Big Mouth

Well, me and my big mouth.... I was so happy with my "deal" at the Marriott in Maui this last week. WOW, it worked out to be about $350 a night for an ocean front two bedroom unit. Huge deal! Well, the little girl got sick and had a bad ear infection and... could not fly home yesterday. My average cost per night is going up as I type! We went to the doctor, for the follow up appointment, Saturday morning. How funny the doctor is in the Hyatt hotel. They have a full doctor's office in there, two exam rooms, x-ray machine, etc.... Doc said she shouldn't fly. Got the doctor's note for the airline to avoid a change fee and booked Kitty Kat and the little girl for the Tuesday flight. Three more nights in Maui. How much could it possibly cost....

Well, I always say there is no high season in Maui. It's basically an all year high season. Any time of year if you want a place at Kaanapali or Wailea you will spend $400-1,000 a night for a nice hotel. I checked everthing and EVERYTHING was sold out. I checked Kaanapali, Wailea and the dumps by the airport. SOLD OUT! I found the Grand Wailea for $530 (plus the $25 a day non-optional "resort fee") but it's down in Wailea and the doctor is up at Kaanapali so that "bargain" wouldn't work. The Marriott showed a room for $529 a night on Friday but they were sold out Saturday morning when we found out we for sure needed the room. Tried Hyatt, Westin, Westin Timeshare, and Sheraton... all sold out. Tried the lesser places like the Kaanapali Beach and Shores and whatever else I could find. They have the senior PGA at Kaanapali this week I think so that could be part of it, and it's whale season and, as I stated above, it's always high season in Maui!

At the same moment Kitty Kat found a cancellation at the Sheraton, by calling them, for "only" $575 a night and I found a room, the last one, at some dump in Lahaina for only $275 a night. I took the $275 a night and told Kitty Kat to hang up on Sheraton. I gave them my credit card info, etc... and then the lady said, "ahhhhhh wait a minute." She came back on the phone a minute later to say the room got snapped up while we were doing the credit card info. I used the F' word. She then said, in a very shaky voice, said, "I will have to have you talk to my manager if you continue to use language like that." I solved that dilema and hung up on her and suggested Kitty Kat call the Sheraton back.

We went down to the Sheraton to check my ladies into their mountain view room for $575 a night. As I checked in the lady said, "and you know about our resort fee, right?" I said, "no I do not. Is it optional?" She told me it's not optional and I replied I really didn't care what it was since I have no choice. So, bottom line we are probably dropping about $600 a night for a little mountain view motel room. So, like I said, that Marriott room which was THREE regular hotel rooms put together is looking pretty good at $350 (and no "resort fee"). By the way, what the F is a resort fee? If I am staying at your hotel, and it's a mandatory charge, shouldn't that just be part of the fee of the room?

The little girl has a bad ear infection and also some bronchitis. The dude and I flew home without incident. As we walked through the SacTown Airport parking lot, at 12:30 PM, the little dude commented that is much colder here in California than in Hawaii. He added that he would like to live in Hawaii forever so he wouldn't have to be cold. I can't argue with him!

I am getting ready to play some hoops with Preacher I from CT this lovely Sunday morning. Ok, well it's not Hawaii lovely but it's perfectly nice outside.

peace out.