Maui for Christmas Vacation-Location & Hotel
 

Planning a trip to Maui with 16 and 19 year old. A few question. 1.Hear that could be the rainy season. Any suggetions on which area is least likely to have much rain? 2. Hear the Westin is great--but very expensive. What about the Renaissance at Wailea Beach? Need a room big enough for 2 beds and a cot. Suites probably too pricey. 3. Is there good snorkling all over? 4. Know of any good tour companies that put together vacation packages there at that season? THANKS!!

The Wailea side is the driest. This year has been exceptionally rainy but generally rain shouldn't be a problem at Christmas. The Marriott Outrigger is another hotel in Wailea to consider...it doesn't have its own beach (rocky coast) but is minutes from a beach.

kihei is the driest side which also has the most rentals. do you want a hotel or a condo? if you want a condo there is a place i love to rent. it is older, but spacious and right on the beach. it is also walking distance to grocery, food and other shops. you can find it on http://www.kmvmaui.com/condos.html
it is the townhouse duplex on lipoa street. 2 bedroom, 3 bathrooms. nice place to relax. as far as snorkeling. mile marker 14 on the way to lahaina is good ( my favorite), also ulua beach near wailea. if you don't mind a hike, then going to the state park la perouse bay. when snorkeling you just need to do it before noon. otherwise the waters get too murky. i think the snorkeling at these places are better than going out to molikini, but there you have aboat ride too. you may be there when the whales are and it is kind of cool to go out on a boat to look for them. usually about $25 to go out, which isn't bad. we have always gone out with the same group and they have a motorized cat they take out which is nice. hope this helps.
lori

The Renaissance Wailea is my favorite hotel in Hawaii, have stayed there three times. It is gorgeous, tropical, not ultra-fancy but fancy enough.......perfection in my mind! Beach is wonderful, you're on the drier, south side of the island. Go for it!

December is among the wettest and most cloudy months. Hawaiiweathertoday.com-trip planning weather. Kihei/Wailea is usually bone dry. Snorkeling there is great. December is wildly popular. Few deals on hotels/condos/cars. Suggest you look at condos, unless your family gets along in close quarters better than most (including the writer's dear cherubs and their parents).

See what kind of package Pleasant Holiday can get together for you. Your local travel agent can work with them for you. The Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea has suites. - Sometimes with a night free, breakfast included, etc. it can work out to a decent deal...

Book now. Christmas is really, really a popular time to come and you will get no deals. Some years it is bone dry here in the Wailea area, another year it will rain in biblical proportions. You pay your money, you take your chances. Sorry. That being said, Wailea & Kihei are in the driest part of the Island.

I think the folks at KMV are great as are a number of others. In the Wailea area, you could try DRHMaui.com if you think condo living could work for you. Hotels offer one experience, condos another. In a condo you could better control the cost of food by having breakfast in the condo and you could prepare a few lunches and dinners, saving restaurants for special occasions. Restaurants tend to be expensive here. Everytime I go to the mainland, I keep grabbing checks when I go to dinner with friends because it seems like such a bargain.

No matter what you decide. Have a terrific time. Aloha from Maui.