February 2018 - Blue Hawaii

We get many calls from distraught people who have either arrived on island, or are getting near their arrival date, only to discover they have no place to stay. Many times people like the idea of booking a specific unit with a private owner, or a non-professional management company…they see the pictures of the unit online, they fall in love with the unit, and decide that they must stay in that particular unit…even if the cost is higher. Sometimes it works out, but you don’t want to be in the group of people that it doesn’t work out for!

Many things can happen when you book with private owner. Sometimes it’s a complete scam and there was never a rental to begin with…and you’ve already paid for something that isn’t even available. In one such incident, a couple arrived at the condo that they had prepaid for and were told they had no reservation, it was a scam. They were left scrambling for a place to stay, and it didn’t get their long anticipated dream vacation off to a very good start!

Here are a few of the risks that come along with booking a private owner or non-professional management company:

The owner double books their unit by mistake
The owner decides they want that week
A family member wants your week
The condo gets sold
Something breaks right before you arrive
Something breaks while you are there and you are trying to track down the owner off island to get it resolved
When you arrive the condo is nothing like you had imagined…pictures can make just about anything look good 🙂

With private rentals you also don’t get many of the perks that come with most professionally managed units, like front desk check-in, maid service, quality control, onsite maintenance/management, etc. There is always someone there to help you if an issue should arise, including moving you to a different unit or property if need be. With private owner, or non-professional managed units, you are on your own… if you have any trouble with the unit there won’t be anyone to help you resolve issues, relocate you, etc. They have zero accountability.

However, no need to stress! When you book with us you’ll know that you’ll have a place to stay when you arrive. You book a room category, advise us of any special requests, and your room will be assigned at check-in. You’ll check in at the front desk, and if you have any problems, we’ll be here to assist you in solving them. We’re a full service agency from the beginning to the end of your trip…and you don’t pay anything extra for this service, it’s FREE!! Remember, you’re not buying the condo…so don’t be lured by pretty pictures that may or may not be accurate! Book with us and we’ll ensure your vacation gets off to a good start…you deserve it!! 🙂

Airport/Travel Tips

Traveling can be stressful, but you can make your trip more enjoyable and less stressful if you do a little preparation before you go. These are just a few tips we’ve compiled from our experiences:

NO liquids are allowed to be carried through the security check point at the airport…liquids are only allowed in your checked bags. However, each passenger is allowed one (1) quart size Ziploc bag to carry on the plane containing items with three (3) ounces or less of liquid. They will confiscate any other liquids…we’ve personally “donated” a few items! 😉

Try to get to the airport 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure time. It can be time consuming parking, getting into the airport, checking your bags, going through security, finding your gate, etc…and if you’re one of the lucky ones that gets selected to go through additional screening it can take even longer. Better to be early and have extra time, than to be stressed and even miss your flight! :0

Check with your specific airline to see what’s allowed to be checked and carried on. Each airline has their own regulations in regards to cost per bag for checked luggage, sizes, weights, etc. Most airlines limit the number, size, and types of items you can carry on the plane as well.

Be prepared before you get to security…as a general rule this is what you can expect, although we’ve found that this varies slightly airport to airport:

Have your boarding pass and identification ready to show the security check point person.
You’ll have to remove your shoes (for this reason we always wear shoes with socks, if you’re not a germaphobe like us this won’t be an issue for you, lol), jacket, hat, empty pockets, etc. and place items in a bin…all but strip down to go through the metal detector/body scanner. 🙂
You’ll have to remove your laptop, tablet, CPAP, etc. from your bag and place them in another bin.
You’ll put your ziploc bag with your liquids in a bin.
You’ll put the rest of your items (purse, carry-on bag, etc.) on the belt.
Wait for the security personnel to give you the go ahead to walk through the metal detector/body scanner and tell you you’re free to go and gather your belongings…and then you can repack and redress, ha! 🙂

Food is not usually served on flights anymore…and let’s be honest, if it is it’s not usually that great! J They will provide non-alcoholic drinks and a snack (like a tiny bag of pretzels or nuts)…additional food and alcohol can usually be purchased (they don’t take cash, only debit/credit card). You don’t want to get stuck on the longgggggg flight to Hawaii with nothing to drink or eat (we’ve done it! 😛 ), so we’d recommend purchasing food and drinks once you get through security inside the airport and taking it with you on the plane.

Things you may want to consider bringing on the plane:

Earphones…there will be movies, music, sometimes internet access, etc. on the plane, sometimes free or sometimes for purchase. They will also have headphones for purchase…again, all these items can only be purchased with debit/card card.
Small blanket, pillow/neck pillow…for obvious reasons.
Download movies, tv shows, music, books, etc. prior to the trip on your phone/tablet/computer.
Thankfully it’s rare, but bring anything that you can’t do without if for some reason your luggage doesn’t make it with you (yikes!)…like medication, phone chargers, etc.

Bring cash for tipping once you arrive for bell hops, valet, housekeeping, waiters/waitresses, activity guides, etc…we all know those ATM fees can add up! 😛

In addition, you can go to the TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) website for a lot more info https://www.tsa.gov …and please check your specific airline’s website for more specific information. We wish you happy and safe travels!! 🙂

Month: February 2018

Don’t Let This Happen to You!!

Airport/Travel Tips