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Rating: 
Summary: Telling it like it is
Review: Another terrific Frommer guide. Things are organized the way you plan a vacation. Looking for accommodations? They are all in one place for each island (grouped by location). Same with meals, activities, etc. I especially appreciate the honest descriptions and opinions of each property. If it's run down, the author says so. That's the type of information I need. I can get simple descriptive info (like other guidebooks) from the tourist bureau. I want to know what stuff is REALLY like and this book tells me.
Rating: 
Summary: Only for travelers with a big budgets
Review: Geared toward travelers who have a lot to spent on hotels, shopping, and entertainment. Not recommended for most people.
Rating: 
Summary: Good for creating trip itinerary
Review: I bought this book when I was still dreaming of a vacation to Hawaii. I used it, primarily, to decide which island(s) I wanted to visit. Once I had chosen the island where I would be staying, I bought a guidebook for that island in particular. I didn't consult this book too much after that.
A scenario such as this one is the primary one for which I'd reccommend this book. Becuase it covers all of the Hawaiian islands, it is necessarily broad and a little skimpy on detail. Use this guide to choose which islands are right for you, and then buy specific guides for those individual islands. I wouldn't plan an entire Hawaiian vacation based on this guide alone.
Rating:
Summary: Useful but Disorganized
Review: I found Frommer's Hawaii 2004 to be a good guide. The feature I like the best is that they update it every year. It is very handy and their ratings are always correct and meet my standards. Everything is current and that includes the restaurants prices which sways me one way or another.
I noticed that one reviewer said he preferred the blue Ultimate books but they didn't suit me at all. I found them burdened and weighted with the authors opinions and difficult to read in parts. As a seasoned traveler I like knowing the solid facts and letting the unexpected surprise me. Traveling wouldn't be as much fun if there wasn't some mystery or charming local to fill in the blanks.I've used Frommers Hawaii successfully to snorkel and body surf. It provides just enough detail. You will be in good hands with an experienced author such as Jeanette Foster.
Rating: 
Summary: Thorough and essential for those traveling to Hawaii
Review: I found Frommer's Hawaii 2004 to be a good guide. The feature I like the best is that they update it every year. It is very handy and their ratings are always correct and meet my standards. Everything is current and that includes the restaurants prices which sways me one way or another.
I noticed that one reviewer said he preferred the blue Ultimate books but they didn't suit me at all. I found them burdened and weighted with the authors opinions and difficult to read in parts. As a seasoned traveler I like knowing the solid facts and letting the unexpected surprise me. Traveling wouldn't be as much fun if there wasn't some mystery or charming local to fill in the blanks. I've used Frommers Hawaii successfully to snorkel and body surf. It provides just enough detail. You will be in good hands with an experienced author such as Jeanette Foster.
Rating:
Summary: Opinions anyone?
Review: I found this guidebook to be in need of much more detail. It buzzed through the standard touristy places providing all the pros and very few cons. Also, very few of the listings changed from my previous edition for 2003. This series has gone downhill lately.
Rating:
Summary: Useful but Disorganized
Review: I had been using a 2003 library copy of this book and bought the 2004 edition so I could mark it up and tear out unnecessary sections. The book's content appears useful (I'll know for sure next week when I go to Hawaii); I just wish it was better organized. I've come across various references and descriptions of the same place scattered throughout the book. I find it cumbersome to flip past the interspersed "Where to Stay" and "Where to Dine" sections, which I don't need, just to dig out specifics about area highlights: attractions, beaches, etc. By contrast, AAA travel guides are much better organized with the lodging and dining sections located out of the way at the rear of the book with page edges that have color-coded bars to indicate sections at a glance. I wonder how closely the entries were reviewed when the edition was updated. Both the 2003 and 2004 editions say this about Manoa Falls in Oahu: "As we went to press, the state of Hawaii was still assessing the safety of the trail after a series of landslides. Before you venture out, call 808/587-0300 to check if the trail is open." It seems to me that one editor could have made a five-minute phone call between editions to get more complete information and save readers some trouble. The maps look very useful but I think their poor arrangement is going to require a lot of flipping around.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Travel Companion!
Review: I took a gamble when purchasing this book before my wife and I took a vacation to Hawaii(Oahu,Maui)this summer. Boy, am I glad that I did. The Frommer's Hawaii 2002 went everywhere with us. It enhanced our trip greatly and we would have missed a lot without it. The maps were extremely helpful when navigating around to our desired destinations. We also appreciated the insite on the places to dine, hike, snorkle, kayak, etc. If you are in the market for a travel guide I highly recommend this guide.
Rating:
Summary: Why Buy This Book?? Not Matching the Competition
Review: Why would anyone buy this book? I just do not like it. Go to a bookstore, a good bookstore and you will find 50 plus books on Hawaii. There are all kinds of books from surfing to restaurant guides, to balanced presentations such as the excellent DK Eyewitness Travel guide that has beautiful photos and visuals. Hawaii is a beautiful place with many beautiful beaches and places to see. Here is a book with almost no photos. To me it is astonishing that a Hawaiian travel guide of would have no photos. The book is big but the competitors from DK Eyewitness or Lonely Planet give a better and a more balanced approach with text plus photos and maps. Also there are excellent books from the Ultimate Guidebook Series such as Hawaii the Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Hawaii the Big Island Revealed) that give a nice presentation one island per book. They also have books on Kauai and Maui. Those books are also a lot more popular than the Frommer book. Need I say more. My humble opinion. Jack in Toronto
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