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405 thoughts on “Hawaii Resort Bubbles APPROVED | The Worst Idea Ever?”
See what these islands are planning for new Hawaii resort bubbles.
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Our son and his family live on Oahu. Can we see him w/o a 14 day Quarantine at his house?
Not my idea of a Hawaiian vacation for sure! We stay off the grid in Opihikao, no cell phone, no internet, catchment water only. Staying in a “resort” would be the antithesis of our typical two-week visit to enjoy the “natural” elements that Hawai’i provides.
This concept is DOA. Don’t know who dreamed this up, but I think its very wishful thinking that many would come to the islands to be treated like a convict (but without the free food). I doubt any reasonably sized resort could make this work financially with he limited number of guests that would come under these circumstances.
If I want to be confined to a resort, I can do that in Mexico for less than half the price of Hawaii and it includes food and alcohol. I’ve been seeing some very attractive pricing down there lately.
As others have stated, there are destinations such as Aruba, Bermuda and Jamaica that have figured out how to open with robust arrival testing protocols. Hawaii, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to even be giving that any consideration at this point.
I’m sure there are people who spend their entire vacation at places like the Grand Hyatt on Kauai, next door at The Point, the Hilton Waikoloa and the Four Seasons on the Big Island, or other similar places. Those resorts provide everything you need, if all you want to do is stay in the same place, lounge in some deck chairs beside the pool, pay exorbitant prices at the restaurants on top of the $600+ per night for your room, take a dip in the ocean, provided the resort has beach access, which some don’t. For those resorts, the bubble is a pretty good deal. But the real question is how a resort bubble aids Hawaii economically. How does it help any of the stand alone restaurants and the small businesses who wouldn’t see any of those tourists? How would it diminish the high unemployment rate for people who normally work outside those resorts? It’s an interesting idea, but like so many others coming out of Gov Ige’s office, not well thought out.
Thanks BOH for keeping us informed.
Hi Bob.
Thanks for your many comments!
Aloha.
Bubble bust…..
I wont come! The local flavor would be totally gone.
As for pre arrival testing, dont you think 72 hours is tight? We would favor a bigger window like Jamaica……
5 days is more liberal as a minimum but still tight. We are ready for our November 7 flight, hoping we have the ok under pre testing, knowing realistically 5 day and more window would be easier to meet.
Aloha…third attempt this year to return. Is three the charm?
This idea is crazy! In the meantime, thousands of vacation rentals, the safest place for traveling families, sit empty.
But that would put the entire staff and all the other maybe nit covid carriers at risk. Stupid idea!
Horrible idea! Not surprised with stupid HI Government discussion. What about All tax payer businesses!!!
Recall GOV. IGE and cut 70% to all government employees. Very,very disappointed! Much cheaper price to Mexico why bother with HI.
Agreed
I would absolutely stay in a resort bubble I would suggest that package deals be provided at a lower cost to attract tourism with meals, pool and beach cabanas at the resort included.
Thank you, and a big thank you to Hawaii for thinking outside the box.
Hi Brenda.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Fly all the way to Hawaii to be able to walk the halls of a hotel. Not a dream vacation to me. And if other guests took up the dream vacation endeavor, the hotel may be filled to capacity with possible covid cases. I would rather come later and take a covid test and enjoy the island.
Thanks for the up date BOH and asking our opinion.
Hi Pam.
Thanks for your many comments!
Aloha.
North Shore Kauai residents will not allow untested visitors to invade their homeland. We’ll end up with as many unsolved murder cases as active covid cases. Don’t even try the ridiculous idea.
Wow such a tough guy.
Oh, Tuff guy? Behind a keyboard yeah?
My trip next April which is the 3rd time I have had to push it out in Maui…. I might as well cancel my trip. I like to see Maui not just see a hotel for all my trip… thank you for making it easy to cancel my trip .
What is wrong with a Covid test prior to or upon arrival and mandatory masks in public or at least where a 6′ social distance cannot be met. Freedom and safety. There is a lot to be learned from places where this system works great, why is government trying to reinvent the wheel? Visitors come to Hawaii to see and feel the land, not the inside of a resort.
I love going to Kauai but not that way. I am always exploring trying to enhance my knowledge of the island. Since the beach is federal property at the mean high water mark, I assume you would not be allowed to use the beach. Can’t imagine doing it as much as I love Kauai.
Honestly, there are so many people on the mainland who would probably jump at the idea of being able to come to Hawaii – even IF they have to stay within the “bubble”. If it is at all logistically possible and made safe for those who work at the resorts, I would support the idea.
Aloha,
As a former resident, I Love Hawaii! I have been coming back yearly (for over 30 years). But this idea is ridiculous!!! Why would I fly 4000 miles, pay $800 for a ticket, plus whatever the exorbitant resort/bubble fees will be to see nothing and go nowhere??! I can stay home and do all of that!
I have not canceled my reservation for November as of yet. Waiting to see if quarantine is lifted.
On a positive note, I love your website and all of the many great articles you’ve shared over the years.
Mahalo!!
Julie
Hi Julie.
Thanks for being a reader for years and for your comment!
Aloha.
So, you can check in anytime you like, but you can never check out? No hikes, waterfalls, off the beaten path restaurants, volcano park, helicopter rides, etc. I’m a hard no. Do your pre-flight screenings and mandate masks, but let people enjoy the sights. Poor Hawaii. An example of self-destruction. Mahalo.
Hi Debby.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Terrible idea from an incompetent politician. I cancelled taking 8 family members to Oahu this past April. Hoping that by next August we have normalcy. The bubble! Vacation at Alketrez.
Prison has never appealed to me,but at least in prison you get free meals. No thanks, there is no way this could appeal to anyone. Thanks for the continuing about on what your officials aren’t doing. i understand this situation is hard on everyone but be realistic.
Hi Billy.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I think the resort bubble is a great idea, but only at one Kauai resort-
The Coco Palms!
Please please tell me this is April fool joke in August.
Hi Brant.
Thanks. We need the levity!
Aloha.
I’m not going to pay for the privilege of my every move being tracked and reported to the police. Goodbye Hawaii. Hello other places that have already figured out how to do this (why can’t Hawaii just look at those places and copy them???).
What happens if you stay at a condo where do you eat, I mean do you have to cook in every night like you do at home, how do you go to the store, on my way in?
Like last hear I stayed at a Hotel where they had one small gift shop, a dinning room that was more like an auditorium and one food shack poolside that serves fast food, these are my only choices for my ten day visit.
Finally would Hotels only charge half price of less? Jut wondering.
Does this sound like a good vacation deal?
Two people – 14 days of bubble resort “fun”/
$1,000 pp air fare = $2,000
$250 per night resort hotel x 14 days = $3,500
$200 per day resort meals x 14 days = $2,800
$100 per day x 2 people x 14 days resort liquor and incidentals = $2,800
Other – $500
Total bubble vacation – $11,500
There are plenty of other mainland resorts I’d visit before getting on a plane 5-10 hours.
What a ridiculous idea. What happened to the test within 72
hours of flying? Did cvs drop the ball or did the state of Hawaii?
There are many reasons a bubble resort creates problems.
The best solution is a negative mandatory test within 3 days
Of flying to Kauai. It sure seems like the governor and Kauai
mayor are clueless- act appropriately or soon there will
be a total economic and cultural meltdown- please.
Thank you
Hi Karl.
We don’t know what happened to the testing, other than the obvious shortage of testing materials and perhaps a failed deal with CVS. We’ll update as we learn more.
Aloha.
It’s the inter-island dodge ball game all over again. It will be “how can we beat the system?” The fact that Hawaii would even consideer this shows an incredible lack of leadership. Meanwhile, Hawaii’s economy is in ruins. Like the serious break downs here on the mainland, this didn’t have to happen.
Thanks for the opportunity to provide input. As with anything there are positives and negatives. The resort bubble can provide a degree of safety not only for the traveler, but also for the people of Hawaii. Certainly there are some resorts where this may not be attractive and if your goal is sightseeing, then traveling at another time would be best. If your goal is to relax and decompensated from a hectic life, or have family time the concept may just be the ticket. Frankly, the reality is that for the foreseeable future it is probably the only way the islands can re-open. I say let’s give it a try!
Hi Greg.
Thanks for your comment.
Aloha.
In just a few words. This has to be the dumbest idea I have heard in my 64 years of life. My entire family was planning a 2 island trip just prior to the spring lockdown. We are east coast residents. Absolutely no way we will visit in 2021 or whenever until some sanity from the Hawaiian government takes hold. Such a shame; we wanted our slice of paradise again.
Aloha! No matter how you slice it, without highly accurate rapid testing, this ‘plan’ is INANE and becomes a MUCH larger problem, not a solution. Shame on anyone who thinks this is a good idea.
Hi Barb.
Thanks.
Aloha.
This sounds like it would be very expensive for the resorts that want to participate if they have to purchase the software and employ personnel to track guests. Having to wear a bracelet and be tracked for your entire trip doesn’t sound like a very relaxing vacation to me, seems a little like a fancy prison. Besides, one reason people go to Hawaii is to experience the islands, attend luaus, visit restaurants, and sites. If I wanted to sit in a resort I’d go elsewhere. It might make sense in Jamaica, where safety is a concern, but I can’t see how people coming to Hawaii will go for this.
For us, it wouldn’t work at all. We have a time share on the Big Island, and another on Oahu, where we stay when we’re visiting our kids, who can’t afford a house large enough to house the extended family. If we had to be in a bubble, I assume we’d have to give up the idea of seeing our kids, and that just won’t work for us.
I don’t see how it would protect the people living around the resort, and who are neighbors of resort workers, if they worked 5 day shifts and then went home. One person getting into the “bubble” with COVID could create a very large disease cluster.
It’s a bad idea; come up with a testing program that could work, and open up–just my opinion.
My thoughts exactly. What if one person in the bubble gets covid? Do all the people in the bubble have to quarantine another 14 days? Where would they go?
This is the dumbest idea I have heard in long time!
We travel to Hawaii 4x per year but this would get a big fat “hell no”!!
I’m willing to be in paradise prison. Good excuse to stay at a large resort like the Kauai Beach Club, Four Seasons Maui, Grand Hyatt, even the HBR. Sign me up! If only I felt like it was safe to fly! Lol.
HaHa!!! What a sad story. Keep electing Denocrats Hawaii!! It is so sad what is happening to the Islands.
I would not travel during a “bubble” to anywhere in Hawaii or any other destination in the world. I want to see the entire Hawaiian island that I’m traveling to and support the locals, not just a hotel resort. I want to eat food at local establishments and buy local crafts/artwork. I want to participate in local activities, experience culture and “live Hawaii!” I want the Hawaiians to stay safe, so I have rescheduled for next May, when hopefully I can experience it all. A hui hou!
I don’t think there would be enough people who would want to travel that long a distance to be basically locked up in a resort for it to be worthwhile for the resort to open due to the cost and the prospect of so few people. I think that it is a terrible idea.
I’m sorry, but with each update I am more and more reluctant to rebook our trip to Hawaii. This does not sound like a paradise vacation to me.
I’m sure the resorts will love this concept as all the guests are captives – jack up the prices on everything. Guests will be required to eat in the resort restaurants for every meal, get bored and have to pay for renting beach equipment and activities, the list goes on and on.
As an owner, this is great. You guys are hilarious. We’ll visit our place when sanity returns to Kauai. 🙂
Just do testing before they leave the US and have a copy in hand. I’m trying to get over there to see my son before he deploys. I’ll stay on the military base. Please quit acting so silly. I’m a RN. There are ways to contain this.
hello no, i will not come to hawaii now!!!