The secret to a relaxing vacation -- lose the rental car!

I just returned from a nine day vacation in Maui and had one of the most relaxing vacations ever. Want to know my secret? I didn't rent a car! Being on the road as much as I am, you wouldn't think I would want to hang out at the hotel for my entire vacation. Well - that's exactly what I did - and I loved it. I am the first to admit I'm not a big sightseer when I'm on vacation. However, we typically go out one night for a fancy dinner. We also run in to town for souvenirs, gifts, and sundry items during our stay. Not this time!

My wife (she's the other half of The Travel Brain) and I flew first class on Hawaiian Airlines from Portland, OR to Maui (thanks to American Express points!). If you haven't had the pleasure of flying on Hawaiian Airlines, you are truly missing out. There is a reason they are continually rated as the top US airline for customer service. The food and service in first class was excellent. Upon arrival in Maui, we went directly to the luggage pick up area and we were in a cab 10 minutes later. The cab from the airport to the hotels at Kaanapali will run you around $85 (excluding tip). The cab driver was more than happy to stop at a convenience store along the way so we could pick up a few items (need my shrimp chips!). He also made an appointment to pick us up 9 days later... and he was right on time.

We had reservations for 8 nights at the Hyatt Maui in Kaanapali. We had stayed at this property several years ago. Thanks to my Hyatt Gold Passport points we were able to redeem 8 nights using points. I used 180,000 points to book a Passport Escape. The award stay included 7 nights, daily breakfast for two, a welcome amenity, and 5 dinners for two (appetizer, soup/salad, entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic drink). This is one of the best packages deals I've ever redeemed using points! Thanks to my Diamond Member status, we were upgraded to Regency Level with access to Regency Club during our stay. Between the breakfast each day, snacks at the Regency Club, and 5 dinners - we spent almost nothing on food. This freed up budget $'s for overpriced island drinks... Can you say Lava Flow?

The Hyatt Maui is pretty much how I remembered it. It is a massive property with an open atrium area. They have some of the coolest parrots and macaws out in the lobby. Those birds put on quite a show! Twin baby penguins were recently born, so they provided daily entertainment. The overall appearance and upkeep of the property are generally good. On my balcony, there were some pieces of wood that needed replacing, but stuff rots in the tropics. The pool area is beautiful, but get there early to find the most desirable poolside chairs. The workout facility is very good. The restaurants (Cascades and Umalu) offered ample food selections and good service. The service in Regency Club was exceptional, as was the Umalu pool bar. You should make friends with Alona, the daytime pool bartender. He is world class!

The only major mishap occurred on first day when we went for breakfast. The hostess looks up each guest by room # to check if their package included breakfast. Due to an oversight, we were not on the list and they seated several other customers while trying to confirm our package with the front desk. Only after I said I would pay for breakfast and later fix it with the front desk were we seated. This is an example of poor customer service. Other than that, the service was good and the staff very helpful. They do have golf, tennis, and a complete spa experience available (oceanside massages!). We did not partake in any of these activities on this stay. Our days consisted of an early morning workout, breakfast, pool by 9:00 AM, snack and nap from 1:00 to 4:00 (indoors, out of the sun), cocktails at Regency Club at 5:00PM, dinner, and bed. Next day - repeat. We did enjoy the live music by the pool a few of the nights. Most importantly, we never rushed to do anything. The lack of car truly slowed me down to island time. I recommend this type of vacation to all my weary fellow road warriors. You owe yourself one solid week of nothing on your schedule.

I will say Maui is really hurting for business (see this WSJ article: "Hawaii Hotels Face Fewer Visitors, More Debt" http://bit.ly/6ZY8O). Several of our favorite spots were closed due to the economy. The world famous Johnny Burger off of Kaanapali highway was gone. The Hyatt shuttered its Italian restaurant and Umalu Market by the pool (possibly just temporary closures until business picks up). Cascades restaurant and sushi bar will go down to 5 days per week. On Day 7, we were surprised to find out they were no longer going to have the omelet bar at the breakfast buffet (the price dropped to reflect this change). When we returned to Kahului airport for the flight home, there was almost nobody there. Seriously - near empty. We went through the agriculture screening, checked our bags, and cleared security in under 5 minutes. It was unbelievably convenient and eerie at the same time.

Use this slow period to your advantage! I did a quick check today on airfares. If I went back to Maui from November 4th returning November 11th, here are my options: Hawaiian Airlines $324 roundtrip Portland, OR to Maui. Alaska Airlines $318 roundtrip for the same flights. The Hyatt Maui published room rates are $380 terrace view, $505 ocean view per day. The Hyatt website has the terrace view at $247 and the partial oceanview $328 per day for this time period. If you are a Gold Passport member, they have a special of $315 for terrace view room per day (including breakfast and car rental) or $355 per day for the same package with a partial ocean view.

The Sheraton Maui can be had for $220 for garden view and $250 for a full ocean view. The Ritz Carlton in Kapalua is offering $298 no view (no joke, no view) or $495 partial view including breakfast for 2 and your fifth night is free. Many of the local restaurants were also offering dining specials.

The bottom line: the crowds are down and the deals are hot for Maui. Grab your sunscreen and head to the islands!

I'm off to Las Vegas tomorrow (going the opposite direction). I will cover that in my next blog post. Until then, happy travels!

The Travel Brain


Full Disclosure: For the benefit of the FTC, I did not receive any compensation directly for this blog post. All opinions expressed are strictly those of The Travel Brain.