Fiance and I just went to Maui exactly a month ago. It was gorgeous and I would recommend it to anyone! It's not so "busy" like Honolulu, which I have heard it referred to as the concrete jungle.

im going in May too. we will be there for 2 weeks. we're just going to stay in Oahu.

Aston Waikiki Beach hotel is a good hotel to stay. it's reasonable & right across the street from Waikiki beach. also it's a little off so it's not too buzy/noisy. 5 minute walk to International market & many designer boutiques. it also has a trolley stop right in front. u can take the trolley to Ala Moana mall for only $2 each way.

I also recommend Maui

I did Waikiki (Oahu) and Maui. We booked through Expedia which was very reasonable. We rented a convertible and drove to the hotel. I think it was the Hyatt/Hilton or something. It was across from the beach and walking distance to Gucci, Prada, etc.. We used our rental car to explore and drive to other beaches like Hanauma Bay. Then we took a super small plane to Maui which was totally different. VERY QUIET and more romantic. We stayed at the Weston there I'm pretty sure. It was great, but with Maui there's no shopping, etc., so we stayed only 3-4 days there and it was enough. I'd stay a little longer in Waikiki..

where in Maui? Wailea has good shopping and Kaanapali has okay shopping too.
If you want big city shopping, Maui's not it, but we don't go to Maui to do big city shopping anyhow.

there are some really great smaller boutiques in maui, like tamara katz sp?. mostly in pa'ia town. wailea has a few high end stores too but yes, not a major shopping mecca.

although, the only bcbg in the state is on maui :(

I adore Maui. Gorgeous. Great shopping in wailea for sure. They have high end shops and a few cute boutiques. Wailea beach is IMO the best as well. Lots of great restaurants around there as well.

Shopping is the last thing I want to do(and I LOVEEEE shopping) when I arrive in Hawaii.

In Oahu, you can go to the Shark's Cove for snorkeling with the locals,eat shave ice at Aoki's,see sea turtles on Turtle beach,hike Manoa Falls trail,see some amazing views from Spitting cave of Portlock,hike Diamond Head. I could go on & on. And don't get me started on the other islands!

If you want some great shopping come to my hometown, NYC

I agree!

yes that's on the plans for the next year


UOTE=hawaiianorchid;18262284]Shopping is the last thing I want to do(and I LOVEEEE shopping) when I arrive in Hawaii.

In Oahu, you can go to the Shark's Cove for snorkeling with the locals,eat shave ice at Aoki's,see sea turtles on Turtle beach,hike Manoa Falls trail,see some amazing views from Spitting cave of Portlock,hike Diamond Head. I could go on & on. And don't get me started on the other islands!

If you want some great shopping come to my hometown, NYC[/QUOTE]

I have family on Oahu (or as my brother calls it, the floating Los Angeles), so I usually stay in Waikiki. The shopping is top-notch. I'm an urbanite, so I love the city, but the North Shore on the other side of Oahu is very quiet and low-key. I drive out there for beach trips because the Waikiki beaches are too crowded. Speaking of, avoid Hanauma Bay like the plague. It's a complete tourist trap. You go snorkeling and all you see are other people's feet.

My top recommendation: you MUST have dinner at Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu. It is not cheap, but the food is AMAZING and the service is phenomenal. I only wish I'd known about it sooner, since my last trip was the first time I ate there. Seriously, it was the best meal I've ever had in my life.

We are also going there later this year - I am so excited, first time to Hawaii.

I think we are staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Great tips so far, keep them coming! The more I explore online, the more excited I get about the trip! :)

I stayed in Waikiki Ohana Maria Hotel and found it very pleasing and convenient! The hotel is located right next to the Galeria Duty Free Shopping Centre, and is a 5 minute walk to Waikiki beach!

I've only been there once and I want to go back! I booked my trip threw costco travel we stayed at the hyatt in Waikiki and it was awesome. It was literally across the street from the beach. I would look around on various travel websites like expedia trip advisor and such for deals and to get a feel for the hotels over using a travel agent. Sometimes you can get better deals if you know what hotel you want to stay at and get added to their mailing list or friend them of FB. You didn't mention when your planning to go there but I'd guess dec, jan, & feb are probably more expensive hotel wise cause of all the people who are trying to escape the cold will be going there, also spring break would probably be another busy time too. I actually enjoyed the Polynesian culture center a lot, I'd check out pearl harbor too, go to a luau, check out the scenery hiking/waterfalls, honestly some of the best beaches were beaches we just happened to stumble across along the way.

Originally Posted by Swanky Mama Of Three

It'll be cheaper to do your round trip from home to HI from the same island. Island hopping is usually about $70 pp for flights - 20 mins. I can tell you lots about Maui, just LMK!

Where do you think is nicer on Maui?
a) the Ritz Carlton Kapula, or
b) The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea?

(or, somewhere on Lana'i?)

(P.S. Apologies for slightly hijacking this thread!)