Good Times in Maui

Best Things Nearby:
The best thing nearby is Kapalua Bay. It is a great place to lie on the beach, catch some rays, and snorkel. It has a protective reef, so the water is calm. There are lots of fish, and the water is pretty clear. We went there twice because we had so much fun. There are also lots of places to shop, like Whalers Village, and it is near Lahaina, which has great restaurants, bars, and shops. It's definitely a must-visit. There are also lots of great golf courses like Kapalua and Kaanapali--both world-class, but very expensive. There are a lot of great restaurants nearby as well. The resort is in a great location; there is plenty to do, eat, and see right around the hotel.

Best Things About the Resort:
The best things about the resort are definitely the hot breakfast every morning and the 2-hour free cocktails between 4 and 6pm every night. When you check in, they ask if you want the deal for a week, and it's like $50 a person for the week. It's a great deal. Breakfast was eggs, pancakes, sausage, potatoes, fruit, cereal, coffee, juice... you name it. The cocktail hour was great because we'd go do whatever during the day, come back and get washed up for dinner, and have a few cocktails before we headed out.

Resort Experience:
They have a nice pool with waterfalls and a kiddie waterslide, and the beach is right outside the resort. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They didn't pressure us once about buying a timeshare week, I guess because the resort is so nice they don't need to. The rooms are nice. We had a one-bedroom, which also had a nice separate living room with partial kitchen. We took along another couple--they slept on the pull-out couch, and it was like they had their own room. The restaurant was tasty--we had lunch there once--and they have a nice arcade for kids.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

This was our favorite meal. They say the food is Asian fusion, but it really is a nice steak/seafood place. The difference is the flavors they use to prepare the meals. With fruits, teryaki, wine, or glazes, the food is very flavorful. I had a steak in a demi-glace sauce that was delicious. My wife had some chicken in a teryaki sauce that was juicy as it was tender. They have an extensive wine list, great salads, appetizers (I recommend the pot stickers--they were fantastic), and desserts. The decour is dark, with candles, and there were fine works of art from local artists on the walls. Everything was top-notch.

This is the place to go if you want a good, inexpensive meal with large portions. They also have a large bar and dance floor with nightly dancing. The food was great. They have all the typical bar food, like burgers, sandwiches, great appetizers, pasta, salads... you name it. I had a tasty chicken sandwich with a tall frosty Foster's, all for like $10. My wife had a burger. We also had some potato skins that were loaded and then danced it off on their dance floor. It was our cheapest meal there. If you are in Lahaina and just want a fun place to eat and drink, go to Moose's.

A couple of people had told us to check this place out. Well, we did, and I wish we hadn't. I was really looking forward to some good seafood since I was in Hawaii, so I ordered the Ono in a Macadamia nut crust. It was very dry, a little tough, and the flavor was bland. My wife had a filet mignon that was pretty good, and the Caesar salads were fresh. The service was poor, as well. We waited 10 minutes before we saw our waiter, then it was a good hour before our meals came, and then, getting the check took forever. Hopefully, it was just a bad night, because other people have said it was great, but if I go back to Maui, I will skip this spot.

This is the best-kept secret on Hawaii. It was $55 for 18 holes, and the course is beautiful, with some challenging holes. It was in great shape. There weren't a whole lot of people there, so play was fast. It's up in the hills of Maui, with nice views of the ocean (although the ocean is far away, you can still see it). Did I mention it was $55? That wasn't with a discount or anything; that's the normal price. You could pay $200 at other resort courses, but I guarantee you: this course is almost as much fun as they are. It was the best $55 I spent on my vacation. My buddy who played with me agreed. The only drawback is that they don't allow alcohol on the course, period. Of course, we snuck some in our bags, and they were none the wiser, but make sure you bring your own. I would definitely play there again.