Maui Hill

The woman at the front desk is hilarious, and I love the Mai Tais and DJ they have on Thursdays. It gives the place such a fun, welcoming feel. I live in Kihei, but I book a staycation at Aston Maui Hill at least once a year, sometimes more, because I really enjoy it. The property is peaceful and beautiful, with amazing views. The rooms are huge and comfortable, and make the stay relaxing without costing a fortune. It’s become one of my favorite spots on the island, and I look forward to returning every time. Affordable, lovely, and consistently a great experience. I recommend it to almost everyone visiting Maui, and honestly wish I could live here.

We rented three rooms for three days and were promised daily cleaning, but our room was never serviced the first day. I complained and was told they’d make sure it was done. On day two, still no cleaning. I went to the office, and the manager apologized and said it would be handled right away. About an hour later, two cleaners did a quick job, but didn’t leave fresh towels, so we had to use the damp ones. Then the manager sent a box of chocolates and a note saying, “Sorry for the Inconvenience.” It felt like an attempt to buy us off for his mismanaged operation and poor service. Check-in set the tone. The woman handed us a couple of sheets with the rules and the keys, saying, “Here’s the rules, and keys. You lose the keys and it’s $85.” We’ve stayed at resorts and hotels around the world, and have never had “Here’s the rules” be the first thing we heard. This place needs much better management.

The complex felt safe, with easy, plentiful parking, and it’s centrally located near good restaurants and several public beaches. Our apartment-style suite had two bedrooms and bathrooms, a huge living room, a small kitchen, and a screened porch overlooking a peaceful garden. The unit was well equipped, and having a washer/dryer was really handy. There were a few problems: the AC ran on timers that needed resetting, our shower didn’t drain properly, and we found several dead cockroaches on arrival plus a minor ant issue in the kitchen. Reception staff were nice, but incredibly slow.

A five-minute drive south gets you to a couple of nice sandy beaches for swimming. They aren’t patrolled, but there’s a reasonable amount of safe parking nearby, along with showers and public toilets. Go another five minutes and you’re at Wailea Shops, a peaceful, very clean two-level shopping area that’s mostly upscale. Michelle made a great first impression at check-in and calmly took us through the whole process. Our room up the hill was always quiet, with good living space, a nice Lanai, and effectively two bathrooms, including a walk-in shower in the ensuite. Everything was neatly laid out. The living room TV was good and had some streaming services. The kitchen was adequate, with plenty of appliances in the cupboards for cooking. The dining table was a bit oversized for the space, but worked fine for the two of us.