Mister Sandman.....

Assuming you're not going to sleep on the beach, you'll need a place to stay. If you MUST have Don Ho singing you to sleep, and HAVE to be on the beach, and CAN'T LIVE without room service, this page is not for you. There are a few places in Waikiki where you don't have to mortgage your home to pay for your hotel bill. We all would love to stay at the Hilton, or the Royal Hawaiian, but those of us who aren't independently wealthy think saving a few bucks on accommodations is worth it.

Let's face it - did you come to Hawaii to stay in your room, or to use it as a place to grab a few winks before heading back to the beach? Personally, if I paid $200+ a night for an ocean view room, I'd feel guilty every time I left it. Save a couple bucks and spend it doing something fun.






I have worked for the past 4 years in the hotel business, as a night auditor, so I believe I have some room to talk. If you listen to an insider, you just might save a few dollars and that makes a lot of cents.

No matter who you call for a reservation, be friendly. Tell them how excited you are about your trip to Hawaii. If possible talk to the property directly. You will probably be quoted "rack" (full - no discount) rates. Take a breath, don't panic. Ask if there are any "property specials or general manager's specials" available. During slow periods, discounts of up to 40-50% can be had. Airline employees and travel agents usually receive a 50% discount at most hotels. Seniors, Triple A members, AARP members etc usually have some kind of discount also.

In addition there are several hotel discount programs which involve some membership costs, chief among these is the Entertainment card. You purchase a book of discounts (dining, attractions, activities) and receive a card which is good for up to 50% off on selected hotels (you get a list of participating hotels with the book). You can quickly recoup the cost of the book(~$50) with one stay. You also get 2 for 1 discounts on meals and sightseeing - a great value. For information on the Entertainment card, click here. You can purchase the book online by clicking on the sign me up button at the card site. Be sure to order the Hawaii Visitors coupon book. 50% hotel discounts are limited, and almost NEVER AVAILABLE DURING THE HOLIDAY PERIOD. Book is good January through December, yearly.

There are 2 major hotel chains in Hawaii - Aston and Outrigger. Both have everything from 3 or 4 star beachfront hotels to 1 star places to stay. I will focus on the 1 star variety (remember - every dollar you save, you can spend on doing something fun).

Both Aston and Outrigger use a central reservations system. The people who answer the phone are not in Hawaii (Aston's central res is in Dallas, Outrigger's is in Denver), so remember you are not speaking to a local Hawaiian. For Aston, the least expensive place is the Honolulu Prince, for Outrigger, the bargain property is the Outrigger Hobron. You can call Aston properties direct (and maybe get a better deal), but Outrigger properties will refer you to their central res number. You can also check out, via the world wide web, the other Aston or Outrigger hotels in Waikiki, or on the outer islands.

If you're into the condo thing (cooking facilities, pots and pans - just like home) try Aloha Waikiki Vacation Condos. They own units in a couple of choice properties, where you can have all the comforts of home (plus daily maid service, a break for the ladies). If you're into cooking during your vacation, a condo is the way to go (and you can save a few bucks on food and go blow the savings on a really nice meal).

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