We loved Hotel Hana-Maui and wish we had stayed longer than 2 days. The grounds are beautiful. Our room, a garden cottage, was beautiful. The staff was nice and helpful. The location is heavenly. The restaurant was very good. I loved the hotel's beach, outdoor spa, and the horseback riding. Would go again in a heartbeat.

For those who want to truly explore all that the famous scenic Road to Hana has to offer, spending at least one night in Hana Town is recommended.

Our Hideaway cottage at Hana Accommodations was a small studio on a courtyard property located just off the Hana Highway. The grounds were well landscaped with local plants, rocks and trees. There was also a hot tub, perfect for a nice relaxing soak after a day of driving and hiking. There are four units total, varying in size to accommodate up to six persons. Our studio had a queen bed and a full bath, with a microwave, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, blender, and toaster and plenty of eating utensils. There was also a stereo and cable TV, and books and magazines. The covered lanai was good-sized with a table and chairs, including a rocking chair.

The location is ideal, very quiet and felt like the kind of area where you could venture off without locking the doors. Just cross the highway and you have instant access to a land preserve for hiking coastal trails, a short walk to the popular Waioka Pool (aka the Venus Pool), and are about a mile away from Hamoa Beach. Also, a short drive away is access to a rugged hike to a red sand beach and the property is only six miles from Oheo Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools). Restaurants and food stores are just three miles away in Hana Town. But keep in mind, because of the isolated location of Hana, grocery and restaurant prices are steep. **Try to pack some drinks and canned goods and snacks before starting your journey to Hana.

Surrounded in the beauty of nearby sights, our secluded cottage stay was very unique and memorable. This was "Heavenly Hana."

The accommodations were very cozy and bungalow style. From studios to a three-bedroom bungalows, all were separate from one another on the beautifully landscaped property about three miles southeast of Hana proper. The only drawback we experienced in the one-bedroom unit was the shower, which goes from cold water to hot to tepid.

The resort is across the street from an open field for perfect views of some gorgeous sunrises. A private, freshwater, ocean fed lagoon is a short walk from this location. Actual access to swim in this wonderful lagoon requires a little bit of a climb down via a dirt path and over rocks. This natural setting is NOT wheelchair accessible at all.

The hot tub is open 24 hours a day.

Tom, the owner and host, is a wonderful, very personable guy! HE is the reason the accommodations are so well kept!

We have been here three times and love it!

The famed Post Ranch Inn, a sister property to Maui’s secluded tropical getaway on Hana‘s fabled eastern shore, sent a special invitation to experience what Hana‘s all about. Since we’d never been to Hana and were anticipating an anniversary celebration, we seized the opportunity

Hana is known most for clinging to its true Hawaiian sensibility--"Heavenly Hana" as it is oft-referenced. Resembling the mythical paradise on earth it’s easy to see how the name evolved. At the hotel Hana Maui the staff is downright angelic.

Since the Hotel Hana-Maui is one of the island's most intriguing luxury accommodations and was voted one of the Top Five resorts in the country for romance and seclusion, it seemed the ideal choice for celebrating our anniversary.

Following the infamous drive to Hana (about which I shall not immediately comment), we were greeted in the hotel’s lobby by a Tu-tu (auntie) draped in flowered leis bursting with inimitable Hawaiian hospitality--she actually kissed and serenaded us so unabashedly that we had to giggle.

We booked a secluded, private, ocean-view suite in a two-room cottage at the Sea Ranch. Situated along the sloping coastline, the buildings, styled from former plantation days, are exceedingly simple. Two ceiling fans and ocean breezes provide the only cool air. Covered lanais invite simple dallying before the stunning ocean views, especially from the discreetly positioned hot tub.

Unfortunately, it rained all weekend; sometimes it was torrential, sometimes a mere downpour. It was warm rain-muggy, sticky, humid rain. I stared at the ceiling fans for a few hours, whirling with all their might, still unable to efficiently circulate the heavy air to the point of providing comfort. They seemed as desperate as we were for relief.

Given that there is little to do in inclement weather in Hana, the low-tech accommodations (no TV, movies, radio, or air-conditioning) can be daunting in such conditions. The arrangement is intended for "soul searching" according to hotel literature, but we would have really enjoyed having a VCR so we could get our inspiration from a comedy. There are no shops, theaters, or other distractions in Hana. Out here it’s you, nature and your imagination.

Fortunately, other amenities helped prolong our resistance to that blasted soul searching. Handmade soaps, custom-fragranced bath salts, a deep-soaking tub, high-powered showers, and fluffy spa towels provided luxury. A spa across the way offered treatments. En-suite snacks, from Caramacs to Kona coffee and herbal teas to sodas, were provided gratis. Twenty-four hour room service, with a dinner menu identical to the main dining room, absolved us from going out into the rain one night and a bottle of wine staved off navel-gazing for a few more hours.

For visitors who want to experience Hawaii before Starbucks and Krispy Kreme dotted its landscape, Hana is essential. For those hoping to linger a while in its rustic ambiance and good-natured charm, a stay at the Hana-Maui Hotel will satisfy all your tropical dreams splashed with a touch of luxury. Just hope the rain lets up.