Kihei/Wailea area versus Kaanapali area in Maui?

[love1999]

We've been to Maui twice but are going back for our 10th anniversary. We've only stayed in the Kaanapali area and haven't even made it down to the Kihei/Wailea area on our previous trips. We are thinking about maybe staying down that way this time to try something new but wonder how it compares to the Kaanapali area. Especially since many of the hotels down that way are more expensive than in Kaanapali.  Is it worth the extra money?  Which area do you like better?

[thejen626]

redredwine

[ESF]

I didn't stay in Wailea but went down there for an afternoon to check it out and have drinks.

My one afternoon impression is that Wailea is great if your primary interest is laying by a pool all week. Personally, I hated it because I hate laying by pools so much. I did not see much in terms of free standing restaurants and shops, though admittedly my visit was brief. I thought the hotel pool areas were way too crowded but the rest of it just seemed sleepy and suburban to me. It was not my thing.

When I go back, we will stay in the same place -- Lahaina Shores Beach Resort. I loved that it was within walking distance of downtown. Grounds are no-luxury so it may not be most people's thing.

[magdala]

We stayed at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea and loved it. We booked several excursions through the hotel and got fantastic service and decent deals on prices. They had this wonderful breakfast buffet that was part of our hotel package...still miss POG and lomi-lomi.

[Deleted]

I stayed at the Grand Wailea and just loved it. There was a nice shopping area we could walk to. The pools at the hotel were amazing. It was a lot more expensive. We didn't stay in a hotel in the Kaanapali area, but we did drive over that way for other actives.

[spunkarella]

I only have experience with Wailea so it's hard to make a comparison, but I loved where we stayed. It was very quiet and relaxing. I loved spending mornings on the walking trail that ran between the main hotels and beaches.

We did get out a fair amount and a rental car was an absolute must for us.

We stayed in a condo at Outrigger Palms Wailea. I wouldn't call it luxury, but it was very nice.

[v]

I see Wailea as a place where you stay because you want to stay at one of the resorts in Wailea. We did that, and were very happy with our choice. We had no problem seeing other parts of the island. But as far as I can tell there isn't much going on in Wailea proper except for the resorts.

I think it is more expensive generally because that's where the fancier hotels tend to be?

If you want to stay in a town and interact with locals, Wailea is not the ideal area to stay in.

[mainelyfoolish]

We went three years ago and stayed at a condo in Kihei because it was right on the ocean and it was a lot cheaper than staying in a big resort. It was perfect for us, but we aren't the kind of people who sit around a pool or use spa services; we spend most of our vacation time away from our hotel room exploring the area.

[jade]

MIL lives in Kihei so we stayed there last time we went. It is a good jumping off point for exploring the island, since it is more in the center of everything than kaanapali. The beaches are nice too. Kihei also has a more "local" feel to it than Wailea since it is actually where a lot of locals live.

[redredwine]

I've only been to Wailea once, but to the west side (Kaanapali/Lahaina/Kapalua) about 15-20 times, so it's easy to say I'm a fan of the west side! My family and I love it because there's lots to do around Lahaina and Kaanapali/Whalers Village, but we have a timeshare just up about 5-10 north in Kahana where it's much quieter and it's also close to some beautiful beaches in Kapalua and Napili.