Kahana Beach Resort — Hotel in Maui

The Kahana Beach Resort has probably the best views of any place on the entire Island. Five out of seven of the units on each floor are completely Oceanfront. One of them is on the corner and the other one has a side view but can still see the water.

The units are unbelievably spacious for studios, and the kitchen has everything that you could possibly need and then some!

I was on the second floor, ocean front, but, unfortunately, did not have a lot of hot water in the kitchen. I had the maintenance crew down 4 times to try to figure out why it took 5+ full minutes of running the shower to get hot water.  What a waste of natural resources! The bathroom sink had instant hot water but also had no cold water!! The kitchen sink never got any hot water in the 13 days I was there. I washed with cold, which wasn't quite ideal during Covid. Everytime a maintenance person came, they'd also try to run the water for an egregious amount of time, once again wasting more water.

They were clearly having some plumbing issues.

Additionally, this hotel boasts central air conditioning, which very few of the old hotels in the area, or in all of Maui, feature. However, the air conditioning does not fully cut the humidity in the room. One would think that central air would have a more powerful effect than a wall unit, but it did not. My hair is curly, so even though I would straighten it before bed, I would wake up with it curly and frizzy again! My banana chips went soggy. That tells me the air conditioning was not operating at full capacity. They have some sign on the wall that explains the air conditioning, but it did not seem to help.

They had the hot tub on, but no one really used it. The max temperature that it can go up to is 99°, but I could not raise it past 94 the night I tried. It made for a very chilly March evening dip! It was basically a waste of energy to even keep it on, as no one was really using it. They should either just upgrade to a better hot tub system or remove the hot tub all together. No one used the pool the entire 2 weeks I was there during busy season. The pool is not heated and I do not believe receives enough sunlight to make it warm.

The staff is unbelievably kind and compassionate and goes above and beyond. Kudos to all.

However, I think the fundamental issues of this hotel go above and beyond the staff. They need to invest and make some significant mechanical improvements all around. Right now, they are draining resources.

Once again, the views cannot be beat and you can swim in the ocean in front of it. Take good with the bad and watch...

I give the place 5 stars for being right on the beach. I know of no other resorts that have a lanai for the ocean view rooms that have a view that you can see the sunsets into the horizon. My wife & I have been to the resort a number of time and will be back in July. The rooms very (THIS Review has been updated and the studio rooms have been renovated & there are no more murphy beds along with a new whirlpool A+) and and the studio’s are efficient with a kitchenette & a pull down bed. Some units have a Mountain View and or a partial ocean. Some are right on the ocean so be aware of the room you are purchasing. The 1 bedrooms are great and are situated on the corner of the building and are very comfortable with 2 lanais & a full kitchen. You can hear the sound of the waves along with a nice breeze from the “oceanfront” rooms. This resort is more of a condo so don’t expect someone to carry your bags to your room. If you arrive late you will have no one at the front desk so you will have to call the “Sands” next door by to get your keys. The studios are good because they are reasonable priced and if you are out most of the day, why pay big money to not be in the room? All units have AC which is critical on hot days so that is a bullet point for me because so my places don’t have AC so beware if you don’t like hot temperatures. There is a beach right in front of the resort along with chair to relax, a whirlpool right on the beachfront , a cold swimming pool and a barbecue area with table to sit. The place is private compared to a full scale resort which is nice if you don’t want to be crowded. Beautiful beaches are all around so if you are in the know then don’t limit yourself to the hotel’s beach. It’s fine for a day or two or a relaxing short dip or snorkel. Next door is the “Sands” hotel where you can grab a great breakfast or a drink at a nice bar. The rooms are cleaned mid week and there are washing machine and dryers on certain floors. I prefer a high floor because of the magnificent views of Lani & Maliki in the near distance. To me everything is close. Front Street, Blackrock & top notch diving, golf and restaurants right in the area. Food shopping is easy so the kitchen is nice to have in so many ways. When it comes to price, I find great value in staying there. Also, you can see plenty of whales breaching the ocean during whale season along with turtles...

Recently remodeled, we liked the Kahana Beach Resort better than the Hyatt Regency which is still under construction as of our stay in October 2024. All rooms of this ocean front property allow you to see and hear the waves. The 02 and 01 studio stacks, where we stayed, are about 400 ft from another condo/hotel, but we didn't feel like we were in a fishbowl. We loved hearing the rustling palms where the garden meets the shoreline. From our shady covered lanai we saw manta rays and turtles. The other rooms with afternoon sun have the beautiful sunset. In 60 seconds you'll be on the golden beach from the pool/spa/BBQ area or the side entrance. There's a little kitchen that includes a two-burner range, toaster, and blender. We enjoyed the dining table and sofa. The central AC with individual thermostat means that there’s no hum or equipment to infringe on the soundscape of paradise. The pool deck has free covered chaises. There are also shady spots at the beach. Maui currents tend to be strong. This beach is good for kids swimming although I'd suggest floatation (noodles, tubes). I have tender feet, but didn't need my water shoes. The whole hotel front Napili-Honokowai beach is a ten minute walk, but overall it's lovely. It's a quick walk to good casual eating and convenience stores. My husband and I balked at the full mattress since we are accustomed to a Cal King, but it worked out okay. As Kapuna we used the free Maui bus for quick trips to a food truck park and Whaler's Village, etc. The Village has lots to offer and is a great starting point to the delights of Kaanapali Beach. The hotel has free parking and no resort fee. Do be sure to check the potential housekeeping fees for shorter stays. There are several sister properties nearby including the Kahana Sands with a hospitality suite for those awaiting a room before or after your stay. Finally, a shout out to Mark at Island Activities and the ladies at the front desk who filled our...