Has anyone stayed in Kihei on Maui, if so, what was your experience....thanks

Yes. It's okay but there are so many better places to stay - Wailea - a little more expensive but worth it in the long run if you can swing it. Rent a condo and get Wailea at a bargain price.

My wife and I finished up our 2 weeks in Hawaii with 4 days at the Mana Kai Maui in Kihei. Just got back a week ago. Kihei was non-descript but fine and the Mana Kai was nice... good views and a nice beach. Not too expensive... around $180/night for a deluxe ocean view on the 6th floor + a 'free' rental car. If I had to go back I'd probably think of something upcountry just for the variety but I've got nothing bad to say about Kihei.

Thanks for all your help, my husband and I will probably stay at one of the hotels in Wailea

Just for the record, the Mana Kai is the last place in Kihei before Wailea. So, you are essentially in Wailea. It is a fantastic condo with great views and a beautiful beach. We highly recommend it.

I went to Maui about a year and a half ago and it was beautiful. I was also considering staying in Kihei, but luckily, I chose another place that was in Kahanapaali...(don't remember the spelling) But if you look at a picture of the island it's on the upper part. Anyhow, we stayed at a very nice place there. We ended up renting a place that was big enough for 6 people but we paid practically the same amount as for a regular hotel. We got it through "vacationhosts.com". The place we stayed at was called Kahana Outrigger. It was great...I really felt like I was in someplace tropical..had a view of the ocean and the sunset every night...instead of a hotel. The place had a full kitchen but no daily maid service. They come and clean your place when you leave. But they give you enough towels and dishes and necessities for your stay. I enjoyed it..and plus I was able to keep the expenses down by being able to make breakfast and the occasional dinners. As far as Kihei is concerned, we took a drive down there just to see if we missed out on anything...and we didn't...we were glad to be where we were. The area around Kihei was a bit depressing. Very gray looking...drab...not very cheery...I don't suggest it at all. Anyhow, I hope this is helpful. If you have any other questions, just give me a shout at [email protected] and I'll see if I can give you more insight. Enjoy!

Consider Napili Bay. There are some good small hotels and condos on a very beautiful beach!

Grand Champions in Wailea is excellent. Not crowded. Lovely grounds. Two pools and 2 spas. Barbaque grills so you can cook in a night or two if you choose.

I stayed in Kihei and was quite pleased. We were right on an uncrowded beach. You could walk all the way to Wailea if you wanted to. The beachfront is lined with muti-million dollar homes. Depressing? Not to me. Kihei is a residential area and has all normal residential services(supermarkets, restaurants, churches etc.). People live there. It is not a protected tourist enclave like other places on the island.(To me that's depressing.) Personally, I prefer living among the residents. If you like being isolated with all the other tourists and lots of expensive places to eat, go to Ka'anapali.
One downside is that Kihei and also Wailea are a bit far from the action side of the island (Lahaina etc) and driving back and forth gets tiresome.