Sunday, October 6, 2019

Hawaii is the most popular use of miles

It is also the most popular place to fly to, on a mileage run, to make an elite threshold before the end of the year. A good use of miles for flights and also Hotel points. I enjoyed a real vacation on the Island, It's a long 8 hour flight, though! I'm used to flying from New York EWR to Europe on the 7 hour flight. I used to live in Hong Kong and often stopped in Honolulu to minimize the long flight to the USA. It's easy, clean and relaxing, so it was always a joy to arrive at HNL airport. Asia is just not as spacious, that's why its' relaxing to get away from intense, crowds to an island that is just one big resort.
It took a long time to check in to the at Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. They don't have a dedicated Elite check in area to speed up the process. Many Bonvoy hotels, do have a sign up, where elite members  bypass the can bypass the line. Sheraton hotels used to treat their Elite members very well , but Since they merged with Marriott, Bonvoy Platinum benefits have diminished. Business hotels treat repeat visitors better than vacation hotels.  Ther is no club Lounge for Elite members, but the Receptionist did give me a voucher for 2 free drinks at the bar, but when I got to the bar, the bar tender said that we would have to pay for one drink because the receptionist was mistaken. The Sheraton charges a $40 Resort fee, above the price quoted for a room, as most Honolulu hotels do. Even the Holiday Inn Express, charges an extra $25, which is great if you have kids, because they have activities for children, like a game room. I don't consider a hotel with just a pool, a resort. I expect a beach or golf course and Spa, before I feel I'm in a Resort, and the Sheraton is across the road from the beach with no Spa.  The Sheraton claims that the fee includes MiFi rental and a GoPro Camera, that I was not interested in. Neither did I use the coupon booklet that it includes. Last time I was in Hawaii, I rented a car but this time I thought I would avoid the extra $35 a night self-parking fee.

I decided to move to a hotel with closer beach access, the next night. This turned out to be a pleasant adventure on the 2 hour Public bus trip along the spectacular edge of the shore. It cost $6, but the return trip cost over $100 with Uber because the Island bus did not run due to a blocked road. (The Uber taxi took the route around the other side of the island.) This is the only place I have ever seen true free Range chickens! They wonder around all over the place and I'm curious how their owners can claim them? Dogs come if you call them, do hens? I'm a city girl... what more can I say....

I was really glad that I moved to the Courtyard Hotel Oahu North Shore, it was much more like a Resort but there was no resort fee. they gave me Elite welcome gifts and delightful perks. The hotel is near several popular destinations, including the Polynesian Cultural Center, and Kaukauna Point. The rooms are spacious and the Bistro Hotel restaurant is nice, and there is a McDonalds, next door if you want a quick bite, after Kayaking with sea turtles . If you want to learn more about the Pacific Islands, the place to go and Wander through 42 acres of tropical Luau entertainment and restaurants at the Polynesian Cultural Center. I did go there when I had young children because there is so much to learn about the culture of music, dance, and traditions. I think the beach at the Courtyard, is one of the locations that they filmed the TV show "Lost" at, the palm trees are so high.
The Courtyard pool was a relaxing place and I was captivated, chatting to a man who had been a child when Pearl Harbor was attacked . He experienced that historic event, that unfolded on December 7, 1941. Tourists like to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, a deeply moving and emotional experience, but it was amazing to hear about it from someone that had been there.