Travel Deal of the Day (April 7, 2009)

Here are two Hawaiian hotel deals that have vastly different price tags. Both of these hotels are on the Big Island and both are incredible.

Hapuna Beach Prince - As I have noted previously, the Hapuna Prince is offering rooms via Priceline for extremely low prices ($75/night or less). The best deal in Hawaii right now is the Hapuna Prince Hotel for these incredible prices. The hotel is a solid 3.5 or 4 star hotel, and Hapuna Beach is definitely one of the nicest, if not the nicest, beach in Hawaii. For more information about bidding for this hotel for $75 or less, see this link. (Please note that when bidding with Priceline, there is a risk you will receive a comperable hotel to the Hapuna Beach Prince, however it does not appear that the other comperable hotels are offering rates as low as $75, so you are likely to receive this hotel if you follow the bidding instructions in the link provided.)

Four Seasons Hualalai - The Four Seasons Hualalai is the most luxurious hotel in Hawaii, probably one of the nicest hotels in the US and probably one of the most expensive hotels in the US. The Four Seasons Hualalai offers a mind-boggling five-star experience in Hawaii - with a five-star price tag. However, presumably due to the economy and ongoing renovations (see this link), the hotel is offering a $1000 resort credit on four night stays. It is unclear under the terms of the promotion whether the credit can be used towards the room rate itself or only on charges other than the room rate itself. Assuming you used your entire credit, your total cost would likely decrease by $250/night on a four-night stay (to an effective cost of $475/night for a golf ocean view room - 1/2 of which have their own private outdoor shower). Before booking this promotion, you should confirm with the hotel the rules associated with the promotion. Room rates vary based on the room type and view. Again, the Four Seasons Hualalai is extremely expensive. But if you want the best Hawaiian experience, this is an extraordinary time to visit this hotel as the room rates using this promotion are significantly discounted. For more information on this package, see this link.

The Inside Scoop:
You may question why this blog would list two Hawaiian deals with such vastly different price tags. I list both deals as I realize that people have different expectations when visiting hotels. Both of the above deals are great and reflect the bad economy. For most people, the Hapuna is the most relevant deal. And, I must add, that Hapuna Beach is just breathtaking and you will be very happy you had the opportunity to enjoy that beach. For those who choose five-star hotels, this is a great opportunity to stay at Hualalai at these highly discounted room rates.