We greatly enjoyed our stay in south Kihei. The area was not super crowded, and the super short distance to the beach was spectacular. Walking up to Kihei, with more restaurants and such, took about 20 minutes and we managed well without a car. For evening outings we also explored Wailea, just a few minutes drive away (we used taxis/uber). We could spot whales from the patio, which felt magical. Wholeheartedly recommend this for a relaxing stay on Maui.