Vacation Rentals by Owner

Perfect Honeymoon!

Guest: vanessa S.
Date of Stay: 04/30/12 Review Submitted: 05/16/12

My husband and I stayed in this beautiful condo for 12 days for our honeymoon. The resort is beautiful! It is very new and modern, which helped us feel at home while on vacation. There is a nice market located in the main building in which the condo is located that serves really good organic foods/meals. Also within short walking distance was Dukes restaurant. The food was good and it provided live musical entertainment nightly. The grounds of the resort are nicely kept with fresh flowers and koi ponds. The pools are very clean with nice lounge chairs and umbrellas. To our surprise despite how busy the resort was it never felt crowded, and it was very quiet...which both of us really enjoyed. In addition the resort is connected to a boardwalk that runs along the majority of resorts along the beach. It is great for a stroll, early morning run or an easy way to get to whalers village for some shopping! The resort is perfectly located as it is 10 minutes south of the Ritz on the north end, and a 5-10 minute drive to the really cute town of Lahaina. Now for the condo! Two thumbs up for Mary and Randy! They are the best host one could possibly have. For weeks prior to our arrival they provided several documents with suggestions for activities, restaurants, fish, local markets etc. We found this unbelievably helpful as we were able to avoid some of the tourist traps and enjoy places that only locals may know of! Huge bonus! The unit itself is in a great location with beautiful ocean views from the lanai and master bedroom. You also get a mountain view as well. The unit is new, very clean, and rather large for 2 people. The bed is very comfortable and bathroom is very large. The kitchen has any kind of utensil one could use...which we enjoyed as we were able to have a home cooked meal on the lanai. The unit also has a washer and dryer..very helpful for a long vacation. Mary and Randy also provide a cooler and chairs which is good for the road to Hana or long days at the beach. I cannot compliment these owners enough! Our vacation was great, and I don't believe it would have been so stress free if it wasn't for all the help Mary and Randy provided. You can tell they really enjoy this process and care for their renters. As my husband would like to say "you're not just getting a rental property, but personal travel agents too!" Thanks for everything!!

Recommended for:

Perfect Honeymoon!

Guest: vanessa S.
Date of Stay: 04/30/12 Review Submitted: 05/16/12

My husband and I stayed in this beautiful condo for 12 days for our honeymoon. The resort is beautiful! It is very new and modern, which helped us feel at home while on vacation. There is a nice market located in the main building in which the condo is located that serves really good organic foods/meals. Also within short walking distance was Dukes restaurant. The food was good and it provided live musical entertainment nightly. The grounds of the resort are nicely kept with fresh flowers and koi ponds. The pools are very clean with nice lounge chairs and umbrellas. To our surprise despite how busy the resort was it never felt crowded, and it was very quiet...which both of us really enjoyed. In addition the resort is connected to a boardwalk that runs along the majority of resorts along the beach. It is great for a stroll, early morning run or an easy way to get to whalers village for some shopping! The resort is perfectly located as it is 10 minutes south of the Ritz on the north end, and a 5-10 minute drive to the really cute town of Lahaina. Now for the condo! Two thumbs up for Mary and Randy! They are the best host one could possibly have. For weeks prior to our arrival they provided several documents with suggestions for activities, restaurants, fish, local markets etc. We found this unbelievably helpful as we were able to avoid some of the tourist traps and enjoy places that only locals may know of! Huge bonus! The unit itself is in a great location with beautiful ocean views from the lanai and master bedroom. You also get a mountain view as well. The unit is new, very clean, and rather large for 2 people. The bed is very comfortable and bathroom is very large. The kitchen has any kind of utensil one could use...which we enjoyed as we were able to have a home cooked meal on the lanai. The unit also has a washer and dryer..very helpful for a long vacation. Mary and Randy also provide a cooler and chairs which is good for the road to Hana or long days at the beach. I cannot compliment these owners enough! Our vacation was great, and I don't believe it would have been so stress free if it wasn't for all the help Mary and Randy provided. You can tell they really enjoy this process and care for their renters. As my husband would like to say "you're not just getting a rental property, but personal travel agents too!" Thanks for everything!!

Recommended for:

A Perfect Getaway!!

Guest: Happy in Hawaii (Sherman Oaks, California)
Date of Stay: 04/22/12 Review Submitted: 04/30/12

My husband, 2 year daughter and I had such a great time in this unit. We had a great view of the ocean and enjoyed the cool breeze every single day and night! The appliances are all new and top of the line. We enjoed having our breakfast and lunch there as well. We ate several times outside on the nicely sized lanai. Randy and mary made us feel very welcomed in their home. They were very sweet in giving us a credit to the market downstairs to welcome us. I highly recommend this place to whomever wants to enjoy a relaxing atmosphere and peaceful place. We hope to visit again one day! :-)

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Spring Break in Paradise

Guest: Lou, Nancy & Abby (Delton MI)
Date of Stay: 04/01/12 Review Submitted: 04/28/12

My husband, daughter, and I recently returned from Spring Break at Randy and Mary's fabulous condo. If all rentals through VRBO resulted in such a positive experience, this would be the only way we would travel. R&M have been fabulous people to work with before, during, and after our vacation. Reservations and payment were a breeze. R&M provided LOTS of helpful info for our trip. The condo is beautiful. Loved the nana doors that bring the outside in. The condo is stocked with anything you could possibly need. Chances are if you forgot something, R&M have you covered. The only thing that I can think of that they did not cover was how to get sun lotion on my back. View from the condo was great...lots of whales breaching as well as many rainbows. Resort is very nice. Times Mkt across the street was a nice place to shop for groceries. Trilogy snorkeling trip to Lanai was fabulous. (swam w/ dolphins !!!) Beach out front was great for riding the waves. Sushi is fabulous at Sansei in Kapalua. Great tuna steaks at Hula Grille in Whalers Village. Yummy gelato in Lahaina next to CB in Paradise. Merrimans N of condo has beautiful view for cocktails. Fabulous eggs benedict at Dukes. Lahaina Pizza Co marginal. We are having withdrawal from paradise, excellent fish, and macadamia nuts now that we are back in MI. R&M many many thanks for sharing your piece of paradise with us as well as all of your helpful hints. Have already given your VRBO # to several friends and can't wait to come back.

Recommended for:

A Winter Dream

Guest: 10-yr Honeymoon (Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 03/22/12 Review Submitted: 04/11/12

My husband and I definitely needed a honeymoon after 10 years of marriage and two children, and this was absolutely the perfect place to go for our romantic get-away! The condo was beautifully furnished, modern yet cozy, the perfect spacious size for the two of us and so very tastefully...Maui! Everything we needed to be totally "at home" for 10 days was either in the condo and/or available at the resort. It was such a treat to whale watch right from the lanai...binoculars are there for use . Both the bedroom and living rooms open up to the lanai and it was great to open up the doors/"nana"walls to the beautiful Hawaiian breeze. My husband usually doesn't warm up to a new bed for days, and we both slept better than we sleep at home--the bed was SO COMFORTABLE! We loved the location...only being a few minutes drive from Lahaina...or you could even walk it on a beautiful day (which is most every day). Great snorkeling nearby in many different locations, plenty of restaurants and shopping and many boat tours for whale watching, snorkel adventures, etc...leave from nearby Lahaina. The pool area was amazing, and suited for couples and families. Beach is right beyond the pool, very close and beautiful, soft sand. Wonderful walking path (paved for quite a ways) along the beachside, or just stroll on the beach for miles:) The on-site restaurant "Dukes" (by the pool area) was delicious. We waited until the last night to go there and wished we could have enjoyed more time at Dukes. Our fave restaurant in Lahaina was "Cool Cats" and in the opposite direction from the resort about 15 minutes was our fave Sushi restaurant called Sansei Seafood and Sushi Bar. We couldn't be happier about our wonderful vacation and memories that were made there. Thanks so much to "Maui Nuts" for providing their beautiful home. You will NOT be disappointed in this incredible escape!! Compared to cold Minnesota, this was a winter dream come true, and exactly what we hoped for!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

You'll never want to leave!

Guest: Keiko N.
Date of Stay: 01/20/12 Review Submitted: 02/01/12

This condo was the perfect rental for my husband and I. The unit is located on the 7th floor with gorgeous views of the resort and water. You can clearly see the whales from the lanai. The unit has beautiful furniture, is well equipt, and comfortable. The bed and linens are incredibly soft that you want to stay in bed until you realize you are in Maui! Most importantly, it was very clean with new appliances and new furniture throughout. The washer/dryer allow for light packing and the full kitchen is great for eating in. The resort is in a great location and you can walk on the boardwalk to more shopping and eating options. There are many options to relax at the resort in one of the many pools, a long stretch of beach, the open air patio, or your own private lanai. Although the resort was busy with visitors, you never really felt overcrowded. The condo was quiet and very peaceful. The underground parking was easy to get to and Randy provided excellent directions to the closest elevator to access the condo. There are great food choices in the area. Star Noodle - - top notch! Try the vietnamese crepes, YUM. The owners, Randy and Mary, are exceptional. The payment process was easy along with all the paperwork to make you feel everything was in order. Randy provided extensive information before our trip and even took the time to provide some helpful hints via email during our stay. They were very kind to leave us a welcoming gift and checked in on us to make sure we arrived without issue. I would not hestitate to recommend this property and unit to others. I have rented from HomeAway owners for the last 10 years and Randy and Mary are some of the best to deal with. KN & SJ, Toronto, Canada

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Fantastic Family Holiday

Guest: The Runges (Emerald Park, SK)
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 01/13/12

This was our first time to Maui and will be back! Randy and Mary's condo suited us perfectly at this stage in our lives. We are a family of 4 with 2 boys ages 11 and 12. They shared the pull out couch and didn't complain as every night when their little heads hit the pillow they were out. Long fun filled days equals tired little boys :) Randy and Mary went above and beyond to provide us with a ton of information on their favorite activities and places to go, we did some of them and I guess we have to go back to finish the list! We highly recommend this unit to anyone it has a beautiful view and we loved the way the doors opened up so you could see and smell the beauty of Maui everyday. Thanks again Randy and Mary!

Recommended for:Families with young children

Highly Recommend Vacation in Paradise

Guest: Chef John (USA)
Date of Stay: 12/15/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

This is an incredible unit at Honua Kai resort, a brand new resort in Kaanapali. The owners are incredible and interested in making sure you have the best vacation possible. The Lanai is very large and overlooks the ocean and distant pools. After staying at this resort a few times, we can say this resort is the best! From the fresh market, fitness center, large and multiple pools for all ages, as well as Duke’s restaurant you will not be disappointed. The owner’s want you to be happy during your stay and go out of their way to do so. When we arrived, there was a fresh bouquet of tropical flowers on the dining room table and the unit is well stocked.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

It's a Fantastic Resort!

Guest: Holiday Memories (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/10/11 Review Submitted: 01/02/12

This was our first trip to Maui and we really enjoyed staying at Honua Kai, it's definitely a wonderful resort situated on a lovely beach setting. We definitely recommend the location and will return there! The condo is well appointed but is best suited for a couple. We found it too small for three people (our teenaged daughter was travelling with us). When the pull out bed is open you have no room left in the tiny living room. The view is lovely (it's a pocket/corridor view between the buildings overlooking the gardens and walkways and lawns below) and the lanai is great to sit out for a meal or to ponder your activities for the day. The kitchen is very well appointed but does not include any of the basic provisions you'd usually find in vacation rental (except for a couple of tea bags and enough coffee for one pot). There is constant traffic noise coming from the highway nearby. We slept with the balcony doors open to enjoy the ocean breezes but every night the noise from the highway was noticeable and, on more than one night, there was street racing on the highway which woke us up. If we return to Honua Kai we will select a unit closer to the beach front and further away from the highway/entry side. We had to contact the owner as we had no internet or phone service for the first 24 hours of our stay, no beach towels and no bath mat. These issues were quickly resolved (the lack of internet and phone service were due to a wind storm). We agree with other guest's comments that sending cash in advance to reserve and send payments is very inconvenient. We would have much more preferred to use our credit card. Other noticeable differences: we often stay at VRBO properties and find a gift basket with local goodies or a bottle of wine from the owner and/or a card at check in to welcome us to their home. None of these were offered and at the very least, a thank you e-mail would be appreciated at the end of the stay. In our view, these are the special touches that make a stay and rating go from "Good" to "Excellent".

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Amazing time at Honua Kai

Guest: L (Orange County, California)
Date of Stay: 12/01/11 Review Submitted: 01/21/12

We stayed here for 8 nights at the beginning of December and the whole experience was just outstanding. The condo is modern and clean with a fabulous view. The location is perfect for enjoying the balcony at any time of the day. The owner, Randy, was very helpful with his insider's tips on what to do and what to see. He was easy to contact and all instructions were clear and easy. The grounds of the Honua Kai are meticulously groomed with beautiful flowers and koi ponds throughout. The swimming pools were perfect for our 2 young kids as well. We wish we could have stayed longer! We would stay here again in a heartbeat.

Recommended for:Families with young children

Excellent Unit

Guest: Steve (Birmingham, MI USA)
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 10/15/11

We recently stayed at the unit for our honeymoon and this was our first time using VRBO. We found Mary and Randy to be very professional and were great to work with. The unit was wonderful, we found it to be exactly as described and was clean with all new appliances. The complex itself has a great location, in particular you are 5 minutes from a supermarket/stores and 10 minutes from downtown Lahaina which is a great night spot with lots of bars/shops/restaurants. Overall there were no hassles and Mary and Randy go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Randy even gave me a call on my 1st day to make sure we got in OK and that everything was in order. You can't go wrong with this unit, for the price you get a no hassles and a beautiful unit. Truly a no brainier.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Value: Great Additions

Guest: pdxmomma (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 09/21/11 Review Submitted: 10/25/11

My husband, 2 year old son and I stayed at this property for 11 nights, and it was fantastic. We have stayed at the Honua Kai before, but decided to save by renting directly from an owner. Randy and Mary were professional and prompt in all correspondence. This is a fantastic unit! We would definitely rent this unit again.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

A True Maui Wowie!

Guest: JSNA (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/12/11

Excellent location, excellent views, excellent service, excellent condo. This appeared to us to be the hands down nicest and newest resort on the island. 8 nights of pure comfort. The condo was great, covered parking, the location, the beach, the pool, the grounds, all superb. We will recommend to all of our friends. 2 adults, 8 nights.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Missing it already!

Guest: Maui Dreamers (Langley BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We just came back from having the most wonderful time at Honua Kai. This resort offers everything and Randy and Mary have done a fantastic job of making sure that all the little extras are there to enjoy too. The views from the lanai and from the bedroom are beautiful and having the nano doors open added tremendously to the tropical feel that we all dream about.The food at Dukes is great and we ate there quite a few times because the atmosphere is extremely enjoyable. Times Supermarket across the street had everything we needed to buy and was just a short walk.The ocean water was crystal blue and the sand was clean and free of ocean debris, we loved every minute that we were there!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Stay at this Honua Kai Condo

Guest: Happy Traveler (Washington)
Date of Stay: 08/07/11 Review Submitted: 08/16/11

We just returned from a week at Houna Kai in this beautiful unit. It was perfect for the two of us, very well appointed with extra touches like beach towels, coolers and beach chairs. The unit was beautiful with an ocean view, fantastic kitchen and living area, spacious bedroom, storage and a huge bathroom. Everything was clean and well provisioned. This was our first time using VRBO so we were hesitant, but Randy and Mary made the process so easy with their clear communication, instructions, updates and patience with our questions. They made it fun with all the tips for places to visit and eat while in Maui. We will definitely be back and if we are lucky, we will get to stay here again! I highly recommend renting through Randy and Mary.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Spectacular Island Wedding

Guest: Mary and Joe P. (Kingwood, Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/19/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

The vacation of our dreams! We were in Maui for our daughter's wedding but stayed around longer to enjoy the beauty of Maui. The condo was perfect. Everything was spic and span. The view from the lanai is breathtaking. We had our breakfast out there every morning. Breakfast back in Texas will pale in comparison. All the amenities (beach chairs, beach towels, kitchen supplies etc.) made life extremely easy for us. The grounds at Honua Kai are absolutely gorgeous. If the ocean and sand are not your cup of tea, there are many pools around the condo with a big supply of lounge chairs and umbrellas. There is something for everyone here in Maui. Even if you are not a fish eater (as are Joe and I) there are many other choices to be had. We loved our time in Maui and at Honua Kai and hope to return again some day. We recommend Randy and Mary's place very highly. All the comforts of home with the Pacific Ocean only steps away.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful Kaanapali Getaway

Guest: The Sugars (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 05/28/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

My wife and I love Maui & Hawaii. This was our 8th stay on the islands in the last 5 years (4th stay together on Maui). We've tried a lot of different accommodations over the years, from 4 & 5 Star resorts to camping in Haleakala National Park - and other condos. This was hands down our favorite overall when you factor in price, location, amenities, layout, and service. Price: nightly rates on par with hotels in the area when they're running promotions, but you get A LOT more space in this one bedroom condo -plus a kitchen, w/d, and a spacious lanai. The only extra fee we paid was for parking (as disclosed by the owner) of $10/night self-park. Location: 8 minute drive south to "downtown" Lahaina where we ate dinner almost every night; 4 minutes to Whaler's Village. The beachfront in this section of Kaanapali beach is picture perfect with calm surf and miles of white sand in each direction along the coastline. Good snorkling 30 yards south of the resort too. There's even a full grocery store and an awesome coffee shop (Jazz Java) ~ 4 blocks from the resort...if you don't like the one in the lobby. Amenities: Solid, new-feeling construction with warm, subtle, current decor made our stay feel like home. Very well maintained and clean unit. The thick walls made the condo virtually soundproof. The surrounding grounds are gorgeous - including the 2 pools, 4 hot tubs, water slide, and coi pond. Loved the kitchen and Bosch appliances (including washer/dryer). Free Wi-Fi in unit worked perfectly. Layout: As advertised and described by owners, very spacious and open layout felt like a nice one bedroom apartment (beats the heck out of a boxy hotel room). Comfortable king bed and furniture. Service: The couple that owns this unit are pros. They are detailed, informative, and made the process a snap. This was our first time renting from a private party, and even though I had a healthy touch of skepticism from the beginning, the owners were respectful and reassuring from start to finish. They've furnished the unit with boogie boards, coolers, Tommy Bahama beach chairs - even binoculars - all little touches for your free enjoyment. They even provide dining and activity recommendations for enjoying your stay. This is a class act. Our only wish was that they accepted credit cards - I would have LOVED all those miles :-) But if it means keeping costs down, so be it. All in all, we were very pleased and would recommend this unit to family and friends.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Gorgeous condo, great resort, owners excellent to work with

Guest: Running-girl (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 12/11/10 Review Submitted: 01/10/11

We just got back from staying 9 days in this condo. It was a gorgeous condo, with beautiful views from the lanai. I loved drinking my coffee in bed each morning while looking out at the beautiful view of the ocean. We slept with the lanai doors open and listened to the waves at night. Our two daughters, 7 and 10, slept comfortably on the pull-out sofa, and the condo was the perfect size for our family, with everything we could possibly need--blender, coolers, beach chairs, boogie boards, plenty of towels and laundry detergent. Honua Kai is a fantastic resort for families--the girls never got tired of playing in the pools, catching frogs in the pond, and boogie boarding on the beach. The ocean in front of Honua Kai has some of the best snorkeling on the island. Randy and Mary provided us with a great list of activities to do and places to eat. It was a great resource for us! We hope to return again next year!

Owner response:We are so glad you enjoyed our home. We loved the pictures you sent to us during your stay. Your girls have inspired us to finally take surfing lessons ourselves. Sounds like all the extra amenities we added to our home helped make your vacation loads of fun. We would be delighted to have your family stay at our home in the future. Mary & Randy The Maui Nuts

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

November in Maui

Guest: Alejojo (Phoenix, AZ)
Date of Stay: 12/25/09 Review Submitted: 12/01/10

Just got back from a wonderful 5 day trip to Maui and stayed in this lovely condo. I woke up everyday looking out at the ocean from my bed. The lanai was a great place to enjoy coffee and sip wine. I love how the doors to the lanai open all the way, creating a wonderful open, cool tropical space. The photos on this site were true. The grounds were very well kept, several pools & hot tubs to choose from, beach was great and the food at Duke's was delicious. Easily accessable to the spectacular sites of Maui. I look forward to returning some day! Highly recommend this condo to anyone.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.