Finding the Best Value Stays in Hawai'i

Overview

A data visualization project examining where visitors actually find value in Hawai’i: Airbnb or hotels, and on which islands and neighborhoods. Built on the Inside Airbnb dataset of ~36,000 Hawai’i listings, compared against average hotel rates.

Problem

Visitors choosing between an Airbnb and a hotel in Hawai’i are mostly guessing. Prices vary sharply by island and neighborhood, and the assumption that Airbnb is the budget option doesn’t always hold. The question: where does each option actually win, and by how much?

Context

The idea started as a data visualization course project (BUAN 4220); this is my own separate build of the analysis, published to my Tableau Public profile. One methodological caveat, stated plainly: hotel comparison rates are based on Google estimates for 3- and 4-star hotels, not a transaction dataset.

My Role

Solo analyst on this version: dataset preparation, analysis, the Tableau workbook and dashboard, and the write-up.

Approach

• Analyzed ~36,000 Hawai’i Airbnb listings from Inside Airbnb: prices, locations by island and neighborhood, and user reviews
• Compared Airbnb pricing against average hotel rates (Google estimates, 3- and 4-star properties)
• Layered in Hawai’i’s short-term-rental zoning context: rentals under 30 days are generally prohibited outside hotel/resort zones without a permit, which shapes where listings can exist
• Built a 14-worksheet Tableau workbook with a main interactive dashboard: island price comparisons, neighborhood averages, rating distributions, listing counts, and maps

Key Findings

• Hotels are cheaper on average: $250 vs. $283 for Airbnb.
• 70% of Airbnb listings (under $1,000) are more expensive than comparable hotel rates.
• Quality is rarely the problem: the average Airbnb rating is 4.79/5.
• Maui and Kauai are the most expensive islands; Molokai has the lowest average prices.
• Oahu holds the most listings (~29% of all) at comparatively moderate prices. Central Oahu, away from the water, is the clearest budget option.
• Proximity to water drives price. On Kauai, where every neighborhood is coastal, every neighborhood averages above the typical hotel rate.
• Listings cluster where hotels are, a footprint shaped by zoning: Central Oahu, with zero hotels, is the exception that proves it.

Recommendations

For a standard short stay, price a hotel first; most of the market says it wins. Airbnb earns its premium for specific cases: larger groups, longer stays, and neighborhoods hotels don’t serve. Budget-focused visitors should look at Central Oahu and Molokai; travelers set on Maui or Kauai should expect coastal pricing everywhere.

Artifacts

The interactive Tableau dashboard is being published to Tableau Public; dashboard views and selected chart crops will be added here.

Reflection

I grew up on O’ahu, so the question behind this one is personal; where to stay is something people actually ask me. Rebuilding the analysis as my own project meant each chart had to pass a simple test: would it change how someone books a trip?

Status

Analysis and dashboard complete. Publishing the dashboard to Tableau Public and adding artifact views to this page.