Updated November 23, 2004 -- Maui is the single island featured in Conde Nast Traveler's November 2004 Best of the Best list, and Hawaiian islands make up half of the Top 10 Pacific Rim winners. While these honors come late as inspiration for budget travelers -- as the end of the Hawaiian bargain season is drawing near and most deals amount to a fifth night free -- a handful of plum packages are still to be had for discount travel to Maui or Oahu through mid-December.
Expedia (tel. 800/551-2534; www.expedia.com) has several air and hotel combos worthy of mention. (To find the items below, simply go to Expedia, click "Vacation Packages" and then "Hawaii Trip Deals.")
The 3-star Pacific Beach Hotel in Oahu near Waikiki can be head for four nights with airfare thrown in starting from:
- $523 out of Los Angeles
- $678 out of Newark
- $703 out of Houston
This two-tower on the former site of Queen Liliuokalani's summer home, sits across the street from Kuhio Beach in Waikiki. Its three restaurants open onto a 280,000-gallon aquarium with stingrays and other marine life, also visible from the lobby. An on-site shopping arcade comprises 25 boutiques selling everything from aloha apparel to flowers. Amenities also include a tennis court, slate-tile pool area, and beauty salon and health spa. Some rooms have ocean views.
Four-night air/hotel packages for the 3-star Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Oahu include:
- $546 from Los Angeles
- $701 from Newark
- $726 from Houston
This hotel is on Waikiki's main street, Kalakaua Avenue, a half-block from Waikiki Beach. Nearby shopping and dining abound. The restaurant features a popular buffet-dinner show with three stages' worth of actors, dancers, singers and a Samoan fire-knife dance.
Five nights at The Maui Seaside runs:
- $626 from Los Angeles (December 23-28 only)
- $732 from Los Angeles (December 30 to January 4)
- $1,042 from Newark
Set on Kahului Bay, this 2-1/2-star, economy-class resort rnear downtown Kahului features a restaurant and lounge, complimentary newspapers, a courtyard with lounge chairs, swimming pool, and sundeck. Guestrooms are spacious with standard amenities.
Four nights at the Sheraton Maui Resort
- $724 from Los Angeles
- $983 from New York/JFK
- $973 from Houston
This 23-acre, 4-star resort sits on a prime stretch of beach around Kaanapali's Black Rock, a sacred Maui site. The famous lava landmark is the scene of a nightly torch-lighting ritual and traditional cliff dive.
Pleasant Holidays (tel. 800/742-9244; www.pleasantholidays.com) has five nights at The Maui Islander starting from $589 out of LA for Monday through Thursday stays until December 13. From the east coast, this same package is base-priced from $990 out of NYC; other gateways are available at varying costs. The Maui Islander is an economy resort on 9 tropical acres in the heart of Maui's historic Lahaina Town. The hotel has a swimming pool, sundeck, barbecue area and lighted tennis courts. The beach is two blocks away. All guests receive "Outrigger's Value Coupons" good for shopping and dining discounts.
If you want to book your own lodgings, you can still save on airfare with Pleasant Holidays -- if you live on the West Coast. Roundtrip flights from LAX to Honolulu start from $259 for Mon-Thur departures and from $309 for weekend departures. Taxes and fees total between $29.90 to $57.40. These flights are available through December 15. For details visit www.pleasantholidays.com/PleasantHolidaysWeb/HTMLPagesDisplay.do?screenName=webfare . San Francisco Bay area folks should look to Suntrips (tel. 800/786-8747; www.suntrips.com), which has been running a pretty incredible $199 roundtrip fare for post-Thanksgiving flights.
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