Travel MAUI! tips - questions - advice

#181
Awesome thread! Getting some ideas here for a possible trip to Maui in November.
I've never been before so hoping to get some more tips. Hubby and I will traveling with a 14 month old toddler by then so we are looking for a child friendly hotel (suite w/kitchen), my ideal would be a beach side resort where I can walk out from my patio or walk out to a pool! :biggrin: also thinking of getting a baby sitter for one night so perhaps hubby and I can have our first date after having our baby :biggrin:

Would love to hear your experience/suggestions
 
#182
m-s-m-d said:
Awesome thread! Getting some ideas here for a possible trip to Maui in November.
I've never been before so hoping to get some more tips. Hubby and I will traveling with a 14 month old toddler by then so we are looking for a child friendly hotel (suite w/kitchen), my ideal would be a beach side resort where I can walk out from my patio or walk out to a pool! :biggrin: also thinking of getting a baby sitter for one night so perhaps hubby and I can have our first date after having our baby :biggrin:

Would love to hear your experience/suggestions
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The Kea Lani in Wailea has suites with fridge and microwave and also cottages with kitchens and washer-dryer. The rooms are normal 4-star resort rates; no idea what the villas run. They are closer to the beach so I imagine they are pricey.

Also, Maui is known to have a ton of rental condos. I'd try to really check out the reputation of the management so you get a good place and not an outdated place that someone uses as a vacation home and wants a little extra income without keeping it up nicely (that happened to us in the Kanapali area--we complained and moved out immediately to go to the Wailea area to find a condo there that was walking distance to the beach).
 
#183
The Fairmont Kea Lani was great last year when we stayed, the villas were nearly $1k/night though. The hotel is all suite, but no kitchens, baths are huge, if you get a corner room the veranda is huge. Also has a free washer/dryer on property.
The Four Seasons next door is also very child friendly, but no kitchens.
Both of these are in Wailea = more luxurious hotels and restaurants and shopping.
Kaanapali is about 40 mins away and is a lot more commercial.
 
#185
Whaler's Village is in Kaanapali actually, you'll have to drive to Lahaina. Lahaina is very kid friendly. Make sure to stay long enough to explore the MASSIVE Banion tree. My kids love eating on the water at Bubba Gump's down there.
 
#188
Does anyone have a preference between Oahu vs. Maui? My bf and I have never been and are planning a trip for this December, but we're trying to figure out which island would be best for us.

So far, I understand that Maui is more relaxed and less crowded whereas Oahu is very active & touristy.
 
#189
^Honolulu (Oahu) is a very big city. Dh used to fly there a lot and he called it Cleveland with with palm trees. Of course you have the beach and Diamond Head but it's crowded unless you go to other parts of the island.

For us, Maui is the best combo of beaches, things to see and do, casual all the way to top-caliber restaurants, shopping. Traffic can be slow on either one. We think Maui is more relaxing.
 
#190
We have never been to Hawaii at all, but are seriously thinking about planning a trip to Maui. Of course, we are going to take our time on how we pay for it, because we don't have the means to just get up and go. My question is, what is the best resource to use for booking travel. An online travel website or go to a mortar travel agency? I've heard that you can make payment plans so that you can pay off your trip in advanced. That's what we are looking for. Please chime in with your suggestions. Thank you.
 
#191
Bentley1 said:
Does anyone have a preference between Oahu vs. Maui? My bf and I have never been and are planning a trip for this December, but we're trying to figure out which island would be best for us.

So far, I understand that Maui is more relaxed and less crowded whereas Oahu is very active & touristy.
Click to expand...

OT, but what about the Big Island?
 
#192
boxermom said:
^Honolulu (Oahu) is a very big city. Dh used to fly there a lot and he called it Cleveland with with palm trees. Of course you have the beach and Diamond Head but it's crowded unless you go to other parts of the island.

For us, Maui is the best combo of beaches, things to see and do, casual all the way to top-caliber restaurants, shopping. Traffic can be slow on either one. We think Maui is more relaxing.
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:lol: Interesting!

I've heard that Oahu gets pretty crowded, but that it's the "best of both worlds" in that you get the city feel and also the tropical/Hawaii feel as well. Whereas with Maui, its mainly about the beaches and relaxing. I guess I'm trying to figure out where the best location would be for someone whose never been to Hawaii and would like to get the "Hawaii experience" but not be on the beach all week. I think I need to research Maui a bit further, perhaps I don't know all the attractions aside from the Road to Hana.
 
#193
CobaltBlu said:
OT, but what about the Big Island?
Click to expand...

We did talk about that, but I keep hearing and reading that it's very commercialized and that we wouldn't get the full Hawaii experience. Not sure if you can agree to that or not? We're also planning to go in December, and we've been reading that Big Island is a bit colder and has more possibility rain. :shrugs:
 
#194
Maui is awesome and offers a lot more than the Road to Hana. In fact, if you get remotely car sick, avoid that road!!! The pools were all closed last summer anyhow. Do a luau and the volcano - Haleakala; visit Wailea for upscale shopping and food and hotels {Four Seasons & Fairmont}, Lahaina, and Kaanapali for commercial mid-range hotels {Hyatt, Westin, etc. . .} and dining/shopping. There's also a Ritz on Maui, but it's sort of secluded = you have to drive to go anywhere.
 
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