# better to arrive 1-2 days early or stay 1-2 days longer?



## somewhereoutthere (Mar 28, 2014)

Just looking for general opinions! We still haven't pulled the trigger on buying plane tickets for our early summer trip to Oahu, but I suppose I have to do so soon (the prices are still pretty much the same as when I was looking months ago!). Traveling Saturday to Saturday is about $50-120 more per person more than traveling a day or two early and/or a day or two late. I'm thinking we can use the savings for an extra day or two at a hotel.

So, Hawaii experts, do you prefer arriving early to stay in an inexpensive hotel for a couple of days before checking into your resort, or do you prefer to check into the resort and then staying at an inexpensive hotel for a couple of days at the end of a trip? Are there pros and cons to one way or the other? Or is it really a toss up?

Oh, and I said inexpensive hotel because I am thinking two extra days, but if we were only to stay one day extra it could be a nicer property. Is it worth the money to stay at the HHV one more day, or to go to Aulani for one day only?

We're two adults, and two children under 5 years old, if that has any bearing on your opinion.

Mahalo!


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## pharmgirl (Mar 28, 2014)

we always try to get frequent flyer tickets, usually these are easier to find non weekend, or sunday
so depending on ff tickets we stay either before or after.  I prefer before as flights from east coast often arrive late in day and we therefore miss much of first day's timeshare week

Best is both before and after!


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## Ron98GT (Mar 28, 2014)

somewhereoutthere said:


> Just looking for general opinions! We still haven't pulled the trigger on buying plane tickets for our early summer trip to Oahu, but I suppose I have to do so soon (the prices are still pretty much the same as when I was looking months ago!). Traveling Saturday to Saturday is about $50-120 more per person more than traveling a day or two early and/or a day or two late. I'm thinking we can use the savings for an extra day or two at a hotel.
> 
> So, Hawaii experts, do you prefer arriving early to stay in an inexpensive hotel for a couple of days before checking into your resort, or do you prefer to check into the resort and then staying at an inexpensive hotel for a couple of days at the end of a trip? Are there pros and cons to one way or the other? Or is it really a toss up?
> 
> ...


Run the airline reservation both ways. Last time we went, December of 2013, coming home on Saturday wasn't the problem, it was going from Las Vegas to Hawaii on a Saturday that was expensive.  I didn't fly out earlier, because although we could have saved a couple of hundred dollars, the extra hotel and rental charges were more than the savings.

I recently got my confirmed II reservations for Hawaii in December, 2014. Saturday to Saturday again. 


If your going to stay at an inexpensive hotel before or after your stay, I would stay at the hotel before the TS stay and end your trip on a high note, rather than being let-down.


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## talkamotta (Mar 28, 2014)

Im doing my first 4 week stack'em Hawaii trip in summer 2015.  I own 3 of the weeks so the first week I needed as a trade.  I was worried it was a Friday to Friday.  Maybe that will work out in my favor.


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## Passepartout (Mar 28, 2014)

Ron98GT said:


> If your going to stay at an inexpensive hotel before or after your stay, I would stay at the hotel before the TS stay and end your trip on a high note, rather than being let-down.



This would be my choice as well, depending on airfares. This way, the first night or 2- even in a budget hotel will seem 'nice' compared to home. And you can live out of a carry-on. Shorts & T's & flip-flops. Then when you get to the TS, unpack for the stay. Do any laundry you need to get through the stay. Then when it's over, simply go home. Like quickly ripping a band-aid off. It hurts quickly instead of miserably peeling it off.


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## somewhereoutthere (Mar 28, 2014)

Thanks, everyone for your insights! Keep'em coming!



pharmgirl said:


> I prefer before as flights from east coast often arrive late in day and we therefore miss much of first day's timeshare week



Great point! I had not really thought about time of day, especially since we'll be traveling with our little guys.



Ron98GT said:


> If your going to stay at an inexpensive hotel before or after your stay, I would stay at the hotel before the TS stay and end your trip on a high note, rather than being let-down.





Passepartout said:


> This would be my choice as well, depending on airfares. This way, the first night or 2- even in a budget hotel will seem 'nice' compared to home. And you can live out of a carry-on. Shorts & T's & flip-flops. Then when you get to the TS, unpack for the stay. Do any laundry you need to get through the stay. Then when it's over, simply go home. Like quickly ripping a band-aid off. It hurts quickly instead of miserably peeling it off.



Oooh, good point, Ron98GT and Passepartout! We'll be staying at HHV Lagoon Tower for our exchange week, so an inexpensive, tiny hotel room might be kind of depressing to move into afterwards. 

And the idea about laundry is important when traveling with little guys, too. I was thinking of packing 3-4 days of stuff, then doing laundry in the middle of the trip. But then everyone else is probably going to do laundry in the middle of the trip, too. So it would be better to do laundry a day or two into the stay at the timeshare (I think I read that at HHV, laundry is not in-unit, but in communal laundry rooms, right?)

If we decide to go for a one night cash reservation at the Aulani instead of two nights at an inexpensive hotel, then would you still do hotel first because of space? Hmmm, thinking out loud...I'm wondering if we would even really get to enjoy the Aulani if we only spent one night there (esp. if we do it on the front end and if, as pharmgirl points out, we end up with a flight arriving in the evening).

Mahalo!


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## somewhereoutthere (Mar 28, 2014)

talkamotta said:


> Im doing my first 4 week stack'em Hawaii trip in summer 2015.  I own 3 of the weeks so the first week I needed as a trade.  I was worried it was a Friday to Friday.  Maybe that will work out in my favor.



What a wonderful trip! A whole month in paradise...sigh...


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## danb (Mar 28, 2014)

*Extra days*

If you have honors points you can book extra days at one of the other towers for about 65k points per day. Saves moving a lot! The rooms are fairly large and you can get a room with two beds.


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## dive-in (Mar 28, 2014)

We like doing stopovers to help reduce the jet lag from the East Coast.  This year, we have nonstop from Raleigh/Durham to LAX, spend the night, then get the 9:00 flight to LIH which arrives at noon.  We've done Dallas and Houston in the past, too.  The free Marriott nights with the credit cards help with the airport hotels. 

When we hit two islands we usually do Maui first, stay in the upcountry at a B&B and do the sunrise the first day.  Still on Eastern time, so rising early is easy.  It's also easier to do Hana from there vs. starting in Kihei or Lahaina.  After that you can head to the resort areas. 

We've also stayed a few extra days on the back end.  As another post said, FF tickets are easier to find during the week and easier from HNL than LIH.  We spent a few extra days on Oahu and did Pearl Harbor, the palace, and a beach day.


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## rifleman69 (Mar 28, 2014)

I'd stay longer personally, but that's just me.


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## mauitraveler (Mar 28, 2014)

As Passepartout and Ron98GT have mentioned, ending your trip on a high note is more relaxing for us.  After the first couple of days in the hotel, we're ready to do our first load of laundry, and to settle in with a real kitchen at the TS.  It's great to have the choice about when to go out to eat and when to stay in.  I also like having the chance to do laundry 2 or 3 times.  That way, there's less to do when you get home!  Have a great trip whichever option you choose!


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## Jim Bryan (Mar 28, 2014)

We always arrive early and usually stay 3-4 weeks.


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## MichaelColey (Mar 28, 2014)

pharmgirl said:


> Best is both before and after!


That's what I would do, too!

But if I couldn't do both and either before or after gave the same discount, I would probably opt for "before".  That would give time to get somewhat over the jet lag, enjoy some restaurants (we seldom eat out in Hawaii--or most places--if we're in a timeshare), and then do grocery shopping on the way to the timeshare.  If you do "after", if you're like us, you will have accumulated a bunch of stuff that you'll have to lug to the hotel.  We find it easier to do a "overnight hotel bag" when packing for the trip, and you can just leave the other bags unpacked.

Another thing we often do on Hawaii trips is to fly home the day before our check-out day.  Most flights home are red-eyes, and it stinks having to check out at 10am or 11am when your flight is at 10pm.


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## BocaBoy (Mar 29, 2014)

MichaelColey said:


> Another thing we often do on Hawaii trips is to fly home the day before our check-out day.  Most flights home are red-eyes, and it stinks having to check out at 10am or 11am when your flight is at 10pm.



We do that too when we have a late flight.  In such a case, I think it is better to spend the extra hotel night(s) at the end, so the night's sleep you miss is not at your timeshare villa.


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## Fisch (Mar 29, 2014)

We always arrive two days before and don't unpack our main luggage.  Swim trunks, flip flops and two shirts fit pretty good in carry on


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## thheath (Mar 29, 2014)

Ron98GT said:


> Run the airline reservation both ways. Last time we went, December of 2013, coming home on Saturday wasn't the problem, it was going from Las Vegas to Hawaii on a Saturday that was expensive.  I didn't fly out earlier, because although we could have saved a couple of hundred dollars, the extra hotel and rental charges were more than the savings.
> 
> I recently got my confirmed II reservations for Hawaii in December, 2014. Saturday to Saturday again.
> 
> ...



What he said ^^^^


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## matbec (Mar 29, 2014)

It depends on how much travelling you'll be doing to get there (and back), I suppose. 

With our Aug 2014 stay in Maui, we'll be flying in the day before. By the time we get to OGG in the evening, we'll  have been in transit for about 16hrs. We've booked a room close to the airport, as we'll be too tired to do anything else but fall into bed. We check into our TS the following day. 

Then we have a late evening flight back, so we'll be checking out late afternoon, technically a day early. Since we'll be staying as last as possible that last day before we have to leave for the airport, we don't consider that a wasted day.


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## somewhereoutthere (Mar 29, 2014)

I knew I would get some helpful ideas here. Great tips! I wish we had a bigger budget both in terms of money and time, but it pretty much has to be our exchange week plus maybe 1-2 days on Oahu, otherwise it cuts too much into our time visiting family in California on the way there & back. Pesky ole relatives! Why do we love them & want to see them so much! Ha ha!  

Thank again, TUG! Super helpful!


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## daventrina (Mar 29, 2014)

somewhereoutthere said:


> So, Hawaii experts, do you prefer arriving early to stay in an inexpensive hotel for a couple of days before checking into your resort, or do you prefer to check into the resort and then staying at an inexpensive hotel for a couple of days at the end of a trip?
> Mahalo!


We tend to pick before and have done so a number of times. 

A) It is easier to move before we get all unpacked and we, especially on the BI, tend to be out and about exploring high places before we start diving.

B) If you keep the Saturday flight there is an option to extend but not pay for it IF the flights are overbooked AND the airlines don't have any other options. 
   B.1) In 25 years this has happened once.

C) On Maui, and the same would work any other island also, if our stay is in the Lahaina area we like to have a couple of days in South Maui. It splits the trip up in a nice way.

D) Best case would be to not have to choose and do both  ... Unfortunately ... we usually can't afford to exercise the options we would like


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## Ron98GT (Mar 29, 2014)

What about using HGVC Open Season Rental Rates at HHV, is that an option? A 1-BDRM for Thur is $100 and Fri is $120.

I'm assuming that your an HGVC member, since your staying there for 3 weeks.

You mentioned staying at the Aulani.  Have you also considered the Marriott in Ko'Olina?  If you get a 1-BDRM Marriott TS, you'll have a washer/dryer in the unit, unlike HHV. Ether way, be it Aulani or Marriott, you might find Ko'Olina an interesting place to visit, very kid friendly and more laid-back than HHV.  We'll be back to the Marriott Ko'Olina TS in December for a week before moving to the Marriott Waiohai TS on Kauai for a week.


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## somewhereoutthere (Mar 29, 2014)

Good points, daventrina, especially this one! 


daventrina said:


> C) On Maui, and the same would work any other island also, if our stay is in the Lahaina area we like to have a couple of days in South Maui. It splits the trip up in a nice way.



It goes nicely into Ron98Gt's suggestion that I look more into Ko'Olina!



Ron98GT said:


> What about using HGVC Open Season Rental Rates at HHV, is that an option? A 1-BDRM for Thur is $100 and Fri is $120.
> 
> I'm assuming that your an HGVC member, since your staying there for 3 weeks.



We're not HGVC members, and not staying 3 weeks, unfortunately. Too bad on both counts. That open season rate sounds like a really nice HGVC benefit. We're only staying a week and then having time in California on both ends (so many people have chimed in about their multiweek stays that it's hard to keep track, and in my wishing I could stay that long maybe I gave the wrong impression!).



Ron98GT said:


> You mentioned staying at the Aulani.  Have you also considered the Marriott in Ko'Olina?



I will definitely look into that. I don't really know anything about the Ko'Olina area. Time for some research!


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## Ron98GT (Mar 30, 2014)

WOW! You definitely have to check the airfares before you make you decision.

Usually, my problem is flying to Hawaii on a Saturday, whereas flying there on Friday or Sunday is a lot cheaper and Thursday cheaper yet.  Flying home to Las Vegas wasn't a big issue.  Not this time, for our upcoming trip in December.

This trip, flying to Oahu on Saturday morning isn't that big of a deal, although I'd like to see prices drop at least $50.  Flying home on Saturday, December 20th was a big shocker. Prices for Thur, Friday, and Saturday were all the same price.  But, if I could fly home on Monday, 2-days later, the price for the return flight is about half the price.    And I think HGVC Open Season at HHV for Saturday and Sunday nite will be impossible.

So check all your airfares before you make your decision to go 2-days early or come home 2-days later.  You may need that flexibility to save a thousand dollars in airfares for the 3 of you. Ouch!


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## dsmrp (Mar 30, 2014)

somewhereoutthere said:


> Good points, daventrina, especially this one!
> It goes nicely into Ron98Gt's suggestion that I look more into Ko'Olina!
> ...
> 
> I will definitely look into that. I don't really know anything about the Ko'Olina area. Time for some research!



Ko'Olina and Aulani are on the far west side of Oahu, whereas HHV is in Waikiki on the east side; pretty far by local driving standards 
Personally I don't think it's worth it with 2 kids to stay at Ko'Olina for just 1 nite to only have to pack it up again to go check in at HHV.  A 2 nite stay would be better if you can swing it.  Also many locals live on the west side but work in Honolulu, so the freeways east bound in the morning and westbound in afternoon can be parking lots.  I've seen 'em.


As for airfares, Saturdays have usually been the more expensive days to travel. The return flights to mainland always leave in afternoon to evening, so arriving home on west coast is usually late nite, unless you catch a red-eye.
That makes Sunday much less desirable than Saturday.
Many islanders love to go to Las Vegas, which also contribute to the higher fares.


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## jehb2 (Mar 31, 2014)

Definitely an inexpensive hotel before.  I have done this numerous time when I couldn't get my FF ticket to match my TS reservation.

I find it depressing and time consuming to move to a hotel (even a nice one) after spending a week in a timeshare.  Hotel accommodations will never live up to your timeshare experience.  Plus you waste time packing up all of your stuff so that you can live out of your suite case at the end of your trip.

If you reverse it it's really quite nice.  You move from your cramped hotel room to your spacious TS unit.  Living out of your suite case for 1-2 days will fell like no big deal.

I prefer a cheaper hotel since the money saved can be used elsewhere in my vacation and expensive ones never seem to measure up to the TS anyway.  Although I have found that since I had kids I will no longer go the cheapest route anymore.  Good Luck.


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## somewhereoutthere (Jun 16, 2014)

*Follow up in case anyone is curious*

In case anyone was curious, we followed the advice to arrive a day early on Friday, stay in a hotel room, and then check into the timeshare the next day. We also followed the great advice to have one set of everything in a smaller bag so we wouldn't have to do a lot of unpacking for the first night.

We found a decent rate for a room in the Tapa tower at HHV ($145ish + $30 resort fee + taxes = under $200) so we booked that, which worked out really well. When We checked into the hotel, I mentioned the timeshare stay, so the clerk gave us the latest free late check out he could (1 PM) and said that I should go over to the timeshare check in desk the next morning to tell them we were already on property in a hotel room with a 1 PM check out. So I went over there Saturday at 10 or so, after we had already been on the beach for a few hours (kids were raring to go at 6 AM!) They said they would try to put a rush on our unit and would call my cell when it was ready. They called at noon! Yay! It couldn't have worked out better! Perfect start to what turned out to be a perfect trip!

Oh, and a bonus I didn't even think about when we booked is that we got to see the fireworks twice.


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## RichardL (Jun 16, 2014)

As already mentioned HGVC offers open season.  Marriott Vacation Club offers a 50% point discount for weekdays so arriving before a Friday Check in or staying after a Sunday to Sunday is cheap.  Plus Marriott offers a discount if you book I believe within 30 days.  Personally, I favor arriving at the TS, and simply seeing another part of the island for 2-3 extra days if not another island for 4-7 days of
open season booked 30 days before.  Hawaii offers a lot of TS between the different islands and that spells adventure for me.


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