Where to stay in Maui??
 

I'm going to Maui with my boyfriend at the end of February for a romantic trip but still want the lively-ness, we are thinking Kihea or Kaanapali. Or would you recommend somewhere else on the island?

Kihei is much quieter than Kaanapali. Most of the nightlife is in Lahaina.

I would have said just the opposite! But agree that nightlife is best in Lahaina (however, don't stay there if you want beaches).

Definitely Kaanapali. We spent 5 days of our honeymoon there in 2005. We drove through Kihei and didn't much care for it. We rented a great condo for 5 days on vrbo.com. Right on the water and close to Kaanapali. But, if you're looking for a resort, check out those at Whalers Village- I liked the Hyatt the best. Not sure if you wanted any other advice, but here are some ideas:

- check our Mama's restaurant close to the airport. Kind of pricey, but beautiful. We had a wonderful lunch there.
- go on a snorkel trip and try SNUBA diving which is a mix between scuba and snorkeling.
- we did the Feast at Lele lual and loved it. You had your own table and had small portions served to you.

Have a great time and check out some other postings as I got great advice for our trip.

Kaanapali, not Kihei.
Hotel options are Westin, Sheraton, Hyatt, Kaanapali Beach Hotel, and Marriott.

Beachfront condos on the main beach part are the Kaanapali Ali'i and The Whaler.

Whaler's Village is the shopping and restaurant complex in Kaanapali

What is your budget? Can you afford the Four Seasons? If so, give that a shot. It's in Wailea, which is the other developed resort area on the island.

-Bill

We stayed at the Four Seasons in Wailea. Very romantic setting, great rooms and bathrooms, awesome sunset view from our balcony. It is definitely pricey. We found there was plenty to do in Wailea between the resorts and the shopping center. As some of the other posters have said, I didn't care for Kihei.

Napili Beach is very romantic, and Napili Kai Beach Resort, especially if you can afford an ocean view, is a great spot. Napili is quieter/more picturesque than Kaanapali, but close enough to the Kaanapali resorts and Whaler's Village for plenty of liveliness within close driving distance. Also, Napili is within walking distance of Kapalua Bay for snorkeling, and the Kapalua resort, which offers Sansei, a very lively and popular dining spot.

Kaanapali would be good since it's close to Lahaina. And a nice beach also. FYI, I stayed in Lahaina in early Feb. once and really liked it (we were 40 ish then). It would be lively in the afternoon and evening, but quiet when we'd walk to breakfast in the morning. You do have to drive to the beach though, as I recall.

Kaanapali's great, with a nice beach, but if I was going to Maui for a romantic time, I'd stay at the Four Seasons, which is in Wailea and has a fantastic beach.

I think if the OP gives us her budget, that would help.

Well for romance I would recommend Wailea or Hana, but neither has much/anything in terms of nightlife. Wailea/ Makena had the nicest beaches for snorkeling and picturesque surroundings. Kaanapali or other areas north of Lahaina (Napili, Kapalua) are probably your best bet if you're looking for some action mixed in with romance.

I would also recommend Kaanapali. I have stayed in both Kihea and Kannapali. I found Kihea had very reasonable prices for a condo (because of the location). The good part is if you want to drive all over the island and see Wailea it seemed more like a central location. But to eat, find nightlife and good beaches we found we had to drive everywhere. Wailea is beautiful and great for golfers - but didn't appear to have much night life. Kaanapali has more to do and good beaches and it's closer to Lahaina which is where most of the action is. I stayed at the Hyatt and enjoyed the property very much although I enjoyed the Sheraton’s beach area more (it’s a short walk). Decent restaurants on the beach walk with entertainment is a nice touch and makes those Mai Tai’s all that much more enjoyable. Enjoy!

I want to clarify my original reply. The only reason I said Kaanapali is for the nightlife reason.
Personally I prefer Wailea or Kihei. Kaanapali is very built up with condo complexes and hotels. The traffic can be bad. In my opinion, it is more of a nightlife destination but not a romantic destination. Romantic implies deserted walks on the beach. You wont find this in Kaanapali.