We stayed in an awesome room on the top floor with an incredible view of the sunset on the ocean. The staff was very friendly and very Hawaiian. There was plenty of on site activities for the family and neat little gift shops on premise. Opt for the breakfast buffet to be included with your room, you will not be disappointed. They have a weekly craft fair where local artists come to sell their crafts.

Lie around the whale-shaped pool and eat cheeseburgers hot off the grill. Throw in a topical drink (or two) and this is heaven. Ask for a waterfront room, though there is not bad room here. It's locally owned and the only true Hawaiian Hotel here. They give art lessons, hula lessons, etc. It's great for families. They have good restaurants, but the burgers are hard to beat.

One of the oldest hotel/resort hotels on Kaanapali Beach in Maui, at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, you get what you pay for. In this case, it's not bad!

The hotel definitely has seen better days, but when you're in Maui, you're not going to see much of the hotel. This hotel reminds me of a Best Western hotel, but with much friendlier and more helpful staff members. The staff did everything they could to make our stay enjoyable.

The hotel was overbooked when we arrived, however, and we were sent next door to the Sheraton for one night. The Sheraton is a much, much nicer hotel, but (naturally) it's more expensive. The grounds of the Sheraton are much nicer than at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. Nevertheless, one can go to any of the courtyards of any of the hotels on Kaanapali Beach, and they are all connected with a boardwalk. The staff was very friendly about relocating us and sent chocolates to our room for our trouble and gave us extra breakfast tickets.

We were in our hotel literally only to sleep. There is so much to do in Maui that there is no reason to spend so much for a luxury hotel (especially on Kaanapali Beach). The beach is VERY narrow near the Hyatt and the Marriott, while it's a perfect size around the KBH and the Sheraton.

And oh, yeah--all rooms are ocean view!

Everyone should GO TO MAUI and stay at this hotel (and spend the money you save on a helicopter ride--you will never forget it!)!

Hotel's website: www.kbhmaui.com.
Our rate was the same price directly through the hotel as other websites such as Expedia and Travelocity.

This hotel has a very nice ambience and is probably the only place where you will feel like you are in a different region, since all the workers are locals. Request an upgrade to a renovated room. If you make the reservation for your anniversary or another special occasion, you will have nice surprise, so ask for it.

The tourist scene along Kaanapali Beach is a decided departure from real, local-style living, but even locals feel comfortable at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel.

Kaanapali Beach Hotel was voted the most Hawaiian hotel by the Honolulu based Waiaha Foundation, a Hawaii non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the Hawaiian culture. Read anything about the hotel -- any print ad, review, or website -- and you’ll be aware of this award. Never mind that the hotel has also won accolades from readers of Travel and Leisure as Hawaii’s best value and also sits on the esteemed Conde Nast Gold list. What KBH won’t let you overlook is that they are recognized as the most Hawaiian. This alone proves up what matters to them most.

That they deserve the title is apparent the moment you arrive on the property. Although it shares a beachfront location with several other famous corporate resorts (Sheraton, Westin, Marriott, and Hyatt), the KBH sets itself apart in so many ways. Low-key, low-slung, and brimming with a-lo-ha, the staff here is authentically welcoming, down-home, and Hawaiian. Perhaps it's their heritage and natural love of the island enhanced by their participation in the Ke Kula O Ka Pookela (School of Excellence), a series of educational seminars that immerses employees in the history and details of Hawaiian culture. Whatever the reasons, guests are plunged into the warm waters of Aloha, assimilating the spirit as if by osmosis.

Walk through the open-air lobby, ponder the native Hawaiian implements and instruments, and outrigger the canoe and Tiki god statues. Educate yourself on the history of the Ali’I, described on various placards throughout the hotel. Join the staff as they sing, dance, and dish up mixed-plate buffets to compliment Keiki Hula night under the stars. Body surf, beachcomb, and share a mai tai with locals at the Tiki Hut. Channel your inner Luther Billis by joining the staff for an impromptu hula lesson.

It’s easy to go Hawaiian here since KBH employees view co-workers and guests as Ohana (family). At least 30 employees have chosen to join the ukulele repertoire, some taking advantage of the hotel’s "payroll deduction" plan to buy their instrument. Those adorable little keiki-hula girls you see in the hotel's ads? All children of hotel employees.

In a coconut shell, Kaanapali Beach Resort is one vacation hotel where you can immerse yourself into the local culture without ever leaving the property. In contrast, if you sequestered yourself at any of the other corporate owned and operated Kaanapali Beach resorts, you’d rob yourself of experiencing a vital aspect of Hawaiian life. But at KBH, you can learn the hula, weave a lauhala mat, plunk the ukulele, make a lau print, and speak Hawaiian, all while never loosing sight of the brilliant beach.

Of course, the staff will encourage you to explore Maui beyond the gates. They may even invite you to dinner with their Ohana!