My finace and I are planning on staying at the Royal Lahaina, this truly is the best that we can barely afford. I have read reviews of RL, and the Kaanapali Beach Hotel + noticed the mention of cockroaches on several occasions. I have an unreasonable terror of these insects and am considering scrapping Maui altogether unless I can obtain more information on their presence in the hotels. Any info would be appreciated.

Ahh...cockroaches... they can be found in ANY place if it is warm, damp and crumbs etc are around. The key is to find a place that is kept CLEAN and has regular "pest control". Doesn't matter if you are in a $500/day room or $50/room...if it is not clean, the cockroaches are going to be around. I hate cockroaches and I would suggest you to inquire with the hotel/condo etc how often to do they have their places sprayed etc.

Most people only see the babies, which are usually 2 to 3 inches in length.

Though you'll find roaches in dirty places, you will also find them in immaculately clean places, and crumbs don't keep them around. They are attracted to light and get in via the teeniest opening. They are controlled by constant spraying, but they are a fact of life in warm damp climates that have few, if any, freezes.

Take it from a vetern Floridian of 25 years-cockroaches and Palmetto bugs are a part of life in these climates.

But don't let it spoil your vacation plans...accept them like the natives and enjoy this beautiful trip you're going on!

Have a ball and don't sweat a few bugs!

Currently the insect problem in Maui's Lahaina and Kihei is fleas, which are transmitting typhus to people from an out of control rodent population. See http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Aug/15/ln/ln23a.html

May very well be under control by the time you come, but I anyway have always preferred the other (less pretentious) Hawaiian islands for visiting. I don't think any of them has more cockroach problem than TX or FL.

Here's what you do:

Get a cardboard of plastic tub the size of the large buttered popcorn at the movies or a coin holder from a casino. When you see one of these giant cockroaches/palmetto bugs place the tub upside down on top of it, take a piece of paper and slide it underneath and pick the whole thing up, take it outside and liberate the poor little guy next to someone elses room.

I've been to Hawaii 4 different times on all the islands, at hotels ranging from the Hyatt on Maui to the Royal Lahaina and I've NEVER seen a cockroach in a hotel room. That's not to say they're not around, but I wouldn't get too worked up about it. Really, I haven't ever seen one. Have a terriffic time!

Please DON'T do what save-a-creature suggests. STEP ON IT! or get a shoe and flatten it. By "saving its life" you are adding to the total population! Jeez, what a tree hugger!

Right on Diana. There are waay too many people on this board who take great enjoyment in crying wolf, and another whole gaggle of Chicken Littles who see the sky falling everywhere. EWWWWE the bedspreads, Maids washing glasses in the toilet, rampamt West Nile virus, tick born typhus (and while I'm at it, TX and FL have no more of a roach problem than MS, LA, and southern GA and SC, ma), you name it, they love the hystera associated with it and the reaction they can get, and you bumblebee, fell right into their trap.

Do NOT let these monkeys swing you by the tail. They are laughing at you when you panic. Enjoy your trip. I guarantee roaches are far more afraid of you than you are of them. Geez!

Wow. Thanks for your replies. The complications involved in bringing my own rifle across the border were discouraging, so I made some further inquiries. I am awaiting a return call from the Canadian Armed Forces to see how many operatives will be available for my vacation in Maui. If the answer is ZERO, I may consider a can of black flag + a tennis racket.

In all seriousness, I-ve been to HOnolulu a million times, stayed at a lower priced hotel on Lewers St (I-m a poor Canadian girl), which has always passed the "turnthelightsonrightnowoutofnowhereandsurpriseanyt hingthatsmovingNOW" test. I-ve never seen anything, and I think I would-ve had a good chance of it. I will try not to worry too much.

I forgot to mention, we are probably going to select a HOTEL ROOM at the Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas instead of a studio/kitchenette (ewww...no kitchens please) @ the kaanapali beach hotel. The price difference will more than make up for us going out to eat at a great place each nght and...less provocation for the hellish cockroaches to pay us a visit. Feedback on the villas?

Get a condo rental and ask agent if there are monthly treatments. You are going to a tropical climate. Water attracts cockroaches. If you have heard warnings than I would heed them and get a rental with a monthy spraying contract.

I live in Manhattan, roach rat and mouse capital. I have seen many buildings I have lived in rid this pest with monthly treatments. I also lived on Oahu in the hills and in Waikiki and never ever had any bug problems. Did have one cockroach experience, mgr. of property told me "they just sprayed last month" I thought "and ....." Knowing she just told me the problem (was not consecutive but only when they saw a problem).

be sure to pound your tennis shoes on the floor in the AM before putting them on,,,,those little guys like it nice and dark and warm...*W*

linaka the place I saw the coach roach was immaculate and new. Every appliance, counter, dish was new. This coach roach was huge and it had nothing at all to do with cleanliness. The little bugger came up through the drain in the tub. This happened once in a building I lived in NYC. Super came to apartment and told me to expect an appearance near the bathroom, there had been a problem around the water tank.

This leads me to think it is more about water. In Kauai we were two scared women and one nine year old child chasing and screaming the poor little guy (as he ran across the newly laid floors) with a bottle of bug spray.. He did not die right a way either but tried to make his way back to the bathroom. Felt like we killed a small animal but it had to be done!!! Oh and btw I did the light test here afterwards and we did not see anything either. This was one of two appearance as I was reluctant to complain to mgr. As soon as I complained the exterminator was by the following morning and we never had a problem again.

I suggest you close all drains and keep a gun near you bed .