Great Unit And Resort; Would Definitely Stay Here Again

Guest: SCL (Moraga)
Date of Stay: 08/08/11 Review Submitted: 08/22/11

My family and I just came back from a 10 day stay this August. The Unit: Phoenix was very responsive to my e-mails and calls, and the entire transaction was seamless. The unit was clean, relatively modern and provided enough space for my family (much better than a hotel room). It was great having a kitchen and washer/dryer. This unit faces the mountains rather than the beach. Although the patio faces the highway, this unit was probably quieter than those which face the beach. Because the building is shaped like a U, the oceanside patios were exposed to one another, mitigating any sense of privacy. Worse (except for the units at the very end of the U), many of the oceanside units opened to the pools, which meant you heard Marco Polo well into the night (the pool hours were not strictly enforced). We had a number of meals on the patio enjoying a great, ever-changing view of the mountains. Phoenix provides beach chairs, boogie boards, snorkels (we used our own), and a cooler. We left a beach umbrella and mats for future guests. The issues raised by prior guests have been resolved. the tub drained fine and the AC was icy cold. Enough towels for the family and plenty of reference materials. The bigger Hokulani gym is open 24 hours and no card key is now needed. This unit has a network cable for internet access. If there is wireless, we couldn't get it to work. The resort itself provides wireless acess for a fee. The Resort: Honua Kai is not the Four Seasons, nor does it pretend to be. Instead, HK is a newish property with nice, clean grounds in a good location. Although not marketed as a family resort, the majority of guests appear to be families who would most benefit from the kitchen and washer/dryer in each unit. HK fronts a nice long beach. Depending on the tide, coral is present about 30' from the beach, leaving enough to swim in without worrying about the coral. The upside is that there is decent snorkeling right outside HK, which gets better as you near Black Rock to the south. There are three smallish pools (none more than 4' deep), including a short waterslide. HK is located across the street from the Times Supermarket, which is convenient. A few low-priced restaurants (L&L, Ono Kau Kau) are within walking distance. Lahaina is 10 minutes away by car. In summary, this unit was perfect for our needs and contributed to the great time we had in Maui. We will definitively consider this unit again when we return to Maui.

Recommended for:Families with young children, families with teenagers.

Good location, nice beach and pools, local neighborhoods and markets close by

Guest: cless (Cleveland, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 04/30/11 Review Submitted: 05/12/11

Condo: nice layout, beautiful kitchen, quiet wing of hotel, nice view of mountains (altho, lots of rain) from the balcony. Housekeeping: dusty floors, tub drain badly clogged, air filter clogged. Supplies: disappointed that there weren't basic cleaning supplies and plastic food storage containers. Non-perishables: we would have been appreciated condiments, etc. from previous renters, but maybe there were no recent renters. Towels: only two washcloths and 3 hand towels (there were 4 bath towels). Reference material: it would have been helpful to have local travel mags, brochures, coupons, and a list of recommended restaurants.

Owner response:Thanks to this review we have made some changes to better serve our future guests. In May, 2011 we already scheduled AC checkup for maintenance right after this guest leaving. We also cleared up tub drainage. We make sure there are ample cleaning supplies, plastic food storage containers, and basic condiments. We changed our towel system, and make sure that there are at least 4 bath towels, 6 hand towels, and 8 washcloths before our guest's arrival. We put lots of reference materials as these guests addressed. We changed our maid service.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Beautiful Resort and Condo!

Guest: Cathi (Buffalo, NY)
Date of Stay: 02/10/11 Review Submitted: 03/25/11

As posted in an earlier review, I too was hesitant to rent from an owner/property that had no reviews online. I can assure you that Phoenix Dieu was very prompt in all of her responses, the unit was exactly as described, and the resort was gorgeous. I would definitely not hesitate to recommend her as an owner, or this unit as a rental. Although I am not sure we will be returning to the islands any time soon, I will be sure to consider staying here once again. We had a great time on Maui. My children is, ages 7 and 9, loved the pools. We also had a great time at some of the lesser known beaches (Napili Beach, Slaughterhouse Beach). We also loved the hike to the blowhole and Dragon's Teeth. If you have the time, Maui Ocean Center is a small but extremely well laid out aquarium. It had a great presentation of feeding the fish (pufferfish, stingrays, and SHARKS!, plus a zillion other fish) where a scuba diver was in the tank and you could actually talk to him and ask him questions. If you like to do things that are "off the beaten path" I highly recommend getting the book Maui Revealed by Andrew Doughty (he has books for each of the main islands). His books are the best. They are written with a sense of humor and he actually lives in Hawaii and has spent countless hours experiencing everything he wrote about. Last thing- when you go to the obligatory luau, don't be afraid of the poi. It really is good, but not by itself. Dip your kalua pork in it. Mmmmmm....

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Best Vacation Resort November 2010

Guest: Lauren (San Diego)
Date of Stay: 11/15/10 Review Submitted: 01/05/11

I wanted to leave a review for this rental because at first I was hesitant to rent without any reviews (at the time I was searching, this listing had no reviews). But after vacationing, I understand that sometimes we run out of time. So I am taking the time so those of you feel good about renting this unit. Our family stayed here this past November and it was wonderful. The property was immaculate and the grounds were beautiful. The property was right on the beachfront with a spectacular view. This property owner was prompt in responding my questions and the transaction was smooth. I loved all the pools at this resort and the fact that they were 4ft or less of water pools with a waterslide and waterfalls (great for kids). My kids, husband and I had the best time here and I have to say it's the best place we have stayed at in the four times to Maui. The price for this unit is very reasonable compared to other VRBO rentals and definitely much less then renting thru the management main lobby. The only drawback is that we were not allowed to use the family fun center nor fitness center, but it was still worth it as renting thru any individual owner, you don't have to pay the resort fee (which allows you to use those two ammenities). I highly recommend this unit. Although not oceanview, it was fine with us to see the mountains each morning. Besides, we spent all day out on the beach or pools already, so the mountain view was great. It was also nice and convenient to order from Dukes Restaurant while at the pool. The coffee place downstairs was great and they also carried a lot of other foods and things that you may need so you don't have to drive to the store. Also, the market down the street (Times Supermarket) from this resort was convenient. The unit itself was very clean with everything that you need (blender, toaster, dishes etc). There was plenty of pillows and blankets and the bed was very comfortable with a large screen TV in the bedroom. The property owner was very attentive to our needs and the description of the unit was accurate. Feel confident when renting this unit that you are at a beautiful resort and it's the best in Maui. I recommend Lailani's Restaurant early bird specials (great food for great price and you get the see the sunset), Bubba Gumps and Dukes for dinner. I would recommend this property to our friends and family any day. And for our next vacatin I definitelty plan on renting this unit again ! Enjoy your stay :)

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Wonderful place to stay!!!!!

Guest: dazieduke (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 10/04/10

We just returned from our vacation and this condo was wonderful. It looks out to the front of the hotel so you get the mountain view and the sun shines into it in the morning. It had all the amenities including boogie boards and chairs to take out to the beach. We did leave a long mirror for the ladies as it was hard to see yourself in the bathroom one. If you need a blow dryer you will have to pack one as I made the mistake of not taking mine. The room is located close to the elevator which was a big plus and the parking elevator was just down the hall so this room is located well in the building. The grounds and pools are gorgeous. If you booked here you have made a great choice. Make sure and try the restaurant food was wonderful drinks were good (especially at happy hour). Snorkling was ok at the hotel but make sure and go down to the beach to black rock or ask the people at the hotel rental where to go as they have more info. for better spots. Make sure you take a ride down the coast line on the highway in front of the hotel it is breathtaking. Enjoy your vacation :)

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

Honua Kai stay 2010

Guest: Paula Z. (Calgary)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 10/03/10

Our family of 4 stayed in this unit for 10 nights in March of 2010. This unit was very clean, comfortable and well equipped. Although this unit over looks the parking lot, the lanai is big and gets the morning sun, perfect for sitting out and having morning coffee. The resort is beautiful, well kept, and the staff was very friendly. Duke's restaurant is on the property and has great food, great atmosphere, and reasonable prices. The grocery store is close by, and the drive to Lahaina took only 10 minutes. I would highly recommend this property to anyone looking for a great value on Kaanapali Beach!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.