Aston Mahana at Kaanapali

The concierge deserves a special mention for excellent suggestions about what to see and do on the island. The reception staff, though, were inflexible. I had a late evening flight and wanted to make the most of my last day, but they wouldn’t hold even one carry-on suitcase because there was no storage room. That surprised me, as I’ve never had that happen at the many hotels I’ve stayed at around the world. The location is spectacular, right on the oceanfront, and the hotel has a lot of potential. The building is a little dated, but the apartments are thoughtfully designed, organized, and functional. The pool and spa were both enjoyable and well maintained.

We arrived to a warm welcome from a kind woman wearing black glasses, who even offered us wine and chocolates. Our corner room on the ninth floor had ocean views in every direction and had been beautifully upgraded. Instead of the one-bedroom we booked, we got a spacious two-bedroom suite. The building looked a little old, and the reasonable price meant we hadn’t expected much, but our five days were unforgettable. We’ll definitely return to Aston Mahana on our next Maui trip. Special thanks to the kind woman with black glasses for making the stay so memorable.

We saw turtles, seals, and dolphins from our balcony. We were especially lucky to spot seals, since they’re endangered. The oceanfront views are hard to beat, and the staff were all kind and helpful. The bathroom in our unit could use an upgrade, but I’d definitely stay again. We spent five nights here through Costco Travel, and it was fantastic. One thing to plan for: the hotel is well over an hour from both Road to Hana and Haleakalā. We had to leave at 2:30 a.m. for sunrise at Haleakalā, and the start of Road of Hana is about an hour and a half away.

The staff were professional, kind, and accommodating, and the room was very nice and well cared for. There are plenty of good places for food and coffee nearby, as well as nice beaches. When we visit again, this will be my first choice. Mahalo!! We stayed six days and five nights as a family, and this was the nicest place we’ve stayed on my couple of previous Maui trips. We booked a premium oceanfront room through Costco Travel and were first assigned to the first floor. The ocean was right outside and the room was nice, but we weren’t comfortable being on the ground floor with people just beyond the back patio. I asked the front desk if there was a higher room, saying it wasn’t a big deal but would be nice. Their system was down, and they said they’d call once they could check. Less than ten minutes later, they called our room and offered us the tenth floor. What an amazing room. We saw whales and turtles every day, plus stingrays occasionally, and even a pod of dolphins one morning.