Maui Hotels

Maui is an island of contrasts. The city of Kahului, in the Central Valley, is home to the main airport and harbor. This commercial center has few tourist attractions. Malls and large chain stores prevail, but many of the cheap hotels in Maui are located here, and can provide good budget accommodations at rates below the usual Maui hotel rates. West Maui is the island’s main tourist center, and home to most of the most luxurious resorts and best hotels in Maui. Hawaii is a place to come and unwind, and the planned resort areas of Kaanapali and Kapalua are located in West Maui. So is the old whaling town of Lahaina. Wailea and Makena are the big resort areas of South Maui, and the Highway to Hana, winding for hours past waterfalls, through valleys and over small bridges, is a popular attraction.

Here are some hotels on Maui you should know about when planning your trip.

The Maui Seaside Hotel is located in central Maui on Kahului Bay just 20 minutes from the resort area of Wailea. The hotel is located close to Maui’s largest shopping mall. Dining, free entertainment, live concerts and theatres are nearby. There is a championship golf course within 15 minutes of the Maui Seaside.

Another outstanding choice is the Maui Prince Hotel at Makena Resort. The Maui Prince Hotel is one of the Maui hotels located in a ‘master-planned’ resort area. It is a place that complements and enhances the serenity of the island. All rooms offer beautiful views of the Pacific and the Makena landscape, including Mount Haleakala, and the hotel itself is built around an Asian meditation garden with waterfalls, stone paths and stream, creating an open-air atrium.

In East Maui, a Hawaii hotel with a long tradition offers not just accommodations, but a complete vacation experience. The Hotel Hana Maui, at the end of the Hana Highway, is a luxury resort set in a tranquil seaside location. Accommodations are bungalow-style or plantation-style cottages with patios and dramatic ocean and mountain views. The Hana Spa, overlooking Hana Bay, enjoy massages, facials and body treatments using native plants and minerals. Also available to help you relax and unwind are yoga, horseback riding, tennis, or just relaxing at Hamoa Beach, which James Michener called ‘the most perfect crescent beach in the Pacific.’ The Hotel Hana Maui is truly one of the finest hotels in Maui. Hawaii will feel like home here.

Another Maui beach hotel near the Wailea resort area, with golfing and 6 miles of beautiful beaches, is the Maui Coast Hotel. The 265 guest rooms and suites are attractively decorated in soft tones, and each has a private lanai, and a Nintendo game system. The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool with a children’s wading pool.

There is another option to the Maui hotels. Condos are a good choice if you are staying awhile and want more space. They normally offer a fully equipped kitchen, possibly several bedrooms. The disadvantage can be that things are less elaborate, and there are fewer or no ‘front desk’ amenities. As with hotel rooms, prices vary greatly. It is worth taking the time to research a condo by word-of-mouth, via the internet and possibly through a travel agent. There are some good websites that give objective descriptions of various Maui condos, their facilities and rates.

As you can see, the choice is yours when it comes to how and where to stay on Maui. There truly is a place for everyone.