When I think of an inexpensive trip to Hawaii, Pleasant Holidays is the first company that comes to mind. It continues to offer affordable flight + hotel packages no matter what season it is. Lucky for us, the time period between Christmas and spring break is a little slower for tourism on the islands. “Waikiki Winter Blowout” is the current special on offer with a round-trip flight (departing Los Angeles or San Francisco) + hotel accommodations for three nights starting at $369 per person, based on double occupancy.
Deal: The price for the package varies by your hotel choice. The bottom price of $369 per person is for a package at the Castle Ocean Resort Hotel Waikiki. Packages with the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa start at $499 per person, and if you’d like to stay at the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk, the price jumps up to $779 per person.
Tested: I had difficulty finding dates in January at a low rate, so I picked up the phone and called AskAboutHawaii.com . I was glad I did. Courtney, the very nice reservations agent, was able to find me three nights in January (Jan. 23-26) at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel (standard view room) for $1,028 total, including tax. This is for two people based on double occupancy and includes airport transfers (which I added). If I had wanted a room with a partial ocean view, the cost would be an additional $171 for three nights, or a final price of $1,199. The flights were on United Airlines. Trip insurance is optional and costs an extra $119 per person.
Note: The Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel gets mixed reviews on TripAdvisor, but I felt like I knew what I was getting into and that I had the option of choosing more expensive hotels.
Bonus: I tested Feb. 12-15 for Valentine’s Day weekend, and it was available. The same hotel package, without airport transfers, was available for $1,159 for two people including tax. An upgrade to the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach came to $1,326.
When: For travel Jan. 8 - March 10
Contact: AskAboutHawaii.com (800) 571-4510
Book by December 30th online !
Author: — Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
