Hearts in Hawai'i
Our Trip to Maui (2009)--Day 3
4/22/2009
Just Hanging Out
It was cloudy early in the morning so after eating breakfast in the room, we did our customary walk on the beach. Then we explored Front Street for awhile, checking out menus at some of the restaurants. Some of those places are unbelievably expensive. It was the first opportunity I had to try out my new Nikon 50 mm f/1.4 lens. I bought it with the idea of using it at the Old Lahaina Luau, but it takes nice pictures in most any venue. The lack of a zoom is strange, being used to my 18-200 mm lens, but I really like the results so far.
The clouds had mostly burned off by the time we returned to the hotel, so we spent the rest of the morning relaxing in the sun. After napping, awaking and showering, I decided to head out with my camera and my circular polarizer to get some shots - only to realize I'd left my polarizers back in Duluth. That polarizer can make a big difference in scenic photography. Luckily, there was a camera shop (Lighthaus Camera) on Dickenson Street, just a few blocks from the hotel. $90 later, I was all set.
Cool Cat Cafe
Tonight's dinner choice was Cool Cat Cafe. Like Aroma d'Italia, we'd found this restaurant last year and really liked it. Their food is better than Cheeseburger In Paradise, and at better prices. It's also not so noisy there. Patty had the Ali`i (their version of a Patty Melt), I got the Bogey Burger. We split an order of Frings (half onion rings, half French fries). We left there feeling stuffed and satisfied. Being curious about the Penthouse suites at the Lahaina Shores, we inquired about a tour of one of these suites (there are seven) when we returned to the hotel, and the desk clerk allowed us to do a "self-tour". There is a frontage in front of the lanai which prevents people on the lawn from seeing you, which is a nice privacy feature - on the flip side, you can't see what's happening on the lawn. This penthouse unit is very nice with a huge lanai, two bathrooms, and a washer/dryer in the unit. Patty didn't like how this particular unit was appointed. The desk clerk says Penthouse #7 is much nicer. The best part is the rate; a Hard Hat Special rate of $212/night will apply into December. The normal rate is $385, which seems steep to us, but you can fit two couples comfortably and cut your costs. It's something for us to consider in the future.
Lahaina Shores Beach Resort
I've reviewed this hotel in other trip reports, but things are in a slight upheaval this year. The renovations which we had heard of last year started on April 1, and they're extensive. Rebar in all the columns is being replaced, all the tile floors on the lanais are being replaced, as are the railings. These repairs are mandatory, and the condo owners will foot the bill. Well, those of us staying there will foot the bill! The sliding glass doors leading out onto the lanais are also being replaced, at the option of each condo owner. It's a very expensive project (I'm told the estimated cost was in excess of $7 million), and I'm excited to see how it changes the overall appearance of the hotel exterior when completed.
Viking Construction is there every weekday morning at 8 a.m., so from 8:00-4:30 or so, it gets pretty noisy around the place. Luckily, Allison let us stay in the same room we had two years ago (and loved), which is on the opposite end from the construction. This helps alleviate the noise level, and it didn't disturb us much during our afternoon siestas.
If you were looking for a bargain at this hotel, they are currently featuring what they call a "Hard Hat Special". We found out about this five or six weeks before we left, and managed to get a reduction in our daily rate to $124! This is a fantastic deal, considering you get a 550 sq ft oceanfront studio apartment with a fully equipped kitchen. For that price, we were more than happy to deal with a few inconveniences, such as the pool being closed a couple days during our stay. I'm not sure why the pool closed, as they were working on a section of the hotel north of the pool, but so what? Next year, rates will be back at $200+ a night...if not more.
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