Our Trip to Maui Summary - B& B's / Restaurants / Hotels
May 3rd, 2004, 09:11 AM
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Our Trip to Maui Summary - B& B's / Restaurants / Hotels
I recently went to Maui and got so many good tips from this board that I just wanted to share my experiences. I hope this helps, and I would be happy to answer any questions. I have listed the restaurants, Bed and Breakfast, and Hotels that we stayed in...
Overall Tips:
Rental Car: Rent a convertable!
Road to Hana: Worth the trip. If you are from the East Coast US, do it the first day, because you will be on East Coast Time and awake pretty early. This way you will miss the traffic too. Great to do one time, don't know if I would do it twice.
On the Road to Hana: Go to the "Blue Pool" noted in Maui Revealed. Best waterfall we saw - and you have to swim in it, no matter how cold it is (when would you ever do that again?)
West Maui: Go to the "Olivine Pools" also noted in Maui Revealed. Expect to hike down the side of the mountain to the Ocean, so don't wear flip flops.
In West Maui: Lahaina: Neat little town. We loved it. Gerards is a GREAT Restaurant (more below).
Day 1:
We arrived and stayed at a B & B the first two nights. It was only 10 minutes from the aiport, and perfect since we were very tired. It's called the Old Wailuku Inn at Olupono. It was so charming and affordable, probably because it was not on the beach and not even in a beach town. If you are into exploring at first, this is a good choice because of the location.. Really nice rooms and bathrooms, very Hawaiian. It was a perfect location because it is so much closer to the Road to Hana, which we did the next morning. I would go back to this B & B next time. Breakfast was also VERY yummy we had pancakes with mango the first morning and breakfast burrito the second morning - a lot of food and really well done.
Day 2:
We did the Road to Hana. Fun, early start. I loved it. We swam in a few waterfalls - don't stop at them all because it will get kind of old. The Blue Pool is right before Hana, right after a state park that has a black sand beach. We returned to the B & B, napped, and then had late reservations at Mama's Fish House. We did the napping and late dinner so we could get on Hawaii schedule. This is a pretty famous restaurant, and VERY expensive. One dinner was great, mine was only OK and I told them (for a $55 entree I wasn't going to be like, "oh! It was great!"). I didn't complain, just said it was kind of bland - and the waitress came back 10 minutes later and told me it was off the bill! I couldn't believe it. So nice. But to me, still not worth the money (although - I heard the scenery at sunset makes the prices worthwhile, it was already dark when we arrived.) If you want to go, you should make your reservations before you get to Hawaii.
Day 3:
Drove to West Maui. Great drive, right on the OCEAN. We drove to the northern tip and went swimming in the Olivine Pools. I loved that. On the way back we went to the Kapalua Golf Course (PGA Mercedes Championship is played) and got cleaned up in the clubhouse bathroom and had lunch in the clubhouse overlooking the 18th green. Very cool. Finally, we went to the town Lahaina and checked into our next B&B called The Plantation Inn. The Inn itself was nothing special, just OK, but I think the price of the room was a lot less then a hotel, and again it included breakfast the next day (not as good as the other B&B's breakfasts, but good enough for us - and especially good that it was included in the price, this really helps the bottom line.) The best part of the Inn was the french restaurant that is attached called GERARDS. It was the best meal I had on Maui. Although, I don't want to hype it too much for fear that you will be disappointed. I got the rack of lamb. If you stay at the Inn, you get $50 off you meal, so it was even better.
Day 4 - 7:
We turned in our rental car and got a ride to the Grand Wailea. Everything about the resort was fabulous, even when it rained. It is so expensive, but worth it to us, especially since we were very wise in the beginning of the trip. We had some excursions scheduled, but it rained for two days, and that resulted in rough seas, so all of that was cancelled.
If you get a chance to at least sneak into the pool area, you should go for dip - it's neat (little river, a couple of slides, etc.) In fact, I can tell you that they don't check for wrist tags, only if you order something, or try to get a towel. Try to crash it! We did eat one night at "Sorentos on the Beach". I would not recommend - the weather was awful so that didn't help, but the food wasn't all that great - at least, for the way it was hyped. We also ate lunch one day at Cheesburger in Paradise - if you get a chance it was yummy. Located at the Shops of Wailea - right before the hotel entrance. If you don't get there, not a big deal, it was good, but in the end it was just a burger.
That's it - hope this helps!
Overall Tips:
Rental Car: Rent a convertable!
Road to Hana: Worth the trip. If you are from the East Coast US, do it the first day, because you will be on East Coast Time and awake pretty early. This way you will miss the traffic too. Great to do one time, don't know if I would do it twice.
On the Road to Hana: Go to the "Blue Pool" noted in Maui Revealed. Best waterfall we saw - and you have to swim in it, no matter how cold it is (when would you ever do that again?)
West Maui: Go to the "Olivine Pools" also noted in Maui Revealed. Expect to hike down the side of the mountain to the Ocean, so don't wear flip flops.
In West Maui: Lahaina: Neat little town. We loved it. Gerards is a GREAT Restaurant (more below).
Day 1:
We arrived and stayed at a B & B the first two nights. It was only 10 minutes from the aiport, and perfect since we were very tired. It's called the Old Wailuku Inn at Olupono. It was so charming and affordable, probably because it was not on the beach and not even in a beach town. If you are into exploring at first, this is a good choice because of the location.. Really nice rooms and bathrooms, very Hawaiian. It was a perfect location because it is so much closer to the Road to Hana, which we did the next morning. I would go back to this B & B next time. Breakfast was also VERY yummy we had pancakes with mango the first morning and breakfast burrito the second morning - a lot of food and really well done.
Day 2:
We did the Road to Hana. Fun, early start. I loved it. We swam in a few waterfalls - don't stop at them all because it will get kind of old. The Blue Pool is right before Hana, right after a state park that has a black sand beach. We returned to the B & B, napped, and then had late reservations at Mama's Fish House. We did the napping and late dinner so we could get on Hawaii schedule. This is a pretty famous restaurant, and VERY expensive. One dinner was great, mine was only OK and I told them (for a $55 entree I wasn't going to be like, "oh! It was great!"). I didn't complain, just said it was kind of bland - and the waitress came back 10 minutes later and told me it was off the bill! I couldn't believe it. So nice. But to me, still not worth the money (although - I heard the scenery at sunset makes the prices worthwhile, it was already dark when we arrived.) If you want to go, you should make your reservations before you get to Hawaii.
Day 3:
Drove to West Maui. Great drive, right on the OCEAN. We drove to the northern tip and went swimming in the Olivine Pools. I loved that. On the way back we went to the Kapalua Golf Course (PGA Mercedes Championship is played) and got cleaned up in the clubhouse bathroom and had lunch in the clubhouse overlooking the 18th green. Very cool. Finally, we went to the town Lahaina and checked into our next B&B called The Plantation Inn. The Inn itself was nothing special, just OK, but I think the price of the room was a lot less then a hotel, and again it included breakfast the next day (not as good as the other B&B's breakfasts, but good enough for us - and especially good that it was included in the price, this really helps the bottom line.) The best part of the Inn was the french restaurant that is attached called GERARDS. It was the best meal I had on Maui. Although, I don't want to hype it too much for fear that you will be disappointed. I got the rack of lamb. If you stay at the Inn, you get $50 off you meal, so it was even better.
Day 4 - 7:
We turned in our rental car and got a ride to the Grand Wailea. Everything about the resort was fabulous, even when it rained. It is so expensive, but worth it to us, especially since we were very wise in the beginning of the trip. We had some excursions scheduled, but it rained for two days, and that resulted in rough seas, so all of that was cancelled.
If you get a chance to at least sneak into the pool area, you should go for dip - it's neat (little river, a couple of slides, etc.) In fact, I can tell you that they don't check for wrist tags, only if you order something, or try to get a towel. Try to crash it! We did eat one night at "Sorentos on the Beach". I would not recommend - the weather was awful so that didn't help, but the food wasn't all that great - at least, for the way it was hyped. We also ate lunch one day at Cheesburger in Paradise - if you get a chance it was yummy. Located at the Shops of Wailea - right before the hotel entrance. If you don't get there, not a big deal, it was good, but in the end it was just a burger.
That's it - hope this helps!
May 3rd, 2004, 10:39 AM
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Thank you, Shepardspie, for sharing your memories with us. That is a very good tip about the Old Wailuku Inn being very convenient for the road to Hana, etc. the first day. Isn't Wailea wonderful??? Interesting what you said about Sarrento's being overhyped....... isn't that the place (or used to be) that you could only have an oceanfront table if you were going to spend a minimum amount on dinner? One of the Maui restaurants in that area had that policy...... Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Aloha!
May 3rd, 2004, 11:23 AM
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Hi Beachgirl - we were in Maui in late February. One of the only times it rained in Wailea and we were there (although I think it was a fluke.) Good time of year to go. Enjoy your honeymoon!
May 5th, 2004, 11:14 AM
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We stayed at the Mokihana room. It's in what seems to be the main house. We lobed it. No pool - but we really weren't looking for something like that. It's really just a house in a somewhat residential area. But for hiking and exploring, this is a good central choice. Don't stay if you are looking to sunbath or walk to the beach.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
May 5th, 2004, 11:16 AM
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No discounts that I am aware of. Their prices were pretty reasonable to me considering you get a good meal and unlimited snacks - I forgot to mention that they have a mini fridge in their lounge that is always stocked. Great to grab a soda or bag of pretels on the way out or after returning home late night. A mini-bar without the cost!
