HappyTrvlr

Look at www.vrbo.com. We have friends who found a beautiful condo on that site, less expensive too, by renting directly from the owner rather than through the property management company.

TravelGram

If you like the Kahana area, you might try the Sands of Kahana. I know much of it is timeshare, but they do private rentals as well. And you will know which room you get. We own there and would recommend anyone staying there. The rooms are huge with 2 bedrooms (the 2nd bedroom is really private), a large kitchen and laundry. There's 2 pools and a swimming beach out front. The building is a bit dated but I wouldn't wnat my 10 and 13 year old having to spend a vacation sleeping together in a pullout so go for the 2 bedroom.
Not knowing when you will actually be there limits the search for availability but I think the 2 BD are in your budget. Book through Sullivan properties. The rooms are coded so room 235 would be Building 2, 3rd floor and room 5.

eliotb

Thanks to all for the good suggestions. We're going to stay at this condo near Lahaina. No pool, but right on a private beach with protected ocean swimming and in a small complex. Will post comments here after returning from Maui stay in August.

http://www.mymauipalace.com/

sunbum1944

It looks like a great place- and in my favorite area. I wish I was there now- tired of this Oregon rain and cold

Tomsd

Marvelous. Hey - you might ask some of the locals for advice about how to use a Hawaiian Sling - and you could go spear fishing in the morning and bring back breakfast.

DebitNM

I think you may be mistaken about private beach; I don't think any beach is private. Not a biggie,though. Nice digs.

sylvia3

Maximum extent of private ownership (in US) is to mean high tide. But access can sometimes be...difficult.

Tomsd

As I understood it - there are no real private beaches in Hawaii - just ones that are more difficult to access and thus - not as many locals hang out there.

Tomsd

see: http://www.hawaii-vacation-paradise....i-beaches.html

Placename

I can't get that site to open any photos.

This is a site I like better for beach photgraphs, as they are also included on a map:


http://www.hawaiigaga.com/maui-beaches.aspx

Tomsd

Great site Placename.

Placename

Yeah. I can sit and look at those pictures all day long.....

eliotb

OK, back from our trip to Maui where we stayed at this condo:
http://www.mymauipalace.com/ (We stayed at unit 2).
I'd give it a mixed rating. On the good side, it's part of a small complex of 12 condos that are all right on the beach, with only a small lawn separating you from the water. Every day we saw up to 5 green turtles feeding within a few feet of the beach. The views from the lanai are of open water to the west, with Haleakala to the south and Moloka'i to the northwest. The unit itself was okay: clean, recently remodeled, appliances all work, kitchen very well equipped. Several other features are negatives. If you're a non-smoker as are we, this isn't the place for you. The condo coop has very lax, if any, policies about where people can smoke and it seemed that there were often people gassing right under our lanai. Really detracted from the experience having to shut the sliding door. And if you're a light sleeper and want to sleep past 6:30AM, this also isn't the place for you. The complex sits right on Lower Honoapi'ilani Rd. and the traffic starts up early. Listening to garbage trucks shift gears takes some of that Aloha spirit away. All in all, we won't be returning to My Maui Palace. The road north of Ka'anapali is filled with small condo complexes. Seems to me one could rent at any of these places and have similar experiences.
One of the best things we did was drive north of Kapalua toward Honalua Bay and beyond. Amazing how quickly you leave the hyper-developed Maui and get into the back-country. The Bay is amazing for snorkeling, and the views north and east from there are amazing. Road gets very windy, so not good for those who get queasy.
We've done Maui and now we can go back to Kauai and the Big Island. Thanks again to everyone who offered suggestions.

ChiSue

You've 'done Maui'? Perhaps you're just not telling us what you did there.

Did you hike into Haleakala and visit Upcountry? Try 'hippy' Paia and watch the windsurfers? Drive Road to Hana? Sample beaches all along the South Maui coast to the end of the road past Makena (where the black lava from Haleakala's last eruption meets the blue ocean)? Did you visit Iao Valley? Check out the Kealia bird sanctuary? Visit Maui Ocean Center? Snorkel to Lanai or along the Maui coast?

Did you go to Costco on a Saturday? LOL

Thanks for reporting back. I never saw your earlier posts or would have cautioned against staying near Kaanapali. The 'ends' of Maui are nicer, IMO.

chepar

>You've 'done Maui'? Perhaps you're just not telling us what you did there.<

For some people, to "do" an island or location is to accomplish exactly whatever their original intent was, whatever it was.

It does not mean they need to accomplish whatever someone else deems necessary for them to have done.

nancytwo

I would say Napili too.

Lookin_Glass

great feed back eliot!!!

CS back off the caffiene and barbituates

ChiSue

The OP relayed that he thought Maui was too built-up, yet he seems to have chosen to stay close to the most densely populated tourist area: Kaanapali. The only other place he mentioned was Kapalua. There are many rural places on Maui -- that I think a biologist would like. I wondered if he'd visited them.

sylvia3

HOpe he went up to Haleakala to see some nenes!