Aulani Transient Tax

[DVCSunDevil]

I was just checking out DVC News and saw that there is a Transient Tax levied by the Hawaiian government on all Oahu hotel stays. There is a formula they use to determine the transient tax owed per night at Aulani (since it is a DVC timeshare). We have our first Aulani trip coming up in April and learning that we will have to pay $300 for our 7 night stay is disappointing. Apparently the tax has doubled in just 7 years. Just an FYI for anyone considering a trip to Aulani…it’s good to know.

 

[reck]

Not just Aulani stays, any hotel I believe.

 

[Paul Stupin]

I was just checking out DVC News and saw that there is a Transient Tax levied by the Hawaiian government on all Aulani stays. We have our first Aulani trip coming up in April and learning that we will have to pay $300 for our 7 night stay is disappointing. Apparently the tax has doubled in just 7 years. Just an FYI for anyone considering a trip to Aulani…it’s good to know.

Also, fyi, they charge the entire amount of said transient tax immediately when you check in. It’s not part of your final statement.

My wife and I are here right now, and for our one bedroom ocean view, we’re paying $21.55 to the state and an additional $6.31 a night to Honolulu County. It’s annoying, but what can you do?

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Not just Aulani stays, any hotel I believe.

Correct. It is any hotel. But for those who don't know about it, it can come as a shock.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Also, fyi, they charge the entire amount of said transient tax immediately when you check in. It’s not part of your final statement.

My wife and I are here right now, and for our one bedroom ocean view, we’re paying $21.55 to the state and an additional $6.31 a night to Honolulu County. It’s annoying, but what can you do?

Good to know! Thank you. We are staying in a 2 bedroom island view in April, so our total tax bill will be just above $300. Like you said, it's annoying but there is nothing you can do. You just have to mentally "flush it" and enjoy your vacation.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

We recently bought DVC (direct) at Aulani and were informed that a transient tax existed but not how much it was or any details. This info is helpful, as we will also be in a 1 bedroom. Does anybody know if it varies by room size or view?

 

[MouseOfCards]

Here's the link to the tax spreadsheet for 2023 Aulani DVC stays:

https://cdn2.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...-resorts/2023-HI-TAT-Web-Cht-Final-122722.pdf

 

[Anal Annie]

Here's the link to the tax spreadsheet for 2023 Aulani DVC stays:

https://cdn2.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...-resorts/2023-HI-TAT-Web-Cht-Final-122722.pdf

WOW - that's incredibly helpful!!! I know we paid a transient tax last time we went many years ago but it was nowhere near this much. Now I'm glad we only booked a studio and am thinking we'll never book an OV room again. smh

 

[Paul Stupin]

WOW - that's incredibly helpful!!! I know we paid a transient tax last time we went many years ago but it was nowhere near this much. Now I'm glad we only booked a studio and am thinking we'll never book an OV room again. smh

We always get an ocean view one bedroom. The $27 a night is annoying, but it has nothing to do with Disney, and it’s not a deal breaker. But it’s still annoying!

 

[pachy25]

I was just checking out DVC News and saw that there is a Transient Tax levied by the Hawaiian government on all Aulani stays. We have our first Aulani trip coming up in April and learning that we will have to pay $300 for our 7 night stay is disappointing. Apparently the tax has doubled in just 7 years. Just an FYI for anyone considering a trip to Aulani…it’s good to know.

This is the same as the hotals in Waikiki

 

[eticketplease]

Yes it is annoying I agree but it is any hotel so where else can you stay a week at deluxe accommodations for under $300?
I'm guessing only Hyatt as I believe if staying on points there you don't have to pay the tax.

 

[chuckbroeker]

At my oldest daughter's urging my wife and I just canceled our annual summer vacation in Disney World and booked a stay at Aulani. Was indeed surprise to see this tax. Not a deal breaker. We were thinking about how much we'll save on park passes and then found out we're going to pay a park pass equivalent on a hotel tax.
Governments never skip a chance to stick their hand in your pocket.

 

[Paul Stupin]

At my oldest daughter's urging my wife and I just canceled our annual summer vacation in Disney World and booked a stay at Aulani. Was indeed surprise to see this tax. Not a deal breaker. We were thinking about how much we'll save on park passes and then found out we're going to pay a park pass equivalent on a hotel tax.
Governments never skip a chance to stick their hand in your pocket.

Not sure of your usual length of stay, or how many days you went to the parks, but even with the hotel tax, I’d bet you‘re still saving money.

 

[JC1984]

Not sure of your usual length of stay, or how many days you went to the parks, but even with the hotel tax, I’d bet you‘re still saving money.

Easily… we are skipping our annual Aulani trip in January to go to WDW and I am floored at how much more expensive our trip to WDW will be over Aulani. The things we do for kids

 

[chuckbroeker]

Not sure of your usual length of stay, or how many days you went to the parks, but even with the hotel tax, I’d bet you‘re still saving money.

Our home resort is The Boardwalk. We usually stay around 8 nights. We have 6 kids, all adults now. So my wife and our 2 adult daughters are going. Since it's Hawaii we decided to stay for 14 nights in a 1 bedroom villa. We were going to stay in a 2 bedroom but we waited too long to book. And I don't want to even think about 3 woman and 1 bathroom
Anyway, we live about 3 miles from O'Hare in a suburb of Chicago. So when you compare the flights to Hawaii and the room tax to the flights to Florida and the parks passes (we usually do Park Hopper) it looks to be about break even.
Works for me.

 

[krybandt]

I was just checking out DVC News and saw that there is a Transient Tax levied by the Hawaiian government on all Oahu hotel stays. There is a formula they use to determine the transient tax owed per night at Aulani (since it is a DVC timeshare). We have our first Aulani trip coming up in April and learning that we will have to pay $300 for our 7 night stay is disappointing. Apparently the tax has doubled in just 7 years. Just an FYI for anyone considering a trip to Aulani…it’s good to know.

I remember looking at it a couple of years ago and thinking it wasn’t that bad, and when I looked more recently was shocked how much it would be for an upcoming trip. As others have said, best to set it aside and move on, but glad to know it wasn’t just me misremembering how low it used to be.

 

[Lilsia]

At my oldest daughter's urging my wife and I just canceled our annual summer vacation in Disney World and booked a stay at Aulani. Was indeed surprise to see this tax. Not a deal breaker. We were thinking about how much we'll save on park passes and then found out we're going to pay a park pass equivalent on a hotel tax.
Governments never skip a chance to stick their hand in your pocket.

Hawaii has the highest tourist tax rate of any State. Tourism is their main economy. Hawaii has always been an extremely expensive place to visit. It stinks but what are you gonna do?

 

[AstroBlasters]

$665.63 for a week in an OV GV when we go in August. Ouch!

 

[Paul Stupin]

Hawaii has the highest tourist tax rate of any State. Tourism is their main economy. Hawaii has always been an extremely expensive place to visit. It stinks but what are you gonna do?

Agreed! And well said. Enough complaining! Every Aulani owner has known about this forever. Also, there’s no resort fee, so be glad about that.

 

[Alexander]

$665.63 for a week in an OV GV when we go in August. Ouch!

Compared to what a GV costs per night—that is nothing.