How to Pick a Hawaii Hotel

When you’re planning your trip to Hawaii, your lodging will be the centerpiece of your stay. It’s pretty important to have an idea of what kind of place you’d like it to be. Hawaii has, on all the islands, a whole spectrum of choices.

The purpose of your visit may be business, holiday, family vacation, reunion, honeymoon, occasion (sporting event, concert, Aloha Week), or activity (sport fishing, golf, eco-touring), and your purpose will surely help determine your choice.

So ask yourself (and/or your traveling companion) these questions:

• Do you have an island preference? Are you considering more than one island?

• Is being on or directly across from the beach important?

• Do you want to be near Downtown Honolulu?

• Do you like the idea of a secluded mountain escape or a bucolic, out-of the way haven, or do you want to be where the action is?

• What’s your budget? Can you go for a resort that provides everything, or do you need to consider budget, “boutique” hotels? (Think of how many nights you will stay and how much you can spend per night on your hotel.)

• Consider the other clientele of the hotel. Hotels can favor couples only, adults only, children and families, or be all-inclusive.

• What kind of room do you want? Is the bed important, and if so  how? Want to soak in a whirlpool bath? Do you need a DVD or  CD player, minibar or a plunge pool? (Staples such as in-room  safes and controllable air conditioning aren’t available  everywhere.)

• What amenities would you like to have? Do you need room  service 24/7? How about a fitness center or a spa? Are you a  golfer? Would you like to have live entertainment or a nightclub  on premises? Would a really-neat pool attract you? How about  water-sports instruction and equipping – snorkeling, scuba diving,  canoeing or jet skiing?

When you decide on all of the above or need help with any of these question, go to our Web site and pick an agent, or call 1-800-843-8771. It’s important that we book for you as soon as possible, and Hawaii-Aloha agents can put together the entire package for you. (We are aware of discounts and deals that aren’t readily available on line or even with other agents; and we specialize in Hawaii. Our agents have lived here, been trained here and have relationships with the providers.) By the way, if you have a miles card, let us know. You might be able to get an upgrade or an extra night free. In any event, the more we can package for you, the more discounts and upgrades we can go for. If you’re doing everything on-line on your own, you’re literally buying everything a la carte and missing a lot of opportunities. And if anything were to go wrong, it would be pretty hard to make things right as a free- lancer.
 

Add comment July 8th, 2008

Hawaii Lava Flow News

In November of last year, a new outbreak of lava began flowing from Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island into the sea.  The eruption itself has continued for 25 years now.  Surface flows emerge near the ocean on the southeast side of the island, and you can see the lava from a viewing area a few hundred feet away.  A week ago, the lava-rock-tube path from Kilauea’s east rift vent to the ocean began to change.  New breakouts began taking place near the vent.  Its flow into the sea now has slowed considerably, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, but it remains part of one of the most spectacular natural phenomena on the planet.

If you’re planning to visit the area, wear comfortable socks and walking shoes or hiking boots.  The weather tends to vary on the volcano, so bring sunscreen, wear a hat and bring along sweatshirts and a windbreaker or raincoat.  Bring water with you, too, if you’ll be hiking.  And for goodness’ sake, don’t forget your camera!

Add comment July 8th, 2008