While planning to visit Maui for the first time, I was perplexed at how few hotels there seemed to be on the island. Where did all the visitors stay?
After three trips to Maui now, I understand the situation better. Maui lacks mom-and-pop motels and reasonably priced chain motels because it’s not the type of place you can drive to on the spur of the moment or where you need a place to stay for the night on the way to somewhere else.
Just about everyone coming to Maui arrives by plane on a vacation planned in advance. They – and you – have three main options for a place to stay:
1)Expensive resort hotels. These are quite well-equipped with features and amenities, and you pay accordingly. They offer water slides, undulating tropical swimming pools, luaus, fire lighting ceremonies, beach chairs, oceanside massages and yoga classes and even babysitting services for children. You can expect maid service here, concierge services, on-site eating facilities and all-around pampering.
On Maui, some resorts are more family friendly than others, and some are well-known for their Hawaiian flavor. If you do opt for a resort, be sure you take advantage of activity and service options you wouldn’t get in other parts of the world, such as lomilomi massage, standup paddling, whale watching information kiosks, outrigger canoe lessons and on-site restaurants that offer Hawaiian dishes, like macadamia-crusted mahimahi.
2)Condotels (Condo hotels). These may advertise as if they’re hotels and offer “hotel rooms” as well as suites with fully equipped kitchens, but the units are actually individually owned and decorated according to the owner’s taste. Accordingly, one room may be somewhat run-down and old-fashioned in style while the one next door looks like something out of Home & Garden magazine. Condotels usually offer some of the resort amenities – swimming pools, hot tubs, barbecue grills, tennis courts, etc. – but at a more reasonable price. Throughout Maui, you may receive regular maid service here and maybe not; ask.
In Maui, you’ll find the most number of condotels in south Maui – Kihei and Wailea, with prices ranging from $100 a night in the off season to $250 a night or more during the Christmas holidays. Be aware that “oceanfront” in Maui condotel listings doesn’t necessarily mean a beach, as some parts of the coast are rather rocky and that “ocean view” can mean you’re a hefty 15 minutes or more from the water’s edge.
If you book with a condotel, you normally have more leverage and wiggle room than you would directly with the owner, in the form of a more generous cancellation policy, more payment options, the possibility of a shorter stay and some chance of a switch to another unit if you find fault with the unit to which you’re assigned.
3)Condos rented by the owner. You would find these advertised at vacation rental web sites as well as at a web site run directly by the owner. These tend to be your least expensive option for staying in Maui. Off-season, many bargains can be found, while in high season, you may need to book (and pay) many months ahead to get a decent deal. For Maui, off-season is April 15 to December 15. Contrary to what you might expect, the high season does not have the best weather. The off-season, particularly April 15 through the end of August, features the least amount of rain.
It’s important to understand that staying at a Maui condo means you should not expect the amenities and services you get at a hotel. Replacing the toilet paper when it runs out, freshening the towels and changing the beds are your responsibility – just as in your own home. On the other hand, many owner-rented condos have very nice common facilities, such as pools, barbecue grills, etc. Realize too that if you are unhappy, the owner generally won’t refund your money and can’t move you to another unit.