Book this, not that: Hawaii resorts edition
Pandemic-era travel to Hawaii has been full of stops and starts as the islands cope with COVID-19 realities in the middle of the ocean. Now may not be the time to head to Hawaii given a surge in cases and a request by local officials to hold off on tourism for a bit, but if you're planning a future getaway to Hawaii, you might have gotten overwhelmed by options.
In addition to having to decide which Hawaiian island is right for you and how to get there, there are dozens of points hotels for you to choose from. But, as with anything in life, the options are not all created equally, so we’re here to help.
In today's installment of "Book this, not that," we're going to look at some Hawaiian island awards you want to book -- and a few you should probably stay away from. Of course, this isn't to say that these are the only hotels worth booking in Hawaii, but these are simply a few that we believe deserve some extra attention.
Book: Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
The Andaz Maui is one of several World of Hyatt properties on Maui, and it's the highest-end of the bunch. The hotel is in an ideal location and the grounds are beautiful. Be sure and pencil in an evening just to watch the sunset from the stacked infinity pools.
Standard rooms cost 30,000 Hyatt points per night, which may seem high, but with cash rates normally over $1,200 per night, you're almost guaranteed to get incredible value from your points. There's normally a $48 daily resort fee, but that's waived on award stays so you can enjoy perks like free mixology and stand-up paddleboard lessons for free.
Oh -- and the food here is solid, including the included Hyatt Globalist breakfast, so try to lock up status before your trip.
Related: 5 pitfalls to avoid when booking hotels
Skip: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Although the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki is one of the most famous hotels in the country and Hilton waives resort fees on award stays, it probably isn't worth your points.
It's a massive hotel so there are frequent long lines for everything from check-in to restaurants. Unless you're lucky enough to get a renovated room, your room will likely be well past its prime. Even before the pandemic, the elite benefits for Hilton Gold and Diamond guests had a reputation for being underwhelming. Standard award nights typically cost 60,000 points but we're going to pass on this one for now and save our points for something else.
Book: Wailea Beach Resort - Marriott, Maui
Marriott Bonvoy has a whopping 12 properties on Maui, but the Wailea Beach Resort stands out from most of the rest.
The resort sits on 22 acres of land in the Wailea area of Maui, which is known to be one of the sunniest parts of the island. It's just steps from the ocean and offers plenty of activities for guests of all ages, including five pools and an awesome waterslide. There are also not one but two great beaches that offer swimming, snorkeling and other water activities.
This is a Category 7 Marriott Bonvoy hotel so award nights will range from 50,000 points to 70,000 points. Keep in mind, Marriott won't waive the $38 resort fee on award stays, but you'll get a free night for every five consecutive nights you book with points.
Related: 26 Maui hotels you can book with points
Skip: AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea
Located a 10-minute walk from the Wailea Beach Resort is the AC Hotel by Marriott Wailea. The hotel just opened in April, and was even on TPG’s list of the most anticipated hotel openings of this year, but is one you'll likely want to avoid in most situations.
This is a cookie-cutter hotel geared more toward business travelers. The beach is a trek from the hotel and there were just 11 lounge chairs by the pool when we had a TPG staffer check it out. At 40,000 to 60,000 Marriott points per night, it's definitely worth paying the small additional premium to stay at the Wailea Beach Resort instead.
Book: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
As long as you are OK relaxing and playing at a pretty massive resort, the Grand Hyatt Kauai is a lush, sprawling, oceanfront property with a variety of pools ranging from an adult pool to a lagoon pool, a winding river pool and even a waterslide.
Stays at this property are often north of $500 with cash, but you can book standard award rooms with two queen beds or one king bed for 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
If you really want to live it up in paradise, deluxe suites that often sell for $2,000-$3,000 per night can sometimes be booked for 50,000 Hyatt points per night.
Related: Booking 3 weeks in Hawaii with miles and points
Bottom line
Hawaii is home to dozens of points hotels and there's no one right or wrong answer on which one is best. However, based on the TPG team's experiences, we can tell you that some are certainly better choices than others.
When traveling to a place like Hawaii, you probably want to ensure you have easy access to the beach and aren't waiting in lines all day — and not all hotels can offer that. That said, if you have your heart set on one that we suggest skipping, it could certainly still be the right fit for you.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.