Destination: Lāna‘i City, Hawai'i on the island of Lāna‘i
Date: February 2017
Hotel: Dreams Come True
Address: 1168 Lana'i Ave, Lāna‘i City, HI 96763
Brand: none
Elite Status: none
# of travelers: 2
nights: 1
Making the Decision
There aren't many options on the Lāna‘i island and the big hotel chains are expensive, so we stuck with a smaller B&B, Dreams Come True.
Getting There
On Lāna‘i Island, you don't have too many options for getting to a place, especially when you haven't rented a vehicle. We ended up using Neil Rabaca's taxi service to get to and from our hotel. It was easy and the people who work for the company are friendly. We used Expeditions Ferry to get to the island even though you could also fly there.
Getting around the island is pretty easy if you are staying at a hotel close to town. If you are staying closer to the coast, you will have better views of the coastline and ocean, but access to town won't be as easy without a vehicle.
Booking & Checking-In
If you aren't a people person, you will love the check-in process we went through!
We called to make our reservation when we were ready, so the family that owns this small bed and breakfast were well aware we were coming. As part of the process, we paid in advance and confirmed we would not get any money back upon arrival.
When we arrived, no one was there to check us in. Instead, we found our keys in an envelope on the front door with instructions about which room was ours. It was requested that we sign the guestbook and call a listed phone number if we had any questions. Given that our biggest concern was that we left one of our bags on the shuttle and that our tour had been canceled, we had a lot more to worry about than asking the b&b staff anything.
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The House & Our Room
Dreams Come True was a nice little house and perfect for our stay on Lāna‘i. It was central to Lāna‘i City and our room was a good size. We had two queen-sized beds located in the front of the house with a small bathroom. There was no air conditioning, so we needed to open a window the one night we were there, but we were totally okay with that since it was raining outside. It's very relaxing to fall asleep to the sound of rain at night.
Other rooms in the house include a kitchen with food available, a laundry room for doing laundry (but don't put sandy clothes in the washing machine/dryer!), a communal living room, a front porch, and a garden for relaxing. The property is great for getting to know fellow travelers. In fact, while we were there, fellow travelers who had been hunting returned and asked if we wanted to have a beer on the front porch with them. Unfortunately, with our early departure the next morning, we didn't have enough time for it.
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Food Options
Once again, while the hotel does offer free breakfast, we were not able to take advantage of the offering because of our early departure. (This was one of the things I was going to talk to the "front desk" about, but there ended up being no "front desk.) We will have to take the word of other TripAdvisor visitors in assuming that the breakfast available at Dreams Come True is good. Maybe next time we visit, we will get to partake.
Check Out
Remember how simple check-in was? Check out is also pretty simple. Grab your belongings, lock the door, and leave the key in the door.
Also, remember to contact the taxi service in advance (i.e. the day before) if you have an early departure.
Furthermore, the Lāna‘i City airport is absolutely tiny and it will do you no good to get to the airport any earlier than an hour before your flight. I know that it's been ingrained in you that you have to arrive two hours before the flight. While that is all well and good, if the airport isn't open, you won't be able to check-in or go through security. But the good news is, when security does open up, you will fly through that and check-in! There were all of three people in line ahead of us as we went through security, all locals to the Hawai'ian islands.
Overall Review:
★★★ (average)
We did not have the best experience getting to Dreams Come True, despite the fact that the drivers for the shuttle service were very kind about helping us get around the island and managed to get our lost bag back to us after we left it on the shuttle. Oops! Perhaps you will have a different experience using a rental car? I also had mixed feelings when no one was around for check-in. Couldn't they have called or texted to ask if everything was alright? … What about asking if there was anything else they could do for us? The end result was that the owners were so incredibly hands-off that it made Dreams Come True feel like a way to make money/take money rather than providing a service for visitors.
That being said, I did very much enjoy the "cabin in the woods" experience. I loved how easy it was to walk to Lāna‘i City from the b&b. I also liked the cheap price. My favorite part was the covered front porch where we could sit and enjoy the rain without getting wet. But honestly, I could sit on a swing on a front porch for hours listening to the rain and insects just about anywhere!
If you are looking for a calm, relaxing getaway on Lāna‘i that won't break the bank, Dreams Come True is an awesome bed and breakfast. If you enjoy cities, though, you may want to consider a different island or, at the very least, one of the more expensive, larger hotels.
Your Turn
Have you ever stayed somewhere so peaceful and quiet that you could hear yourself think? Are you a fan of that type of solitude? Or do you tend to prefer places with more noise and activity?
What are your thoughts on the hands-off approach the owners of the Dreams Come True b&b use? Would it make you happier to not have to deal with any hotel staff directly? Or do you prefer knowing there is a front desk staff member you can approach with any problems you come across immediately when those problems occur?
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| Dreams Come True rules |
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It's day eight of the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my five year anniversary in Hawai'i – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter was L for Lazing around At Dreams Come True in Lāna‘i City, Hawai'i on Lāna‘i Island!
