We've been many times to the Hawaiian Islands but this was our first trip to Maui. We were traveling with two younger kids. For us, the location was perfect. A walk across the park to the ocean, no need to cross any roads or avoid traffic like other resorts. That was so nice for our smaller ones. The beach right here isn't the best, you'll want to drive to one of the more popular spots for great snorkeling, etc, but for a morning walk along the beach, and of course the shocking sunsets, it's perfect. There's also a man made tide pool about 1/2 mile north and it seems like every morning low tide there's a group of turtles hanging out. I guess there are actually turtles all over the place. Just about every time we were near any ocean we saw at least one.
The pool was great, the amenities available were all adequate and comfortable. This isn't the Four Seasons, but that should be expected given the price, which we found very fair, and actually one of the best values on the island if you're looking for a condo.
The unit was well equipped. Having the beach chairs and umbrella was super helpful. If you're set on snorkeling or boogie boarding I wouldn't count on using the gear in the unit, the people before you might have trashed it, and it's so cheap to rent anyway.
There's a lot of food choices really close, about a half mile south there are tons of options. It's not a super inviting walk, totally doable, but there are sections with no sidewalk and a very narrow shoulder. I wouldn't hesitate to walk to food with adults or older kids, but I'd avoid it with younger ones for that reason. I don't even know how many orders of fish tacos from Coconut's we consumed. A lot. So good.
The unit has an electronic deadbolt which was SO nice for checking in. And you never have to worry about locking yourself out. The owners ask you to set a 4 digit code that works during your stay so you don't even have to remember a random number. That was awesome. Also, the unit has AC, which isn't super common for condos in this age and price range. We really appreciated that to help make sleeping more comfortable.
For what our family needed this place could not have worked out better.
A couple critiques from our trip that don't have anything to do with the condo, but I'll add for context for future travelers.
We were dying to get out and take a trip. In May 2021 Hawaii is still very much observing every COVID restriction imaginable. Many restaurants still only offer carry out. Those that have dining options seemed primarily outdoors, and capacity is very limited. As a result, it's tough to get a reservation anywhere right now so plan ahead.
Don't leave without your masks. State and County mandates currently allow exceptions for exercising, swimming, and if you are "stationary" and 6 feet away from others while at the beach. That's pretty much it. You're suppose to wear it walking to/from your car from the condo, to/from the beach, walking on the sidewalk, shopping outdoors, etc, etc. So just be prepared for that. Obviously airports and airlines are tough, and it's a long day traveling for kids and adults to be masked the entire time crossing the pacific. Not to mention the covid testing protocols.
All that said, we had a really fun, memorable trip. We'll probably wait to return to Hawaii until they have COVID fully in the rear view mirror just due to those considerations. It's so awesome that we can safely travel now, but it's obviously not back to normal yet. Reports I saw estimated current traveler traffic to Maui at around 80% of normal for the time of year, so it's not deserted either.
If you choose to travel, I think you'll be happy with this location and unit. We certainly were.