Have reserved a 2 bedroom condo at Mana Kai close to Wailea for 5 days in April. Would like to see if anyone has stayed here & if so, please let me know what you thought of it. Also, am looking for good moderately priced restaurants to go to while in Maui.

I also have reservations this July. It's had good reviews on this board, Maui Revealed and tripadvisor. Has A/C, which was important to me. On a reputedly good beach, and near other good ones!
Five Palms was recommended to me by here_today_gonetomaui (she lives on Maui and is a wealth of info)...says the prime rib for 19.95 is good! Also recommended Seawatch and Capishe. I'm a newby, only know what I've read (done it for months!).
My only concern is the reservations clerk told on Fri. that I would receive e-mail comfirmation, which I have NOT. Guess I'm going to have to call again. OSB.

Thanks, Southern Belle. Saw couple of reviews that the condos are dark and dreary. Wonder what that means. We're renting from VRBO and the place looks nice, but am concerned about those remarks.

We stayed at the Mana Kai in 1992 w/ a group of ten people or so occupying 3-4 condos and a hotel room. The condos were dark, dreary and drab. The hotel room had a good view of the water and Red Hill (Pu`u Ola`i), as well as Haleakala. The beach, Keawakapu, is wonderful and the best feature of the place, a hybrid of condos and hotel rooms. The on-site restaurant has great views (the terrace), is well regarded and was being renovated in Nov. 2003.
We looked at-walked through-the place in November 2003, though I saw no rooms. I would not stay there again, though I do not mean to suggest it's horrible. I do say that it's a bit of a stretch to label the place a resort.

Lex1: MR Revealed says "A rooms are approx. 600 sq.ft. condo-type rooms (meaning they have a kitchen)with excellent views south down the coast, the other half, called B rooms and available as lock-offs, are tiny (230 sq.ft. hotel rooms with poor views. (Only 7th and 8th floors rise above their neighbor.) Condo rooms have sliding shoji doors separating the bed from a couch or day bed. Local calls and room safe extra. Data ports on phones. The resort was built in 1973 but is clean and in reasonable shape. Adjacent to an excellent beach (keawakapu). Restaurant on premises(5 Palms). Most of the rental pool is with CRH. Rates are $95-135 for hotel rooms, $175-300 for condo rooms."
I'm not terribly surprised by what you write, as I've seen similar reports say, of The Royal Hawaiian (not the new tower). At least I'm not paying RH prices! I did get the Deluxe Ocean View (7-8th floors) and a 10% Senior Discount (only because I asked).
I opted to be pampered on Oahu at the HHV (hopefully the Rainbow Tower) and try to economize on Maui! I'd rather not feel inhibited with my activities/food prices (although I WILL look for the DEALS!)and sacrifice on the room abit. I expect to be too tired in my room for it too matter much! Hope I won't be TOO disappointed!OSB.

I did finally receive my confirmation from Mana Kai a couple days ago! Just FYI. OSB.

As long as you're not expecting the grounds and ammenities of an upscale resort, you'll be fine. Keawakapu beach is beautiful and this property sits right there. This property used to be used as a layover for United Airlines flight crews but that was a while back. 5 Palms is (in my opinion) nothing great. I've eaten there twice and have no intention of ever going back. I'd rather go Joe's Bar & Grill or Seawatch. There's also Nick's (Fairmont Kea Lani) and Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (Grand Wailea) but those really are not moderately priced. You might like Stella Blues a little north of where you're staying. A pretty good website for restaurants on Maui is www.mauimenusonline.com Gives price range and location and other info.

Thanks for the website! I'm really not limiting myself with the price of restaurant, as long as it's really "got something"! That's why we're doing "budget lodging", so we can not feel guilty about splurging elsewhere!
My husband spent 2 weeks camping on the ground in Alaska last Fall, so you know HE doesn't require much! Me, I can go fancy or not! I'm just thrilled to go! OSB.

I'm always surprised that there is so much interest in Mana Kai - IMHO, a rather dated and tired resort- while it's unpretentious neighbor, Hale Hui Kai, remains a lovely sleeper. Set right on Keawakapu Beach, Hale Hui Kai is a woodframe, three story, old Hawaiian style condominium with a lovely garden courtyard, small pool, quiet amibience and killer views from the oceanfront units. We have stayed in a number of the units and have been pleased with each of them. Whenever I walk over to the Mana Kai for my morning paper, I wonder at the poor souls crowded on the lawn and around the pool at the Mana Kai. Then again, maybe Hale Hui Kai is a secret worth keeping.

Well kip, it gets difficult to discern who exactly knows what their talking about. I did consider Hale Hui Kai but some other posters on this board said you have to be careful or you end up with a drab room there too! What's a girl to do?? OSB.

We stayed at Mana Kai a few years ago and are planning to go back this year. My girlfriend and her family were in Hale Hui Kai at the same time. So I got to see both. Notice we're going back to Mana Kai. The condo was very clean and bright. The second bedroom, which is the one that can be rented separately as a hotel room, is at the back of the building and is darker than the condo rooms at the front overlooking the beach. My son loved that room,though.

Mana Kai has a huge, beautifully kept lawn which goes right down to the beach. I never saw it crowded. The pool at Hale Hui Kai barely qualifies as a pool. It is very small, not particularly attractive and I never saw anyone in it. The pool at Mana Kai is exactly as it looks in the pictures. You have to have a wristband to use it as many non-residents would also like to use it.

We ate at the Five Palms once and I thought it was overpriced and mediocre compared to the many other restaurants we visited. I hope it has improved as it's so convenient and the setting is gorgeous.

Have a fabulous time on Maui.

Whew! Barb is in to save the day ( I mean my face! )Ha! I began wondering where I had read it was pretty good, after all the recent criticism!

I think alot of people go (to HI) wanting "the whole nine yards" but I really am uncomfortable with too much extravagance at times, so I think will be fine at Mana Kai!

To me, the good snorkeling beach and the close proximity to other good beaches was the draw. We had considered a few places away from the beach that are reputedly very nice, and also less expensive, but I want to be ON THE BEACH FOR CHEAP (relatively speaking, because NOT MUCH is cheap in HI!).

We are planning to enjoy ourselves, see all the sites we can pack in and all the snorkeling we can do as well, so like I've said before, we're not going to be doing alot of lingering in the room!
If we ever get to go back, I still don't think I want the 5 star resorts! I really like some of the cottages I've looked at on the web and read about on this site!
Thanks Barb, for the encouragement! OSB.

I haven't stayed at Mana Kai Resort but I can tell you the location is fabulous! I've always stayed at the Renaissance Wailea, but have thought of staying at the Mana Kai, and saving some money sometime, when I want to stay longer than usual. My sister toured a couple of condos there, and said that she could be very happy in either of them (and my sister is very picky!) OSB, you have the right attitude.... I'm sure you'll have a great time, and I'll be anxious to hear all about it!

OSB, you're very welcome.

Much appreciated comments, Bonniebroad! Belle.