Help with picking a hotel in Maui

What about staying in a condo instead?

Any recommendation of one?

Don't want something run down

Go with a condo, and if you can find one, in Kihei. Sorry, I don't have $$$ listed.
I've got friends that worked at The Grand Wailea and that's where they lived (Kihei). It's not far, and even the older condos/long-term motels looked decent.
Save your money on something more fun, like scuba, or even a car rental. You're not going to spend all that much time at the hotel, right?

~T

p.s. There's a little park with beach access between The Grand and 4 Seasons. It's not much beach, and the hotel's will ask you off of "their" beach (if you go on their property too often), but it's a great sunset location.

We'll be staying at Kihei Surfside in March in unit #604...looks nice, but I can't personally endorse it until after I've ben there! Found the rental here and there are other nice units listed (but pay attention to whether or not they have a/c if that is something you require).

http://www.maui-vacation-rentals.com/

ga,

I would look into the Maui Prince. It's just past Wailea in Makena. Rooms start at around $250 a night. The hotel's website usually has good deals. It's on a very nice beach.

-Bill

Also check www.vrbo.com.

We have had two sets of friends who stayed at the Ekahi Condo in Wailea. We visited them there and it is really nice. Right on a swimming beach very near the big resort hotels. The pool by the beach has a large cabana with table, chairs, etc. There is a frig. there, so you can take snacks or lunch to the pool. There is also a locker room right there with hot showers, so you can get all cleaned up before going back to the condo. It is also close to dining at all $$ levels. I would stay there in a minute. Are there kids in your group and if so, how old?

Look on vrbo.com for condos in Wailea. I have rented numerous condos and houses in various locations through them and have never been disappointed.

All above are good suggestions. If you prefer a resort to a condominium, hotels.com quoted me a rate of $301. per night for the Renaissance Wailea a few minutes ago. The Maui Prince would be another good choice. Sometimes the Grand Wailea offers three nights for the price of two which would put one of their terrace rooms a bit under $350.

Try Napili Sunset. It's an older property, but still kept very nice, and is on a lovely stretch of beach.
It's located in Napili, between Lahaina and Kapalua. www.napilisunset.com

Are you committed to the Wailea area? If you are, Napili is far from there. If you are open to the west side of the island as well, that opens up a lot of options.

I would buy the Entertainment Book, and use it to get half-price rates at the Renaissance Wailea that time of year. We have gotten great rates that way in the past, $225 for a $450 room, for example. Gppd luck with your planning!

Here goes: reasonable, good location, all across from Kamaole
Beach Park, at the end of Kihei, just before Wailea; from north to south, these are: Kamaole Sands (large, many units, nice grounds), Hale Kamaole (smaller, low rise, nice pools, nice views from lanais), Maui Kamaole (bit removed from the beach, little pricier, on a little hill). The prices of all three of these should be very good, much less than a hotel, all have 2 bdrm, 2 bth available, all have rentals in addition by private owners also through VRBO, but properties listed with all the condo agencies. In June, you can do a 2 bd, 2 bth for (easily) less than $200.

ga9497, I would give some thought to what you REALLY prefer in terms of vacation atmosphere. Condos can be wonderful bargains and have a very nice ambiance, but if what you really want is a "resort experience," there are ways to manage it with the Entertainment Book or other discounts. Also, the E Book can be used the same way on MANY nice condos in Hawaii if you choose that route. (Even if the particular condo is not listed in the E Book, always call and ask if they offer E Book rates, as many do!) I enjoy the feel of a resort when I'm vacationing in Hawaii, so that's how I usually go. I pamper myself more there ... and save the (nice) condos for my Florida vacations and those here on the NC coast. Whatever you choose, have a wonderful time!

Thank you for all of the information everyone

Yes I am only looking in Wailea or South Kihei. Friends of ours just moved to the Wailea area and we plan on visiting them but since they only have a one bedroom unit right now we don't want to intrude on them (we are 4 people) and are looking for something nearby

We would love a resort like the Grand Wailea but really can't afford right now the $400 and up per night rate. I have been checking the website but so far no specials for June 2006.

We would prefer a resort but if we can't find anything in our price range we will have to look at a condo

I figure if we go the condo route I can ask them to drive to some and give us their opinion but there are so many to choose from it is hard to know where to start.

I have looked at vrbo.com and some are nice but others look too plain and basic for us.

Again thanks for the help and we will keep looking

We just received a rate for the Maui Prince of $250 per night and also at the Maui Coast Hotel in Kihei for $220 per night

Any opionions on either? Everything I have read says that the Maui Prince is too out of the way as it is at the end of Wailea

Maui Prince hands down! The Maui Coast is not in Wailea, but in Kihei and is not beachfront if that is important to you. "Out of the way" is a very subjective term. I would much prefer the Prince's location to the Coast's.

-Bill

There are a few places on the internet where you can rent privately owned condos at good prices, for instance:
http://www.greatvacationrental.com
http://www.aliiresorts.com

For hotels, try:
"http://www.hotelonsale.com/default.asp"

to get an idea of pricing and specials. Not many specials available yet for 2006 (car rentals too), they probably won't start showing up until after after New Years.

Oh-ho, only 112 more days to Maui!

Just say NO! to

I second Ekahi condos in Wailea. Just do a web search for Ekahi rentals. You'll find owners renting them privately. Great ocean-front pool and beach.

The Maui Prince would be my pick out of the information you've gotten so far.

However, I do believe you'll see some deals for the Grand Wailea and the Fairmont Kea Lani when January rolls around. Every year I've looked, I've seen a fifth night free for the Kea Lani and a three nights for the price of two for the Grand Wailea.

Thanks again everyone for the wonderful information.

I will get some choices narrowed down and then wait until January to see if any discounts are available for the resorts and make a decision from there.

If anyone has anything else to add, I would love to hear about it

I've stayed here with my kids - it's a great beach and really nice to have a kitchen.
http://napilisurf.com/

I suggest you consider Puamana condos near Lahaina. Very reasonable, great location and very safe grounds for kids to play.

We were at the Kamaole Sands in Kihei this past September in a 2/bed 2/ba and loved it.

We also stopped by the Maui Prince because I wanted to see their beach again. I had stayed there in 1988. I remember having loved my stay at the Prince. I was looking for a particular reef. I didn't find it.

In any case, for the money and feel, I still prefer the condo. Ours was completely remodeled with all the beach accessories too. Umbrella, boogie boards, chairs, etc.

It felt like a home away from home. I liked brewing fresh coffee in the morning. I liked having a fridge for my cereal and our fresh fruit. And of course my 6 pack of beer. I loved having a safe, uncrowded beach with excellent snorkeling across the road. We had a cyber cafe a couple of blocks away that we enjoyed. All in all doing the condo thing was very relaxing.

h0b0 - thanks for the link but that is on the opposite side of where we want to be. Looks like a nice place though

wantagig - where did you rent your condo through?

ga9497: Through vrbo.com.

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/hawaii/maui/kihei#5908

wantagig

The link just brought me to the general page. I couldn't find #5908 if this is what is on the link

Do you have the link to the exact condo?

Thanks

Sheraton Maui was great. It was clean. They have an awesome beach, pool, walking distance(on the Beach path) to the Whalers Village, & good food. The staff went above & beyond to please. There is also bus transportation to local places(Lahaina). It was wonderful when we stayed there in July for 1 week. We would definitely go back.

Thanks Candy

I have been going crazy looking for places and will make a final decision in January. Even though we want to be close to our friends in Wailea, I think that we need to start looking at Kaanapali. I did get a good price at the Sheraton so it is nice to see a good recommendation for it. We also got a good price at the Westin Ocean resort villas. Anyone stayed there?

we stayed in this one:

http://www.vrbo.com/35136

thank you to everyone that helped with my questions

We changed our dates to late August and we were able to use FF miles so we are now staying at the Grand Wailea and was able to get a rate of $365 per night

We are also staying at 3 nights in Waikiki at the Moana Surfrider with Starwood points

I am sure I will have many more questions as I start the actual planning of what to do

Wow! How did you get such a good rate at the Grand Wailea? The lowest price I see on their website is $395. per night for a terrace room king bed.

crazy4hawaii

I actually got that rate by calling them on the phone. The August prices weren't coming up on the website so I called. That is for a Terrace room with two queen beds

We just got back last nite and always stay at the Maui Prince.We spent 2 nights at the 4 seasons and were so releaved to return to the Prince. (We won a contest for 2 nites at the 4 Seasons at $660 a nite!) Fancier room, but we don't stay in the room!
They also have a web site that you can register and get better deals:
www.PrincePreferred.com
they also own the Hapuna and Mauna Kea on the big island (Hawaii) and a hotel in Honolulu, plus a bunch in Japan.
The hotel is a classic and scheduled for redecorating, but definitely not a dump.The beach is the best as it doesn't share with any other hotel or development and the sea life is fantastic for snorkling. The expensive snorkle trips anchor off the reef to the left, known as "Turtle Town" and on the 16th hole of Makena South... a fun course, if you like challenges!
The restaurants are fantastic, especially Hapuna, the Japanese restaurant. If you sit at the sushi bar, ask for Ivan and have him make you an "Ivan Roll". He's so nice and really knows sushi.They have luaus several nites a week and the show is great.
Aloha!

Your plans already sound set, but do consider condos in Wailea - they are lovely, have a lot more room, and are substantially cheaper. We have done it annually for 20 years. Try www.mauiownercondos.com. Those are great units.

Yeah, what's wrong with a home away from home with a price tag of 70% less than a fancy hotel?!

plus, 10 nights for a family of 4--wouldn't you rather have a living room, dining room, kitchen, and separate bedrooms?!

Sylvia we did look at condos, and seriously considered them but we are more resort people

The other thing with condos is that a lot of them didn't have air conditioning in all the rooms. Being there in August I know that will be an issue.

We are still considering them but at this time did put a deposit on the hotel. Some of the condos had non refundable deposits or non refundable cleaning fees. So until I am absolutely sure that I want a particular location I don't want to part with the money that I may not be able to get back

The other reason is that some of the condos that we really liked weren't on the beach or didn't have a pool or were $250-$300 per night anyway

I also considered staying in two places.

A condo for 6 nights and the Grand Wailea for the last 3 nights but hubby doesn't like to pack and unpack

When we were in Maui last (a long time ago) we stayed at the Embassy suites even though hubby wanted to stay at the Grand Wailea (was a Hyatt then). When we toured the hotel we were kicking ourselves for not staying there.

I don't want to feel that way again

I have never stayed in the Wailea area, but our friends stayed at the Four Seasons and we visited them there....it was really nice, but very pricey. I will be at the Prince for 5 nights in Feb, if you still haven't booked I will give you my impression of it after the trip. We are staying at the Kaanapali Beach hotel for the first 4 nights because everyone says the Prince is so remote, and we wanted to be closer to Lahaina for a few nights, and we love being by Whaler's Village.

Joycefnp

I would love to hear your take on both places. We considered them too but the Kaanapali Beach hotel looked a little worn on their website but I am sure it is nice

The reason we didn't pick the Maui Prince was the location, and the pool. The pool looks like it was an after thought and just kind of thrown in there. With two kids pools are important when in a location like Hawaii. Other locations, like Europe, it isn't as important

The Maui Prince has a lovely pool, but why even think of traveling that far to swim in a pool when the Prince has the best beach on Maui, at least on the Wailea side? (That question can cause a war!!!)
If the water is calm, it is fantastic for small kids and the extra perk is building sandcastles, etc! If you want a pool, you can go anywhere in the world that doesn't even have a gorgeous beach. Check into the catamaran trips too. They leave from the Prince in the morning and there are many perks offered including snorkle trips, although the best snorkling is off the beach, especially to the left of the beach where the turtles and tropical fish hang out. One general rule for snorkling anywhere...it's a lot smoother and clearer in the morning. About noon the winds pick up and can cloud the water.
Aloha!