Makai Sunset Inn — Hotel in Maui

The Lahaina Ocean's Edge is a great option for someone who loves the sight and sound of breaking waves and doesn't love the noisy, cramped experience at a typical hotel. This small complex has 16 rooms(if I remember correctly) in a U-shape two-story building on oceanfront property. The 4 rooms closest to the ocean are roughly... 5 feet from the seawall (edge of the ocean)--about as close to the waves as you would sit on a beach. All the rooms have a close view of the ocean (albeit at somewhat of a side angle). Depending on the room, you can see either Lana'I or Moloka'I (neighboring islands) in the distance. The waves begin to break about 40 feet offshore and repeatedly break all the way in, creating a highly audible and constant background soundtrack of crashing waves that is easily heard from your room if a window is open. And you will definitely have at least two windows open at all times to encourage cross ventilation to cool your room--there's no air conditioning. With the windows open and fans on, you should be comfortable, though. No kids are allowed at this hotel. Typical guests seem to be 40+ singles or couples looking for a quieter alternative to the big Ka'anapali hotels. Our room was clean, fairly spacious, and comfortable. I especially appreciated the quality and freshness of the bathroom linens, inclising the beach towels. All rooms are suites, with a separate bedroom, and a living/dining area plus kitchen. The building is older, but the rooms have been renovated to a basic level. The fridge is full size--great if you're planning a long stay--but we did have a hard time getting the oven burners to light. Location - Great! There are a couple popular waterfront restaurants in walking distance, as well as a grocery store, drug store, and shops (Lahaina Cannery Mall). Additional dining and shopping in Lahaina (including Front Street and the Outlets of Mauo) are probably best accessed by bike or car. On-site parking is included in the room rate, but the narrow access could be stressful for those who have difficulty parking between other cars. The manager Laura is helpful with tips and recommendations, and she is great at communicating about your stay--she's definitely a pro. I picked Lahaina's Ocean Edge for our trip to Maui because I wanted to stay in Lahaina but didn't want an individually owned condo or vacation rental. We enjoyed the waves sounds, views, and convenient access to both Lahaina and Ka'anapali. We ended up spending most of our time out of the hotel because the arrangement of rooms and lack of window coverings didn't give us a feeling of privacy--might as well be on the actual beach, is what we decided. If you don't mind greeting/ignoring the occasional guest who walks by, then it won't be an...

So far we are on day three of day here at Lahaina Ocean's Edge and we are thoroughly impressed. (1) Quiet, peaceful, private. This property is tucked in on Front street in Lahaina and the ocean literally comes straight to the sea wall of the property. Day and night you can hear the ocean waves crashing. This makes it very peaceful and private. The property has I think about 10 total rooms in a -U-shaped building facing the oceans, two levels. Two rooms on each side of the building - one on the ground floor and one on the second floor - directly face the ocean and have a private lanai. Two rooms - one on the ground floor and one on the second floor - are in the middle of the "U" and look like the largest of the rooms, or at least have the largest private lanai. All of the other rooms are on the arms of the "U" and can see the ocean easily, the only real difference is that there is no private lanai. We are in one that does not have a private lanai and we enjoy it very much. The grounds are an open grass lawn with four chairs facing the ocean for anyone to use. The office is located on the second floor. Parking is not easy, but it is private and dedicated to the property. When we arrived late on the first night there were no spots available. This worried me because I was not familiar with the area and it was dark. I parked what appeared to be an illegal spot just temporarily until I could unpack and figure out what to do. I read the "rule book" and it said if this happens then call the specific number from the house phone at the office. Although exhausted, I did just that and Laura answered and we worked it out. The rooms are like a studio apartment. There is a/c, hot water is not always available, but it's not cold. Other nights so far there was plenty of hot water. The Safeway Grocery store and other amenities including bars and restaurants are literally minutes walking distance away.

I'll update this review if necessary, but so far we are very happy with this location. To close it out, it is very private and kid-free. If you want...

Out of the three different places we stayed at, during our Maui vacation, Makai Sunset Inn was unquestionably our favourite for many reasons. At an affordable price point, we got a neat and clean 1 bedroom apartment with attached bathroom, a kitchen, living and dining room. But what makes this an unbeatable stay is the views outside. The ocean is mere feet away from your room that the sound of the waves is clearly audible from anywhere in the apartment. Please note that there's no beach access. But the premises are so gorgeous and this Inn has multiple nice outdoor seating areas that are perfect for watching sunsets. We initially had plans to go to other popular tourist spots to catch sunsets but this was so beautiful that we didn't want to leave. I, who am not a morning person, woke up every morning we stayed here to watch the sunrise that lights up the neighboring island, Lanai. The abundant sealife in these waters were an additional plus. Without costing an extra penny, you can watch sea turtles, fish and other wild dolphin like creatures throughout the day. Makai sunset Inn also have rooms that come with private balconies from where you have unobstructed views of the sea. The location is also super convenient and in walking distance of many popular restaurants. This Inn also provides beach equipment from beach chairs and umbrellas to boogie boards and pool noodles, free for use. Laura, the office manager was very attentive, made our check-in and checkout a breeze, made sure everyone had fresh laundered beach towels for use at all times and also gave us great tips for touring Lahaina. We had one parking slot within the gates of the inn. We won't be looking for another place to stay for our next...