2 Best Hotels in Maui, Hawaii

If a taste of rural Hawaii life in plantation days coupled with quiet time and privacy is what you crave, you can find it at this 2-acre property: it's awash in tropical foliage, dotted with banyan trees, and has a 50-foot, saltwater pool and in-ground spa that afford views of Maui's northern coast and Molokai. The cottages (with granite-topped kitchenettes and private entrances) are simple and functional, but the gem is the 1927 plantation house, with its sprawling living and dining rooms, commercial-grade kitchen, and a lanai that will take you back in time.

A handsome, 1924, Craftsman-style house in the heart of Makawao town is on both the Hawaii and the National Historic Registers, and provides a great base for excursions to Haleakala, Hana, or North Shore beaches. Owner Cherie Attix has furnished three pretty guest rooms with antiques and fine art, and she allows you to peruse her voluminous library of Hawaii-related books; all guests have access to the main kitchen for light meal preparation. The lush serene grounds have a gazebo and one of the biggest Norfolk pine trees in Hawaii. Discounts are offered to guests who participate in volunteer projects through Cherie's site (www.volunteer-on-vacation-hawaii.com).