I have been reading all the advice about Maui and decided that the fodorites really know their stuff so I am seeking help!
I am in charge of planning a family reunion in Maui. I have 5 families going, a total of 18 people aging from 6 to 62. We have been trying to plan it for some time and we finally have a date that works for all...this coming October 2006. I have to work fast.
We would like condos vs a hotel. But hotel that has condo style accomdations are great too. Accomadtions with A/C, beach and pool. Nearby something for everyone (a little secluded but near shops and just close enough to nightlife for the 20 somethings but not too close for the 50 somethings) Budget is open but we don't want to go too crazy, we want to do a lot while we are there. In fact we will be there over halloween, if anyone has any fun ideas for the kids?

I will take any suggests, advice and guidenance you can give me.

Thank You!

I have a friend who had a large family reunion for 12 people and they stayed in 2 large condos in Puamana, Maui, just south of Lahaina. The only drawback is really the beach is not very nice or swimmable, but the place has a nice pool amd the beach does make for good walking.

I have stayed at Puamana & we loved it. The units are actually townhomes, which are equipped with everything you could possibly need. I agree that the beach isn't that great for swimming - very rocky, but there are so many wonderful beaches on Maui, that we didn't find that to be a problem. There is a wonderful adult oceanfront pool & 2 other pools, tennis courts. Most units have washer/dryer, but there are also other laundry facilities on property. You should be able to find a number of listings on www.vrbo.com. On the Whalers Realty website, you can look at a map of the property, and see which units are oceanfront, oceanview or gardenview.
Good luck - Dianne

I have stayed at a condo at the Hale Kamaole. It has 2 bedrooms (King, Queen and a loft with 2 twin beds.Also, two full baths. It has everything that you could need. It is located across the road from Kam I,II and III beaches. I also know the people who own the condo below(this is a one bedroom). There are some more on VRBO.com If you have any questions send me an email.

I would suggest the Kaanapali Alii. They are large, roomy condos with full size kitchens,AC, & laundry facilities in every unit. It is located on the beach and next to the Westin which is next to Whalers Village where shopping & restaurants are located, within few minutes walking distance. With that many people, it will make it easy for everyone to do their own thing without a car. Ocean activities are right there on the beach (Parasailing), snorkeling at Black Rock, teens can go shopping on their own, restaurants range from McDonalds to fairly decent dining. It is run like a hotel (with maid service if requsted), and a pool. No restaurants but drinks at poolside are ordered from the Westin poolside bar next door. No on-site restaurants, but not necessary with Whalers Village so close by.

There is also The Whaler which have kitchenettes and laundry rooms per floor, and the Marriott Kaanapali I believe have some units with kitchenettes, but not too sure about laundry.

There is a bus shuttle service at Whalers Village that runs to the other shopping centers (Cannery and Wharf) which you can take.

Has anyone heard anything about resortquest condos or stayed at one of thier condos on maui?

I haven't stayed there, but suggest you check them out on www.tripadvisor.com.

Ka`anapali may fit your bill-if you discard "little bit secluded" as a criterion. Ka`anapali is developed with well above average high rise hotels and condos.

As an alternative, you might go low-rise in the south Kihei-Wailea area. Enjoy your reunion.

I believe that ResortQuest acquired the Aston brand, which dominated the condo rental market in the islands.

Hi Codereclan!

We own a condo at Papakea, run by ResortQuest. I would really recommend Papakea for your family. We have had three family reunions there. They have studios, 1, 2, and three bedroom condos. It is located about 10 minutes north of Lahaina. They have two swimming pools, two saunas, tennis courts, putting greens, and even shuffle board. The beach there is small, but the grounds are beautiful. They have several BBQ's available around the pool areas, and two covered huts that your family can take over for a large group meal!

Papakea is easy walking distance to the Star market if you need groceries. There are also several eating options within walking distance. We love visiting our other home!

When we are not there, ResortQuest rents our unit out. We have never heard any complaints regarding service provided by them (we send all our friends to Papakea, and they deal directly with ResortQuest).

Enjoy your family reunion!

Thanks so much for the advice on Papakea, we found the website and like what we see! You said the beach is small...is it crowded? We have children 4, 6, 8 & 10 do you think the beach is okay for them? And is there another beach or place you would recommend the family seeing or doing while we are on the island?
Thanks so much I appreciate your guidance!

Hi again!

Try this link: http://www.mauirevealed.com/maui/mrpapakea.html

Hopefully I can explain this better while you are looking at a picture. Our unit is in the A building (on the far left). This picture was taken during high tide, so there is even less beach. Papakea has a rock wall to stop erosion. There is a beach on the far right side (in front of the L building), and a small one in front of the A building. These really aren't beaches to lay out on, more for kids to play in, take walks on. Even during high tide, you can walk the entire length of Papakea and just get up to your ankles wet. If you want to lay out, just stay on the grass above the wall. That's what everybody does. They have plenty lounge chairs on the grass, as well as by the pool.

Also, you can see a reef in this picture. There are two of them that run parallel to the beach. This keeps the waves down. I have had my 6 year old in the ocean there with me since she was 1. You can snorkel there, will see fish, but there are much better places that are a short drive away.

If you are looking for a big resort type beach, you can walk to the Embassy Suites resort, about 100 yards away. They have a large beach, with activity rentals. I don't know if you need to be staying there to rent things though.

Kaanapali Beach is close by, Napili is close as well. Both have great beaches and good snorkeling.

As far as things to do as a family: With the kids - water!! Just keep them in the pool/ocean. Let them snorkel, they will love it. My daughter never got the whole snorkel thing down, so she just wore regular swimmers goggles, stuck her face in the water, then back out when she needed to breathe.

Dinner in Lahaina is great! Bubba Gump's is a favorite for everyone. I know you can go to Bubba Gump's in places other than Maui, but the location is great. It is right on the water. Every once in a while ocean spray blows through the open windows!Kimo's is also a favorite dinner spot for us. Be there right when they open for dinner, get a great seat upstairs, then take your time and enjoy the sunset. After dinner, take the kids back to the pool, while the night owls stay and listen to some live music and have a few drinks.

With the smaller kids, you may want to avoid the trip to Hana, or Haleakala, but I really recommend both for those of you who can handle the drive.

Man, I feel like I am righting a book!! Anyone want to publish this?
Sorry about that. Let me know if you have any other questions.

One more thing regarding Papakea, remember that the condos are individually owned. We are required by ResortQuest to keep them nice. If you go and are put in a unit you don't really like, ask for another. Ours is A-302. Ask for it! If it's available, I know you will love it.

AWESOME picture, that clears it up for me....we are definitely staying here! I hope the dates are available and I can find enough condos for everyone.
I also enjoyed your book of info. Please give me all the advice you want...I need it! I have young kids but my cousins are in their early twenties with no kids so they are looking for the night spots to hang out ~ if you have pointers on that, send it my way too!
You have been a great help, thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!

Has this forum done away with the traditional ban on commercial messages touting one's own properties?

Hi Lex!

I don't think I was trying to sell my condo off on anyone. Codereclan asked about ResortQuest properties, and I happen to be very familiar with one of them. Maybe I should not have given our room number? Sorry bout that.

I am grateful for the advice, I do not feel like I was being misled for selling purposes. Besides I was looking for input on Resortquest and Papakea Condos, which I received! Plus she only mentioned 1 condo, I am looking for 4 condos. Thanks again, for all your helpful information not just about the condo but about making my families time on Maui enjoyable for everyone!

Hi Cackti:

The Subscriber Agreement to which each poster expressly commits bans "advertising". Suggesting one "ask for" a particular unit owned by the poster in a particular complex and described in glowing terms (however truthful) seems to approach that proscribed activity, even if innocent. I do not wish to sound prissy, but the posts tout the complex and particular unit, not ResortQuest. Could be the purpose of the ban is to elicit unbiased advice and not give out commercial messages for free.

I suspect Codereclan will discover that there is a tremendous number of moderately priced rental condominiums with fantastic scenery, such as yours, on Maui.

Hello again Codereclan!

Some of the places the young adults may want to try out for some nightlife are: Moose McGillycuddy's, the bars at Hard Rock Cafe and Bubba Gump's. Go see Eric play at Cool Cats, Mondays and Thursdays. These places are all in Lahaina. In Kaanapali, you can go to the Barefoot Bar at the Hula Grill. Hope this helps!

Since it seems you will be staying in a Condo, make sure you get a Costco membership (if not a member already). We usually book our rental car at Alamo, through the Costco website. Book now, then check back daily. Everytime the price goes down, book again and cancel your previous reservation. We got a midsize SUV in March for 13 days, at $246.00 total!! It was almost $400.00 when I first booked it. When you book through Costco, they also include a 2nd driver at no additional cost. Also, the Costco on Maui is located right next to the airport. Stop there on your way to your room. Load up on bottled waters, drinks, snacks, meat for the bbq, etc. You will save lots by buying there rather than the local supermarkets. They are very expensive.