I enjoy helping people find the perfect accommodations for their Maui vacation. It
can be one of the most important decisions in the trip planning. So here is some
information to get you started. Once we start emailing, I will assist you in more
specific details and eventually in booking the best choice to meet your needs.
First, consider what type of accommodations you need.
~ Resort hotels are great for those looking to be pampered, no cooking,
restaurants on property, daily housekeeping and pools with slides. Many
packages include daily breakfasts or free nights.
~ Condos are great for those who need additional space such as families. Condos
offer the full kitchen, as it is nice not to have to eat out every meal. Having a
second room for the kids offers privacy for the parents. Plus it is usually more
affordable than hotels.
~ Private Homes sound great, however, they can be quite pricey. Especially if you
are looking for something with just 2 or 3 bedrooms, usually a condo will work just
as well for 1/2 the cost. But if you are looking for a special retreat for a family
gathering, desire a place where you can all gather to eat, have a private pool and
cost is not the biggest issue, then consider a private home. Definitely plan well in
advance for the best choices.
~ Bed and Breakfast's are scattered around the island. This option is less private
then say a condo and still about the same price. Some people love staying in a
B&B just for the experience, or if they are only staying for 2-3 nights and moving
on. Finding the perfect one can be tough, but I have a few on my list.
Second, decide on an area of Maui.
Location can be a difficult choice and once you decide, you might second guess
your choice. But figure no matter where you stay, you are still in Maui and most
everything is within a relatively easy drive, except Hana. Let's break it down; the
two most commonly referred to accommodation areas are West Maui and South
Maui. West Maui consists of Lahaina, Kaanapali, Honokowai, Kahana, Napili and
Kapalua.
Lahaina is an old whaling town, very historical and very hot, especially in the
summer. There are a few small hotels, a few condos, some beautiful private
homes and an assortment of inns and B&B's. Plenty of restaurants, shops, art
galleries, activities, nightly entertainment and a bustling boat harbor.
Kaanapali is a major destination resort. Kaanapali Beach is a beautiful beach,
great location for snorkeling, SCUBA, boogie boarding and walking the beach. A
few boats depart here for snorkel and sunset sails. The major hotels and condo
properties on the beach are the Hyatt Maui, Maui Marriott, Kaanapali Alii, Westin
Maui, Whaler, Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Sheraton, Royal Lahaina, Maui Kaanapali
Villas and the new Westin Ocean Villas. There is a beach walk so you can easily
get to all the hotels and to Whaler's Village for shops and restaurants. Both the
Marriott and Hyatt host evening luaus.
Honokowai is also known as North Kaanapali and some of the condo properties
here have the Kaanapali name. Technically the beach is still considered part of
Kaanapali Beach, however, this is not part of Kaanapali Resort. The beach in this
area becomes a bit narrower, but properties like the Mahana, Maui Kai, Kaanapali
Shores and the Embassy have excellent ocean front rooms. There are also
numerous smaller condo properties, some with beach and some with rock wall
fronting the ocean. Shops and restaurants are close by, with a handy little
Farmer's market and a favorite restaurant of mine Honokowai Okazuya Deli.
Kahana is where I have lived for 14 years. I love this little town. Plenty of
affordable ocean front properties, with shops and restaurants within walking
distance. Kahana can be a bit breezy throughout the year. But if you take a day
trip in the summer to Lahaina, you will welcome the cooler trade winds when you
get back. Most properties in this area do not have A/C, the trade winds keep it
cool at night. Two of my favorite properties are the Royal Kahana, studio, 1 or 2
bedroom units with A/C. Or the Hololani that has all 2 bedroom ocean front units
with no A/C.
Napili is a small area with plenty of small condo properties along the ocean. A few
are tucked in along Napili Bay, one of my favorite beaches on Maui to swim and
snorkel.
Kapalua is host to Kapalua Bay Hotel and the Ritz Carlton, both beautiful hotels.
The weather in Kapalua can be windy and rainy at times, more so in the winter
months. Summer months in Kapalua are beautiful. Great choice for couples
during peak travel times as a place to escape. Kapalua also has three golf
courses, the Village, the scenic Bay, and the challenging Plantation Course, host
to the PGA Mercedes Championship in January.
South Maui consists of Kihei, Wailea and Makena. The Weather in South Maui is
known to be dry most of the year round due to the shadowing of Mount Haleakala.
The wind and weather are blocked by this 10,000 foot dormant volcano. However,
this area tends to be more desert like due to the lack of rain. Plenty Kiawe trees
grow naturally in the rapidly decreasing open spaces.
Kihei is often divided into North Kihei and South Kihei especially when it comes to
accommodations. Kihei is abundant in affordable condos on both sides of the
main road, North or South Kihei Road. In the North Kihei area I like Sugar Beach
condos that sit right on Sugar Beach, great for walking and sunning. Also, North
Kihei offers easy access to the roads to Lahaina, Wailuku and Kahului.
South Kihei has some beautiful beaches, Kamaole I, II, and III and Keawakapu
Beach. There are plenty condos across the street from the Kamaole beaches.
And I like the Mana Kai property that sits at the north end of Keawakapu Beach. It
also hosts Five Palms restaurant for a nice sunset dinner and plenty of shops and
restaurants along the Kihei Road strip.
Wailea is a beautiful resort area with excellent beaches, snorkeling, golf and
tennis. The major resorts here are the Renaissance Wailea, Wailea Marriott,
Grand Wailea, Four Seasons Maui and the Kea Lani. The Shops at Wailea have a
wide choice of shops and dining. Wailea is host to the Maui Film Festival, held in
June. Grand Wailea offers the most exciting pool area with multiple slides and a
water elevator. And the Four Seasons offers the best service, great choice for a
honeymoon couple. Quite a few condo properties in the Wailea resort also, many
resemble more like town homes, not apartment buildings.
And finally Makena with the Maui Prince, affectionately called the last resort, as it
is the last hotel on this side of the island. That may change eventually with all the
development going on here in recent years. There are also condo properties such
as the luxury Makena Surf, and some spectacular private vacation rental homes.
There are other areas of Maui such as Maalaea, Olowalu, Upcountry, Hana, Paia
and Huelo that have visitor accommodations. Rarely do I have requests for
accommodations in these areas. If you have interest in one of these areas, please
let me know and we can discuss it further.
Hopefully, with this basic information in hand you have narrowed the choices down
to an area and type of accommodation. I will look forward to hearing from you
soon to assist you in choosing a specific Maui Property that will be perfect for your
vacation.
Accommodations
