Kahana Reef

The pool is warm, rarely busy, and the oceanfront setting is lovely. The other guests seem really nice, too. We’re in condo 201, which has comfortable furniture and a bed, plus lots of dishware. The room itself has some real drawbacks: a cockroach got in today, and I had to trap it in the shower and find a worker to remove it. The living room ceiling fan switch is broken, so it runs constantly. The bedroom is tiny and has no drawers for clothes. If you use a mobility scooter, I wouldn’t recommend this unit because the tight hallway corner makes getting into the room very difficult.

The best part of Kahana Reef 116 is stepping out from the ground floor right onto the ocean. We saw turtles off the seawall every morning, and even Spotted Eagle Rays close by. The location gets a 10/10 from me, and the outside is a 5/5. Inside, though, it could use some care and color. It felt like the decor might have impressed me in 1978, but now it really needs a redo. The bed was a 5/5, pillows 2/5, and the blanket 0/5 because it was so scratchy. Bathroom 2/5, the toilet ran constantly and the decor needs work. Living space 2/3. Kitchen 4/5, though the ugly cabinets didn't close properly. Comfort 4/5, and it was nice to have AC. A working lock on the screen door would help. We might come back since it wasn't expensive, but the lack of decor brought us down a bit. There's plenty of choice in West Maui, so do your homework.

The only thing I really wished for was air conditioning. Otherwise, it was a quiet, relaxing week, with easy parking and everything working. The closet had beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, and other useful things for heading out. There were plenty of dishes for cooking, plus grills in the main area, chairs by the ocean, and a decent pool. I noticed what looked like a public laundry downstairs, though I didn't need it.

We loved our four nights here in an Airbnb rental. The place was clean and nicely decorated, and felt as comfortable as home. Every home faces the ocean, with a small beach where swimmers and snorkelers can get to a large area. We saw fish and turtles. There's also a laundromat and a pool.