Written by: Melissa Tanji

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Spending several days in a Wailea hotel could still set you back one month’s mortgage payment as the average daily rate for the region last month was just a tick past $1,000.

Spending several days in a Wailea hotel could still set you back one month’s mortgage payment as the average daily rate for the region last month was just a tick past $1,000.

The luxury Wailea region led all hotels in the state, as usual, with the highest average daily rate of $1,003.94 in February. Last month’s average was just shy of January’s average daily rate of $1,017.

The high rates likely helped offset Maui County’s lowest occupancy rate in the state at 71 percent in February, according to the latest Hotel Performance Report by the Hawaii Tourism Authority released last week.

February’s occupancy rate for the county was up 3 percentage points versus the same time in 2022, but down 9.4 percentage points compared to pre-pandemic February 2019.

But Maui County’s revenue per available room led the state with $465, up 16.2 percent versus February 2022 and up 32.3 percent from February 2019. Maui County’s average daily room rate in February was $655, which is up 11.3 percent versus 2022 and up 49.8 percent versus 2019.

Statewide, the average daily rate last month was $387, up 9.6 percent versus 2022. Occupancy across the state was 76.3 percent, up 4.6 percentage points compared to 2022, but down 7.2 percentage points versus 2019.

Revenue per available room was $296, up 16.7 percent from the same time last year and up 21.4 percent versus 2019.

In February, Oahu had the highest occupancy rate at 78.9 percent, followed by Hawaii island with 76.8 percent occupancy and Kauai with 73.9 percent occupancy.

Occupancy for all counties in February was below pre-pandemic levels, although average daily rates for all counties were above pre-pandemic prices in 2019.

In Wailea, occupancy in February was at 65.5 percent, down 2.2 percentage points versus 2022 and down 24.6 percentage points versus 2019, when occupancy was 90.1 percent.

The average daily rate in Wailea of $1003.94 in February was up 17.2 percent versus 2022 and up 54.8 percent versus 2019.

Revenue per available room last month in Wailea was $657.98, up 13.4 percent from 2022 and up 12.6 percent from 2019.

In the Lahaina/Kaanapali/Kapalua region, occupancy in February was at 73.5 percent, which is up 5.3 percentage points versus 2022 but down 5.8 percentage points versus 2019.

The average daily rate in the West Maui region was $574.76, up 10.8 percent from last year and up 56.2 percent from 2019.

Revenue per available room was $422.56, up 19.4 percent from 2022 and up 44.9 percent from 2019.

Maui County also had higher vacation rental availability and demand compared to last year, though still not quite at pre-pandemic levels. In a separate Hawaii Vacation Rental Performance Report for February issued by the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Maui County’s vacation rental supply was 151,800 available unit nights, up 4 percent versus February 2022 and down 10.3 percent versus February 2019.

Unit demand was 107,500 unit nights, up 3.9 percent versus 2022 but down 26.5 percent versus 2019. This resulted in a 70.8 percent occupancy rate for vacation rentals, down 0.1 percentage points versus 2022 and down 15.6 percentage points versus 2019.

Average daily rates were $460, up 21.6 percent versus 2022 and up 58.1 percent versus 2019.