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Maui Bay Villas

Tamaradarann

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The resort has a very small activities/kids club. Grab & go cafe is new with a very limited menu/items. Eventually there will be ice cream to scoop.

View attachment 97830 View attachment 97831View attachment 97832View attachment 97833View attachment 97834

Here is the pool how dead the pool was one day when were returned at 12:20PM. Not a one person in it so I had to photograph it.

View attachment 97836View attachment 97837

So all in all it is a very nice resort, but I am not sure I would return. Due to the location and high points value, I feel there are better options for me.
There are many better options in the HGVC system such as Honolulu and Hawaii Island. However, it is the ONLY HGVC location on Maui and depending on the unit the point values are not that high.
 

Yzfguy06

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There are many better options in the HGVC system such as Honolulu and Hawaii Island. However, it is the ONLY HGVC location on Maui and depending on the unit the point values are not that high.
That is all a matter of perspective and opinion. We will not stay in Honolulu or Oahu (yes I know one and the same). It’s just too busy for us. It would be like we never left home with all the people and traffic. The big island maybe… but probably not. We much prefer Kauai(currently here) and Maui. Much better vibes and less people. We liked MBV there was a bit much construction noise when we were there in December But that in time will fade. We like the premiere rooms so they cost a bit more. We are already looking towards our stay in Maui next year.
 

Tamaradarann

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That is all a matter of perspective and opinion. We will not stay in Honolulu or Oahu (yes I know one and the same). It’s just too busy for us. It would be like we never left home with all the people and traffic. The big island maybe… but probably not. We much prefer Kauai(currently here) and Maui. Much better vibes and less people. We liked MBV there was a bit much construction noise when we were there in December But that in time will fade. We like the premiere rooms so they cost a bit more. We are already looking towards our stay in Maui next year.
Honolulu is like we never left home since that is where we live. We love all the islands and I always say if you are going to have a car why stay in Honolulu with the traffic and parking costs. All of the islands are beautiful, different and fun so go to them if you must have a car. However, we love Honolulu since we can not only stay we can live without a car.

To prove what I said above we will be going to Maui in October, Hawaii Island in December and April, and Kauai in May/June for 2 weeks. We will have a car for all these trips except the April trip to Hawaii Island where we will be staying at the Ocean Tower without a car. We have been to Molokai and Lanai but there are no timeshares that we can reserve so we would need to pay to stay. We have so many extra timeshare points now since we no longer need to use them in Honolulu so we mainly stay in the three that I mentioned above.
 

Tamaradarann

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That is all a matter of perspective and opinion. We will not stay in Honolulu or Oahu (yes I know one and the same). It’s just too busy for us. It would be like we never left home with all the people and traffic. The big island maybe… but probably not. We much prefer Kauai(currently here) and Maui. Much better vibes and less people. We liked MBV there was a bit much construction noise when we were there in December But that in time will fade. We like the premiere rooms so they cost a bit more. We are already looking towards our stay in Maui next year.
By the way Honolulu and Oahu are really not the same. Many people come to Oahu and stay in Timeshares in Ko Olina; Disney and Marriott have major timeshares there. Ko Olina is about a 45 minute drive from Waikiki without traffic. It is about 2 hours during rush hours. There are also many rentals in other areas of Oahu where many people stay when on Oahu. We live in an area that is excellent for Bus Transportation right in Waikiki since we want to live without a car. There are many area of Oahu, while possible it would be very inconvenient to live without a car.
 

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Has Hilton finished any of the new buildings at Maui Bay Villas. Now that one, I would pay the Hilton fees to exchange in, just like we pay for Kohala Suites and Kings'land. Well worth the extra fees.
 

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Since Feb 2024, someone has reported that MBV has opened one new building.

I, for one, love the location of MBV. You are doing activities like sunrise/sunset at Haleakala, wine gallery, goat farm tour, road to Hana, etc. It is so much closer and easier to do this from Kihei instead of Kaanapali.

I don't go usually hang at the beach, so the winds don't really bother me. Did not notice winds in the pool area at MBV when we were there for a week this past Feb.

I'm glad we have a choice besides just the Westin Kaanapali locations and Maui Ocean Club TS locations that we are part of. This coming April/May, we will be 2 weeks and Westin Kaanapali North and then a week at MBV. Was thinking of trying to use our four free night awards from Hilton Honors to stay at Grand Wailea, but the wife said she is not moving for a 3rd time for a stay that is only 4 nights.



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Yzfguy06

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By the way Honolulu and Oahu are really not the same. Many people come to Oahu and stay in Timeshares in Ko Olina; Disney and Marriott have major timeshares there. Ko Olina is about a 45 minute drive from Waikiki without traffic. It is about 2 hours during rush hours. There are also many rentals in other areas of Oahu where many people stay when on Oahu. We live in an area that is excellent for Bus Transportation right in Waikiki since we want to live without a car. There are many area of Oahu, while possible it would be very inconvenient to live without a car.
My reference was that Honolulu is on the island of Oahu. It is just too big city for us. We come to the islands for small feel and less people. In our opinion Oahu is not for us.
 

HedonisticEpicurean

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I'm writing this siting on our balcony here at HGVC Maui Bay Villas after a five day stay. Heading to Kona and another HGVC later today. I thought I would add my comments to the property experience. The pictures and comments above are very accurate.

Having taken numerous personal and business trips to Maui, my perspective on the island's accommodations and resorts is shaped by my experiences. Most of my stays have been at top-tier resorts like the Four Seasons, Grand Wailea, Ritz Carlton, and the Hyatt. In my opinion, the HGVC Maui Bay Villas is a decent option for a short stay, but it wouldn’t be my first choice for future visits. I’m scheduled to return to Maui next May, and I’ll be staying at one of the previously mentioned resorts.

Here are some pros and cons of staying at the HGVC Maui Bay Villas:

Pros:
  • New and still under construction, so it’s clean and well-maintained.
  • Services, amenities, and more as you would expect from any HGVC property
  • A convenient location if you plan to visit Kahului or go on island drives.
  • Most units offer good views of Haleakala.
  • Some units offer pool views and partial ocean views.
  • A short drive to grocery stores and some restaurants, although they aren’t within walking distance.
  • A nice pool by the beach with an onsite restaurant right there.
  • Good parking close to the rooms
  • Elevators
  • Friendly staff
  • Multiple pools
  • Nice gardens and open spaces.
Cons:

  • The resort feels isolated and is squeezed into a neighborhood setting.
  • A few first floor units have views of only the parking lot
  • Some units suffer from offensive road noise, particularly those close to the road.
  • Limited privacy on the balconies.
  • The beach is small and mostly unusable
  • The pool and main restaurant require crossing a semi-busy road.
  • No robes in the rooms (I do like hotel robes).
  • Limited on-site dining options.
Another con, common in many Hawaiian locations like Maui and Kauai, is the presence of loud roosters. This can be problematic for those of us who need to take conference calls or prefer to stay incognito when conducting business while traveling. It’s difficult to work with the door open or sit on the patio with the rooster noises in the background.

On this visit, I was particularly disappointed by some encounters with unfriendly and downright nasty locals. I observed two interactions with tourists and locals. One was a local who appeared to want to start a fight for no reason with a couple in a convertible. The convertible driver was in the right. It was the local who was bullying them. While locals have gone through the hardship of the recent fire, the unpleasant behaviors I observed was in Hana and the Kahului area and far from Lahaina. The lack of Aloha on Maui seems to be at an all time high (IMO). The attitude is concerning and could negatively impact tourism and the local economy. Why visit a place with high rates and very high tourist taxes when other islands and locations are more welcoming? Additionally, the amount of roadside debris (discarded refrigerators, a couple cars, ovens, etc.) on the drive from the airport to HGVC was disheartening and reflects poorly on the community’s lack of respect for their environment. I'm not talking about debris from the fires, but rather locals who wont pay to dump their broken kitchen appliances at the dump because of cost. It creates a bad visual for locals and visitors.

I’m not looking to delve into the broader issues of tourism and over tourism, just sharing my observations.

The highlight of this trip was lunch at Mama’s Fish House. Always a personal favorite. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Maui—clearly, my priorities are in order. Haha.

If the HGVC Maui Villas is on your wish list of places to stay I think the more you know the more content you will be with your stay.
 

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thanks. good tip on the road noise.

what other restaurants do you live? we plan to go to Paia's and some like that over mama's.
 

Luanne

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thanks. good tip on the road noise.

what other restaurants do you live? we plan to go to Paia's and some like that over mama's.
Are you looking for restaurants in a certain area? Anywhere on Maui? I can give you a list of ours, most of which are in the Kihei/Wailea area. Not a huge fan of Mama's any more.
 

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we are willing to drive for good food

we need a splurge or two and a bunch of good local places. we want a good hawaiian place; I have a list of 3 poke places; saimin in Wailuku Sam Sato's; probably Ululani shave ice and definitely Tasaka guri guri. If there's good pho or other Vietnamese it would be nice for the two Viet seniors in our group who don't eat raw fish.
 

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Maui restaurants:

Wailea:

Gather (formerly Gannon’s) – we’ve had lunch and dinner here. Sit outside. They also have a very good Happy Hour, which we haven’t been to yet. Bev Gannon has sold her restaurants and we’ve seen a bit of a dip in service and quality here, but the setting is wonderful so we’ll continue to go back.

Humble Kitchin’ Market at the Marriott Wailea Beach Resort. My husband said it was the best meal he had on the island.

Monkeypod – we liked it for lunch better than for dinner as we were able to get a table outside. This is in a small shopping center kind of up the hill from the resorts. We didn’t go on our last visit as they were not taking reservations at that time and they were always packed with a waiting line when we went by. We’d been before so we were okay skipping it this last trip.

Pita Paradise – same center as Monkeypod

I would tend to skip the restaurants in the Wailea Shops. We did try the burger place again this last trip after having a disastrous meal there last year. It was okay.

Kihei:

Café O Lei

Fred’s – for breakfast

Coconut’s – wonderful fish tacos, among other things. They have two locations in Kihei. The one closest to Wailea is more of a sit down (although you order at the counter). The one further in town is smaller with few tables.

Nalu’s – we at there three times on our last visit. Very informal. You order up front, then grab a table. It’s in Azeka Markeplace. Food is very reasonable and very good.

Maui Thai Bistro in the Rainbow Mall



Hali'maile General Store – address is Makawao. We’ve only been there for lunch, it was excellent. Another of Bev Gannon’s restaurants. This one has maintained its quality.
 

brp

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Maui restaurants:


Kihei:
If one will be in Kihei, it is certainly worth checking out the kama a'ina hours at Sansei Sushi.

Sunday and Monday early evening. Most things half price.

Edit: Nope, this one is closed. But it seems that they have one in Kapalua.

Cheers.
 

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we like Sansei Waikiki. They’re very gluten friendly which is important for my sister, who’s not with us on this trip.

I liked Mitch’s in Honolulu near the airport much better. 100% focus on the freshest fish. The end. No atmosphere. No fancy rolls. But one of the freshest sushi restaurants we’ve been to.
 

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Is Kihei Cafe still open?
 

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we are willing to drive for good food

we need a splurge or two and a bunch of good local places. we want a good hawaiian place; I have a list of 3 poke places; saimin in Wailuku Sam Sato's; probably Ululani shave ice and definitely Tasaka guri guri. If there's good pho or other Vietnamese it would be nice for the two Viet seniors in our group who don't eat raw fish.
At sam satos get the dry mein. The maui take on fried saimin. Also their manju is tasty.

Check out Leodas Pie on the way to Kaanapali from aiport. Best banana cream pie I have eaten.

Kaleis Lunchbox is good and decent priced plate lunches and bentos. They are in Wailuku and Pukalani. At the Wailuku location, Ululanis shave ice is right next door.

Stillwells bakery and cafe for their cream horns and their version of mauis dry mein.

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk
 

Luanne

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Is Kihei Cafe still open?
Yes. KiheCaffe has two locations in Kihei now. The original one and they took the location where Ami Ami used to be at the Maui Coast Hotel.
 

Tamaradarann

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My reference was that Honolulu is on the island of Oahu. It is just too big city for us. We come to the islands for small feel and less people. In our opinion Oahu is not for us.
We both know that Honolulu is on the island of Oahu. However, my point was that there are many other places on Oahu that are NOT big city. Actually some areas are very small town and also very rural. Many people on Oahu call going to Honolulu "going to town" and they don't like doing it since it is a city. We just went to Kaimuki by BUS(which is less crowned than Honolulu but not rural) to have a couple of beers and dinner with a friend who won't drive into Waikiki because it is so crowded.

I know you like Maui. As I said while we live without a car in Honolulu we have a car when we go to Maui and we have driven through Kahului and it is too much of a city for us when we have a car and need to deal with the traffic and parking issues.

In summary, it is not Oahu that is too big city, it is Honolulu. There is alot to Oahu than Honolulu.
 

ocdb8r

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We both know that Honolulu is on the island of Oahu. However, my point was that there are many other places on Oahu that are NOT big city. Actually some areas are very small town and also very rural. Many people on Oahu call going to Honolulu "going to town" and they don't like doing it since it is a city. We just went to Kaimuki by BUS(which is less crowned than Honolulu but not rural) to have a couple of beers and dinner with a friend who won't drive into Waikiki because it is so crowded.

I know you like Maui. As I said while we live without a car in Honolulu we have a car when we go to Maui and we have driven through Kahului and it is too much of a city for us when we have a car and need to deal with the traffic and parking issues.

In summary, it is not Oahu that is too big city, it is Honolulu. There is alot to Oahu than Honolulu.
I agree with the sentiment and have had several pleasant trips to Oahu and enjoyed slower paced hidden gems. However, it's not just Honolulu that is crowded and overdeveloped city like. It's pretty much solid from Pearl City all the way to Honolulu....and the problem becomes (for me) it is difficult to "explore" the quieter areas of the island without traversing that area. On Maui you can avoid Kahului much more easily AND while Kahului can be busy with bad traffic, it doesn't hold a candle to the H1/Punchbowl/Pear City areas.
 

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We both know that Honolulu is on the island of Oahu. However, my point was that there are many other places on Oahu that are NOT big city. Actually some areas are very small town and also very rural. Many people on Oahu call going to Honolulu "going to town" and they don't like doing it since it is a city. We just went to Kaimuki by BUS(which is less crowned than Honolulu but not rural) to have a couple of beers and dinner with a friend who won't drive into Waikiki because it is so crowded.

I know you like Maui. As I said while we live without a car in Honolulu we have a car when we go to Maui and we have driven through Kahului and it is too much of a city for us when we have a car and need to deal with the traffic and parking issues.

In summary, it is not Oahu that is too big city, it is Honolulu. There is alot to Oahu than Honolulu.

My view matched that of @Yzfguy06 for a long time after a trip to Oahu more than a decade ago which was just too much Waikiki. We went back earlier this year for two weeks and it was a very different trip where we explored quite a bit more and I came to appreciate Oahu much more. It is still from from my favorite of the main islands, but I have realized that it is much more than Waikiki (I mean, I knew that even then, but now I've experienced it).

Cheers.
 

Tamaradarann

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My view matched that of @Yzfguy06 for a long time after a trip to Oahu more than a decade ago which was just too much Waikiki. We went back earlier this year for two weeks and it was a very different trip where we explored quite a bit more and I came to appreciate Oahu much more. It is still from from my favorite of the main islands, but I have realized that it is much more than Waikiki (I mean, I knew that even then, but now I've experienced it).

Cheers.
I can totally understand the too much Waikiki sentiment. When we were visiting and thinking about settling in Miami South Beach I would always tell my husband that I like visiting the circus but I don't want to live in the circus. Well we live in the circus. However, our area of Waikiki is a little quieter than what is called downtown Waikiki here, the area around the Royal Hawaiian Center and Duke's Statue.
 

Tamaradarann

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I agree with the sentiment and have had several pleasant trips to Oahu and enjoyed slower paced hidden gems. However, it's not just Honolulu that is crowded and overdeveloped city like. It's pretty much solid from Pearl City all the way to Honolulu....and the problem becomes (for me) it is difficult to "explore" the quieter areas of the island without traversing that area. On Maui you can avoid Kahului much more easily AND while Kahului can be busy with bad traffic, it doesn't hold a candle to the H1/Punchbowl/Pear City areas.

I totally understand and agree that the area from Pearl City to Waikiki is very built up with heavy traffic. I consider that Honolulu since it includes the Honolulu airport and the H1,2 and 3 merge which are the critical transportation hubs for the entire island. We don't have a car so those areas don't really effect us unless we are taking an Uber or Cab to or from the airport. If you come to Oahu and stay in accomodations away from Honolulu you can avoid those areas most of the time also accept going and coming from the airport.

I always say if you must have a car on your vacation why stay in Honolulu. Go to another island they are all beautiful and different and much more car friendly that Honolulu.
 

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On this visit, I was particularly disappointed by some encounters with unfriendly and downright nasty locals. I observed two interactions with tourists and locals. One was a local who appeared to want to start a fight for no reason with a couple in a convertible. The convertible driver was in the right. It was the local who was bullying them. While locals have gone through the hardship of the recent fire, the unpleasant behaviors I observed was in Hana and the Kahului area and far from Lahaina. The lack of Aloha on Maui seems to be at an all time high (IMO). The attitude is concerning and could negatively impact tourism and the local economy. Why visit a place with high rates and very high tourist taxes when other islands and locations are more welcoming? Additionally, the amount of roadside debris (discarded refrigerators, a couple cars, ovens, etc.) on the drive from the airport to HGVC was disheartening and reflects poorly on the community’s lack of respect for their environment. I'm not talking about debris from the fires, but rather locals who wont pay to dump their broken kitchen appliances at the dump because of cost. It creates a bad visual for locals and visitors.
This is all nothing new to me. Hawaii has been HOSTILE to its visitors on both fronts: passively and actively.

Actively:
  • situations like yours
  • look up any interviews with Hawaiian natives - it's not something marginal, it's almost a consensus
Passively:
  • parking lots near attractions in rough shape and laughable size - - if there even is any parking spot at all
  • speed limits of 45 on a 4-lane divided highway in the middle of nowhere - targeting tourists for ticket revenue
  • many locations are closed for tourist access (like Waipio Valley)
    • My Google Maps review for Vaipio Valley Lookout: Nice views but inadequate parking. Only 5 spots marked as 30 minute parking, and 5 spots marked as 24 hour parking. Amenities are falling apart. The toilet on the viewpoint stinks - not just inside but around the building, in the viewing area. Another example that Hawaiian authorities don't adequately upkeep their tourist parks but happily tax tourists wherever possible.
  • outrageously high taxation of tourists - hotel taxes, timeshare taxes, basically anything that tourists touch or pay for - including through regulations on developers, with the cost eventually passed onto retail timeshare buyers


I like all the islands of Hawaii, and many of the small businesses operating there.
I dislike the state and local governments, and every member of the society that approves of "kamaina".

I would see myself relocating to Hawaii at some point in life, if not for this sick hostility. "Kamaina" means "Hawaii resident" on paper, but how could I feel any different when converting from a tourist to a resident? When tourists with money are seen in a negative view, how could a newcomer with even more money to afford a house in Hawaii be looked at any differently?
 
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letsgobobby

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This is all nothing new to me. Hawaii has been HOSTILE to its visitors on both fronts: passively and actively.

Actively:
  • situations like yours
  • look up any interviews with Hawaiian natives - it's not something marginal, it's almost a consensus
Passively:
  • parking lots near attractions in rough shape and laughable size - - if there even is any parking spot at all
  • speed limits of 45 on a 4-lane divided highway in the middle of nowhere - targeting tourists for ticket revenue
  • many locations are closed for tourist access (like Waipio Valley)
    • My Google Maps review for Vaipio Valley Lookout: Nice views but inadequate parking. Only 5 spots marked as 30 minute parking, and 5 spots marked as 24 hour parking. Amenities are falling apart. The toilet on the viewpoint stinks - not just inside but around the building, in the viewing area. Another example that Hawaiian authorities don't adequately upkeep their tourist parks but happily tax tourists wherever possible.
  • outrageously high taxation of tourists - hotel taxes, timeshare taxes, basically anything that tourists touch or pay for - including through regulations on developers, with the cost eventually passed onto retail timeshare buyers


I like all the islands of Hawaii, and many of the small businesses operating there.
I dislike the state and local governments, and every member of the society that approves of "kamaina".

I would see myself relocating to Hawaii at some point in life, if not for this sick hostility. "Kamaina" means "Hawaii resident" on paper, but how could I feel any different when converting from a tourist to a resident? When tourists with money are seen in a negative view, how could a newcomer with even more money to afford a house in Hawaii be looked at any differently?
you won't be. stay away. leave Hawai'i for me. 😆
 
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