Condos With Free Cars

Until Dec. 19, Colony Resorts is offering a free rental car to guests staying at any of its 12 Hawaii properties.

You can request the free car for the same number of nights you book at any of the properties, even if you just stay at one place or spread your Hawaii visit over several islands.

The offer includes unlimited mileage, with the vehicles provided by Dollar Rent-A-Car on a space-available basis at the airports on the four major islands.

You have to pay for gas as well as taxes. Personal accident insurance and collision damage waiver are optional.

There is no minimum stay requirement. Similarly, there are no blackout periods, with the offer good on weekends and holidays. Your confirmation slip for the accommodations will also indicate the car reservation.

All of Colony Resorts properties involve condominium units (studios and one- to three-bedroom apartments), although there are also some hotel rooms with refrigerators. With the condo units, the price is the same for one to four people sharing the same one-bedroom apartment. Up to six people can stay for the same cost as one in a two-bedroom apartment and up to eight in a three-bedroom unit. In addition, two people can stay in a studio for the price of one guest.

But you only get one car (compact size) per room booked, regardless of the size of the unit or number of occupants.

Rates start at $55 during the peak season, which ends March 31, and $45 during the low season, April 1-Dec. 19.

The condos have full kitchens. This enables you to prepare your own meals and thus economize. However, this advantage can be muted if you don’t have easy access to a supermarket. Shopping at smaller specialty stores is likely to be more expensive, though still cutting less into your budget than dining out all the time.

Consequently, ask about what sort of food outlets are close to any property you’re interested in. The properties involved are Maile Court, Pacific Monarch and Diamond Head Beach at Waikiki; Kamaole Sands, Kahana Villa and Napili Shores on Maui; Kanaloa at Kona and Kona Bali Kai on the Big Island of Hawaii; and Lae Nani, Lanikai, Plantation Hale and Poipu Kai on Kauai.

For more information, call Colony Resorts at (800) 367-6046.