Travel Hawaii – Real Estate Blog

Discount Shopping Hawaii

October 8, 2009 // 2 Comments »

On the U.S. mainland, big-box retailers have been offering discount or wholesale prices on a spectrum of different goods and services for several years.  Customers find that the prices, quality, and affordability of these retailers make for a comfortably lifestyle at bargain basement prices.  The island of Oahu is just the same.  A large portion of real estate in Hawaii is devoted to big-box retailers and wholesalers that provide consumers with quality goods and cheap prices.  These stores have allowed Honolulu and its residents to be able to afford the relatively high cost of living in the urban center of the state.

Costco, which operates two locations in Honolulu, is one of the most popular.  It operates establishments in the Hawaii Kai and Iwilei neighborhoods.  Costco is a members-only wholesaler club that keeps prices low by using a warehouse-style set-up and only selling goods in bulk.  Kmart and its “Big K” brand has a long established store near Honolulu Harbor.  Wal-Mart is another big retailer in Honolulu and recently just opened its latest location near Ala Moana.  Wal-Mart’s warehousing and members-only wholesale offshoot Sam’s Club also operates a store at the Ala Moana location.  Target Stores, a highly anticipated discount store, finally opened locations on Oahu, although neither of them are actually located in the Honolulu area.

Posted in Hawaii

Hostels

// 1 Comment »

Hostels have gotten something of a bad rap ever since the  release of the horror film “Hostel” and several subsequent sequels and related films. Unfortunately, these movies have portrayed hostels as unfriendly, hostile, and absurdly dangerous places run by sketchy characters and mass murderers. Like most other creations of Hollywood, this portrayal is the direct opposite of the truth. In reality, hostels are a great option for students and other cost-conscious individuals looking for accommodations almost anywhere in the world. Most hostels are maintained by organizations and non-profits such as Hostellers International, which acts as an umbrella group for literally thousands of hostels worldwide. Admittedly, hostels do not offer the same services or luxuries as hotels, motels, or timeshares, but this is just a consequence of keeping the price of the hostel low and affordable. Generally, hostels offer weary travellers a bed, dormitory, or private room in addition to a shared common area, kitchen, and bathroom for a negligible fee. Hostels depend much more on a system of bartering as opposed to the simple currency exchange model of hotels and motels, as long-term residents of hostels often exchange services such as room cleaning and desk work for accommodations.

There are hostels dedicated to general audiences, in addition to those operated on behalf of specific demographics and occupations. More charity-based hostels such as those dedicated to the rehabilitation of drug addicts or impoverished individuals are generally restricted to those particular groups, as are hostels intended solely for students, medical professionals, or educators, for example. There is also a difference between hostels intended for long-term residence, as an alternative to a rental or apartment, and hostels targeted towards short term residents such as travellers or backpackers. There are some similarities between the two – both emphasize communal living over privacy, are focused on being budget friendly, and resemble dormitories. The primary manner in which the two differ is duration of visit, and consequently level of familiarity with your co-residents.

The idea of a hostel was first materialized in the year nineteen twelve, when the Altena Castle in Germany was transformed into a youth hostel. The idea was successful because students were willing to engage in a certain degree of self-sufficiency that eliminated the need for professional upkeep, maintenance, and cooking services. After a period of rapid expansion, there are currently more than four thousand five hundred hostels in the world, stretching over ninety youth hostel organizations and eighty different countries. In recent years, there has been something of a departure from the traditional concept of a hostel, especially in upscale destinations such as Honolulu, Hawaii. Essentially, hostels in Honolulu and similar locations make more of a profit than upscale hotels because hostels charge somewhat steep rates while keeping overhead drastically low. This has the effect of making hostels less accessible to students, but increasing the profits of the parent corporation. For most of the world and especially in Europe, however, the traditional ideal of cheap housing for young persons on gap years and trips remains strong.

Posted in Travel