By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Natasha Wholschalager at the
Backpackers Inn on the North Shore.
THERE are lots of great reasons for living in Hawaii but one problem all residents face when wanting to travel is being so darn far from a real getaway place. Hey, it's five hours by air to the West Coast alone. That sorta takes the fun out of a weekender to San Francisco or Los Angeles.
A little respite from home even when it is in paradise can be just the right prescription for relaxing, especially during the hectic days of the holiday season. And with a little searching and planning, there's really no need to spend big bucks on some five-star hotel.
There are lots of hidden, moderately priced accommodation treasures in Hawaii. It all depends on your requirements.
You don't have to stay in a hotel to enjoy Oahu's North Shore beauty, there's a variety of lodging near Waimea Bay that's downright cheap. Thinking about exploring the Hamakua coast but you don't want to spend a weekend in Hilo? There's a great B&B in charming Honokaa.
Certainly, this time of year reservations are a bit tight but "eh, try call" you might get lucky and find a few Hawaii gems far from Diamond Head.
By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Backpackers Inn on the North Shore.
BACKPACKERS VACATION INN & PLANTATION VILLAGE (1-808-638-7838) offers several different choices for staying "hostel" -- dormitory -- style: OAHU
The Beach House has a limited number of hostel beds, $17 per night; the Main House, $15 per night; Plantation Village, $15 per night. (And when you stay a week, hostel style guests get their seventh night free.)
The Beach House is on the Pupukea Beach Marine Sanctuary, or as locals call it "Three Tables Beach" which has some of the best diving and snorkeling on Oahu, May through September.
The house is a two-story building with eight private suites (studio apartments), four on each floor. Each suite sleeps four and has a private bath. The suites all have cable TV and either a balcony or a patio that over looks the ocean. The two large suites have full kitchens; standard suites have a kitchenette. Large suites are $95 a night; standard suites are $80 a night.
Plantation Village has nine plantation-style cabins down the street from the Main House, across from the other end of Pupukea Beach Marine Sanctuary. The cabins are nestled among hibiscus, bananas and papaya on more than an acre of lush tropical landscape. There are barbecue areas, picnic tables and laundry facilities. All cabins have fully equipped kitchens, baths and cable television.
Cabins sleep six to eight people, depending on the cabin. They have large decks with ocean views and are located across from the beach. The cabins have full kitchens and come equipped with cooking and eating utensils; linens and towels also are provided; $110 to $135 a night (10 percent off weekly rates.)
Cabin 1 is ocean view and has three bedrooms, sleeping six people at $135 a night. Cabin 3 is oceanview and has two bedrooms; it sleeps four, $110 a night. Cabin 4 is private with a shared bath and kitchen; $55 a night per room. Cabin's 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are hostel style, $15 a night per person.
Private rooms can be found in Plantation Village and the Brown House. A private room sleeps two people where the kitchen and bath are shared with other private rooms on your floor, or in your cabin. Private rooms are provided with linens and towels; $45 to $55 a night.
Private suites or studio apartments are in the Beach Building. All suites have an ocean view and a patio or balcony overlooking the beach. Suites are self contained and have either a full kitchen or kitchenette, a full bath, cable television and come with linens, towels, cooking and eating utensils; $80 or $95 a night.
The Main House across from Pupukea Beach Marine Sanctuary has a large enclosed courtyard with picnic tables and a barbecue area. The Main House has four dorm-style rooms with four beds per room. There also are two baths and a large kitchen and lounge area. The kitchen is stocked with everything you need and there's cable television. Cost is $15 a night per person; sheets are provided free;
The Brown House is a three-story pole house located next to the Main House across from Pupukea Marine Sanctuary. It's a fun, funky wooden house with lots of decks and unobstructed views of the ocean. There are six private rooms which sleep two people each, three per floor with a bath and kitchen on each floor. Cable TV, linens and towels are provided, $45 per room per night.
Waikiki Parc
Waikiki Parc, at home in Waikiki.
WAIKIKI PARC HOTEL: (921-7272) One of Waikiki's few hidden treasures, the Parc is right across the street from the Halekulani Hotel but costs far less than its sister hotel with year-long kamaaina rates starting at $111 a night. Through Christmas day, two people can gat an ocean view room, full breakfast buffet and free parking for $168; or a garden view room for $137.Guests can use the deck-top pool and also have restaurant signing privileges at the Halekulani Hotel. Beach access is just out the front door.
Kolo Camp
Kolo Camp, Molokai Ranch.
KALUAKOI VILLAS (1-808- 367-5004) is located in the Kaluakoi resort area on the west coast of Molokai. Guests can enjoy Kaluakoi's championship golf course, sunbathe on a white sand beach, take a cool dip in the freshwater swimming pool or dine at the resort's restaurant. MOLOKAI
Amenities include ceiling fans, color television, VCR, refrigerator, cooking and eating utensils, four-burner range top, micro-wave, coffeemaker and toaster. The cottages come with a range with an oven and dishwasher.
Rates start at $99 for a room with two double beds; a studio with kitchenette and partial Ocean View, $120; oceanfront cottage with kitchen, $195.
KOLO CAMP, MOLOKAI RANCH (1-808-552-2741): Set on a bluff overlooking the ocean and the island of Lanai, Kolo Camp is the second campsite on The Great Molokai Ranch Trail. Kolo guests have the choice of 20 circular yurts tents on raised platforms - with heavy canvas sides and roofs, French doors, ceiling fans and a skylight. Each yurt has a four-poster queen-size bed, private, open-roof bathrooms with solar-powered hot showers and lights, and a spacious lanai. Bathrooms also feature self-composting toilets.
Guests meet at an open air pavilion for meals. Daily activities at Kolo camp centers around the ocean and includes kayaking, shoreline fishing, outrigger canoe paddling, sailing and surfing. Non ocean-related activities include mountain biking and hiking. Each guest is given a mountain bike on arrival for the oceanfront trails from Kolo Pier to Hale O Lono Harbor.
Molokai Ranch is stocked with snorkeling equipment, kayaks, sail boats, bodyboards and surfboards. All-inclusive daily rates for Kolo Camp include accommodations, three daily meals, a snack-filled cooler, and all ground transportation to and from the ranch lands, as well as all ranch transportation for $161 a day.
Waimea Plantation Cottages
Waimea Plantation Cottages.
WAIMEA PLANTATION COTTAGES (1-800-WAIMEA) is a 47-unit cottages spread over a 27-acre coconut grove on Kauai's sunny west side. All units are of classic plantation architecture, and have been restored and updated coming with a complete kitchen, laundry facilities, and ceiling fans. KAUAI
One bedroom, one bath Grove View suites with kitchen, $102 a day; 2-bedroom/1-bath suite with kitchen and view, $123; oceanfront 5-bedroom/4-bath suite with kitchen, $450.
HANALEI BAY RESORT & SUITES (1-800-272-5275) on Kauai's North Shore is in the beautiful Princeville resort area. It's a large resort -- 234 units -- with an over-size swimming pool and eight tennis courts. For golfers there are two world-class golf courses in Princeville with guests getting special rates.
Hanalei Bay Resort & Suites is three miles from Princeville Airport. Complimentary Prince-ville Airport and golf course shuttle service is available to guests.
The resort sits above a beautiful white sand swimming beach, and has two fresh water swimming pools, sundecks and whirlpool spa. Eight complimentary tennis courts are on property.
All rooms have air-conditioning, color cable television, refrigerator and coffee maker. Studios come with a two-burner kitchenette. Suites have a washer and dryer, a full-size refrigerator-freezer, stove-oven and dishwasher. One bedroom suites are 1,091 square feet with two televisions and service for four guests; two bedroom suites are 1,622 square feet with two bathrooms, three televisions and service for six; three bedroom suites are 2,85 square feet; have three bathrooms, four televisions and service for eight. Suites include daily complimentary breakfast and two afternoon cocktails.
Rooms star at $150 for a Mountain View room with two double beds or one king size bed. One bedroom suite with kitchen is $275; three bedroom, $1,000.
SilverCloud Ranch photo
The Silver Cloud Inn has 12 rental units and sits
2,900 feet up the southwestern slope of Haleakala.
SILVER CLOUD RANCH (1-808-878-6101), 2,900 feet up the southwestern slope of Haleakala, off Highway 37 between Kula and Ulupalakua. The nine-acre spread has 12 rentals, $85-$150 and is about an hour from the summit of Haleakala. The owners of Silver Cloud will furnish you with a thermos of coffee for those cold sunrise expeditions. All rooms include a full breakfast for two. There are discounts for stays of seven nights or more and no minum stay. MAUI
Accommodations include six bedrooms in a big ranch house, a bunkhouse with five studios and the secluded, full-equipped Lanai cottage with a wood-burning stove.
Kula Lodge is 15 minutes away, convenient for dining. Makawao town is 20 minutes away and home to Polli's (Mexican), Casanova's (Italian) and the Makawao Steak House. Also about 20 minutes away is the Hailii-maile General Store.
If you want to fix your own dinner, half of Silver Cloud's units have their own kitchens but guests also are welcome to use the kitchen and gas barbecue in the plantation house.
Horseback riding is available at Thompson Ranch Trailrides (1-808-878-1910) that leaves from Silver Cloud's front yard.
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Garden view of the Waipio Wayside
Bed and Breakfast on the Big Island
WAIPIO WAYSIDE BED & BREAKFAST INN (1-800-833-8849) in Honokaa, $55-$110. Look for a white picket fence and two driveways two miles from Waipio from the Honokaa post office. You enter through double French doors, onto a rich wooden floor, shining with a well-waxed patina. Five bedrooms in 1938 renovated sugar plantation home between Hilo and Kona and just 10 minutes from Waipio Valley. It has an oceanview, two large decks with double hammocks and a gazebo. BIG ISLAND
Breakfast sometimes is waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, sometimes omelettes and biscuits with fresh fruit from the property.
