Kaanapali Beach Hotel
Jan 19th, 2005 | 10:38 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 79
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Kaanapali Beach Hotel
My husband and I are planning a trip to Hawaii in May for our 25th anniv. We are planning on staying in Oahu for 3 days and then to Maui for 8 days. Someone has recommended the Kaanapali Beach Hotel in Maui. Anyone ever stayed there? I am a little nervous about it as orbitz gives it 2 stars. We are on a medium-type budget (children in college!) Thanks for any insight.
Jan 19th, 2005 | 10:59 AM
#2
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,798
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Hi Spikeit,
KBH is a great place to stay if you don't want to break the bank and are not too concerned about luxury facilities and services. It is on the best stretch of Kaanapali Beach. It is a little worn around the edges, but I would stay there again for sure.
-Bill
KBH is a great place to stay if you don't want to break the bank and are not too concerned about luxury facilities and services. It is on the best stretch of Kaanapali Beach. It is a little worn around the edges, but I would stay there again for sure.
-Bill
Jan 19th, 2005 | 03:18 PM
#3
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,075
Likes: 0
We stayed at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel February, 2003. We were looking for an AI, and of course there aren't any, but felt with all the extras we received it was good. I've attached part of our trip report that includes the hotel and resturants.
Maui, Hawaii - Trip Report February 9 - 16, 2003
Kaanapali Beach Hotel
We purchased the "Whale Watching" package, which included: partial ocean view room, rental car (Nissan Sentra), breakfast each morning, whale watching excursion, tickets to the Maui Ocean Center, one dinner at the Tiki Terrace restaurant, $50 gift certificate to Gerard's at the Plantation Inn, a small box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts, 1 small cooler bag with 2 orange drinks, and a one-time use camera.
Our room was a basic standard hotel room. Contained a king bed, daybed set up like a couch, small table with 2 chairs, and balcony with small table and 2 chairs. Also had a coffee pot, small frig, iron/board and safe. The balcony overlooked the court yard and swimming pool area. Had a very small view of the ocean through all the palm trees. The hotel provided turn-down service with flowers and either a small box of 2 chocolates or 2 macadamia nut cookies. The bathroom was quite small and the bed was hard as a rock. Though we didn't spend too much time at the hotel, for the time we did spend, we would have loved a better room with a better ocean view.
Kaanapali Beach
The water was a deep sapphire blue. Very rough with lots of waves and cold. The sand was brown and coarse. The hotel offered dual lounge chairs for rent for $16. You were not allowed to bring the free lounge chairs from the court yard or the pool area to the beach. There is a sign posted at the entrance to the beach that swimming in the ocean is dangerous and to "swim at your own risk". I decided to brave the ocean and its cold water and ended up getting knocked around by several waves. Got sand all through by bathing suit and it just stuck to me like mud. Very difficult to get it off. DH had much better sense and stayed out of the ocean. We ended up going over to the pool to actually swim. The water there was pretty cold too, but we swam a little, then lounged around on a couple of chairs. Got lunch at the pool grill and a couple of pina colodas from the bar. Beware though, the drinks were $7.25 a piece.
The hotel was not crowded at all. Lots of 50+ couples and mid-couples with small children (not of school age). The service and friendliness of the hotel staff was exceptional. The night before our last day, we received an invitation to their farewell ceremony. We met in the lobby and a staff member thanked us for choosing their hotel, sang us a "good-bye" song and provided us with a lasting nut lei. The weather was quite questionable throughout our stay. Over cast cloudy and windy with a couple of days of rain. The night air was very chilly. I did not enjoy the weather at all.
Restaurants
The hotel provided us with breakfast coupons worth $9.75. The coupon covered the breakfast buffet at the Mixed Plate. Good variety of standard breakfast fare. Enjoyed the Spanish omelet and the sausage. The coupon could also be used for the Tiki Terrace breakfast buffet or ala cart breakfast. That buffet was more extensive with quiche and an omelet station. They applied the coupon and we only had to pay an additional $5.00 and tip. We didn't order ala cart, but they would apply the coupon and then the remaining amount would have to be paid. Both buffets were very good and we enjoyed the food.
We also had dinner the first night at the Tiki Terrace restaurant. We didn't get to the hotel until 9:00pm, and they we nice enough to stay open and let us eat. We received one meal there with our package that we used on Saturday night. You could get a salad, entree (no lobster), dessert, and beverage. Appetizer and alcohol drinks were extra. Both meals were quite good. We enjoyed the shrimp, steak, onion soup, and crème brulee. Try their banana signature dessert - yummy.
We made reservations for their Sunday champagne brunch buffet. This was wonderful. Several tables just laden with all kinds of food and desserts. We pigged out on the fresh seafood of shrimp, crab legs and oysters. The roast beef was rare and tender - just the way I like it. Also had an omelet station and other varieties of food like sushi, crepes, egg rolls, scrambled eggs, soup, etc. The waiters poured the champagne until you said stop. We never had an empty glass. We were also allowed to apply our breakfast coupons for this brunch, which made it quite reasonable.
We were also given a $50 gift certificate to Gerard's Restaurant at the Old Plantation Inn. It's a French restaurant and very expensive. We had escargot, steak and crème brulee. Very good. The garlic mashed potato florets were wonderful. Even with the certificate the bill came to $120.00. Our mistake was ordering 3 cocktails @$8.50 a piece. We should have skipped the drinks or just ordered a bottle or wine.
Maui, Hawaii - Trip Report February 9 - 16, 2003
Kaanapali Beach Hotel
We purchased the "Whale Watching" package, which included: partial ocean view room, rental car (Nissan Sentra), breakfast each morning, whale watching excursion, tickets to the Maui Ocean Center, one dinner at the Tiki Terrace restaurant, $50 gift certificate to Gerard's at the Plantation Inn, a small box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts, 1 small cooler bag with 2 orange drinks, and a one-time use camera.
Our room was a basic standard hotel room. Contained a king bed, daybed set up like a couch, small table with 2 chairs, and balcony with small table and 2 chairs. Also had a coffee pot, small frig, iron/board and safe. The balcony overlooked the court yard and swimming pool area. Had a very small view of the ocean through all the palm trees. The hotel provided turn-down service with flowers and either a small box of 2 chocolates or 2 macadamia nut cookies. The bathroom was quite small and the bed was hard as a rock. Though we didn't spend too much time at the hotel, for the time we did spend, we would have loved a better room with a better ocean view.
Kaanapali Beach
The water was a deep sapphire blue. Very rough with lots of waves and cold. The sand was brown and coarse. The hotel offered dual lounge chairs for rent for $16. You were not allowed to bring the free lounge chairs from the court yard or the pool area to the beach. There is a sign posted at the entrance to the beach that swimming in the ocean is dangerous and to "swim at your own risk". I decided to brave the ocean and its cold water and ended up getting knocked around by several waves. Got sand all through by bathing suit and it just stuck to me like mud. Very difficult to get it off. DH had much better sense and stayed out of the ocean. We ended up going over to the pool to actually swim. The water there was pretty cold too, but we swam a little, then lounged around on a couple of chairs. Got lunch at the pool grill and a couple of pina colodas from the bar. Beware though, the drinks were $7.25 a piece.
The hotel was not crowded at all. Lots of 50+ couples and mid-couples with small children (not of school age). The service and friendliness of the hotel staff was exceptional. The night before our last day, we received an invitation to their farewell ceremony. We met in the lobby and a staff member thanked us for choosing their hotel, sang us a "good-bye" song and provided us with a lasting nut lei. The weather was quite questionable throughout our stay. Over cast cloudy and windy with a couple of days of rain. The night air was very chilly. I did not enjoy the weather at all.
Restaurants
The hotel provided us with breakfast coupons worth $9.75. The coupon covered the breakfast buffet at the Mixed Plate. Good variety of standard breakfast fare. Enjoyed the Spanish omelet and the sausage. The coupon could also be used for the Tiki Terrace breakfast buffet or ala cart breakfast. That buffet was more extensive with quiche and an omelet station. They applied the coupon and we only had to pay an additional $5.00 and tip. We didn't order ala cart, but they would apply the coupon and then the remaining amount would have to be paid. Both buffets were very good and we enjoyed the food.
We also had dinner the first night at the Tiki Terrace restaurant. We didn't get to the hotel until 9:00pm, and they we nice enough to stay open and let us eat. We received one meal there with our package that we used on Saturday night. You could get a salad, entree (no lobster), dessert, and beverage. Appetizer and alcohol drinks were extra. Both meals were quite good. We enjoyed the shrimp, steak, onion soup, and crème brulee. Try their banana signature dessert - yummy.
We made reservations for their Sunday champagne brunch buffet. This was wonderful. Several tables just laden with all kinds of food and desserts. We pigged out on the fresh seafood of shrimp, crab legs and oysters. The roast beef was rare and tender - just the way I like it. Also had an omelet station and other varieties of food like sushi, crepes, egg rolls, scrambled eggs, soup, etc. The waiters poured the champagne until you said stop. We never had an empty glass. We were also allowed to apply our breakfast coupons for this brunch, which made it quite reasonable.
We were also given a $50 gift certificate to Gerard's Restaurant at the Old Plantation Inn. It's a French restaurant and very expensive. We had escargot, steak and crème brulee. Very good. The garlic mashed potato florets were wonderful. Even with the certificate the bill came to $120.00. Our mistake was ordering 3 cocktails @$8.50 a piece. We should have skipped the drinks or just ordered a bottle or wine.
Jan 20th, 2005 | 10:25 PM
#4
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
This is a wonderful, great, fantastic place to stay. Staff is outstanding. Very "hawaiian" and you will like the cultural aspect of the place. Sure, the rooms and pool might not be as nice as the new sheraton, but they did a great job of having checkers and fun stuff in the grass, great beach, fun pool bar, great location. Rooms are just fine. You sleep there only so spend your money on trips or whale watching or drinks at bubba's, but not a "fancy" room in a mariott. Check out the reviews at kbh.com. I loved this place. You are in hawaii to relax and enjoy hawaii for what it is. This is it. Not the Mariott. Trust me!
Jan 21st, 2005 | 09:44 AM
#5
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
My husband and I stayed at the Sheraton on Kaanapali and loved it. It was right next to the KBH (which looked run down to me). The Sheraton had beautiful pools and a great outdoor bar/show area that was great to watch the cliff divers from. You might want to check it out...I believe it is economical too.
Jan 21st, 2005 | 04:32 PM
#6
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
I have stayed at this hotel twice with the last time being Dec '03. I actually liked it better the second time around. The room wasn't anything fancy but it was clean. Housekeeping was great at getting the room made up early in the day.
This hotel has such of a relaxed feeling. While the Sheraton, Marriott and Hyatt were nicer they all seemed so hectic when we walked through. The beach was great at the KBH. I would stay here again.
This hotel has such of a relaxed feeling. While the Sheraton, Marriott and Hyatt were nicer they all seemed so hectic when we walked through. The beach was great at the KBH. I would stay here again.
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Mar 9th, 2005 | 04:20 PM
#8
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Just got back Monday from 12 days at KBH. Clean, great location, affordable, all the pros you've probably already read about. Our Partial Ocean View had a great view of both the Mountians and the ocean and sunsets. Only one major complaint...every night there is a "show" that is loud. Being from the Midwest we wanted to sleep, and this thing kept us up and was more annoying than fun or entertaining to us. Some would love it, and especially if you don't plan to go to bed till after 9:30pm it won't be an issue. But as very active vacationers we were up early (6am is 10am to us) and going, going all day snorkel, bike tour, you name it, and wanted to crash at 8pm (midnight our time) and the "show" was bothersome. I did complain and they moved our room to a wing behind instead of in front of the "show" and the speakers which helped some, but even with slider shut, my fan on hi for white noise we still couldn't sleep overhearing cheesy renditions of "under the boardwalk" with volume set for the elderly. They were as accomodating as they could be, but I wouldn't stay there again, only for the need for sleep and disinterest in the "show". I must say, many appeared to really like the show and would watch it from their balcony etc. So it can be a pro or a con. This is a great hotel for the price...you'll pay about twice as much to stay anywhwere else on this beach.
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