Hotels

Maui has accommodations to fit every taste and budget, from luxury oceanfront suites and historic bed-and-breakfasts to reasonably priced condos that will sleep a family of four.

The high season, during which rooms are always booked and rates are at the top end, runs from mid-December to March. A second high season, when rates are high but reservations are somewhat easier to get, is summer (late June to early Sept). The off seasons, with fewer tourists and cheaper rates, are April to early June and late September to mid-December.

Remember to add Hawaii's 11.42% accommodations tax to your final bill. Parking is free unless otherwise noted.

B&B Etiquette

In Hawaii, it is traditional and customary to remove your shoes before entering anyone's home. The same is true for most bed-and-breakfast facilities. Most hosts post signs or will politely ask you to remove your shoes before entering the B&B. Not only does this keep the place clean, but you'll also be amazed at how relaxing it is to walk around barefoot. If this custom is unpleasant to you, a B&B may not be for you.

If you've never stayed at a B&B before, here are a few other hints: Generally the hosts live on the property, and their part of the house is off-limits to guests (you do not have the "run of the house"). Most likely there will be a common area that you can use. Don't expect daily maid service. Your host may tidy up, but will not do complete maid service. Also don't expect amenities like little bottles of shampoo and conditioner -- this is a B&B, not a resort. Remember you are sharing your accommodations with other guests, so be considerate when you come in late at night.

Some hotels, resorts, condos, and vacation rentals may allow smoking in the guest rooms (most also have nonsmoking rooms available), but the majority of bed-and-breakfasts forbid smoking in the rooms. If this matters to you, be sure to check the policy before you book.

Nickel-and-Dime Charges at High-Priced Hotels

Several upscale resorts in Hawaii engage in a practice that I find distasteful, dishonest, and downright discouraging: charging a so-called "resort fee." This daily fee (generally $15-$20 a day) is added on to your bill for such "complimentary" items as a daily newspaper, local phone calls, and use of the fitness facilities -- amenities that the resort used to happily provide its guests for free. In most cases, you do not have an option to decline the resort fee -- in other words, this is a sneaky way to further increase the nightly rate without telling you. I oppose this practice and urge you to voice your complaints to the resort management. Otherwise, what'll be next -- a charge for using the tiny bars of soap or miniature shampoo bottles?