# thinking of buying at Kahana Falls



## cdn_traveler (Jun 5, 2011)

My husband and I have fallen deeply in love with Hawaii,  but can't decide if we love Maui or Kauai more.  We spent two weeks in Maui this year, and next year will be two weeks on Kauai.  We already own EOY at KBV and was thinking of buying a unit on Maui to use the years that we are going to Maui.  After a little bit of research, it looks like Kahana Falls may be a good option for what I was looking for.  It seems to have high TPU's for certain weeks.  I'm thinking that this would be good for when we plan to exchange through RCI for the years that we are not able to use our week.   

I have a few questions and I'm hoping my fellow tuggers can help me out before I get ahead of myself and buy another timeshare.  We currently already own 4 and half deeds.  I know, I'm an admitted timeshare addict.   

Does Kahana Falls have any upcoming assessments and how is the management company?  Can you deposit the week that you reserve or does the management bulk bank a week for exchangers?  Am I out of my mind for even thinking of buying another timeshare?


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## teepeeca (Jun 5, 2011)

Sent you an e-mail.

Tony


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## Kona Lovers (Jun 5, 2011)

We've owned at Kahana Falls for a number of years, and always enjoy going there.  I was looking to switch things out and buy in Kihei, but the family prefers to stay at Kahana Falls and drive to anything in Kihei.  They like the feeling of less traffic and congestion.

Marty


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## cdn_traveler (Jun 5, 2011)

Yes, we love the location of Kahana Falls too.  But, I've come to my senses and realize that we shouldn't jump into buying another timeshare without more research.  

Thanks again Tony!


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## BocaBum99 (Jun 5, 2011)

Why Kahana Falls?  It's not even on the ocean side of the street while almost every other Maui resort in Lahaina is.

Are the maintenance fees lower than the average Maui resort?  Or, are you just going by the TPU?  TPU is fleeting and is probably not a good enough reason to buy.


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## cdn_traveler (Jun 5, 2011)

BocaBum99 said:


> Are the maintenance fees lower than the average Maui resort?  Or, are you just going by the TPU?  TPU is fleeting and is probably not a good enough reason to buy.



Yep, this was definitely one of the reasons initially in regards to Kahana Falls.  I am really surprised by the number of TPU's that certain weeks will get.    And with all the great sightings being posted recently,  I suffered from a bout of TPU enviitis and it clouded my judgment for sure.  With the tax uncertainty, high maintenance fees etc., I realize now that a Hawaiian timeshare is probably not a good idea to buy for exchange purposes.


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## sailingman22 (Jun 5, 2011)

Check out the Kahana Beach Resort which is also known as the Kahana Beach Vacation Club managed by Consolidated Resorts. All condos are oceanfront with studios & 1 bedroom unit. These are not ultra fancy but maintenance fees are low, nice sandy beach, and across the street from the Kahana Falls.

We own a studio unit but usually upgrade to a 1 bedroom for part of our visit and only pay the difference in maintence fees. Check out the floor layouts on the Consolidated Resorts website.


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## butlerx2 (Jun 7, 2011)

*Kahana Falls Reviews in RCI*

Be sure to check out the reviews in RCI on this resort - they are terrible.


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## Kona Lovers (Jun 7, 2011)

Too bad the reviews are terrible.  It's really a very nice place.  We were there just a year ago.  The staff is outstanding, the facilities are excellent, and the roosters don't bother you. 
Some don't seem to acknowledge that there are tastes in things other than theirs.  That's okay, too, everyone's entitled to their opinion.  It actually adds to the entertainment value reading where some people have to have certain conditions perfect for their vacation to be enjoyable, and woe if any little detail is out of whack.  Can't get the right view, can't get the right unit, can't get the right  (insert whatever).:hysterical: 

Marty


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## slip (Jun 7, 2011)

Marty,I agree, but to each his own. I see by the resorts you own we are very similar in our resort choices. When I final narrowed down my list of resorts I wanted to buy, it looked just like your list of resorts you own.


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## Kona Lovers (Jun 7, 2011)

slip said:


> Marty,I agree, but to each his own. I see by the resorts you own we are very similar in our resort choices. When I final narrowed down my list of resorts I wanted to buy, it looked just like your list of resorts you own.



LOL.  I hope no one took offense to what I said, just joking a little.  We've bought where the family likes to go all the time, and pretty much any trading we've done is for the kids when we've had extra weeks to bank.  We all have our favorites for sure, and probably have a bit of a desire to come to the defense of our favorites, and that's what makes TUG so great!

Marty


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## slip (Jun 8, 2011)

I agree!! That's one of the things I like most about TUG is reading what everyone likes and where they are going. Most of the time you can feel their excitement coming through the computer screen. It's kind of the way I feel when a trip to Hawaii gets closer. 
I'm usually never in a hurry for summer to be over but how long Till October?:hysterical:


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## mlpmd56 (Jun 8, 2011)

*Different strokes*

I agree that our differences make TUG interesting, and I am so grateful for all the good advice I have received here over the years.  Even though I own Marriott and Westin I don't really consider myself a "snob" as the tiny Maui Schooner is my all time favorite place to stay.  That being said, I was very unimpressed with Kahana Falls, and being across the street from the ocean was just the last nail in the coffin.  They did have a beautiful pool.  (Always try to say something nice!)  My husband and I rented there when we only owned at the Schooner and I was "shopping" for a second Hawaii timeshare.  So bottom line advice:  Check out wherever you are considering buying and stay for a few days before you sign up to own.  Good luck!  Marcy


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## Margariet (Jun 9, 2011)

butlerx2 said:


> Be sure to check out the reviews in RCI on this resort - they are terrible.



The reviews are indeed mostly very bad. No wonder why Kahaina Falls is widely available at RCI all of the time! I'm sorry but I would not consider going there because of the bad reveiws. I learned my lesson in Big Island with the Kona Billfisher, another very low valued resort, and not for nothing! Why would you buy into a resort like that? When it comes to timeshare it's not only what you like but also what others like. What will your tradevalue be?


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## MOXJO7282 (Jun 9, 2011)

mlpmd56 said:


> I agree that our differences make TUG interesting, and I am so grateful for all the good advice I have received here over the years.  Even though I own Marriott and Westin I don't really consider myself a "snob" as the tiny Maui Schooner is my all time favorite place to stay.  That being said, I was very unimpressed with Kahana Falls, and being across the street from the ocean was just the last nail in the coffin.  They did have a beautiful pool.  (Always try to say something nice!)  My husband and I rented there when we only owned at the Schooner and I was "shopping" for a second Hawaii timeshare.  So bottom line advice:  Check out wherever you are considering buying and stay for a few days before you sign up to own.  Good luck!  Marcy



When we first contemplated Maui we were at the Marriott and fell in love with the island. Thinking the Marriott was out of our price range we looked at most of the resorts in Kaanapali and surrounding areas.

Apparently before I was an official Marriott snob, I was one in mindset already because when we toured these other resorts, including the Kahana Falls, we realized althought the Marriott was way more expensive is was still the best value in our book (others will disagree of course) by far so we ended up buying there and have been happy we did ever since.

When we toured they showed us a few of the nice rooms but we walked around on our own we saw some rooms I wouldn't have my dog stay in. 

So to us its the consistency of Marriott product that compelled us to buy there even though price said otherwise, everything else said Marriott and very few things can be based on price alone.


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## BocaBum99 (Jun 9, 2011)

I have visited every timeshare resort on Maui.  I rate Kahana Falls in the bottom 10% of the resorts on the island.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2011)

Isn't this place like the Maui version of what Circus Circus is to Las Vegas?


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## Harmina (Jun 13, 2011)

*Kahana Falls*

We bought a one bedroom unit from the developer in 1994. We have never regretted our purchase. We have been back to our home resort many times even enduring the long flight from Toronto, which has always been worth it.
I believe the bad reviews are coming from those that end up in the hotel portion or in the Hale Kipa units. The Hale kipa were originally used to house the workers at the resort. After a few years the workers tired of living at the place where they were employed...so those units were converted to timeshare units.
However those units aren't of the same quality as the Aloha & Falls towers.
I personally think that they have done an amazing job maintaining the units in the condition that they are still in.
With the new trading point value from RCI, we are receiving 45 points for the hotel portion & 49 points for the studio portion = 94 points in total for a one bedroom lock off.  Trading our Kahana Falls has always got us to any resort in the system that we searched. If the resort is as bad as some on here are complaining about, I doubt very much that we would get 94 points for one week.


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## slip (Jun 13, 2011)

Most of the time, when I've talked to owners of resorts with bad reviews, I get
responses like Harmina's. There's either a old hotel portion or a portion of the 
resort, mostly the oldest units or worst views that are for exchangers, with the 
better units for the owners. It's one thing to keep in mind when you go through 
reviews. Exchangers often get the leftovers.
Sometimes the bad reviews also come from a rental from condo owners. Where the upkeep is not 
up to the timeshare owners standards. This is one reason why I love it 
when people writing a review put the unit number in the review. I can then find
out if it is a part of the timeshare association or at least by looking at the resort
map finding out where the unit is located.


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## Kona Lovers (Jun 14, 2011)

Harmina said:


> We bought a one bedroom unit from the developer in 1994. We have never regretted our purchase. We have been back to our home resort many times even enduring the long flight from Toronto, which has always been worth it.
> I believe the bad reviews are coming from those that end up in the hotel portion or in the Hale Kipa units. The Hale kipa were originally used to house the workers at the resort. After a few years the workers tired of living at the place where they were employed...so those units were converted to timeshare units.
> However those units aren't of the same quality as the Aloha & Falls towers.
> I personally think that they have done an amazing job maintaining the units in the condition that they are still in.
> With the new trading point value from RCI, we are receiving 45 points for the hotel portion & 49 points for the studio portion = 94 points in total for a one bedroom lock off.  Trading our Kahana Falls has always got us to any resort in the system that we searched. If the resort is as bad as some on here are complaining about, I doubt very much that we would get 94 points for one week.



Thank you.  I was about to post something about the Hale Kipa units vs the regular units, but you've presented it so well, I'll just second your post.


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