaiian vacation. We usually go every other year, but I think this will be it.
Mahalo.
Hotels are jacking up their prices because they are winning their fight to abolish short term vacation rentals.
Because of limited availability, they can charge whatever they want, and provide less quality services than they have in the past.
Big corporations have won out yet again against mom and pop businesses.
And only because they’ve gotten into lawmaker’s pockets and perpetrated a myth to turn residents against short term vacation rentals.
My husband travels a lot for business, and he is seeing this same trend happening everywhere that short term vacations rentals have been mostly banned.
Actually our residents pushed to ban short term rentals because it’s annoying most of them and I don’t blame them. Visitors should be staying in hotels not in peoples’ homes in residential areas. They didn’t have to turn us against it we were already against it.
I agree that you have a right to voice your opinion, but I don’t agree with it. I’ve been coming to the Big Island of Hawai’i for 2-4 months at a time since 2016. I only stay in vacation rentals because I like to experience a new place at the neighborhood level, i.e. the culture. I have asked many of the locals where I stay if vacation renters bother them, and I have yet to find one who said yes. In fact, the last person I asked said, “We have never experienced a problem with vacation renters. They are kind and respectful, and are only here to see what we have the privilege of seeing every day.” For me, getting to be friends with a beautiful person like that is what keeps me coming back to Hawai’i each year.
Good riddance.Get rid of stvr and keep the tourists out of our neighborhoods and in resort zones, let’s keep it up. The airbnbers that show up on southwest, make one stop at Costco and eat Mac and cheese their whole stay in their Airbnb, offer little to the local economy except more strain on beaches and infrastructure. Hotels actually pay a living wage and provide great benefits to their employees
I respect your right to voice your opinion, but I completely disagree. And I bet if you ask the majority of housekeepers at any hotel if they’re paid a living wage, they’d likely look at you as if you were nuts for having asked the question. My guests dine at local restaurants and shop at local establishments that I recommend. I hire caregivers and gardeners. I pay my housekeepers $50 hourly.
At 40 hours a week?
No, not 40 hours a week. In season, it can be 25 hours.
That said, the team of women I used only service STVR’s because that’s where the money is.
They don’t have to work as many hours, and yet they’re paid a ton more than the hotels pay them. Plus, they are local, so they don’t have to spend 90 minutes each way driving. More, they are treated respectfully, so they are loyal to me.
I hope this helps.
For us I have to disagree. It started with cheap airfare. After seeing costs of hotels. It was out of our reach to go and visit to where we could enjoy the culture,food, go diving,etc. If it wasn’t for STR we would not be able to spend our hard earned money elsewhere. Those that are eating Mac and cheese have to with what hotels are charging.
I would love to be able to sometines rent out my son’s room to a visitor or a person such as your husband. The zoning laws prevent that, as it would be considered a vacation rental. People say vacation rentals are annoying. Maybe restrictions should apply to rentals where the owners do not live here.
I’m one of those hosts. I purchased land that sat on the market for years on end so that I could be on island half the year, and host the other half. I have been doing this since 2013, without a single neighbor ever complaining about my guests. The only time my neighbors call when I’m off island is to ask if they can use my driveway!
It sure seems The Powers That Be are puposely trying to squelch tourism. Residents who live here should be allowed to rent out their extra room tax-free.
What they call “afforxable housing” isn’t really at all. A future where only the wealthy can live or play here is looming.
Be careful what you wish for, Governor Green!
My wife and I are spending 16 days on Maui. It’s a to do list for us. After working and saving a combined 80yrs of work and savings. We have wanted to come for quite sometime. Life is too short. Every place,peoples,culture is unique.
If it wasn’t for the STR . We personally could not afford to come for sure. And do hope we live long enough to visit other islands.
My wife
Remember that almost all this revenue leaves Hawaii to the pockets of mainland investors. We keep the pay for our room cleaners, landscapers, maintenance workers and property managers. Local Workforce barely survives.
The main land investors bribe/donate to local lawmakers who are voted in by locals. Stop voting for the same people/party and expect a different outcome.
I’d like for BOH to do an article on the exact numbers of “Mainland” investors vs. world tourism dollars coming in. I hear these statement echoed but have not seen any statistics listed.
The article’s subhead: “Helping Stifle Over-Tourism” is a bit misleading.
The whole reason hotel rates are up is because tourism has Not been stifled. Just the opposite. Market forces are in play here. If tourists will pay it, the hotels will charge it. “Nobody goes to Hawaii any more…it’s too crowded.”
Hawaii is starting to bite the hand that feeds it. In time all of us here are going to feel the deep financial crisis the hotels and law makers made. People of Hawaii be careful what you wish for, you may just get it, and you have no idea where it going to leave you. I plan of leaving after 40 years.
Also, the island of Oahu is turning into a garbage dump and a lot of crazy homeless people, and youth violence.
Good luck.
And there you have it. Because the Governor and Mayor are taking away STVR the hotels are going wild.
If there’s no tourist then Maui will have no jobs or money to rebuild.
Think this one over! Greedy Hotels. Outrageous!
Actually most of said money that you people claim is helping them to survive most of it is not even staying in Hawaii because of big corporations and all that. Despite everything even the money they make in the hotel isn’t enough to help these people. I guarantee you they have other jobs they rely on. And most of them are not even local.
At the high end, those skyhigh Hawaii room rates are before fees, taxes, and the big rental car bill. Four or five nights of that all-in cost can get you a *monthly* short-term entire-home rental in some very desirable winter locales, including Florida (Atlantic or Gulf side) Arizona (including Phoenix or a small but nice Scottsdale condo), anywhere in Texas, Nevada, South America, Australia (Brisbane), even Spain and Greece. In fact, French Polynesia is a more affordable locale at these HI hotel prices.
Hawaii simply doesn’t pencil out. Any traveler can get twice the vacation length at half these Hawaii costs + fees + taxes.
Airbnb rentals at least are illegal here in Hawaii anywhere outside resort areas. So even for those who are staying in said rentals, the owner is doing it under the radar. But the governor is cracking down on those short term rentals, but most of our residents agree with him on it it is necessary. Make them into at least 90 days or longer rentals.
Beauuuuutiful!! Mahalo to our hotels working hard to making life better for both visitors and our residents alike! I think both are being severely affected by the overcrowding here! Our residents will be so thankful! Especially as the government begins to cut back on short term rentals! Considering Airbnb is illegal anywhere outside resort areas and having visitors staying in peoples’ homes can be annoying.
Hear! Hear! Great comment, Erika!
I’m glad you are comfortable with this and do hope you have the ability to farm or a sustainable income from the local market. The over crowding is a sad issue. I just don’t hear from my local friends stating they are making strides in building life and making income on local small businesses. Help stops coming in 2 years! If you enjoy the hotels and resorts, you will find out that the extra building of the expensive hotels/resorts will cost you more eco damage. People who stay in hotels/resorts most often do not give a crap about where they are staying , only just that it is nice and wealthy playground. If you think tourists are entitled now, ….just you wait Erika, ….sadly, just you wait…
So I have been reading the comments today and day that in addition to the hotels raising their prices, STR’s had already been raising theirs over the last few years. A 2 bdrm condo for a week was $1925 @$275 a nite@Pali me kua. A gorgeous view and very nice place. Quiet and spacious. That was before taxes. Then they changed from a weekly rate to daily rate and prices shot up drastically. People just cut their time from a week to 3 days. All lodging has been raised by taxes and greed. Mahalo to both of you as always. The locals are affected the most and this IS their home from the beginning. Unemployment will be on the rise and mental and physical health issues also from now on. SAD to see this happening.
Mufi (Trolley Folly) Hanneman and Co. are laughing all the way to the bank after they drove a stake into the heart of STRs.
When tourism is the number one industry and there are attempts to stifle it what are you really stifling?Its stifling peoples ability to earn a living.Hotel workers, car rental employees, tour guides, restaurants, farmers, fishermen, taxi drivers all the suppliers of items for tourism, its a long list.So as the government stifles tourism and goes soft on crime, allows rampant homelessness, epidemic drug abuse what will the end result be?This isnt being allowed to happen this is intentional.
Despite what you might think most of the staff in these hotels are not even local, and they don’t even get paid that much to begin with, so is it really helping? Besides most of the money said going to hotels is not even staying here. So who is it really helping?
You don’t have to pay that kind of price to stay in a condo. It’s kind of hard to believe that there are prices like that. But it’s equally hard to believe that people are stupid enough to think they’re so “fancy” as to deserve to be in one of those ridiculous hotels. Neither side is doing anything but overrating itself — the hotels and the obviously self-important wannabe “rich” clients. Get a condo. You can stay a month for the price of 5 days at Wailea. Live a little.
Rentals are illegal anywhere outside resort areas and our governor is cracking down on short term rentals, there has been a fight to extend it to 90 days or longer. So good luck there.
Well…some people simply want to enjoy life with a little luxury once in a while. I think calling them all “stupid” is rather harsh. Some condos are junk, and some people want a break from cooking and cleaning. Heck, my nephews enjoyed the 5 diamond hotels and restaurants at 4 years old, because their filthy rich father only took them camping so He could save a buck.
The list does not just include Wailea!
We have been spending 2 months each winter in Hawaii, but this is our last year. We are driven away by high prices made even worse by outrageous taxes and fees. The governor’s plan to reduce tourism is working quite well.
Just depressing. I now consider us totally priced out of a vacation in Hawaii. That said, we will continue traveling the world, and I’m counting on finding many other great vacation spots that won’t cost us an arm and a leg.
I have begun to find my new paradise. I Know there is another one, hope I find it quickly at this point in my life. A 60 year visitor, Hawaiian Islands (were) my second home….no longer can afford….sadly
Well here it comes! And then the Green Fee will add some more. Don’t forget beach/parks fee also. So yes, they have achieved their purpose in keeping people from traveling there. Just happy for all my pictures and memories of trips over there. Mahalo and keep up the great work reporting these updates for us.
Been there with family twice. Prices have gotten ridiculous. Not feeling the aloha. Leaving Saturday for Turks and Caicos. Won’t be back to Hawaii. Loved what it was. Dislike what it has become.
My bucket list trip to Hawaii has been canceled twice once in March 2020 due Covid and again last March.
I lost $350 in airfare from Hawaiian Airlines because I wasn’t able to rebook within the 2 year period even though Covid restrictions hadn’t yet been fully lifted.
I live in Toronto Canada where the exchange rate is currently $1.35.
I was booked to stay at Astin Maui Hill in March 2020 and now this property has tripled in price.
I rebooked for March staying in a VRBO accommodation.
If my trip happens I know that I will never return.
The continued increase in prices for accommodations, airfare, food, exchange rate, travel distance and tour prices are far too exorbitant
Be careful what you wish for because our governor is now cracking down on short term rentals, there has been a push to extend most of them to 90 days or longer. But they are working on a bill to minimize short term rentals at this time. e
Agree Cheryl and for me all this is Stress…Angst should never be part of paradise planning.
Outlawing Ab&bs, really only helped the hotels. that is why the rates are so high and occupancy low. folks are finding Ab&b elsewhere. We are not the only tropical island in the world. Lots of other choices. (Not too many in US, but lots else waiting to be discovered)
Our economy will suffer since we are so dependant on tourism.
All those short term rental converting to long term– Lots locals are moving to the mainland for higher pay, lower housing costs. So will they really stay to fill those converted homes?
Mahalo, but i still love hawaii best. The natives are always nice to me, maybe because we’re long term comers, not sure, and can’t find my zebra dove bird anywhere else! Hawaii has a special smell in the air even when not standing next to a plumeria bush. And they have kitties and roosters!
Those converted homes, will taking a beating as they are not intended for a large family situation. After the 2 year departure and it will happen in 2 years, the owners, will have to deal with the remodel and rehab. Not everyone is a neat and tidy dweller. Many are angry and will allow their kids to live in nicer places but without the skills to take care and respect….When the money stops coming in,…..the issues will all start popping out….grandly!
The more i read it’s apparent that the real reason to shut down STR is they are competition. How could anyone afford a hotel plus eating out etc? And No ….I work too hard for my money to be able to justify those rates. I can say that owners are not making 4 to 5 times what renters pay…but the hotels are doing just fine….nightly plus plus plus!
The Greed always creates the Need! Nothing else needs to be said.
150 years my extended family has lived in Hawaii. One by one we have moved to the mainland for work. Now we can’t afford to return to vacation where we were born and raised.
Yes Carol, same here. I am 4th generation and had to leave. I can’t always stay with ohana as there are multiple families living together because of housing issues. We rent STR so that we can have them over, a hotel would not work for us and we can’t afford the hotel prices! If they prohibit STR’S we might have to bring tents and camp!
Well.. hopefully you will be able to camp on Kaanapali beach, I am sure it will end up like LA within 2 years!
Sandi, What has Hawaii or the local residents done to you, to cause you to make such a comment? Carol S. and Rory R. are born and raised locals that were Forced to leave their beautiful home because too many people wanted their Hawaiian dream vacation Every Year or more! And the government and big business were all too happy to oblige. That is ultimately why they had no choice but to leave, only to long for their beloved home and be further saddened because they can’t even afford to visit anymore. We don’t want this to happen to locals who have been fortunate enough to still stay.
I’m sorry to say that the “Aloha Spirit” left Hawaii some time ago. It has become clear that Hawaii does not want visitors/tourists. And I’m not talking about just the “ugly” ones that do not respect Paradise. Hawaii has (or “had”) been my favorite destination since 1970 and I even moved and lived there for several years in the early 80’s. Even then, it was known that the Hawaiians did not want us “haoles”, but our money was very welcome.
It is so sad because Hawaii was my place of refuge and peace, but no longer. And, certainly with the current pricing and attitudes, I won’t be returning…too bad, because I was definitely one of the ones that appreciated and respected the culture and heritage of The Islands.
Ditto Here!. I did exactly as you did in 71…
..And those that are hell bent on visiting in this climate will still fork out there tipping dollars to those that don’t appreciate them, and continually state they are unwelcome…..I Have Listened!
Average nightly Hawaii hotel rates up to $1,140, plus taxes and fees…
And here I thought the politicians in Hawaii cared about wealth inequality and the huge income gap?
Guess Not!
LOL that’s why our government is fighting to cut back on short term rentals as well because they care so much about it! What you have to understand is this isn’t just about the residents here, even visitors don’t want to go places because it’s too crowded everywhere. This appeals to both.
Renting timeshare weeks has allowed us to take our family to Kona and Kauai. I’m sure those costs will be increasing as well. We would never pay $350+ per night for a postage stamp sized room when a resort condo can be found for half that cost. Feeling sad for the residents of Hawaii as they are sure to be affected when these high prices begin to affect their livelihood.
Oh trust me many of our residents are probably celebrating right now, even if many do it for the money they still resent the overcrowding that tourism has created here and will be relieved to see less people here, but visitors will be too because we’ve seen some comments even from them about how crowded it has become around here.
We were in Waikoloa for 3 weeks just after Thanksgiving. We were actually shocked at how few people were there. We could actually get a table at a restaurant without having to have a reservation. the only place that was crowded was the Kona Costco but nowhere as crowded as years past. We’ve been to Hawaii a dozen times in the last 10 years and this past trip had been the least crowded.
Kudos to BOH editors for reporting and following up on this critical issue. We have found annual maintenance timeshare condo fees now nearly double per ownership week since 2019 on Kauai. Supply chain, inflation costs, etc. are all a factor. A Hawaiian vacation is clearly now beyond reach for a majority of Americans. I’m hearing that hotels know that they can solve staffing shortage issues by raising their rates and running lower occupancy percentages and still make more money than pre pandemic. BOH editors, what do you think???
This cannot be sustainable long-term for Hawaii’s economy.
Aloha.
Hi Daryl.
Yes, we’ve heard repeatedly that hotels have figured out how to make more money off fewer guests.
Aloha.
Mahalo for your detailed figures, BOH. I think it’s also important to look at the stability of the intertwined hotel and airline industries. As hotel prices skyrocket, airfares are still very low, and I imagine airlines serving the islands are taking financial hits (even beyond Alaska and UAL’s Max-9 troubles). We were able to book a return flight from Maui on another airline 36 hours before takeoff for _cheap_, after our Alaska flight was cancelled. Fewer passengers will lead to fewer flights, affecting travelers from the mainland, overseas, and the islands. Such a big imbalance will surely come with unintended consequences.
Your governing bodies are nuts. We have been going to the Big Island twice a year for 20 years. Spend 4k at a time. No more. Governor Green and his ilk have alienated a lot of the people that keep Hawaii going.
Been going to Hawaii for 50 years we tent camped on kaui and maui we had no money. We took our 4 kids every 4 years. Cost lots always worth it. Retired now. Last year Maui a decent but old condo cost 10k for the 2 of us for 2 weeks plus airfare. We are going somewhere else this year. It is about what the market will pay. When people cant afford they will stop coming. But if you are hawaii resident your stuck with unaffordable housing. That a national problem too.
I have a wonderful idea. Everyone in Hawaii (except those who own vacation properties) looks to be against vacation rentals. Outlawing them in the hope that it will create more housing for the local population. Why not just house them in all of the soon-to-be empty hotel rooms at all of these overpriced resorts?
Airbnb is still illegal here in Hawaii anyway anywhere outside resort areas. We hear good news that they’re working on cutting back on short term rentals permanently which is such a relief, the hotels are meant for visitors not peoples’ homes.
Thank the rates are high now? What if Green manages to get his fantasy of shutting down all vacation rentals.
This article re Bill 121 is five days old, but was reprinted today at the bottom of the front page of the GIN (a newspaper so thin, it only has a front page). Originally ran in Hawaii Herald Tribune:
hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/01/21/hawaii-news/bill-casts-spotlight-on-short-term-rentals/
The county indicates that there will be 6 opportunities for owners and others to express their concerns. After the first meeting, it seems quite obvious that the concerns raised by the pro vacation rental contingent are going to be ignored
We’ve been visiting Hawaii annually for over 20 years. We stopped going to Maui 5 years ago because of the crowds and chose Kauai and the Big Island as alternatives. This year we’re returning to Maui to support the local people and businesses struggling as a result of the fire. It took me days of searching to find an affordable, clean condo. Don’t know how much longer we’ll choose to pay the crazy cost!
This is Great news!! Capitalism and the law of supply and demand wins again! If I were these hotels, I would do the same thing and continue to charge as Much as the market will bear! And you know what the dirty little secret is? Anyone who is complaining about how high the prices are would do the exact same thing if they owned the hotels. No one is running a charity here. It’s all for profit and that’s the way it should be with something like this. So, good for them! This news made my day!!
“Greed is good”
Said in the movie Wallstreet by Gordon Gekko
I don’t agree. This isn’t greed. This is simply the market and capitalism playing out as it should. The Only way to balance out the overcrowding and over-tourism on these beautiful islands so that they are not ruined (and they are being ruined) is to raise, raise, RAISE those prices! This is a good thing! No One is having a good time under the current arrangement. Residents and tourists alike have a lower quality of life and vacation experience because there are simply Too Many People coming here. And you can’t simply ban people from going anywhere they wish in the U.S.A. And it’s not like raising prices on something that everyone wants is something new. It happens all over the world, so why start complaining now?
Hoping visitors start talking with their pocket books and book their vacations elsewhere. This is a sad situation on how greedy the state of Hawaii has become. Obviously tourists are not welcome and Aloha come with a
Price
I don’t think Pre-COVID hotel prices are a valid comparison point. You can’t compare the cost of buying a house, a car or anything else pre to post COVID. The economy in 2019 was vastly different than post-COVID across the board. That said, I think taxes & fees ( and proposed fees) are excessive.
Hi Tom.
While we concur, there’s no other point of comparison. 2022 was an entirely different beast. Now that we’re in 2024, we’ll have 2023 with which to compare.
Aloha.
Aloha Guys,
Great article! We always book with CostcoTravel.com unless we find something through Marriott Bonvoy. There are some amazing deals on CostcoTravel right now for Maui (Ritz Carlton Kapalua and Hotel Wailea) 🙂 and the Big Island (Westin Hapuna and the Mauna Kea) :). Book early and book airfare separately.
Mahalo for having the best travel news site in Hawaii! 🙂
Hi Cheri.
Thanks. We tried Costco Travel and for our February dates, nothing worked out there either.
Aloha.
I guess Hawaii will get what they are wanting – just wealthy tourists. That leaves me to vacation elsewhere.
Wow! I guess senior citizens and middle and lower class citizens may never get to visit Hawaii amid soaring hotel prices. So unfair that the rich and elite are only ones able to afford it. I guess I won’t be able to share Hawaii with my grandchildren.
Concerned,
Senior Citizen
It’s sad that these hotels have to gouge people so much. We moved to the BI almost 6 years ago and at the time we would easily get rooms for under $100 at nice hotels, then we got AirBnB’s when we were needing to be more rural and not right in Kona or Hilo. Now both the hotels and the AirBnB cost are outrageous. Airbnb’s are really bad with exorbitant cleaning and service fees. Its criminal. Services in most hotels doesn’t justify their cost. For a staycation we stayed at the Marriott Waikoloa Resort, 1 night room and food was $1000 and that was the “kama’aina rate. They offered no room service, there was 1 restaurant that was open for breakfast and the staff was not friendly.
I booked my Outrigger Kaanapali hotel for August 2024 in November of 2023. My upgraded room was $369 a night. I went to the website the other day and checked prices again for my same dates and the rooms are now $517 a night! I couldn’t believe it! I’m feeling grateful for the price I got and it may be my last Hawaiian vacation. We usually go every other year, but I think this will be it.
Mahalo.
osta Rica looks most promising.