Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas in Hawaii – A Good Place to Stay
Before the tips, a quip:
“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” ~ Lin Yutang.
Perhaps, but the truth is I’d rather be at the Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas than in my own home. Two weeks isn’t long enough…but two months might be. If you’re going to Maui, read Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook – it’ll help you find the best places to visit on Maui!
And, here are the ten best things about this vacation condo rental…
Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas in Hawaii – A Good Place to Stay
1. Location on the Kaanapali beach stretch. The Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas are situated towards the north end of the long Kaanapali beach stretch. It’s a perfect location for running on the beach because you can jog or walk in the sand for an hour in either direction – which means you’ll never get bored with the “same old” scenery.
2. Quiet surroundings. Some other Maui Kaanapali hotels offer rooms that overlook the luau that they host every night, which I at first thought would be so much fun! Then, I realized that listening to a luau every night might get old fast. The Aston Kaanapali Villas don’t have nightly entertainment, which is perfect for morning larks like me (in bed by 9 pm!).
3. Free wireless in all the rooms. I’m a full-time writer and blogger who needs almost constant access to the internet. Most of the hotels I’ve stayed in offer wi-fi in the lobby, but not in the rooms – the Aston offers free wireless in the rooms and lobby. Their wireless connection was fast and reliable.
4. Free room safe. Our hotel room in Costa Rica (that was an all- inclusive resort vacation) had a safe for our passport, money and other important things, but it cost money top open and close it! I didn’t think I’d bother to use my safe at the Aston Kaanapali (laziness), but I gave this one a try – and was surprised at the peace of mind it offered.
5. Full kitchen in each condo rental. I think most Maui vacation condo rentals have a full kitchen, but since this was my first stay in hotel with a full kitchen, I was enthralled with the convenience, financial savings, and health benefits of staying in a hotel that offers a full fridge, dishwasher, stove, microwave, blender, pots and pans, dishes, and the basic cooking necessities.
6. TV, DVD player, stereo in each room. The DVD player and stereo were especially useful to me; I brought an exercise DVD top Maui, hoping to stay as physically fit as possible. The stero was perfect for those “cook at home” nights, and for a musical setting for romantic evening trysts.
7. Grocery store in walking distance. This is one of the best things about the Maui Aston Kaanapali Villas: there’s huge grocery store that takes about 20 minutes to walk to. That small shopping complex also offers restaurants and other types of stores, and is a great way to take a break from the beach.
8. Extended checkout times. Many flights from Maui leave in the early and late evening, which lets you enjoy the last day on the beach, by the pool, or on a snorkeling tour! But, most hotels have a noon check out time…leaving you stranded from noon until your 10 pm flight. The Aston Kaanapali Villas will let you keep your room until you’re ready to leave for the airport at no charge – if nobody has booked your condo. If someone has booked your room that night, then the hotel offers free luggage storage and showers.
9. Cheap vacation discount packages. Before I booked at the Aston, I researched several different vacation packages to Maui. The Aston offered the least expensive price with the best options, which makes for a great start to a tropical island vacation!
10. Lobby book exchange. Jackpot! I found two of Oprah’s most recent magazines in the Aston Kaanapali’s free book and magazine exchange…and hundreds of novels to read and exchange. There’s nothing worse than being on vacation and having nothing to read…so this book exchange was perfect.
Other amenities at the Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas in Maui include: fitness center, parking, regular water aerobics, a swimming pool, direct beach access, poolside café and bar, and two pools.
If you’re thinking of spending your honeymoon or getting married in Hawaii, read 10 Tips for Romantic Honeymoon Getaways in Maui.
Have you stayed at the Aston Kaanapali Villas – or do you have any questions or tips? I welcome your thoughts below!
Category: Entertainment, Travel & Vacation Tips
My family always rents either a private homes or villa apartment, rather than hotels. We love the personal touch of the owners, the interaction with the local staff and the privacy! Also the savings!
Hi Laurie,
Thanks so much for your quick responses, and for the information about Aston Kaanapali Villas.
I can’t wait!
Elizabeth
Must clarify something I said: when I said I got the room for 10% cheaper through a reservations site, but it wasn’t on that trip to the Aston in Maui. It was to Costa Rica a couple years ago. But I think the same rule applies: sometimes you can get cheaper rooms through reservation sites.
Hi again Elizabeth,
Sorry for not answering the right question – I had a sneaking feeling something wasn’t quite right!
Yes, the unit you stay in can affect your trip. The last suite we stayed in, in Waikiki, wasn’t half as nice as the one in Maui. It was clean and spacious, but really old. So, my first suggestion is to try not to let your accommodations make or break your trip! You’ll be spending most of your time on the gorgeous beach, by the sunny pool, shopping, sightseeing, and loving the balmy air — and where you sleep isn’t as important as where you ARE.
When I went to the Aston in Maui, we were spread out into 3 suites in total (big family). All 3 were updated, clean, and wonderful to stay in.
Before we decided on which 3 we’d stay in, the front desk people let us view several different suites, so we had our choice of where to stay. They’re all different layouts, views, sizes, etc, so we wanted to choose the best for us. We didn’t reject any room on the basis of being old or dirty — just on how we could best fit 10 people into 3 rooms.
The front desk people were very accommodating, and gave us the keys, letting us have free reign to check all the available suites out. We arrived late as well – but I don’t think it was 11:30 pm.
None of the units that I’m aware of actually face the parking lot, and the highway is too far to give you noise. Some of the suite doors face the parking lot, and in those the bathroom window does too, but those “views” don’t really matter!
Yes, I made my reservations directly through the Aston Kanapaali Villas. They gave me a garden suite room, but I asked to be closer to my family (who made separate reservations through Expedia or Red Tag, I believe).
And yes, I was able to choose an ocean view or garden view suite…but I really think it depends on how full the hotel is! If it’s not full, you have your choice, of course.
You could contact them directly by telephone; simply Google Aston Maui Kanaapali Villas….you could also book through a reservations website, which often allow you to choose the type of room you want. I seem to recall that contacting them directly wasn’t the cheapest way to go, but I can’t remember what site was cheaper. I did call the number on that reservations site, who gave me 10% off the regular rates.
For this last trip to Waikiki, we booked through Vacation Rentals.com. It worked out really well, though it took a long time to get a one bedroom suite with full kitchen for $99 a night! We booked late, only a month in advance. The suite was a block from the beach, right in Waikiki, and yet on a quiet street. As I said, it was old, but clean and spacious.
I hope this is helpful…sorry for not getting it right the first time!
Laurie
Hi Laurie, Just to clarify: my questions to your are regarding Aston Kaanapali Villas.
Thanks, Elizabeth
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for your response with information, but you didn’t address what I emailed you about. I have pasted my email below. Could you kindly address the questions posed.
Thanks, Elizabeth
I’m very glad I found your article on this property. I really want to book this property, but am concerned about what unit we will be given when we get there. This will be our first trip to Hawaii. We will likely be arriving there around 11:30pm, so not likely much choice of units. I’ve read hundreds of reviews that indicate the experience can be different depending on the unit: the unit could be fabulous or could be really dated (since they are individually owned units), it could have a lovely garden view or a parking lot view with highway noise. Did you make your reservations directly through the resort? If yes, were you able to make specific requests about the type of unit/location of unit before you got there? How would I contact them to try and make requests?
I look forward to your response.
Elizabeth Burnaby, BC
Aloha Elizabeth,
I just returned from Waikiki (on the Hawaiian island of Oahu) a couple days ago, and am envious of your upcoming trip! Very exciting. Whale watching is MUCH better on Maui than on Oahu – but I think the whales leave in March.
Regarding food shopping: I can’t remember the name of the grocery store that’s 20 minutes away…it’s HUGE, and is open 24 hours. It can be accessed along the road, if you keep going past the turn off to the Aston Kaanapali villas. But I always walked. I’d go to the beach, turn right, and then snake my way through one of other resort hotels, to get to the road with the grocery store. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific! But, if you ask the hotel staff where the big grocery store is — not the Safeway at Lahaina mall — they’ll be able to direct you.
I went with a big family, and we shopped for all our food at Costco, which is near the airport. That requires a car, but it’s worth the rental for the day – especially if you’re a big family. If you can use the car for a tour for the rest of the day, it’s a good use of a rental. I found the grocery stores very expensive, as compared to Vancouver grocery prices. I thought it was because Maui is an island and it costs more to ship things there, but now that I’ve shopped on Oahu I just think the location of the grocery store is what makes it expensive. It’s in the higher end tourist area. On Oahu, we found a grocery store that the locals shop at, and it was less expensive.
Yes, you can easily walk to all the resorts along the strip, including Whalers Village — depending, I guess, on how much you normally walk! It’s an easy walk, flat all the way, and took me less than 30 minutes to get to Whalers on foot, along the beach walk. Not power walking — just a leisurely stroll
If I recall correctly, there’s a free bus that takes you to Whalers. Good for kids and older people.
I hope this helps! Have a great trip. If other things occur to you, feel free to ask.
By the way – we happened to stay at the Aston in Waikiki, too. It wasn’t a deliberate choice; we just found a great condo through Vacation Rentals.com — a one bedroom with full kitchen for $99 per night.
Aloha!
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
I’m very glad I found your article on this property. I really want to book this property, but am concerned about what unit we will be given when we get there. This will be our first trip to Hawaii. We will likely be arriving there around 11:30pm, so not likely much choice of units. I’ve read hundreds of reviews that indicate the experience can be different depending on the unit: the unit could be fabulous or could be really dated (since they are individually owned units), it could have a lovely garden view or a parking lot view with highway noise. Did you make your reservations directly through the resort? If yes, were you able to make specific requests about the type of unit/location of unit before you got there? How would I contact them to try and make requests?
I look forward to your response.
Elizabeth Burnaby, BC
Thanks for all the info, Laurie! It’s really helpful, and reassuring to know that you enjoyed this condo complex so much. I’ll let you know if I have any other questions. I hope you enjoyed your holiday in Waikiki. Mahalo, Linda
Aloha Linda,
I can’t remember the name of the grocery store that’s 20 minutes away….it’s HUGE, and is open 24 hours. It can be accessed along the road, if you keep going past the turn off to the Aston Kaanapali villas. But I always walked. I’d go to the beach, turn right, and then snake my way through one of other resort hotels, to get to the road with the grocery store. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific! But, if you ask the hotel staff where the big grocery store is — not the Safeway at Lahaina mall — they’ll be able to direct you.
Yes, you can easily walk to Whalers Village! That’s a bit farther, maybe 30 minutes. I did a combination of boardwalk and beach walk when I went there
I found Whalers Village to be expensive, though there is an ABC store there. Much, much better shopping is at the marina, where the big old banyan tree is. You can’t walk there easily, but it’s simple to hop a bus.
I can’t remember which resort the Royal Lahaina is — that stretch of beach has dozens of resort hotels! It’s SO MUCH fun, I loved it.
We did rent a car for the whole time we were there, but it was a waste of money. There’s so much to do along that stretch of beach, and there are so many tours that take you without hassle, maps, gas, insurance, etc. Of course, it depends on what you want to do when you’re in Maui.
In one week, we’re going to Waikiki — and we’re not renting a car. I thought about going back to Maui, but decided to try something new. This time, we booked our condo through Vacation Condos by Owner (vcbo.com, I believe). $99 a night for a one bedroom condo at the Waikiki Banyon….if it’s half as nice as the condo I had at the Aston Kaanapali in Maui, I’ll be thrilled!
Let me know if you have any other questions; I’ll try to answer. And, enjoy the anticipation of your upcoming vacation in Maui
Aloha,
Laurie
Hi, I was very interested in your comments about the Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas, as we plan to take our extended family there in April. One question re tip #7: what is the name of the grocery store within 20 minutes walking distance, and where is it located? As we probably won’t rent a car, this would be vauable information for us to have. Also, can we quite easily walk next door to the Royal Lahaina Resort, and also along the beach boardwalk towards Whalers Village from the Aston? Thanks so much for any advice you can provide! We are getting excited about planning our trip. Linda