Best resort in Lahaina Maui

[easyrider]

What is the nicest resort in Lahaina that will trade with rci ?

 

[DeniseM]

Actually, there are no resorts IN Lahaina, but many have a Lahaina address, including all of the Ka'anapali Beach area. If you want to be near Lahaina, then Ka'anapali Beach is where you want to look.

 

[easyrider]

Thanks Denise

Which resort would you pick ? I can go to Valley Isle with out trading.

 

[DeniseM]

I haven't been there, but it's a mile or 2 above Ka'anapali Beach. It looks like every unit has an ocean view and you can't beat that. That ares is more residential, but it's certainly not bad.

Valley Isle Website

TUG reviews

 

[Dean]

I don't know the other resort well enough to compare but Papakea is fairly nice as is Sand of Kahana. And Valley Isle is good too and given you can reserve directly, that would be my first choice. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[alanraycole]

Among RCI affiliates, in my opinion, there is one in a league of its own...

Ka'anapali Beach Club (#4985)

Good luck on ever finding availability! If you do, let me know. I have had a request on it for the last two January's and for the next two January's (yes, January is the only month I travel to Hawaii... but I stay almost the whole month and no, I haven't had any success in staying there).

 

[winger]

Ka'anapali Beach Club (#4985)

... .

What is "#4985" ? Also, how does this resort compart to the Westin or Marriott's Maui Ocean Club?

 

[rickandcindy23]

It's a beautiful resort with mostly one bedroom units. We toured it and thought it was fabulous. I would imagine any exchange will be island view, and I see those views for sale all the time for under $8K for an annual week. I wouldn't wait for an exchange if I wanted to stay there, I would buy it!

Then I would rent it those years I cannot use it, as we do with all of our Hawaii weeks.

 

[DeniseM]

Also, how does this resort compart to the Westin or Marriott's Maui Ocean Club?

I think these rankings are pretty fair:

TUG REVIEWS/RATINGS:

Westin Ka'anapali - rated 9.35 (ranked 2nd on Maui)

Marriott's Maui Ocean Club - rated 9.03 (ranked 3rd on Maui)

Ka'anapali Beach Club - rated 8.4 (ranked 6th on Maui) (This is the former Embassy)

High Country Club was ranked #1 on Maui at 9.5, but it only has 1 review and it's not an option for most of us lowly TS owners.

 

[Hoc]

I would probably put the Kaanapali Beach Club at the top of that list. But otherwise, I'd agree that the rankings of the other two are accurate.

 

[travelguy]

High Country Club Maui Review

High Country Club was ranked #1 on Maui at 9.5, but it only has 1 review and it's not an option for most of us lowly TS owners.

Hey! I wrote that review and I'm a lowly TS owner too!

The High Country Club Wailea property is much better than even the Ritz-Carlton property in north Maui. FWIW - The HCC Maui week cost me about the same or less than a TS week at the three resorts mentioned, but that's another story.

Having said that, I would stay at any of these other three resorts in a second! I believe it's an issue of what's available, not which is better.

 

[DeniseM]

Hey! I wrote that review and I'm a lowly TS owner too!

Hi Doug - You wrote an excellent review, but that property isn't available to regular TS owners is it?

 

[winger]

I would probably put the Kaanapali Beach Club at the top of that list. But otherwise, I'd agree that the rankings of the other two are accurate.

HOC I am a little confused (maybe b/c it's Sunday and I am low on sleep) How can you but KBC on top of that list but you think the rankings of the other two (Marriott and Westin) are correct (they are #2 and #3 whereas KBC is #6) ?

 

[Dean]

HOC I am a little confused (maybe b/c it's Sunday and I am low on sleep) How can you but KBC on top of that list but you think the rankings of the other two (Marriott and Westin) are correct (they are #2 and #3 whereas KBC is #6) ?

I suspect because this was a question of the best RCI options and those are II only. I simply omitted it forgetting it was dually affiliated. I too would put it at the top of the II list.

 

[winger]

thanks. I am asking about KBC because it is on my potential lists to request for. the other resort is the marriott ocean club. I too am trying for a 2009 summer week at maui, except I am looking for two consecutive maui weeks, not island hoppin like dear 'sister' potchak !
I am not considering westin as I heard its difficult to trade into and iam an mci owner which leads me to the marriott.

I suspect because this was a question of the best RCI options and those are II only. I simply omitted it forgetting it was dually affiliated. I too would put it at the top of the II list.

 

[alanraycole]

The number is its RCI reference number.

What is "#4985" ? Also, how does this resort compart to the Westin or Marriott's Maui Ocean Club?

I am certainly not saying that the Kaanapali Beach Club is in a league above the Westin or Marriott. But neither of those are RCI affiliates... a part of the original post. Among the options in RCI, nevertheless, I don't think any others come close. Rumors and claims by Hilton sales people continue flying around about Hilton coming to Maui. I didn't have much faith in that until Hilton bought the Grand Wailea. After the purchase, I forsee HGVC somewhere on the grounds of the Grand Wailea... then it will be in an even higher league than the Kaanapali Beach Club, the Marriott, and the Westin. Especially, if the habit of Hilton timeshare guests having usage rights to the neighboring Hilton Hotels resort facilities

 

[DeniseM]

Sorry for the confusion - I wasn't saying that the Westin and Marriott are with RCI, I was answering this question:

Also, how does this resort compare to the Westin or Marriott's Maui Ocean Club?

 

[Dean]

thanks. I am asking about KBC because it is on my potential lists to request for. the other resort is the marriott ocean club. I too am trying for a 2009 summer week at maui, except I am looking for two consecutive maui weeks, not island hoppin like dear 'sister' potchak !
I am not considering westin as I heard its difficult to trade into and iam an mci owner which leads me to the marriott.

In a few weeks we will have stayed at all those choices. KBC is a nice resort though with a little odd set up. Mostly 1 BR units as well with fewer 2 BR. I'd put the Westin as #1 and Marriott #2.

 

[Hoc]

HOC I am a little confused (maybe b/c it's Sunday and I am low on sleep) How can you but KBC on top of that list but you think the rankings of the other two (Marriott and Westin) are correct (they are #2 and #3 whereas KBC is #6) ?

So far, given the resorts where I have stayed and toured, I would rank KBC as #1, with Westin as #2 and Marriott as #3.

 

[winger]

So far, given the resorts where I have stayed and toured, I would rank KBC as #1, with Westin as #2 and Marriott as #3.

HOC now this is a bold statement! I hope I have luck to be able to stay in both the Marriott and KBC 2009 so I can see first hand

Would you mind elaborating, maybe giving three things/areas which KBC does better than than the other two?

 

[Dean]

So far, given the resorts where I have stayed and toured, I would rank KBC as #1, with Westin as #2 and Marriott as #3.

This is interesting as when I stayed at KBC, then the Embassy back in 2002 I thought it was about as low as I would want to go. Nice but nothing special.

 

[Hoc]

Would you mind elaborating, maybe giving three things/areas which KBC does better than than the other two?

Seven things come to mind right away, but there are more:

1. KBC offers daily tidy service and a mid-week full maid cleaning, the others do not;

2. KBC offers a free daily buffet breakfast for everyone in the room at a reasonable charge, the others do not;

3. The pool has a deep end, the others' pools do not;

4. There is a beach in front of the resort year round, the others have a beach only during some parts of the year;

5. The beds at the Westin were the most comfortable and upscale, but the KBC's beds are miles ahead of the ones at the Marriott;

6. The balconies were large enough to enjoy -- you could sit on them and watch the ocean, while the balconies at the Westin were so small you could barely stand on them. The balconies at the Marriott were comparable to the ones at the KBC;

7. You can always find space around the pool, and the staff is good about enforcing the "no reserving the chairs all day by putting a towel on it" rule. At the Westin and Marriott, you can virtually never find a chair around the pool that is not reserved all day with a towel that is never used, and the staff will not clear the chairs.

Edit: In addition, KBC has close and convenient markets and non-resort restaurants. So close, in fact, that you could walk or get there within 2-3 minutes by car. The other two both are a trek to the Safeway at the cannery mall or the Star Market next to the KBC, and decent and reasonable restaurants are not as close. KBC also has free shuttle service to and from the Kapalua airport. The others do not.

 

[Hoc]

This is interesting as when I stayed at KBC, then the Embassy back in 2002 I thought it was about as low as I would want to go. Nice but nothing special.

I felt that way about both the Embassy and the Westin. The Marriott was below my standards.

 

[saluki]

Hi Doug - You wrote an excellent review, but that property isn't available to regular TS owners is it?

I'm not Doug, but can tell you that the High Country Club property can not be traded into. HCC is a members-only destination club with pricing similar to an upper-end timeshare.

 

[djyamyam]

Ka'anapali Beach Club (#4985)

Good luck on ever finding availability! If you do, let me know. I have had a request on it for the last two January's and for the next two January's (yes, January is the only month I travel to Hawaii... but I stay almost the whole month and no, I haven't had any success in staying there).

There were two early January units that showed up on RCI early Saturday morning that were available last minute. I booked another week (we were scheduled to be there already) with a bonus week.

We'll be there as of Friday and will take some pictures and and report back to the group