Kohea Kai Hotel Maui — Hotel in Maui

Edited to add: assistance from Kohea Kai wasn't insufficient as they say, it was non-existent! Phone lines and internet were working just fine, they didn't notify Chase, did not call them to ask for our information if they didn't have it (which is still so weird how you wouldn't have any information of your guests?). They didn't even try to notify us knowing we were on our way, simply because they do not care.

THIS PLACE IS A JOKE! I would give it zero stars if I could. We booked our 6 night stay in this hotel for our trip to Maui through our Chance Bank travel portal. We traveled all the way from Central Florida, a total of 11 hours flight with a toddler!, we got very little sleep the night before as our plan left early, were jet lagged big time and exhausted from all the travel, came from the airport so ready to get some food and much needed rest just to be told when we arrived for check in that our reservation had been CANCELLED without any notice! No call, no text, no voice mail, no email notifying us that our entire stay had been canceled. We arrived there by 5pm extremely exhausted with a 1 year old, me being pregnant and had NO PLACE FOR US TO STAY. We were literally calling Chase to get this sorted out sitting on the hotel curb. Ladies in the front desk told us that they didn’t have our contact information to notify us of the cancellation. How come in 2025 you don’t have your guest phone number or even an email? That is beyond me and it just screams BAD BUSINESS. They said they got recent heavy rains and had some water damage and half of their people didn’t show up for work. They were still open and there were guests coming and going with their beach towels while we were stuck on the phone with Chase, sitting on the curb pregnant with a baby. We received absolutely no help from Kohea Kai. They simply said a refund was being issued and good luck. This conduct is profoundly wrong and unprofessional in so many levels. Chase did not have this information that they had cancelled on us and helped us figure out another place to go to save our vacation. Chase also said they are opening an investigation on what happened because this is unacceptable, makes Chase look bad and that they do not wish to partner up with a business that treats their clients like this. We spent a fair amount of money on airplane tickets, pet sitter, Uber, car rental, and although Chase will reimburse us for the cost of the new hotel in expedite, we still had to pay for it and are now waiting for the reimbursement. I can’t imagine if you are trying to travel on a budget. Chase also did all the leg work of calling the new hotel ahead of time to make our reservation and saved our vacation, but not before 2+ hours on the phone with them. My daughter had to eat potato chips for dinner because of how long it took us on the phone before we could get some dinner. This hurts my mama heart so much. I can’t imagine how a guest would get this sorted out on a Friday night had them booked through those travel websites. Thankfully Chase was there for us when this hotel failed us big time. We ended up staying at Maui Coast Hotel and sincerely it felt like an upgrade from Kohea Kai for the same price. We had a smooth and uneventful stay. We were so happy to come to Hawaii to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. She was born with a rare genetic condition that raises her risks of developing certain types of childhood cancer and has to go through tests and scans quite often on her little life, and every birthday is such a celebration for us. Those people almost ruined it all. Save yourselves the hassle and DO NOT TRUST YOUR VACATION OR HONEYMOON TO THIS PLACE. You might not even have a place to sleep when you arrive in the other side of the world. I would not even trust a free stay in this place. This is Hawaii, no one travels across the world to figure out stay upon arrival. We need reliable stay and this place is definitely not it. Not letting your guests know of a cancellation due to lack of contact number or email sounds like a ridiculous excuse....

This was one of, if not the cheapest option in this area. You get what you pay for. While it served its purpose of being a roof and four walls, I've stayed in nicer tents. I don't want to sound too negative, I didn't hate this hotel; but it absolutely WAS NOT a luxurious, comfortable, resort experience. The staff at checkin were friendly and helpful and there were snacks and coffee in the lobby/hallway. Parking is conveniently located to rooms, although very tight, particularly with the horrible parking jobs most tourists seem to specialize in. Upon arrival, our room was chilled to about 60 degrees... after turning it up to a more reasonable 76, we quickly found out why. For some reason, the bedroom was ridiculously humid, to the point that our clothes and suitcase began to feel soggy, and paper started to lose its "paperness". We ended up keeping everything in the living area which was less humid so it could dry out. It was very weird because outside was perfectly comfortable and dry, yet the bedroom was moister than a tropical rainforest in a monsoon. The bathroom was the most worn out part of the room. The shower had mediocre pressure and the temperature control was wacky (off, cold, warm, off, cold, hot, warm, cold). But the toiletries they provided were nice! The toilet kept running and the sink didn’t have an aerator so it sprayed everywhere. Could I have complained about the bedroom humidity and the bathroom to staff while there? Sure, but I’m not wasting precious vacation time arguing and stressing about things I can survive. We were literally just here for a place to store my stuff and sleep while we spent our time outside.

The living space was fine, definitely the nicer part of the room, though sparsely furnished. I guess it leaves room for the sofa bed to unfold, but doesn’t leave many places to sit comfortably. The kitchen was clean and functional, but minimally equipped. You could cook some quick meals (pasta, rice & beans, maybe pancakes & eggs), but don’t expect to make anything fancy, there just weren’t the tools (mixing bowls, multiple pans, etc.) needed. The small patio area let right out onto the pool deck, which was well maintained and clean. My wife says the pool and hot tub were nice, but later found out you’re supposed to reserve the hot tub, though it wasn’t posted anywhere or told to us. They offered beach towels and chairs at the front desk for use on the nearby beach. It isn’t the nicest beach, but it’s functional and it’s a moderate walk/short drive to many nicer beaches nearby. I liked this location, it was quieter than the main districts of Kihei or Wailea while still being very close to the food and nice beaches. And it’s just a short hop to the excellent Sugar Beach Bake Shop and back to the main roads to get anywhere else on the island.

Overall, this hotel is a cheap option for those who just want as close to an affordable place to stay as you can find on Maui without worrying about it being a unique, special, or comfortable experience. We got what we needed, though even as the cheapest place we could find, it still wasn’t a steal. I’d stay here again if I had to, but next time we’ll probably look for something slightly more updated but...

A million Mahalos to Carol!

Kohea Kai is not luxury, but it doesn’t claim to be and it shouldn’t. Kohea Kai is the Maui vibes I love, and why I chose it over other options. My family lived in Kihei for 14 years, mere blocks away, and this is the Maui experience I love and live for. Located DIRECTLY across from the beach on a quieter strip of S Kihei road, Kohea Kai was perfect for my girls trip with my sister. An older, lived in resort, with modern upgrades and coming off a fresh remodel, they were working as we were there but the hours were totally reasonable. We were treated warmly by Carol who informed us roofers were working and she was SO accommodating, informative, and helpful - she put the biggest smile on our face and was a highlight of our trip. The roofers working (Nov 23) were of NO issue BTW, they worked daytime hours while we were gone exploring the island, anyways. The pool is small but tidy, the grounds are well kept and clean. The hot tub was great, would fit 8 adults but we never ran into more than 2-3 at any given time. We liked that we could lounge by the pool until 10, sipping a seltzer and enjoying the warm breeze. There was also a nice lighted seating area just beyond the pool. The sunset from our deck (321) was incredible. My favorite beach (Kalepolepo) is within walking distance or a very short drive, which made mornings at the beach that much more accessible and easy. The only thing I would add to the room is a full length mirror outside of the bathroom for getting ready, and maybe a table with two chairs. Otherwise, the newly renovated room had a beautiful bathroom, mini kitchen, a sink and mini fridge, microwave, and wine opener. What more do you need on a girls weekend? Comfy Tommy Bahama chairs, umbrellas, and coolers (with an ice machine) were provided as well as beach towels so we needed nothing other than our swimsuits and ourselves. There were AM snacks and PM snacks, AM snacks and coffee were great as we left in the morning and the PM snacks we enjoyed by the pool or in our room! Carol even texted to confirm that housekeeping times were ok for us, and the entire staff (shoutout to Loa!) have been a delight. Parking was easy and safe. The bed and bedding were great. I’m used to “critters” in the area, (it’s HAWAII), but we didn’t catch any unwelcome guests (pests) in the room. I don’t mind them, but some people might - know that you’re safe here! This sweet little resort provided everything we needed and we were a little sad to leave to spend the last few days of our trip in a different part of the island. If you’re a snob? This isn’t your spot. If you’re here to experience a touch of nostalgic Maui while still enjoying the luxuries of a remodeled space, you’ll...