Royal Lahaina vs Kaanapali Beach Hotel
 

Considering both, any comments??? Looking for a clean, nice room basically to sleep in, plan to see as much of Maui as possible. Need a home base so to speak.

Hi Mark, first of all you really can't go wrong at either place...my wife and I were in Hawaii two years ago and had the good fortune of staying at both properties. This was not done on purpose, mind you, this was a computer snafu at the "Beach". Needless to say all turned out perfect for BOTH places bent over backwards to help us out, up to and including a couple of free luaus, and breakfasts for the rest of our stay!!! Now for the nitty-gritty...Honestly, Mark you can't go wrong at one or the other, although I'm am one who is going to lean toward the "Royal" just for the fact we had more fun at the hotel than we did at the "Beach". Now my wife would tell you she likes the "Beach" better, for only reasons beknowst to her and that wonderful female brain of hers. Last but not least, we might see you over there for we are returning the second week of Oct. and staying at the Embassy Suites. (Time for a change, no?). Although I am stll trying to talk my wonderful Vicki to pick the "Royal" again, (yes she was watching LOL!!!). So enjoy your trip, have fun, be safe, and "hang loose, man".

I would go to the Kaanapali Beach hotel over the Royal Lahaina. However, I also recommend the Maui Kaanapali Villas, they have nice condos and are reasonably priced. Have fun!

We stayed at KBH last November and loved it. Great low-cost restaurant (our package came with free breakfast), right next door to Black Rock which is one of the best snorkeling spots on the island, can walk forever on Kaanapali beach, walking distance to small shopping center shops/galleries/medical clinic and food court, they did hawaiian crafts with the guests every day, along with nature walks of the property and hula lessons. Also the beach bar has free entertainment every evening at sunset. Rooms are clean and basic and I would not hesitate to go back.

I wanted to bring this question back to the top, for more comment, I have the same question. I see that the Kaanapali Beach is on the Conde Nast Gold List. (one of the few more budget type hotels on the list. Not sure about the Royal Lahaina.

Thanks Marie, for bringing this to the top! I'm always glad to steer....er...advise Hawaii travelers about the very best hotels! <BR> <BR>I recommend The Royal Lahaina over the Kaanapali Beach. Kimo is just an agent who is trying to steer you to the businesses which paid his agency - yep, the Kaanapali Beach. The Royal is much better and so much more homey. <BR> <BR>I'm not an agent myself, just a traveler who loves Hawaii, so e-mail me! Mahalo!

Hi. <BR>I have a couple of friends who've stayed at KBH and absolutely love the place. I like the location better than the Royal, which is still in a very nice location too. However, my good friend stayed at the RLH in March and said that the rooms were in severe need of something i.e., something to do with unsafe balconies or the like! I did not <BR>like their breakfast buffet (in June). <BR>although I liked the restaurant for dinner very much. Staff seemed disinterested in the restaurant. I understand the cottages are nice though. <BR>Definitely did not like the Royal's pool at all. But they had a very pretty beach. The KBH is an all-around better locale if you don't like to walk to far to get to other places. I've considered <BR>staying there myself, and have stayed on either side of the property on past <BR>trips.

The Royal Lahaina Resort is in dire need <BR>of remodeling and updateing, as well as <BR>major repairs being needed.Just to let you all know, The Royal Lahaina Resort is in the center of a upcoming labor strike. The employees are being unfairly treated by the owners and management of the hotel. They are having there retirement cut in half as well they have to pay more than any other resort/hotel in Kaanapali for <BR>health insurance. <BR>A side note the owner of this hotel is Mr. Ed Hogan the owner and founder of <BR>Pleasant Holidays, the tour company that operates the air charter's from <BR>San Francisco and Los Angeles on ATA (American Trans Air). He is set to open a Travel School in California some time <BR>soon and yet he says he does not have enough money to fix his resort/hotel <BR>or to pay his employees a competive wage <BR>or give them the retirement payments they were promised. <BR>As a resedent of Maui, we wish all of you would show Mr. Hogan he is wrong by <BR>not staying in his hotels. If he feels <BR>the public is not with him maybe he will <BR>do the right thing and treat his loyal <BR>employees with the respect and thanks they desreve as well as bring the resort <BR>back to the way it should be. <BR> <BR>Please think about this. <BR> <BR>JDP in Maui

Royal Lahaina is OK, but I got the feeling the owners (Pleasant Travel) were real penny pinchers. <BR> <BR>For example, they will not allow you to bring beach chairs from the lawn onto the beach ( a 10 foot walk). However, they will rent a cabana chair on the beach for $25 a day. <BR> <BR>Also parking was a pain in the neck at night due to people coming for the luau. This is doubling aggravating since you pay a daily parking charge. <BR> <BR>Registration meant waiting in line for 20 minutes. <BR> <BR>The rooms were clean and and very acceptable. <BR> <BR>You might want to consider a hotel closer to Haleakela to cut down on driving time. Will also save you time going to Hana or the Iao Valley. The two-lane road to Lahaina is congested day and night.