Makai Club condos

[fairfaxgirl]

Makai Club condos are showing up for me for an RCI exchange. I am doing the "russian roulette" last minute exchange thing for a week in early May. How good/bad is Makai Club condos (not the cottages)? I'm on a strict budget, so cancelling later and paying another exchange fee is not really an option. Should I grab it or hold out for a Pahio Resort or the Cliffs CLub? I know that more exchanges usually show up 14 days out, but I don't want to end up with nowhere to stay!

 

[DeniseM]

If you join TUG, you can read the extensive reviews for these properties in the TUG review pages!

 

[fairfaxgirl]

So now you're calling me out on my expired membership??

You got me - I'll renew!

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Now I'm back to beg for input again because the tug reviews are really old. Has anyone stayed here lately? I'd love to get the scoop. I don't need fancy, but I would prefer no roaches, clean, not sweltering hot in the unit, not being able to hear the neighbors through the walls, and a relatively private lanai with a decent view of something other than a road or a parking lot...

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Okay, I'm beginning to think that anyone that has stayed at the Makai Club condos in the past year never came back...

 

[jacknsara]

Okay, I'm beginning to think that anyone that has stayed at the Makai Club condos in the past year never came back...

Aloha,
1) we've looked at it but have never stayed there
2) Makai Club at Princeville (not Cottages) is probably the easiest match on Kauai
3) if you're playing the "russian roulette" last minute exchange thing for a week in early May, then you have another 4 weeks; odds are that you'll have another chance at Makai Club at Princeville if you pass this one by
4) don't blame me if you pass it up and come up dry
5) I would pass at this time
6) I would write down (now) the latest date I'd be comfortable playing "russian roulette"; since I'm not on as tight a budget (can afford to lose roulette), I'd wait until some number inside 14 days before committing to less than I'm aiming for (what are you aiming for?)
7) if you take it, you're on Kauai (i.e. paradise); it won't be bad
Jack

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Thank you for your entertaining reply.

Are you sure that I can't balme you if I come up dry?

 

[Hawaiiker]

Makai Club

I own here and have since 1987. We very seldom use our week but exchange instead through RCI. This year our 1 bedroom got us a two bedroom in the Hilton Seaworld in Florida.

Getting back to the Makai Club. We were just there in November of 2007. It's nothing fancy like a Marriott or Westin. It's a good drive away from the airport and the closest beach is about 20 minutes away. There's no central air. The bedroom has an ac unit in the window. We were never warm but we were there in November. Lots of windows for ventilation. Pool is small. Washer and dryer in unit worked well. They haven't done any upgrading in the unit we were in. No painting, nada.........

It was fine for what we used it for. We just wanted to see if our maintenace fees were going towards up keep. We got our answer.

You will be comfortable but if you can get some place else, go for it.

Elizabeth

 

[ciscogizmo1]

Did you check tripadvisor?

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Thank you for the info. Can you also tell me if the lanais offer any privacy...or do they stare at eachother? Also, any signs of mold or roaches? And, lastly, can you hear the people above/below you when you are in your unit?

Thanks!

And I did check tripadvisor. There are currently no reviews and the forum threads are old. I posted a thread there as well.

 

[Lee B]

Very Private Lanais

Perhaps the best thing about Makai Club is that their lanais are absolutely private. They have two floor plans because although the lr and bedroom may face front or back, every lanai faces back. You see nobody's lanai and nobody sees yours! I marvel at that design, actually.

Makai Club owns eight buildings with five units in each.

The units are in need of spiffing up, but they've always been clean. It had a crooked management for a long time and the reserves are slowly recovering. I haven't seen it since Wyndham took over management, and I doubt they have done enough to improve it significantly.

Nice location on Kauai, IMO, because it is close to a secondary, back door, entrance to Princeville. You can zip out and be on the way to Hanalei town pronto. That's my favorite town in HI.

Lee

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Thanks, Lee!

A private lanai is very important to us, so makai gets one point in that area!

I think our final decision will be between here, Cliffs Club, and Pahio KEK. The Pahio resorts are sooo different (anyone who stays in Phase 111 loves it, it seems all of the others have a lot of bad things to say), I almost think it's safer to go with makai and know exactly what we're in for. Who knows...

At any rate, we'll be in Kauai!:whoopie:

 

[armrecsys]

What is your final decision.

A private lanai is very important to us, so makai gets one point in that area!

I think our final decision will be between here, Cliffs Club, and Pahio KEK. The Pahio resorts are sooo different (anyone who stays in Phase 111 loves it, it seems all of the others have a lot of bad things to say), I almost think it's safer to go with makai and know exactly what we're in for. Who knows...

At any rate, we'll be in Kauai!:whoopie:

Hi when you do return please let us know which one you picked and how you liked it.my are you lucky.
Thank you
Linda:rofl:

 

[alanraycole]

From what I hear...

I have to put it that way because I have never stayed at the Makai Club, but...

From everything I have ever heard about Makai Club, you will want to use it as a last resort, pun intended. I have visited the Princeville area for several years now and have heard it dozens of times... avoid the Makai Club. I have repeatedly heard that they are generally run down and, in particular, have a strong mildew smell. But this is all hearsay!

If you are limited to RCI and want to stay in Princeville (which is my favorite vacation spot in the whole world), my recommendations, in order, are...

Shearwater, great and all with better than great ocean views
Alii Kai, better than average with a chance at ocean view
Cliffs, better than average with a chance of ocean view
Bali Hai, slightly better than average, inland
Ka'Eo'Kai, average, inland
Makai Club Cottages, average, inland
Makai Club, below average, inland

If you are also affiliated with Interval International, then my first choice would be a two bedroom at the Hanalei Bay Resort. Even if you don't need a two bedroom unit, insist on it anyway. Two bedrooms are almost all ocean view, whereas almost no one bedrooms have an ocean view.

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Thanks for the scoop, Alan

I may just grab whatever shows up next for my desired check-in day. The Shearwater and The Cliffs Club don't show up until the waaay last minute, and I don't know if I can stomach it. This whole "russian roulette" thing is giving me an ulcer.

 

[chellej]

I just confirmed my 2nd week on Kauai on saturday - we will be there May 11-24th. I did see a pahio Beach Club and Bali Hai for May 9-16th on RCI yesterday morning with a very very weak trader so you should check daily - the May weeks seem to be showing up.

 

[fairfaxgirl]

Hope I'm not too late!

The check-in day I need is May 2nd. I did see a few trades for that date a week or so ago for Pahio Bali Hai and Makai Club. I didn't take either of them because what I really want is the Shearwater or the Cliffs Club. But now I am feeling very uneasy about that decision. Hope I didn't totally screw up!

 

[alanraycole]

For best results, call RCI every day.

Cliffs Club occassionally is available under "Last Call." It will never show up online as a Last Call, but very possibly will be available over the phone. The same came be said for the Alii Kai, a resort I highly recommend. I have stayed at both following this procedure. (Since the Shearwater and all other Pahio resorts are points resorts, they will never show up as Last Calls.)

 

[chellej]

There is a May 2nd checkin on Trading Places right now.

If you have a week that you have not deposited yet, you can probably get a bonus week & pick it up for $169

 

[cassandra]

Makai Club suits old world Kauai

We've stayed there once and would go back because it is like a 60's vacation cabin which seems to suit traditional no-frills Kauai. It is in the backyard of Princeville Sheraton because it is literally on Makai golf course. With the dollars we saved by staying there we were able to dine at the Sheraton fairly regularly!