This the premiere penthouse in the Honua Kai Resort and closest to the beach. Walk through the impressive double doors and the condo exemplifies “luxury.” The private expansive deck encompasses a 180 cruise-ship view of Kaanapali, and no other units can peer in. Seriously stunning!
The condo impeccably designed like a high-end hotel, gorgeous sculptures, tasteful finishes, large gourmet kitchen, massive master suite with walk in closet and a large junior suite. Both the masters open onto the deck, and a guest room with its own bathroom. There’s also a sizable main bathroom and laundry room with new washer and dryer.
BEDS - Rating: A
One of the risks in booking an AirBnB is that you’re at the mercy of what the bed quality will be. These beds were comfortable and firm with new linens and generous pillow options.
BATHROOMS - Rating: A
Both well-appointed masters boast large glass enclosed showers with multiple sprayer options. The main master’s shower is designed for two people (or more) with dual shower heads and sprayers.
KITCHEN - Rating: A-
You’ll want for nothing in this chef’s kitchen which is stocked with every high-quality tool you can think of from cookware to placemats, cooking utensils and cutlery and even a Vitamix blender. If you plan on doing a lot of cooking here, you won’t need anything extra except the food. There were no condiments of any sort, most likely due to Covid protocols. The only negative was that the refrigerator never got quite cold enough. It was sufficiently safe for food items but beverages didn’t have that ice-cold crispness. They mention in the condo renter’s guide to not load all the food at once in order for it to cool properly. We didn’t have a lot to stock, so this was not the issue. The refrigerator simply does not cool efficiently.
LIVINGROOM – Rating B
A leather sectional couch wraps the entire living area in a semi-circle, but it felt awkward because the seating faces away from the view. Leather seems an odd upholstery choice for the tropics as it doesn’t breathe so can feel tacky in high humidity. The view from the sectional arm that faces toward the deck is blocked by the other end of the sectional. This area would be far more inviting if the seating was designed with a more Zen-like area amenable to the bright surroundings. Instead it feels like a dreary spot you don’t want to spend much time in…unless you’re big on watching TV on your vacation. As a result, our hangout options were pretty much the deck or the kitchen. Nevertheless, there’s a large flat screen and surround sound system for the condo.
DECK - Rating A-
It’s impossible to get a more expansive view than on this massive deck, replete with shiny steel Viking grill area. The seating, while plentiful, could be a little more comfortable – especially since the living room is not an inviting place. The deck’s sitting area is comprised of a standard rattan sectional couch with slim cushions, two large rattan dining tables and a huge intricately carved chaise with a very thin uncomfortable cushion. Because the deck is THE place you want spend most of your time, the cushion and couch quality could be improved to match the high standards in the rest of the condo. The deck dining area would be perfect for breakfast or dinner as you look out over the rolling waves of the Pacific (although there’s an inside dining room). But there’s no illumination of any kind over the tables on the deck. The only light is from a pair of wall sconces so if you plan on eating al-fresco remember to bring a portable light.
BLACKOUT CURTAINS - C+
If you’re like me and woken up by the slightest rays of light, this will be a big problem. Despite the fact that the curtains are black-out grade, the light bleeds out above and around them. There is no frame to block the light. Although this is a luxury bedroom and very comfortable bed, I never got a full night’s sleep because of the large light leaks. The windows are way too large for my usual techniques for dealing with offending light leaks in hotel rooms. I hate sleep masks, but if you have the same issues, they may be your only option.
RESORT – B+
The Honua Kai resort is kept up nicely. The courteous condo management is top-notch and provided by Maui Resorts Rental. The sandy beach is right in front of the condo. There are a number of small to medium-sized resort pools that are nice enough, but nothing to write home about. They’re mainly packed by families, which means screaming kids. If you’re looking to have a Zen stay, you’ll only get this at night after younger resort guests go to bed. There is a “quiet” pool for adults, but it’s extremely small, no jacuzzi, and a couple minute walk from the condo. If you want quiet relaxation, you might want to reconsider Kaanapali and think about staying in Wailea.
The famous Dukes restaurant is right on the premises, but during our stay it was booked solid. Take out was an option, but they were so busy they stopped offering it after 5PM. Get your reservations early.
PARKING: - A
There’s no fee for parking. Since the condo is all the way toward the water, you’ll find the subterranean garage to be a godsend in that you can park deep in the back area where an elevator will bring you up to a short hall to the condo. There is an outdoor parking lot, but you’ll have a LONG walk to your car.
AC/ELECTRICAL ISSUE: - F
Although the AC is a top-notch central air type system, the AC in the junior master suite never attained a very cool feel. The maintenance crew came out right away. When the problem wasn’t fixed, the professional, well-spoken manager sent another crew right away. They were unable to fix the problem because they discovered a leak in the AC line which could only be repaired AFTER our stay. There was also a problem with the power shutting off in the junior master suite via the breaker tripping. This was a nightmare for our guests using the suite, especially because one uses a CPAP and woke up gasping for air on multiple occasions until the breaker switch was turned back on. This issue was also unable to be remedied during our stay.
The kind Maui Resorts representative agreed that for such an expensive rental and expectations that accompany it, there should be recompense for our guests’ discomfort for their ENTIRE stay. But the higher-ups only granted an inexcusable and shameful 10% discount. I don’t know if the repairs took place, so I’d be wary of the cooling factor in the junior suite and guest room, AND the power going out via a tripping breaker switch. I hope these issues have been fixed for future guests.