More and more tourists to Hawaii are bypassing hotels and finding alternate accommodations such as timeshare units, bed-and-breakfast inns or simply a couch at a friend's house.

 

Despite record arrivals in May, hotel occupancy fell 6.5 percentage points to 69 percent because of increased use of non-hotel accommodation, according to the latest report by Hospitality Advisors LLC.

 

For the first five months of the year, hotel occupancy has dipped six percentage points to 74.4 percent.

 

Meanwhile, the numbers of visitors who stayed in vacation condominiums, timeshares, cruise ships or with friends and relatives have all increased, according to the state.

 

Hotel consultant Joseph Toy, chief executive of Hospitality Advisors, said that he first noticed the trend about four years ago, especially with repeat visitors to Hawaii.

 

Toy said a sharp decline in tourists from Japan also has affected hotel occupancy. About 95 percent of Japanese visitors to Hawaii stay in hotels, as opposed to about three-quarters of Americans.

 

Another factor is that more than 2,000 hotel rooms in Waikiki were being renovated last year and are now back online. Hotels are also charging record-high rates.

 

However, guests are not necessarily saving money by avoiding hotels and resorts. Each of the six rooms at the Ho'oilo House, a Balinese-inspired bed-and-breakfast in West Maui, runs at US$315 a night.

 

Amy Wisthoff-Martin, a partner in the business, said her guests are seeking luxury and privacy.

 

"The resort areas in general have just gotten a little crazy," she said. "Even though you've got all these great amenities, you have a lot of people to deal with."

 

Hal Nordblom, general manager of the Holualoa Inn in a 12-hectare coffee farm, said his guests are usually couples seeking a relaxing, intimate and personal experience.

 

"Most people don't want to be a number at the front desk checking in," said the inn-keeper.

 

(Shanghai Daily July 10, 2007)