Our 5th edition of Maui Revealed contained so much more new information that we had to move more reviews to our website so that we could fit more exciting content onto the book pages. We are giving all our loyal readers access to the up-to-date resort reviews and our great aerial photos. We know that if you have an older edition and are heading to the island again you will want to see all the other great new activities, places to eat, things to do and see we added inside the pages of our 5th edition. Pick up your copy today!

The Solid Gold indicates that the property is exceptionally well priced for what you get. The Real Gem means that this hotel or condominium offers something particularly special, not necessarily related to the price.

All prices given are rack rates, meaning without any discounts. Tour packages and travel agents can sometimes get better rates. Many places offer discounts for stays of a week or more, and some will negotiate price with you. Some won’t budge at all; others told us no one pays rack rate. Also, be aware that these prices are subject to taxes of around 13.5%.

When describing condos, three-bedroom/two-bath units are described as 3/2, two-bedroom/one-bath units are described as 2/1, etc. Differentiation between half baths and full baths is not made. The price spread for rooms of a given size is due to different views, different locations within the resort and sometimes seasonal fluctuations. So when you see that a 2/2 unit rents for $190–$250, you should figure that $250 is the high season rate or units have a better view or are closer to the water. The terms Ocean Front, Ocean View and Garden View are used rather capriciously in Hawai‘i, so we often avoid them. Unless otherwise noted, all condos come with telephones, complete kitchens, coffee makers, lanais (verandas), cable TV, coin-op laundry facilities and ceiling fans and have cribs available upon request. No condos have a/c, maid service is not included unless otherwise noted, and local calls are free. Cleaning and some annoying booking fees or registration fees may be added to your costs, so read the fine print carefully. Many condos told us that they will book less than their listed minimum night stay, but you may have to pay a hefty cleaning fee.

All condos are non-smoking. Some allow you to smoke on the lanai; some don’t want you smoking any place on property. If you smoke, you will want to check the rules before you book. We saw some high “cleaning fees” if you smoke on property and get caught—like $500!

The important thing to remember about renting condos is the fragmented nature of the market. Each unit usually has a different owner, they all use different rental agencies to manage them, and it changes all the time. (Spreadsheets, blinding headaches and blurred vision are all necessary to figure it out.) Therefore, when we review them, we may look at 10 units and get 10 winners. You may rent one and get a dump because the owner is using furniture from a landfill and carpet from the finish line at the Maui Marathon. An individual owner may opt not to participate in the community hot water, instead giving you a tiny, underpowered hot water heater, while all the other units bask in hot water. Or a resort may be scrupulously maintained, but an individual unit (yours) may have a recurring problem with marauding ants or roaches. The owner may use a different cleaning service, leaving you in a squalid mess. You truly never know what you’re going to get. Internet images only show the condos in the best of times, so keep that in mind. There’s no way to take into account the individuality of units, so to a certain extent, you are playing the odds with many condos.

As for hotels, unless otherwise noted, all do have air conditioning, telephones, small refrigerators, lanais, coin-op laundry facilities, cable TV and cribs available. None have room service unless we mention it. But if they do have room service, watch for built-in tips. It’s easy to double tip, and you can bet that no one will point it out to you. Rooms are generally smaller than condos since they don’t have kitchens and usually don’t have a separate bedroom. Hotels are non-smoking, but may allow smoking in certain areas.