The photos of that famous beach resort on Maui look incredible, so you click Check Availability and are shocked to see that rooms cost almost $600 a night. Bummer, yes, but it doesn't have to mean the end of your Hawaiian vacation dreams. There are budget-friendly and even cheap hotels in Maui, as well as resort and condo-resort options, some of which are so affordable their rates are one third of their luxury counterparts.
If you plan ahead (or last minute) and avoid peak travel periods (the holidays, winter and spring breaks, mid-summer), you can score a room at affordable resorts in Maui with great locations, ample amenities and value-oriented rates that range from about $200 to $400 per night. That leaves plenty of extra money to explore all of the exciting things to do in Maui. Here are 10 options of where to stay in Maui on a budget.
You can book a room at the Aston Kaanapali Shores, but the real draw here for couples or families on a budget are the condominium suites equipped with a full kitchen for prepping meals (especially breakfast and lunch) at a fraction of the cost of resort dining as well as washers and dryers.
The property, located on the beach in North Kaanapali, offers both standard hotel rooms and condo units with Hawaiian-inspired decor, two freshwater pools (including the newly renovated garden pool with hot tub and waterfalls), onsite dining (and Happy Hour specials) at the Beach Club Bar & Restaurant, and cultural activities for all ages.
Located on 11 oceanfront acres on Maui's most famous of stretch of beach, the 432-room Kaanapali Beach Hotel and has a welcoming vibe centered around Hawaiian culture. Rooms are located in four wings, with the six-story Maui, Kauai, Lanai wings serviced by elevators (Maui is also 100 percent non-smoking and Kauai is oceanfront) and featuring full-size tubs in the bathrooms (great for families with young kids).
The newly renovated Molokai wing is three stories (without an elevator) and features bathrooms with a shower only. Guests can enjoy complimentary Hawaiian cultural activities such as ukulele and hula lessons, language classes and lei making, experience the Legends of Kaanapali Luau, and dine on local cuisine at Tiki Terrance.
If you're looking for cheap hotels in Maui with great locations, or more specifically one that feels more local than touristy, the Kohea Kai Resort might be a good option. With just 26 rooms and suites, it's a boutique property with a friendly ambience and is located across the street from the beach in Kihei, which offers easy access to both neighboring Wailea and is about 30 minutes by car from Lahaina.
All suites have kitchenettes or full kitchens and large lanais. Other amenities include a pool and hot tub, a rooftop lounge, complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free snorkeling gear.
Situated between the West Maui resort areas of Kaanapali and Kapalua, the Royal Kahana Maui by Outrigger is a condominium resort offering studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, all with fully equipped kitchens and a choice of garden or ocean view (which are pretty spectacular).
Independence-loving guests can opt to prepare meals themselves or venture to nearby casual eateries. The resort features an onsite pool, but the beach is only accessible to guests during spring and summer (Hawaii's changeable currents claim most of it in fall and winter, when another beach five minutes' walk away is the best option).
If you love a large resort with tons of amenities, the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa offers its all: a great location at the center of Kaanapali Beach, 806 contemporary rooms and suites (each with a private lanai), six freeform pools with waterfalls, eight dining outlets (including restaurants serving Asian, Hawaiian, and steak and seafood, and a breakfast buffet), a nighty luau, an array of resident parrots and flamingos, and an oceanfront spa.
Yes, room rates are at the very top end of affordable (and jump substantially in price during peak travel periods), but this 40-acre property makes a great base for enjoying Maui, whether you're on a family vacation or a honeymoon.
Its 12-story Lahaina Kai Tower offers 441 renovated rooms and suites featuring contemporary South Pacific décor and custom teak furnishings, all with terraces and some with sweeping ocean views. This 11-acre property is oceanfront on North Kaanapali Beach, making Royal Lahaina Resort an affordable and convenient base in West Maui.
There are also a number of Beach Cottages in various stages of renovation (as of early 2019), so for now the Tower rooms and suites are the best option. The resort also features the casual Royal Ocean Terrace restaurant, a Beach Bar, a beachfront luau, three pools, 11 tennis courts, a spa, and free Wi-Fi.
When it comes to affordable hotels in Maui that offer resort-like amenities, check out Honua Kai Resort & Spa, a property located on Kaanapali North Beach that offers 600 one-, two- and three-bedroom suites with large lanais, Hawaii-inspired décor, full kitchens and in-unit washers and dryers. Opened about 10 years ago, this family-friendly property is set on 38 acres and features a series of interconnected pools, slides and waterfalls that kids will love love.
There's also a Duke's Beach House on property for Hawaii-inspired cuisine (poke tacos, coconut shrimp, banana leaf-steamed island fish and shrimp) and Aina Gourmet Market for groceries, snacks and coffee.
If golf is your game and you've dreamed of playing the two courses in Maui's exclusive Kapalua Resort—the Bay Course and the Plantation Course, home of the PGA Tournament of Champions (although the course is now closed for enhancements through late 2019)—booking a condominium at the Kapalua Villas Maui will leave you with plenty of money to spend on extra rounds or post-play cocktails and dining.
The property features one- to three-bedroom units with a full kitchen, washers and dryers and terrific fairway and ocean views. When you're no teeing up, you can enjoy access to Kapalua's three beaches, 11 restaurants, tennis courts and hiking trails.
Another large Kaanapali resort that offers the setting and amenities to suit almost every type of Maui vacation—from destination wedding or honeymoon to family reunion—the The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali features 759 contemporary rooms and suites (in particular the sleek white and gray décor of the "luxury" categories).
Equally appealing: the super tropical ambience of the beachfront grounds, which include 87,000 square feet of pools (there are five, including one that's adults only), waterslides, waterfalls and even a hidden Jacuzzi sheltered in a grotto; four restaurants (plus an onsite luau and a hot dog stand); and a 15,000-square-foot Heavenly Spa by Westin.
This intimate — there are just four rooms and one cottage — bed-and-breakfast is a low-key tropical oasis that's big on Old Hawaii charm. One of the more Affordable places to stay in Maui, the Pineapple Inn Maui makes an ideal escape for couples seeking a relaxed vibe away from the crowds and energy of Maui's larger resort areas.
All accommodations feature their own private entrance, a kitchenette and an inviting lanai that's perfect for enjoying morning coffee or sunset cocktails. There's a small pool area with a hot tub and barbecues and while the inn is tucked into a lush residential area above Wailea, with easy access to the beaches (less than a mile away), restaurants and shopping the resort area offers.
