My husband and I first stayed at the Mauian in 2010. That trip was memorable and we declared that the Mauian would become our special home away from home for years to come. Since then, we have stayed on several occasions and have also tried a few other properties on the island. However, something always brings us right back to this spot.
We returned this week for the first time after a few year hiatus. Somethings have not changed at all while we discovered a few new inconveniences/annoyances.
What we love about the Mauian....
- the proximity to the beach. If you are in the ocean or partial ocean view rooms, you can literally step onto the sand within a minute of leaving your unit. That also means each unit has a stunning view of Napili Bay.
- the old school Hawaiian vibe. The 2 story building has that old school, rat pack vibe. The grounds are lush and the rooms are tastefully decorated in traditional Hawaiian colors. The ambience here is perfection.
- the beach itself is beautiful (though has changed over the years and is a bit steep). However, on a calm day I can't think of a more beautiful place to snorkel, float or stand up paddle board.
- the recent addition of AC in the rooms! Definitely helps for those units that are in the afternoon sun. We enjoyed having the AC on until nightfall and then opening the windows to sleep with the breeze and sounds of the waves.
- there is a small breakfast served daily (which has also changed over the years and is now scaled back quite a bit). We use the breakfast to supplement our own breakfast items that we cook in the room. You can expect toast, fruit, juice and hard boiled eggs.
Things we don't love about the Mauian....
- the parking situation (which has gotten worse over the years). There are more units than parking spots. The add to that, there is no parking inforcement and I counted a handful of cars parked in spots this morning that didn't have a Mauian parking permit. Other guests were literally parking behind and blocking cars in (even though the Mauian recommends street parking).
- the walls are thin, which usually isn't an issue, this time however we were next to a screaming baby and inconsiderate people that don't know how to use their indoor voices.
- the beach has gotten busy and we felt pressure to go down early every morning and set up our chairs and towels (which made me feel like we were at a cheap all inclusive, minus the "all inclusive" part).
Overall, for the price this place is a gem. In the ten years we've been coming to Maui, the nightly rates have doubled on the island. However, compared to hotels in Wailea (re: the Andaz - which I liked) the rate here is still half the price. We will obviously be back (but I'll likely pack ear plugs).
