What a beautiful location on a magical beach!
Kaanapali is a great spot for a relaxing family beach stay, and the Whaler is right at the center of it.
This unit is literally one of the two best at the Whaler in my opinion: The wrap-around lanai with a wrap-around view of the ocean is awesome, with floor-to-ceiling windows. The west & north-facing panorama of ocean & Black Rock is especially gorgeous, from sunrise, to perfect sunset, and then even after dark. The height of the unit (11th floor!) & the North tower location means your views are completely unobstructed and you're so high up you can skip the helicopter tour. The only unit that has potentially a better location is the top floor right above this one.
The unit itself was in great shape, and definitely a worthy home-base for a week of Maui living for our family of four, including two full-sized teens. The rooms are huge, the beds soft, and the updated kitchen is fairly well-stocked with equipment, and the Safeway is just a short drive down into Lahaina! I'd suggest that the bathrooms should be updated next, they are functional but not luxrious.
Outdoors, the Whaler pool is nice but pretty plain, so if you are looking for pool-side bar or water slide you might have to walk up the beach and sneak into another hotel's pool. The beach is literally steps away, snorkeling at Black Rock is a five minute walk up the beach, catamaran excursions & parasailing boats come right up to the beach, everything is here!
I would definitely seek this unit out again the next time we're coming to Kaanapali with the family. For the price and the amenities of home, its was such a better value than two rooms in a hotel.
