Hawaii Vacation Deals & News: August 3, 2010

* There’s a new vacation rental company you might want to bookmark. PackLate offers real-time availability, pricing that lowers closer to check-in, and from what I’ve read, excellent customer service. Today, PackLate launched their service in Hawaii with over 200 Maui properties. I like that you can book the individual unit you want with PackLate. I have been a reluctant fan of VRBO

because of the ability to book an individual unit, but I’ll definitely start my next search at PackLate. The search process seems like it will be so much quicker with PackLate than with VRBO.

PackLate’s CEO, Stephen Daimler, has extended a special sign up code – GOVISITHAWAII — for Go Visit Hawaii readers. Sign up is free and the special code offers “extra power” in that you will get a special 2-hour advance notice before a price changes. This special advance notice power will last for a year, but you only have 48 hours to signup with the special code. You can sign up with this link.

* Hawaii’s travel industry continues to show signs of improvement. According to the recent hotel occupancy and rate statistics, hotels were almost 80% full. In comparison to the same period last year, overall occupancy was up by 5.4%. Guess what else is also edging up? Yep, hotel rates increased slightly by 2.7%. Even considering the increases, a vacation in Hawaii is still a very good bargain right now. Here are the most recent Hawaii average nightly hotel rates (source

) :

• Oahu – $160.19
• Kauai – $198.91
• Maui – $233.78
• Big Island – $180.11

* Alaska Airlines has airfare on sale select routes Alaska, Pacific Northwest and California to Hawaii. Fares start at $298 round-trip. Valid travel dates vary by route. Read all the details here. You must book by August 15, 2010.