40 TH birthday..where to stay..??

Hello All,

I am planning on spending a week in Maui during October for my 40 th Birthday.I have found an excellent price on a flight from the mainland but i need a reasonable,clean,all-inclusive place to stay on the west side close to Lahaina/Kannapali area.I got a price on the Weston for an ocean view room but the price was way over my buget....any suggestions...!!!???

Thanks.

40 TH birthday..where to stay..??

I also turned 40 in Hawaii, however I was on the island of Kauai. Well, I have heard that the only all-inclusive in Hawaii is on the Big Island . . . I would suggest checking out vrbo.com - you will find many excellent places to stay that probably fit your budget better. Don%26#39;t hesitate to mention it%26#39;s your birthday when you get there. I got a free upgrade on my car and also free dessert for that special day. I can%26#39;t think of a better place to make some wonderful 40th birthday memories - hope you have a great time! :)

40 TH birthday..where to stay..??

I%26#39;m going to Hawaii for my 40th in October too! :) we aren%26#39;t going to Maui though.

Bump

Kona Village Resort is the only all inclusive I am aware of in all of Hawaii (it is on the Big Island).

Cheapest rate for one week - $4,410.

The reason there are not more is that Hawaii is not like the Caribean or Mexico, you really do NOT want to just stay in the resort and miss everything there is to see and do.

We are staying at the Lahaina Shores Beach Resort in July. The rates for a ocean view studio are very reasonible. Large lania close to the water. Looks wonderful and can hardly wait to go. Check them out.

Try the various condo%26#39;s in Napali. They have always sounded good to me.

Happy 40th to you both! That was a fun one.

Many great T.A. people have suggested www.vrbo.com (vacatin rentals by owner) if you want a condo at a good rate. I have not used this myself but keep reading about it. What is a good rate exactly?

Hello,

Still looking for a decent place to stay that won%26#39;t break the bank..!!

I tried VRBO.COM for condos but the 2 or 3 places i liked where already rented.

Reading travel books i have found the whaler and Resort quest Mahana seem to be recommended...anyone have any opinions on either of these two places...???

Thanks...!!

We stay at the Whaler every year. Each condo is different . I have been in some of the large, ocean front units and and I have been in studio units. Some nicer than others, but all were clean and decent. The location can%26#39;t be beat. You are right on the beach. The Kaanapali walkway is at your front door. Whalers village for eating or shopping is right next door and you can even use your room key to take the shortcut from the back of the condos to the village. The pool isn%26#39;t fancy and new but it has tons of chairs and places to hang out in the sun. There are lots of BBQ%26#39;s if you choose to eat in. If you choose to eat out you can%26#39;t walk to many of different places, have a few drinks and not worry about driving! There is a pretty nice gym that they just remodeled and a small beauty salon/spa. We really like it there.

Try the Maui Kai. Next door to the Mahana. Great location, and all units are oceanfront and have A/C.

How can I reuse ugly old blankets

Best Car Rental Service without long waits

Which car rental company at or near airport etc will stress us the least? Thanks

Best Car Rental Service without long waits

Some times its just dumb luck. If you get a member type pass from a rental company like Hertz Gold you can allegedly avoid the lines. You need to relax. You will be in Maui. Some one should get the car while someone gets the luggage. The luggage can sometimes take longer than the car. As I said before relax and feel the soft air and smell the flowers while you wait.

Best Car Rental Service without long waits

we went through Avis and had only two people in front of us and it took about 15 minutes. like shanty said, i think it%26#39;s luck too, depends on when you%26#39;re flights coming in, etc. from what i gathered, it looks as if all the rental car agencies are just down the road a bit, you check in and take a shuttle over to the actual rental place where you will pick up/return the car.

Hertz #1, Budget Fastbreak, etc. are great time-savers.

Second the notion of ';one gets the wheels %26amp; the other the bags'; and the reverse even helps a little upon departure.

If you both want to be able to drive the car, can you leave one person waiting on bags? or do you both need to be present at the car rental counter?

Yes %26amp; no.

If you accept the LDW/CDW then both drivers need to produce ID. However, if you%26#39;re going to rely on your own insurance, and both drivers are named on the policy, then one renter is sufficient; to be safe, suggest you verify with your Insurance Agent. (If State Farm, don%26#39;t bother, it%26#39;s OK with them.)

I personally like Aloha. If you show up late they will leave the car at the airport with the keys. They do not charge for a second driver, which is often a hidden extra. Courteous staff and clean cars.

Hertz gold. Never had to wait or had a problem. However, since spending a lot of money stresses me out, you may also consider that it is probably the most money. We saved a bundle and used alamo thru costco on our last trip. We had a few issues that we%26#39;ve never had to deal with using Hertz but in the end I thought it was worth it.

Hertz number one club GOLD (not just #1 club) will get you through the lines faster than anything. Officially, it costs $$ to join, but sometimes you can find it for free. I use it for business all the time and it is faster than any other program I%26#39;ve experienced it.

Thrifty BlueChip is free and good -- they at least have a special line, although they are not as fast as Hertz Gold.

Otherwise, everything depends on the day, the time, and the number of rentals the company has ... I don%26#39;t think any of them are consistenly that much better than the other.

Pemco requires that both ( or more) persons driving be signed up on the rental agreement for our coverage to work on both of us! So you both have to present your DL and sign the rental agreement!

Funny! I just called and asked them today for that information!

Hilton Hawaiian Village

Which tower would be best for a family of 4. I stayed in Rainbow 2 years ago and found it quite dated even though it had a balcony, dining room, corner suite on the 27th Floor. Do any of the towers have true suites (bedroom separate from the living room area)?

Hilton Hawaiian Village

Try for a xx29 or xx30 in the Tapa Tower. These corner rooms/suites are very large with a full on ocean view.

The Whaler

We just got back from a week long trip to Maui, (sept. 9-16th) we stayed at The Whaler at Kaanapali Beach. We were real nervous about going because of all the negative posts about the resort, but we had not one complaint. Rooms were very clean, spacious, great views. The other couple that went with us stayed in another room and they also said the samething. We did many things from snorklin

to parasailn, went to the old fashioned luau, and many other things. So in my mind The Whaler was perfect for our first trip to Maui!! I am telling everyone about this place, I%26#39;m sure there are many nice places to stay, but we didn%26#39;t drive to dinner but a couple

different times, because The Whalers Village was right beside us so we could walk there. very nice!! 2 thumbs up!!!

The Whaler

Which unit did you stay in? Did you rent directly from an owner?

The Whaler

Funny that your screen name is Metallica....my friends%26#39; were in Maui in July and saw James Hetfield and his son on the beach. My friend said hi but didn%26#39;t get a pic.

Great review! I agree, and love The Whaler as well! It would help others if you posted your opinion of the property also on TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews under The Whaler.

kauai beach villas

Hi all, a friend has offered us a week of their timeshare with the Kauai beach villas to celebrate our honeymoon in March 07...anyone have any experience with the property? I know the pool is not the best but how about the rooms? Proximity to dining? bars? Thank you very much!

kauai beach villas

How well you will like this place depends a lot on which unit you get. Some apparently are quite nice and others pretty down at the heels. Also, only a few have ocean views. The pool is just there, not much to write home about. The beach is pretty, but, not particularly swimmable there -- lots of dangerous surf conditions. However, you are centrally located and just a short drive to many shops and restaurants. Also right next door to the county golf course, which is a great bargain.

kauai beach villas

We just stayed a week there in early Sept. I must say we were disappointed, as the resort is listed a topnotch by the timeshare trading company RCI. We do not feel the resort deserves that high a rating. That said, though, if someone is offering you a week there..that would be nice. The pool is awful and dirty, I wouldn%26#39;t plan on using it...but there are so great places to go on Kauai, you probably won%26#39;t spend a lot of time there anyway. It%26#39;s located between Lihue and Kapaa, so you are convenient to the restaurants in Kapaa. It%26#39;s about 45-60 min drive to the north, which is so beautiful. The condos at the resort are ok, the outside as you drive in is pretty grim, but the lagoon side is very pretty. Can%26#39;t swim at the beach there, but we spent some evenings sitting on the beach, drinking wine, watching the moon over the ocean...very romantic.

If using this condo means the difference of going to Kauai or not going for your honeymoon, I%26#39;d say take it.

I may be a little prejudice as a timeshare owner there, but we very much like the place. I do agree, though, that if you don%26#39;t get a 1 bedroom/2bath or a 2 bedroom unit, you may not find it as attractive. The 1 bedroom/1baths face the parking areas. If you%26#39;ld like to see some pictures I took around the place, feel free to check them out here:

www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html…

2 hour layover in Honolulu

On our way back from our trip we will have a 2 hour lay over in Honolulu. Is there any thing very close to the airport we would be able to see?

2 hour layover in Honolulu

Considering that you should be at the airport 1 1/2 hours before your flight to the mainland, there really is nowhere else you can go.

If I only had 2 hours, I wouldn%26#39;t leave the secured area %26amp; stand in line to get back in.

The airport has shops, restaurants %26amp; a garden that you can visit.

2 hour layover in Honolulu

Yes, that is what I thought, but I thought maybe there was a chance to see something. :)

no way. consider that getting off the plane and getting to a taxi might take 15-20 min ... you%26#39;re down to 1 hr 40 min ... going anywhere will take at least 10 ... you%26#39;re down to 1 hr 30 min ... coming back will take at least 10 (if you can get a taxi immediately...)

Don%26#39;t chance it, or try to change your flight home to a later one.

Grab a bite to eat and get a flower lei to take home with you. The time will go by quick. You can smell your lei and cry like I did!

NatureCat

=^..^=

And have one last Mai Tai to drown your sorrows over having to leave!

I can%26#39;t believe it. I will be packing tomorrow for Maui!!! The trip is finally here! You all have been so help full. Thanks :)

pets

Kamaole Sands....Building 4, 8, or 9???

We are three families who have reservations at Kamaole Sands. Any advice as to whether building 4, 8, or 9 is best?

Kamaole Sands....Building 4, 8, or 9???

I looked at a map of the the condos and these three buildings seem the least favorable but they contain the %26#39;standard%26#39; units that we reserved through expedia. Any advice?

Kamaole Sands....Building 4, 8, or 9???

You nailed it ! These 3 are the least desireable. Building #9 is probably the best of this bunch by a slim margin as it%26#39;s the closest to the beach. The best you could do is to stay high, preferably 4th floor, to minimize road and parking lot noise and possibly pick up some views.

whiteheads