TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

It’s not often that I am surprised by a hotel. But this one surprised me in a multitude of ways. 1) Location!!! Not only are you literally steps from the sand, but also just a short walk to one of the best if not the best snorkeling on the island. 2) The property! The trees on the property provide such a relaxing atmosphere. With shade and hammocks, the sounds of the birds and the waves, and you have the perfect place to unwind. 3) The rooms! We were in the recently renovated wing with its homage to the history of Hawaii and the importance of its connection to the people and its culture. Little touches from custom made art work to the patterns in the carpet, you feel so at home. I also got a sneak peak at their newest rooms (stay tuned) that have more of a sea vibe with shades of blues and teal. Absolutely gorgeous, with so many little touches that say “We are Maui” 4) The Culture Center! I have saved the best for last. While for many Hawaii has become the land of sand and sun, but to the people of Hawaii it is their home, and they have welcomed us to it. The culture center brings with it a new awareness of what Ohana really means. This is one of those areas unique to this property and the reason people come back time after time after time. Let the Outrigger Ka’anapali Beach family welcome you into their home.

Our stay here was mixed – mostly on the negative side to be honest. I did make the mistake of purchasing our stay on a third party site to save some money so I was not entirely clear on the room I was getting but the accommodation was definitely basic at best and below standard at worst. Since we stayed with Outrigger on another of their properties we were expecting the same quality at this property. Sadly we found a building that had not been renovated since the 70’s (“classic Hawaiian” is what the desk clerk called it) and a facility that had some rules and regulations that made it less welcoming for guests. Let’s start with the room in the Aquili wing. This is a 3 story building with no elevator and hallways that have stained carpet and peeling wallpaper. Dragging 2 suitcases and 2 carry ons up those stairs to our room on the 3rd floor was no picnic! The room at first glance looked fine if dated but smelled musty. The bathroom – specifically the shower and toilet area – was cringe worthy. Missing grout, sloppy patch up job on the shower door and mold reminded me of Motel 6. I almost asked to be moved but was not confident that another room in this building would be any better. Another concern- the door to our building was propped open 24/7. Since there is nothing restricting access to the property from the beach that is definitely a safety concern, Now to the pool management. All guests are allowed 1 towel and 1 towel ONLY for the entire duration of their stay. How do they track this? They give you a Towel Card when you check in. You have to trade it for a towel. You can exchange your towel for a fresh one when you want but you can never have more than one. If you are traveling with small children you might want to keep this in mind. Another note – none of the outdoor showers work so you will be tracking sand back into your room. They also took my lounge chair from me that I was using on the beach at 4:45 PM because the beach shack was closing for the day. I had to find somewhere else to sit to enjoy the beach and the sunset. Breakfast Buffet was good but at $30 per person definitely not worth the $$. Stop at one of the local places nearby for breakfast and save some money. There were some positives: you are in Maui HI which is one of the most beautiful places on earth! The staff was friendly and the grounds crew kept the condition of the property pristine. They were out there every day raking up leaves and cleaning up the grounds. I can’t speak to the condition of the other rooms on the property but if you get assigned to this building, know what you are getting! I would recommend the Outrigger Eldorado down the road and skip this place altogether.

KBH seems a bit smaller and more personal than other Kaanapali resorts. Don’t expect a glitzy lobby or decadent décor. While the rooms have been recently remodeled, this resort exudes more old Hawai’i” charm and aloha, which we loved. On Fridays, mid-day, all the hotel staff come together with the guests to celebrate the week’s end through song and hula. It was touching hearing their songs about Lahaina and their beloved island. Also, every evening we looked forward to listening to the live music from the outdoor restaurant from our balcony. No loud bands, but wonderful relaxing ukulele and guitar with the sounds of the ocean in the background. This section of Kaanapali beach is one of the best beaches anywhere. One of the highlights for us was long walks along the beach path with views of the ocean and other resorts. Snorkeling just a few minutes walk away at Black Rock and on the other side of Black Rock is another beautiful beach and popular snorkeling area, Kahekili beach. Plan ahead to incorporate some of the resorts cultural activities. A calendar can be found on the “Activities” section of their website. We regretted not making more time for the cultural activities as they are one of the unique treasures of this resort. We definitely plan to come back and do so. The farewell lei ceremony was a nice touch. Feedback for the Outrigger chain, and all beach resorts really: When designing your hotel bathrooms, please consider, where are guests going to hang all their wet swimming suits, swim shirts and other wet beach gear to dry? Please build in a rack or retractable clothes line inside the shower! We had to get creative to find places to dry our swimming gear and tied things down on the windy balcony.

From our arrival we were greeted with a warm welcoming. We had a partial Ocean View room that was absolutely one of the best we have ever stayed at. The room was on the 4th floor and you are able to park on the 4th floor of the parking garage that allows for you to walk across which makes it easier to get to your room. Once inside your room it is clean and has the basics such as a small fridge, coffee maker and a safe for your belongings. The resort is located right in the perfect spot a 4-minute walk to Whalers Village and a 4-minute walk to Black Rock Beach that was the best snorkeling experience. We stayed 8 days from Sunday to Sunday and we absolutely loved our experience. The staff was amazing, the restaurant which is on the resort Maui's brewing had one of the best burgers I have had and was near the beach with live entertainment that made the sunset dinner even better. This is a gem of a resort and will be returning in the near future !!

We stayed at the Outrigger hotel on Ka’anapali Beach and it was nice even though the rooms are dated and no view because we were on the first floor. Our view was of Maui Brewing Company restaurant and bar that is where we watched the football games. Everything is close by like Whalers Village was like a 3 minute walk from our room with restaurants like Leilani’s, Hula Grill and Monkeypod. Starbucks is like a 5 minute walk and is located at the Westin hotel. I would definitely stay here again.