Hotel Kama'aina rate

[macuu222]

Has anyone here had family or friends visit and used your local ID to get them a Kama'aina rate at one of the Mega resorts on the Kona side? Do you have to buy the room for them and stay there with them? Or can you just go there...show them your ID, pay cash for the 3 night stay, and then go back home while they enjoy themselves there?

[Nalu]

When my father in law came out we got a room at the Hilton Waikaloa. I showed them my Hawaii driver's license and gave them my credit card. However, they don't actually charge your card until you check out. So at check out my father in law paid with his credit card with no issues. They just ask for a credit card upfront for incidentals and to make sure you don't skip out.

[julieb]

We got a very nice 2 bedroom condo at the Aston Shores for a very reasonable rate. I believe they charged one night in advance and the balance upon checkout ut they certainly didn't care who was staying there. A bonus: parking was included, not extra, and we had two vehicles.

[Ed Smay]

The Prince Hapuna Beach hotel is very nice and if you make the reservation on line, all they ask for is a local address.

"From knowledge comes understanding"

[Iju]

At the Fairmont Orchid, they asked for local mailing address and credit card number when I made for reservation over the phone, and they charged one night in advance. Don't remember if they asked for my ID when checking in, but you don't have to pay for them when checking out. My daughter, from Denver, took care the final bill.

[MarkP]

Let me put in a plug for The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls (waterfall.net). It is a beautiful bed and breakfast amongst the macnut orchards overlooking Hilo. They have a 100 foot waterfall in their backyard.

[macuu222]

Thanks Everyone...Yea... I'm thinking that they really want the money to fill the room more than being picky about kama'aina and having to stay in the room. I'm not going to worry about it. If they have a problem with it...then our relatives can stay at our place in Puna.

[KeaauRich]

At the risk of expanding the thread, what is everyone's general experience with Kama'aina rates for visitors -- Sometimes when my guests and I go play, I've been charged the discounted rate and my accompanying guests were charged the full rate. Other times we have all gotten the discount (and in every instance, all charges were going on my credit card). What's the norm? Should I expect my guests to get the discount too, or should I only expect the "real" kama'aina to get the break?

[spunky]

Keaaurich - I have had both situations occur. To be honest, I didn't fault the hotel when they charged my parents full rate and I got the discount. I was on the ferry to Lanai years ago and got the kama'aina discount. The snowbird behind me in line (a lady in her 60s - looked retired and wealthy) then piped up saying she was kama'aina too and wanted a discount. Said she had a time share (for 2 weeks a year) and thought that gave her the right to get a kama'aina discount. ugh

[JerryCarr]

Rich, my experience has been that some places give kama'aina discounts to non-resident guests accompanying residents, and some don't. The ones that do tend to be modestly priced attractions and not hotels or high-end attractions. That's just my experience. YMMV.

Not meaning to offend anyone, but kama'aina discounts are for kama'aina. While I understand wanting to help one's friends save money on their vacations, we should all understand that these discounts are meant to allow us residents to enjoy our own state and to offset the high cost of living here. The discounts are voluntary, and the hotel owners and attraction operators are free to drop them if they are abused. Just sayin'.