Feature Story:
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do you have questions? Look here for all the information you need to plan a great vacation on Maui! These sections give answers about Unit 114, about Honokeana Cove, and about Maui Vacations in general.
Questions About Unit 114
What makes Unit 114 unique at Honokeana Cove? . . . show more
Unit 114 is ground floor center, facing west for a full view of the grounds, the ocean and sunsets. Both living room and bedroom are air conditioned, just in case you experience extra hot weather. Also, the bedroom has tightly closing windows and blackout curtains for restful sleep. The unit is fully equipped and is updated every year.
What does Unit 114 not have? . . . show more
We equipped our kitchen fully enough to satisfy most needs. However, if a guest wants some additional tool or prep item, we will add it if we can find room to store it. Simply ask the Rental Manager to make arrangements or get in touch with us.
We used to say that we don’t have a rice cooker. However, we arrived on a recent trip to discover that a helpful guest had left one for us! For which we are most grateful. It is generally in the cabinet over the fridge.
What changes are planned for Unit 114? . . . show more
We visit Unit 114 every winter, and sometimes other times of year. On each visit we replace items that need updating, touch up the paint, have the knives professionally sharpened and respond to guest questions and requests.
In November 2015 we added a Smart TV with Netflix, Amazon Prime and Pandora services, plus two new air conditioners in bedroom and living room. In August 2017 we replaced the lanai slider door with a smooth-moving new one. In October 2021 we bought a new king mattress and bed, new art work, new TV and new DVD player. In May 2022 we added a faucet at the kitchen sink that dispenses filtered drinking water, to encourage you to refill water bottles rather than buying new ones. In 2023 we installed a tankless water heater to provide guests with better service. We welcome your suggestions for improvements!
Most other questions about Unit 114 are answered on these webpages:
Location: https://maui114.net/114location/
Amenities: https://maui114.net/114amenities/
Rental Rates: https://maui114.net/114rates-reservations/
Detailed Description: http://vrbo.com/341726/
Questions About Honokeana Cove
Questions About Visiting Maui
Why visit Maui? . . . show more
– Every survey of travelers confirms: Maui is one of world’s greatest travel destinations
– Maui is safe, with a low crime rate
– As part of the United States, Maui is politically stable
– Although Maui is an exotic and beautiful destination, it need not be expensive
– Maui has a tremendous variety of activities, many of them free
– In addition, when you visit Maui, almost everyone you meet will be friendly, with true “Aloha” spirit!
Is Maui expensive? . . . show more
Cost is one of those questions that depends on you.
Maui offers luxury hotels, fine restaurants, championship golf courses, helicopter tours and high-end shopping. Therefore, you can choose to spend a lot of money here!
However, Maui also has the widest range of free and inexpensive activities of any major travel destination, including beaches, mountains, parks, hikes and scenic drives. Maui has many reasonably-priced condominium rentals where you can cook some or all of your own meals, avoiding restaurant prices. In addition, many activity discounts are available. Your most painful expense will be getting to Hawaii; however, many visitors find discounted air fares or travel using miles.
In summary, people at every income level visit Maui and enjoy great vacations, at every price point.
Where to Stay on Maui
Which part of Maui should I stay in? . . . show more
Asking questions like this will guarantee you a fantastic vacation! There are five principal vacation lodging options on Maui. Your best choice will depend on your budget, your priorities, and which properties are available for your desired dates:
– West Maui luxury hotels and condos
These are located on Kaanapali Beach and in the Kapalua Resort. A few properties have championship golf courses, tennis courts, spas and fitness centers. Both Kaanapali and nearby Lahaina have many restaurant and shopping options.
– West Maui condos
The west Maui condos are on Lower Honoapiilani Road, between Kaanapali and Kapalua. In all, there are several dozen oceanfront properties, plus a few across the road from the water. These condos are less expensive than the luxury areas. Shoreline access is excellent, but there are not many on-site facilities such as restaurants and shopping.
– South Maui luxury hotels and condos in Wailea
The surrounding countryside is dry and barren, but the hotel properties are well-landscaped and have nice golf courses.
– South Maui condos in Kihei
Kihei condos are inexpensive because they are not on the coastline; there’s usually a public beach a short walk away. Kihei is attractive for families on a tight budget.
– Hana
Hana, at the northeast corner of Maui, has a luxury hotel plus a few bed-and-breakfasts. It is strictly for those who want isolation, because it is inconveniently far away from everything.
For additional information, see the Jon’s Maui website.
Condos vs. Hotels
Should I stay at a condo or a hotel? . . . show more
Such questions depend on your individual preferences. If you are used to five-star service and amenities and do not want to risk disappointment, you should stay at a luxury hotel. Top hotels maintain a consistent quality that even luxury condos are hard-pressed to copy.
Therefore, if you want a destination resort where you can enjoy restaurants, shopping and activities without ever leaving the property, you need a luxury hotel. However, since you don’t plan to spend much time seeing Maui, why spend the extra money on a vacation in Hawaii? Just stay somewhere closer to home.
If you are happy with three-star hotels and motels when you travel, you should consider renting a condo on Maui. Condos vary according to the taste and conscientiousness of the owner, so you should ask questions: look at photos, videos and, especially, reviews from former guests. If you take this trouble, you will probably have a fabulous rental experience while saving a lot of money. You are also likely to become a great fan of condo vacations on Maui!
For a more extensive discussion and answers to more questions, see our article Best Hawaii Lodging and also the Jon’s Maui website.
Air Conditioning
Do I need air conditioning at my Maui lodging? . . . show more
Ask questions and you’ll avoid surprises! The rooms in all major hotels are air conditioned. Most condos are not air conditioned, except for the newest, most expensive ones. However, both hotels and condos do a thriving business. How can this be?
Maui hotels are high-rise buildings and in many cases you cannot even open the windows. As a result, a guest staying on the tenth floor a half mile from the elevator really needs climate control to feel comfortable.
On the other hand, most Maui condos, especially the older ones, are low-rise, meaning just a couple of floors. Guests typically fling open the windows, turn on the ceiling fans, and luxuriate in the caress of the passing Trade Winds.
Thus Maui visitors either seem to be “hotel” people who want AC, or “condo” people who prefer the fresh tropical air.
Of course, there are exceptions to all the rules, and there are “condo” people who also want the convenience of air conditioning. For example, we enjoy the Trade Winds, but sometimes we want to be a bit cooler when we sleep. Therefore we have installed portable air conditioners in Unit 114, both in living room and bedroom, to keep you as cool as you might wish. Our guests can welcome in the breezes or turn on the AC, whichever they prefer. The electric bills tell us that our guests use the AC during the warmer months (August to October), but only rarely the rest of the year.
Choosing a Condo Property
What kind of condo property would I like best? . . . show more
One of the major attractions of most condos is a full kitchen. Whether you cook full meals or just keep drinks and snacks on hand, the kitchen provides convenience and saves you the cost of eating every meal at a restaurant.
In West Maui most ocean front condos are located between Kaanapali and Kapalua, and they are attractively priced compared with the big hotels. Many are older properties, having been built in the 1960s or 1970s and remodeled many times since then. Most do not have a 24-hour front desk nor daily maid service. Here again, it will pay you to ask questions.
The most obvious differences between the properties are these:
– Number of floors. High-rise (6 to 12 floors), mid-height (3 to 4 floors) or low-rise (2 floors). (Honokeana Cove is low-rise.)
– Number of units. Properties range in size from 6 units to 236 units. (Honokeana Cove has 38 units.)
– Type of waterfront. The options are wide sandy beach, narrow sandy beach, pebbly beach (like Honokeana Cove), or dropoff without easy water entry and exit.
– Air conditioning. A few properties have air conditioning in every condo unit. Others, such as Honokeana Cove, have air conditioning only in a few units, including #114.
– Onsite restaurants. Only Napili Kai, Napili Shores and Sands of Kahana have restaurants on the property; however, all condos have restaurants within easy walking distance.
Choosing Your Waterfront Access
What are the plusses and minuses of Honokeana Cove? . . . show more
Let’s suppose that you have found good answers to your questions about amenities, cost and personal service, and narrowed your choice to the following: a low-rise oceanfront condo on Lower Honopiilani Road. You still have approximately twenty different properties to choose from.
The principal difference in these properties is your relationship to the oceanfront.
Beach.
Do you need a broad sandy beach just outside your unit? Then you want a condo right on Napili Bay Beach, the only significant beach along this part of the coastline. There are five properties on that beach (Hale Napili, Mauian, Napili Bay Resort, Napili Sunset and Napili Surf); most of their units are small studios; and very few of them actually front on the water. If you’re willing to be a short walk away from the beach, you can add Honokeana Cove, Napili Point, Napili Shores and Napili Kai to the list. However, if you want a unit that directly faces a big beach, you’ll have more choices if you forget the Lower Road and stay at Kaanapali instead.
Water Access.
Do you just want easy access to the water and a place to lounge in the sun? Most of the Lower Road condos will offer you that, but be sure to ask questions; some properties have a rocky dropoff with no easy way to get in and out of the water. (As you may have already seen on this website, Honokeana Cove has a pebbly beach leading right into the water. There’s also a walkway and steps that take you all the way to the water’s edge.)
Ocean Front.
You’re staying at an “oceanfront condo,” but you need to ask more questions. For example, exactly where is your condo relative to the ocean, anyway? Can you see a tiny bit of water from your lanai, or a full-up view from your living room? Be sure to study the site plan for the properties you’re considering, to learn exactly where your unit is located. If they don’t show you a site plan, you might wonder whether the property has something to hide. You can see Unit 114’s location on THIS map (click on the diagram to enlarge it); and you can see all the Honokeana Cove condos on THIS map.
Choosing a Specific Condo
Which units at Honokeana Cove would be best for me? . . . show more
Even within a small property like Honokeana Cove, there are differences between condos. We require every unit to be clean and fully equipped, but there are differences in décor and furnishings that you will see in the unit descriptions, photos and videos
One of the first questions to consider is which floor you want to stay on:
Ground Floor or Upper Floor?
A ground floor unit like #114 has certain advantages: you’re just five steps off the lawn; you can use your lanai as your front door; and you have easy access to visit other units.
However, the ground floor is not for everyone. If you fear noise from people walking in the upstairs unit, or don’t want people walking past your lanai, you should choose an upper floor unit. You’ll be walking up and down stairs, and have to remember to always take your key with you, but that’s the price of assuring your privacy.
Which Honokeana Cove building is best? . . . show more
Each Honokeana Cove building offers a slightly different experience:
– Buildings 1a and 1b
These are on the left (south) side of the map. These units face north and get no direct sun, but they are close to the pool. They get no noise from the road, but they hear sounds from people in the pool.
– Building 2
This one is at the bottom (east) side of the map. These units face west, viewing the entire property plus stunning sunsets. The units at the north and south ends have a narrower view than the middle units. This building is closest to the road, therefore if you’re a light sleeper, get a unit with tightly closing windows or an air conditioner to mask noise. (Unit 114 has both.)
– Building 3
This is at the upper right (northwest) part of the map, faces west and comes right to the edge of the water. You see plenty of water, and you have privacy and isolation. However, you can’t see the pool and lawn, and you can’t step off your lanai, so you always need to keep your door key with you.
Once you know the building that best meets your needs, study the condo descriptions, photos, videos and reviews to see which units would work best for you and your companions.
Staying in Touch with Maui
How can I stay in touch with Maui after I return home? . . . show more
After you return from a Maui vacation, why not extend that vacation in your mind, by staying in touch with Maui? Here are some great ways to keep “Maui on your mind”:
• Add a Favorite link or shortcut to the Honokeana Cove web cam on your computer: http://honokeana.net/web-cam/
• Follow Honokeana Cove on Facebook to see the latest posts and photos from the rental manager and the Cove’s happy guests: https://www.facebook.com/mauiturtlecove/
• Also on Facebook, Follow the website Maui 24/7 for breaking news and historical snippets: https://www.facebook.com/maui247/
• See the resident manager’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thecovemgr/
• For the latest news on restaurants, hotels and attractions, subscribe to the Jon’s Maui monthly e-mail newsletter: https://www.mauihawaii.org
Questions?
Do you still have questions about vacations in Maui or at Honokeana Cove? Feel free to send us an e-mail (art@maui114.net) or give us a call (313-378-0262); leave a voice message if you don’t reach us immediately. We’ll try our best to answer all your questions and help you toward a great vacation!
On the other hand, if you know just what you want, why not book your Maui vacation right now?
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