# Hawaii rental? Basic advice needed



## thetimeshareguy (Nov 10, 2007)

Hi there. I'm finally close to accumulating enough Aeroplan points to acquire airfares to Hawaii for my partner and I and my two kids. We just returned from a super timeshare vacation in Las Vegas and when I asked her where she'd most like to go next, she answered (not surprisingly) "Hawaii."

So, I tried exchanging my South African week timeshares and was able to pull up a studio unit in Honolulu. That was nice but the problem is we really want at least a one-bedroom unit so we have some privacy from the kids (who are fine sleeping on a pull-out couch). A two-bedroom unti would be even better but given that this is Hawaii, we know we might have to compromise.

Our preference is to travel during the winter, in February or (ideally) March since the kids are out of school for March Break and I live in a ski resort town and can therefore rent out my three-bedroom condo for maximum dollars.

So, I've decided that rather than endlessly "game the system" and try to exchange my timeshare units for a week or two in Hawaii, I'd like to simply rent a one or two bedroom unit in a resort. Because Hawaii is in itself such a great place to go, it doesn't have to be in a glamorous resort (although that'd be nice). Th main thing we DON'T want to stay in is a cramped hotel room that's falsely advertised as a condo just because it has a bar fridge and a hot plate!

So, please respond here with advice and suggestions. Once we zero in on a reasonably-priced rental I'll do an online search for Aeroplan airfares and we'll try to conclude a deal. Also, in a rental situation, I want to deal with reputable people or a reputable company. Very nervous about losing our deposit or arriving and finding it was a scam.

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful advice.


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## DeniseM (Nov 10, 2007)

*Hawaii Timeshare Exchange*

Hawaii Timeshare Exchange - www.htse.net has been around for a long time and has reasonably priced rentals for mid-level resorts.  If you still have a week to deposit, you might be able to do an exchange.  However, I don't know if they accept SA deposits.

Go to www.htse.net and put 9999 in the top box and htse in the bottom box to log in as a guest and see what's available.  Membership is $49, the exchange fee is $89 for the same size unit and $175 to upgrade from a 1 bdm. to a 2 bdm.

The price of rentals is listed on their rental page.

I have done business with them 2 or 3 times and they are great to work with.


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## rickandcindy23 (Nov 10, 2007)

You can always use an escrow company to broker the deal.  The cost for that is $100 U.S.  Escrow companies advertise on the same sites as the rental properties.  

I personally really like Kauai, and I really like the idea of an oceanfront resort.  The Marriotts come to mind, along with Pono Kai, Lawai Beach Resort, Point at Poipu, Kauai Beachboy, and our favorite--PAHIO @ the Shearwater (now Wyndham).   Renting from an owner is the only way you can guarantee ocean view.  Exchangers just don't get those views, generally, unless the resort is like Shearwater, where most of the units are oceanview, except for four that have ocean glimpses, not full ocean views.  

Check www.redweek.com, www.myresortnetwork.com, and www.vacationtimesharerentals.com.  Also, try Craig's list @ www.craigslist.com for some bargains. 

 Last minute rentals are generally the real bargains, though I have seen some great prices on all of the above resorts.  Some owners rent too cheaply, which is good for you, while others require a premium price.  I am wary of those who charge low prices, close to my maintenance fees, for timeshare rentals.  You get what you pay for, and maybe you are paying for an exchange someone grabbed and decided to rent.  There are no guarantees with those.  Not only that, but you need to be careful about telling the resort you rented the week, if it is an exchange.  You never know.


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## jacknsara (Nov 10, 2007)

thetimeshareguy said:


> ... So, I've decided ... I'd like to simply rent a one or two bedroom unit in a resort. ...


Aloha
This link is for the agency that rents out the privately owned condos at Kauai Beach Villas that are not part of the Pahio/Wynham timeshare, but have the same facilities.  The interior layouts and furnishings vary from Pahio and each other. 
http://www.beachvillaskauai.com/accommodations.html 
In cse you are not familiar, here is another link: www.vrbo.com
Jack


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 10, 2007)

try vrbo.com


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## DeniseM (Nov 10, 2007)

The only problem with VRBO is that the website just basically provides advertising and doesn't have any control over what their owners do.  It sounds like the OP wants a very secure deal, and I don't think VRBO meets that requirement.  I rented a London flat through VRBO this summer, and although it turned out OK in the end, I wasn't very happy with the unbusiness-like behavior of the owner.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 10, 2007)

expedia.com also has condo rentals in Hawai'i.

There are also quite a few rental agents handling condo rentals in Hawai'i. Two that come to mind immediately on Kaua'i are ResortQuest and Grantham.


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## Laurie (Nov 10, 2007)

If you reserve a rental with a liberal cancellation policy, you might go ahead and do that, and you still may be able to get a great last-minute exchange with your SA week (then cancel the rental).  And/or you may be able to get a great low-cost last-minute rental thru RCI or Trading Places, if you join Trading Places - or Hawaii Timeshare Exchange.  And/or join one of those alternative companies, and see if you can get a good regular exchange, in advance. RCI isn't necessarily the best exchange company for an exchange into Hawaii.


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## philemer (Nov 10, 2007)

Great rates for an oceanfront condo on Maui at http://polynesianshores.com/
$150/1BR & $190/2BR. I've walked by it and it looks fine. 

I also like www.vrbo.com 
Phil


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## philemer (Nov 10, 2007)

Laurie said:


> If you reserve a rental with a liberal cancellation policy, you might go ahead and do that, and you still may be able to get a great last-minute exchange with your SA week (then cancel the rental).  And/or you may be able to get a great low-cost last-minute rental thru RCI or Trading Places, if you join Trading Places - or Hawaii Timeshare Exchange.  And/or join one of those alternative companies, and see if you can get a good regular exchange, in advance. RCI isn't necessarily the best exchange company for an exchange into Hawaii.



Good advice about TPI ( www.tradingplaces.com ). They accept ANY t/s week and they have quite a bit of Hawaii units. No trade power issues either. I love them. TPI is one of the few exchange co. that accept SA weeks. DAE does too but they have almost no HI inventory.

Phil


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## barndweller (Nov 10, 2007)

Check out the rental section here at TUG. I rented from a Tugger (twice) & it went smooth as silk. I have also rented from VRBO for a week at Pono Kai in a 2 bedroom unit that is a privately owned condo. That also went smooth as silk & we loved the unit. Trading Places International (TPI) has lots of exchange availability & rentals in Hawaii & is free to join. I believe they accept SA units for exchange. Hawaiian Timeshare Exchange has a nominal joining fee & is great to work with both for exchanges & rentals. They have lots of Lawaii Beach Resort units at decent prices. It is a great location and a nice resort.

Feel free to send me a PM if you want details on the rentals I have purchased. I can give you names.


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## thetimeshareguy (Nov 10, 2007)

Wow, this has to be the most replies I've ever received within just a few hours of posting! :whoopie: 

Thanks for the great tips -- I will certainly follow up with all this info. The idea of getting a two-bedroom in March seems a lot more realistic now, whether through exchange or (more likely) renting.

As a follow-up question, I'm interested in a quick opinion of the relative merits of staying on the big island versus other islands. Can someone give me a quick primer on that, or point me to a post where this is available? Not looking for a novel -- just a back-of-envelope sketch of the main pros and cons.

Thanks.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Nov 10, 2007)

Island of Hawaii - huge, spacious, much of it rural, lovely beaches in Kohola area (Hapuna etc), lots of little towns to visit, the Volcano National Park, west side is drier. Kauai - lush and green, more crowded, I like the green north side, but the south is drier, haven't been to Maui, Oahu- too much like LA, high population per area.
Liz


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## DeniseM (Nov 10, 2007)

thetimeshareguy said:


> Wow, this has to be the most replies I've ever received within just a few hours of posting! :whoopie:
> 
> Thanks for the great tips -- I will certainly follow up with all this info. The idea of getting a two-bedroom in March seems a lot more realistic now, whether through exchange or (more likely) renting.
> 
> ...



Some people love the BI and it has it's merits, but it's not our favorite because so much of the shoreline is lava, rather than sandy beaches, and there are few resorts that are right on a beach.  However, we had some great snorkeling and sightseeing there and the Volcano Park is fantastic.  Kauai is definitely our favorite island.  The difference between the two islands is the Kauai is the oldest island, so the lava has had the most time to degrade into sandy beaches and the BI, of course is the newest island and is still growing - thus far more lava shorelines.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Nov 10, 2007)

thetimeshareguy said:


> As a follow-up question, I'm interested in a quick opinion of the relative merits of staying on the big island versus other islands. Can someone give me a quick primer on that, or point me to a post where this is available? Not looking for a novel -- just a back-of-envelope sketch of the main pros and cons.
> 
> Thanks.



The differing aspects of the various islands has been discussed often.  I suggest you peruse the list of thread titles here in the Hawai'i forum and I'm sure you'll find one similar. You might search, but off the top of my head I can't think of a search string that would be any faster or more productive than just going through the thread titles.  

Thinking some more, "different islands" and "differences between islands" might be good search strings.


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## charford (Nov 11, 2007)

Expedia.com is a good suggestion. Check out hotels.com too. Many condos on these sites are individually owned, but managed by a professional condo management company, so your deposit is secure, there's someone local to call if something breaks etc.

For your first time, I'd recommend allowing yourself more than a week and visiting at least two islands. That way, you can be the judge of which island(s) appeal to you. I like the BI because of its geographical diversity and its sparse population. Others like Kauai because it's so lush. I have only visited Oahu and Maui for very short trips so far, but they have their fans too. 

Have fun researching!


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## Greg G (Nov 11, 2007)

Another rental company is 
http://www.alohacondos.com/

We used them for our Kauai rental at HBR of a privately owned condo unit.

Greg


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