Midnight arrival: Honolulu airport hotel recom?

[AZGrandma]

My poor husband! Because he works Saturdays, he does not get to accompany his happy, excited family on a Friday flight to Honolulu. In fact, he won't even get to BOARD the POA cruise until Hilo!

 

The earliest we can get him into Honolulu is midnight. Poor soul: to his body, that will feel like 4am, when he usually is up and going to work!

 

I'm not to sure where to book him: from CC searches, I have learned that the area near the airport is industrial, and the hotel offerings similarly 'basic.' That's okay - he just needs a place to crash before his morning flight to Hilo Sunday.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Is there going to be a shuttle available to the hotel? I am thinking of trying for a cheap room at the Honolulu Airport Hotel, since Frommer's says it is liveable for an overnight like his. But will it be hard to scare up an affordable shuttle?

 

What can he do for breakfast before his flight SUnday morning?

 

Thanks for any suggestions. I mostly want him to be safe, and traveling far at midnight sounds a bit dicey; plus, he needs to be right back at the airport the next day. No point in going some place expensive or far.

 

Leslie

[suzy5555]

Leslie,

 

We just returned from Hawaii today. We were riding standby after our cruise on Saturday and all the flights were full so we had to scramble at the last minute to get a hotel. Fortunately, I had my laptop with me so I searched for a hotel on expedia near Honolulu airport. (BTW - I didn't use expedia to book - the hotel site itself was much cheaper) The least expensive hotel was the Ohana Honolulu Airport Hotel for $129. They offer free shuttle to and from the hotel. Once you pick up your luggage in baggage claim there is a courtesy phone you can use to call them. Dial 66. The rooms were newly remodeled in January 2007 and were very clean. They also have a restaurant that opens at 6:30. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes on the hour and the half hour. We were very pleased.

 

http://www.ohanahotels.com/hotels_detail.aspx?hotel=91

[spleenstomper]

I'm sure you worked out all the angles, but I'm curious why he isn't just flying straight to Hilo?

 

The area by the airport, from what I remember, was kinda rough looking.

 

I'd try Priceline; they have never let me down. You can go to http://www.betterbidding.com and see what prices people have been winning. I know people were getting the Westin Maui, for instance, for 125.00 a night... that doesn't relate to Honolulu, but I wanted to give you some idea of what kind of discounts you can get.....

 

Hope that helps....

[AZGrandma]

Good question, Spleen, and the answer is, because it was cheaper to create a round trip via AA and he gets to fly HOME with The Fam, than it was to create our own round trip on separate airlines. I did find ONE, and only one, flight to Hilo that fit his work schedule, where he changed planes in Oakland. But then to return with us on our AA flight would cost more than our round trip fare total. I hate to do that to my mother who is paying for all this! (She is actually the AZGrandma I use as my moniker.)

 

I mean a difference of $800. For much less than that, he can stay one night in an inexpensive hotel (I hope!) and eat a light breakfast. :)

 

BTW, since I spend all my time on these boards now, please accept my thanks to you, and other locals/experienced travelers, for sharing all your insights. You and Beachchick are better than a travel agent.:p

 

Leslie

[AZGrandma]

Wow! Thanks! I will check them out. Big help!

 

Leslie

[spleenstomper]

I went to betterbidding.com because I was curious (I have Hawaii fever BIG TIME right now)...

 

Someone got a 2.5 star Waikiki hotel (Castle Ocean Resort) for 65.00 a night

 

And

 

Someone got a 4 star Hawaiian Prince Hotel for 136.00 a night

 

Let me know if you are interested in Priceline and haven't used it before... will be happy to help!

 

I figured there must have been some big reason why he's not flying straight to Hilo... 800.00... WOW!

[spleenstomper]

I went to betterbidding.com because I was curious (I have Hawaii fever BIG TIME right now)...

 

Someone got a 2.5 star Waikiki hotel (Castle Ocean Resort) for 65.00 a night

 

And

 

Someone got a 4 star Hawaiian Prince Hotel for 136.00 a night

 

Let me know if you are interested in Priceline and haven't used it before... will be happy to help!

 

I figured there must have been some big reason why he's not flying straight to Hilo... 800.00... WOW!

 

(SORRY if this duplicates... got a "bad response from server" message

[jwmcq]

AZGrandma - Do you know what your husband will have to do to check in a day late in Hilo? I am asking just to have "plan B" available should our flight arrive late on Monday. My husband works Sundays and didn't want to take 2 Sundays off in a row, so we are flying in the day we depart. I am nervous about this, but it was either fly in "day of" or not go. Anyway, should our flight be late, we will have to catch to ship in Hilo. Where do you go to check in?

[CC Help Michell]

In addition to www.betterbidding.com (which I really like for their insights on Hotwire), another good site for Priceline bidding is http://www.biddingfortravel.com. I've used the advice of fellow travelers there and saved a lot of money (thousands over the last five years).

 

Regarding boarding at Hilo, I'm not AZGrandma, but I did notice that when we were at Hilo they had a little folding table outside the port for check-ins. I believe it was mostly for crew members joining the ship staff, but I did see a family checking in there as well.

[AZGrandma]

jwmcq, My mother's travel agent is handling it with NCL, BUT, I will likely call and confirm myself, as well as remind them when WE board on Sat. that he will not make it til Hilo. The TA has already notified NCL and all they told her was that they'd like him to board in Hilo by 4pm. He should be there by noon, actually.

 

SPleen, the cost for joining us on our return trip was $1100, and it was about $800 to get him there. !!!!!!! To do it this way is $980. Then add the $150 for room and breakfast, and we still save a bundle. Maybe for a copter ride in Kauai. ;-)

 

Leslie

[tdiii]

I had to stay at the Honolulu Airport Hotel once. And not by choice, it was thanks to a plane cancellation. but the Hotel had a free shuttle to and from the airport, and the rooms were ok. Like one star. Ok, maybe one and a half stars. but there is nothing around at all from what I remember. There was a restaurant in the Hotel, but I don't remember there being anything else around except for a gas station and a lot of traffic going to the airport.

[whale-watcher]

We rented a room at the airport hotel on our last day, and plan to use it as a place to shower and change before our flight home in the early evening; tried to get a day rate at a hotel in Waikiki, but none available after early January.

[AZGrandma]

At $155, w/tax and all included.

 

If anyone knows of a better deal, I am all ears! I didn't do priceline because I was nervous about him ending up in a dump that just accidentally had too many stars, or in a nice hotel too far away for a ride at midnight. I'm not priceline-savvy.

 

Ohana has a free shuttle 24/7, since they are just 1/2 mile away. He could probably WALK it, if it were safe.

 

I thought Ohana would be a good bet since a CC board member could vouch for it as of last week. That seems more reliable than Priceline.

 

Leslie