From the moment we pulled into the Kapalua Bay Villas, we knew this stay was going to be special. The beauty of the property is unparalleled. The entry feels very posh (you pull into the Montage Resort to access the Bay Villas private gates). Kate provided us with everything we needed for a smooth check-in. She even helped us coordinate with Maui Baby Rentals for drop-off of a wagon and toddler bed. The condo has ample parking, we never had a problem finding a very close spot to park. A staircase leads you down to the condo's front door and a shaded entry with tropical landscaping, which we found to be a very private and convenient place to leave our shoes during our stay. The unit is bright and extremely spacious, it was such a great fit for our family. (Mom, Dad, 3 kids - 8, 5 and 3 yrs old). The large sectional sofa features a pull-out bed with the most comfortable mattress. Indoor and outdoor dining areas, kitchen stocked with all the items we needed and more (she even had Zip Lock storage bags!), stackable laundry, 2 huge televisions which made afternoon breaks from the sun enjoyable for our little ones, beautiful furnishings throughout especially in the master bedroom. We especially enjoyed the art on the walls featuring the beautiful Kapalua Bay, Napili Bay and Ironwoods. The outdoor space features a large patio with 2 dining tables, lawn chairs, and all the fun beach toys my kids could dream of! We were impressed that Kate provided both a soft travel cooler and a larger cooler for day trips to neighboring beaches. Her beach umbrella, beach chairs and huge beach towels were awesome. Our kids spent hours running in the massive grass lawn that is right out the back door. Kate even had bocce ball and a soccer ball with orange cones for a quick game of soccer.
Our morning ritual was walking to Gazebo for breakfast. We would leave at 6am and walk along the Kapalua Beach Trail in front of the Montage as the sun was coming up over Maui. Walk through the tunnel at Merriman's and cut through the Napili Kai Resort to easily access Napili Bay. Take off your shoes and walk across the white sand on Napili Bay to arrive at breakfast. Gazebo is hands-down the best breakfast on the island. Heads up, the line is LONG. Arrive 1 hour before they open for first seating. We visited in March, prime whale watching season, so we enjoyed counting the whales as we waited for breakfast. Definitely take advantage of the world-class snorkeling just steps from Kate's condo! We swam with turtles multiple times at beautiful Kapalua Bay (this beach is a 5 minute walk from the condo). My husband says this was the highlight of his trip. So many beautiful tropical fish! There is a Snorkel Bob's rental place located next door to Napili Market (a great local market located 5 mins from the condo). For around $75 our family was outfitted with snorkel gear for the whole week. Worth it! We loved the pools at Kapalua Bay Villas. There is a pool above the ocean, but we used the one across the parking lot from the front door. It has a peekaboo view of the ocean. Most times we were the only family using the pool and had it all to ourselves.
We have stayed in Wailea, Kaanapali and now Kapalua and we all agree this is the best part of the island. It feels like you're in a more exclusive part of the island, way less tourists. You won't be struggling to find a spot on the beach here. Kapalua is sort of the "end of the road", which gives it that sleepy hidden-gem feeling on Maui. Technically, the road does continue to spots like Slaughterhouse, Honolua Bay and Nakalele Blowhole, but there aren't any other major resorts past Kapalua, so unless you are staying in a condo or at the Ritz or Montage, you're probably not passing through. That's what makes this area so awesome in our opinion. Our kids LOVED exploring Dragons Teeth and we enjoyed a fun beachfront experience at Burger Shack on DT Fleming Beach (operated by the Ritz). The only times we left beautiful Kapalua was to catch a snorkel boat out of Maalaea Harbor (now we agreed it was completely unnecessary because snorkeling the beach out of our front door was WAY better than Molokini Crater) and we also did a day trip to Mama's Fish House (best food on the island - book WAY in advance). We definitely considered ourselves a resort family before this trip. I thought my kids needed waterslides, etc. Boy, were we wrong! Condo stays are where it's at with little kids. I loved the ease of making our own food, being able to do laundry and just feeling like we had space to stretch out instead of a cramped hotel room. My kids kept asking if we could move in to Kate's place. Haha. We would rebook with her in a heartbeat!
Thanks Kate!!!