Mauna Kai, Kauai

Mauna Kai is a charming townhome complex located in the resort community of Princeville at Hanalei on Kauai's lush North Shore. The resort offers a variety of amenities, including the largest condo pool in Princeville, a communal barbeque area, ping pong table, and beautifully landscaped grounds with native Hawaiian plants and flowers. The complex is within easy walking distance of the Princeville Shopping Center, Prince Albert Park, the public library, and the Makai Golf Course. Guests can also enjoy a 10-minute hike to the beautiful, uncrowded Anini Beach along a shady tree-lined path. The resort's convenient location provides easy access to Kilauea, Hanalei, and numerous beaches and features of Kauai's North Shore.

The Top 8 Highest Rated Rentals at Mauna Kai

Mauna Kai Average Rates


As of March 2026, the average price of a 2 bedroom unit at Mauna Kai is $496. The average price of a 3 bedroom unit is $524. These averages include Hawaii's 18% accommodation tax as well as the cleaning and booking fees rentals charge. Also note that prices vary depending on the specifc unit and season (holiday rates are usually higher). Visit the Mauna Kai Rentals page to see specific unit prices for your dates.

What Do Guests Think? An Analysis of 821 Guest Reviews


Reviewer Portrait

The following executive summary is based on a comprehensive and impartial AI analysis of guest reviews. Keep in mind that all units are individually owned, and review scores among units can vary considerably.

Travelers consistently love the North Shore location and tropical feel of these Princeville condos. Lush landscaping, birdsong, and wraparound lanais set a relaxed, indoor–outdoor vibe, and the setting is convenient for exploring: Hanalei is about a 10-minute drive, and there’s a walkable path down to Wyllie/Anini Beach (steep on the way back). Many guests highlight the large, uncrowded pool, easy access to the Princeville Center (Foodland, coffee, restaurants), and the overall quiet, neighborhood atmosphere. Families and couples alike praise the spacious layouts and often say they’d happily return.

Units are generally roomy and well equipped for longer stays. Kitchens get high marks for being stocked with cookware and basics for cooking in; many condos include beach gear such as chairs, towels, coolers, and sometimes snorkel sets and boogie boards. The broad lanais are a frequent favorite for morning coffee and evening lounging, and several reviewers found the beds comfortable. Hosts are commonly described as responsive and thoughtful, with some standouts providing extra touches and quick communication. A few units even offer perks like bedroom A/C or a private hot tub, but amenities do vary by condo.

The most common trade-offs: many units do not have central A/C and rely on trade winds and fans; most guests were comfortable, but some found upstairs rooms or lofts warm—especially in hotter months—so check listings if A/C is important. Typical island noise (early-rising roosters) is widespread, and downstairs units can hear footfall from above; light sleepers may prefer an upper floor or earplugs. Parking can be tight late at night, and the beach path is steep/slippery after rain. Interiors range from freshly updated to a bit dated, and while many report clean, well-maintained spaces, a minority noted maintenance or housekeeping hiccups and occasional variability with property managers and starter supplies. Overall, expect spacious, homey condos in a fantastic location with a resort-caliber pool—just be mindful of A/C, stairs, and the realities of condo living.

This summary is based on a comprehensive analysis of 821 reviews

Recent Mauna Kai Reviews


Beautiful and spacious, with a wonderful pool. Host was very attentive.
Deb K.
November 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: We had a fabulous time last week on the North Shore. Space was exactly as described. Great communication and easy check in. Directions to the condo were easy to follow. Owners met us on arrival and helped us with anything we needed. Great location. We would definitely return to this specific property on another trip
James K.
November 2025

Loved the location and the view! Host was terrific
Andrew E.
November 2025

lovely, comfortable, very clean, great location. clear, timely communication with Valerie (owner). I loved my stay!
Mary W.
November 2025

Very convenient location. Having a full kitchen and laundry made things that much easier.
Stephen C.
October 2025

The accommodations were immaculate. Another bonus was location. Very close to shopping, 15 minute hike down to the beach and close to lots of other beaches and restaurants. The kitchen was well equipped with everything that we needed overall, we would come here again in a heartbeat
Holly R.
October 2025

Tony and his wife Julie were so friendly and helpful. The accommodations were spotless and well appointed. Close to everything.
Holly R.
October 2025

The condo was clean, spacious and stocked with everything you could possibly need. The location was ideal for exploring the north shore.
Karen F.
October 2025

Very basic cottage, ok for a couple of nights. The cottage is split into two flats, so the space is quite narrow but wasn't an issue. Beautiful lush garden. The smell of the towels and bedding were quite unpleasant, would recommend bringing your own towels.
Dilya R.
October 2025

Very well equipped.
Shelley S.
October 2025

Shops nearby, clean house.
Kb2daneck
October 2025

We would and will stay again! The location was perfect for us. Everything was clean and as described. Appreciate the attention to detail in all of his communications. If you read all the information he provides both in emails and in well-organized binder Rick left, you shouldn’t have any questions. I wish all hosts were as descriptive. Thank you!
Micheal S.
October 2025

We loved staying here. The home was exactly as described and shown and is very well kept. The beach chairs, umbrella, and snorkel gear provided made our trip even better!
Mitchell R.
October 2025

Kitchen set-up was good -- lots of essentials. One very dirty bowl in the cupboard.The pool has only one BBQ -- and it needed cleaning. Otherwise, a nice pool.
David R.
October 2025

This condo is perfect for a couple and is located in the best part of Kauai (Princeville / Hanalei). Has all you need and more for an amazing Hawaiian vacation. The owners thought of everything. Host is a very nice couple that live right downstairs and kindly greeted us when we arrived. Well stocked kitchen, all the beach gear you need, laundry and a huge TV to enjoy after a day out exploring. This was a great stay for us at a fair and affordable price. Highly recommended!
Nate E.
October 2025

it was hot when we got in but the condo supplies many fans so we cleared the hot air pretty quickly. One ceiling fan in the upstairs loft area wasnt working but again the staff was pretty responsive and supplied us with room fans to keep the hot air from accumulating. Also the upstairs shower. was very slow to drain, we called and two repair men came and fixed it quickly. The kitchen is very well stocked with appliances and pans, etc.
caro h.
October 2025

AC broke, called twice to number provided and spent two days with sweltering temps in master at night. They didn’t reach out until my trip was over
Stephanie C.
October 2025

This was perfect for a couples getaway. The neighborhood was beautiful, neighbors were very friendly, and was really well maintained and nice to walk around in. The room was as described and there was some beach gear available as well as plenty of cookware and dishes. We were able to cook without any problems. Super short and beautiful drive to Hanalei. Would recommend and if I come back to this area I’ll likely stay here again.
Annie G.
October 2025

Stay away. This unit looks good in pictures but is not set up for a vacation rental. The whole unit needs an overhaul. Not with duct tape like they used to fix the handles of the screens, nor old screws to pretend to keep the oven handle attached to the over (which fell off 2x while baking, and 2nd time we stopped using the oven. The beds need to be taken to the dump, the bathroom needs plumbing so as to not flood the floors, the walls need drywall so that the exposed pipes are covered in the downstairs closet, the old cardboard box needs to be removed, and the kitchen needs proper utensils for a rental unit. A can opener, sharp knifes, etc would be helpful. Overall. the family members that had to stay there were disgusted by the conditions. They actually were talking of leaving early due to the stress of it all. So, in the end, stay away. DO NOT RENT.
Margie B.
October 2025

Our family thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this unit. It was well maintained. The kitchen had everything we needed as far as pots, pans, serving ware and utensils. The refrigerator had an ice maker (bonus)! The bedrooms were very well appointed with comfortable beds, clean linens and clean bathrooms with plenty of towels. There were beach chairs for our beach outings. The kitchen area opened up to the family room and breakfast nook so that when we were at home we were together eating and playing games or just chatting in the open family room. That's what we love doing when not exploring the north shore, so thank you for sharing your townhome with our family.
Margie B.
October 2025

This place was absolutely wonderful! It was well equipped with everything we needed for our stay. The area was very nice and quiet. We enjoyed drinking our coffee every mornong on the back lanai. There is a small shopping center nearby that has a grocery store, several options for restaurants and nightly love music. It was also is also a quick drive to Hanalei. It was just a truly wonderful place to stay for our visit to Kauai!
Jessica C.
October 2025

This was such a nice, clean and comfortable place to stay. Well stocked; everything you might need! Good directions and helpful information of the area. The back deck is just beautiful. Pool is refreshing. Walking distance to serene beach area with amazing views!!
Jennifer I.
September 2025

Such a great stay, 10/10 recommend
Sophia A.
September 2025

Place was perfect for us! Really enjoyed the full kitchen amenities as it provided an opportunity for us to make some snacks and meals without having to find a place to eat out each meal. The additional amenities that were included were excellent; chairs for the beach, towels for the beach, fans for air movement while sleeping, and of course the included snorkeling gear. It was all wonderful!
Kris L.
September 2025

We had a wonderful stay here! Very homey with a lovely back porch. We enjoyed the location and Anini beach was within walking distance (the hill down there is steep and it’s a decent walk though, just FYI). Rick provided lots of amenities and we especially appreciate the beach chairs, umbrella, and snorkeling gear.
Alyssa C.
September 2025

We had a fantastic stay; the condo was a great size, well-appointed, clean, and supplied with plenty of things to make our trip better. The location was very convenient, walking distance to a couple of beaches, good restaurants and a grocery store.
Derek K.
September 2025

Great location, nice condo, only issue no a/c, nights were a warm with just the fans. (But there were 4 of them!) Really great having beach chairs, umbrella ( which was broken, the screw in bottom portion stripped out so couldn’t drill it into the sand), snorkeling gear for 2. Nice it had a toaster oven for cooking and a big fridge and freezer.
Dave D.
September 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: The accommodations were excellent. The condo was clean, well equipped kitchen and the host was very friendly and ready to help in any way that he could. The property was well maintained. I would highly recommend this vacation rental.
Tommy B.
September 2025

Great property and location on the North Shore. It was clean and well kept. We would stay there again. Thanks!
Brad A.
September 2025

The owner & manager were excellent to work with every step of the way. No surprises at all. The place is equipped with everything a couple will need to get to the beach for the day (lounge chairs, cooler, beach towels) and the unit is well equipped for cooking and eating in (and close to a good grocery store)
David B.
September 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: Wonderful location, big enough for a large family or two couples. Very clean, washer/dryer was a bonus, plenty of kitchen utensils, silverware, plates, glasses, etc. The north part of the island is lush, with beautiful beaches and people. Highly worth the stay!

September 2025

Overall we were very pleased with the location, amenities and how comfortable the apartment was. Although the apartment is compact, the space felt open and offered a large private patio with a lush tropical view, in addition to a community pool. The bed and pillows were very comfortable. The check-in and check-out instructions, property and parking access, use of electronic devices in the apartment were very clear and easy to follow. However, the modem was tempermental and we could not access or log-into our streaming apps. The amenities were beyond awesome - beach chairs, beach umbrella and towels were provided for two, along with a cooler and ample shampoos, conditioners and toiletries. The kitchenette offered a microwave, toaster and toaster oven. We highly suggest that a hot plate be included for boiling water for cooking food, along with a metal tea kettle. The plastic water kettle created bad-tasting water and we did not feel that we could cook pasta or rice with it. For the price and location, we give 5 stars!
K R.
September 2025

2nd time here. Im not much of a writer. We love this place and the hosts.
Matt S.
August 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: Our Condo was lovely. The owners thought of everything we needed from the kitchen to the beach supplies. I hope we will be able to come back again.
Amy P.
August 2025

*The property was cute, having perfect space for a solo traveler. My suggestion would be to incorporate a hot plate or an electric stove/ skillet to be able to cook.*The breaker would pop if I left the toaster oven on too long.*The tv could be more user friendly. It kept saying it couldn’t find a connection to connect. Otherwise the owners intrusions to using the tv were great. The pool hours stated in the owners FYI booklet were incorrect. (I didn’t have a pencil to leave him a note :( … besides the cooking stuff, great time and great place.
Chelsea P.
August 2025

Good location, great experience. Close to Tunnels Beach, Anini beach, Hanalei and walking distance to the local food market. Highly recommend this rental.
Amber H.
August 2025

Great place, well appointed
John G.
August 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this property. It’s stocked with everything needed including all the beach gear and added touches like Kleenex, paper towels, napkins, soaps, basic spices, condiments and even distilled water for the iron or CPAP machine. The condo lives much larger than a typical studio and the full size kitchen was wonderful. The patio offers a peaceful setting amongst the lush landscape. The owner was very responsive during our stay and he has provided so many amenities to make your stay comfortable. The location is ideal for the Princeville area and we would definitely return to this property when visiting Kauai again.
Teresa S.
August 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was more than helpful. The vacation rental was very clean. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: Beautiful place! Hottest part of the year obviously and a few times we felt the lack of central AC, but the huge lanai and really nice place made up for it for sure! We're so glad we booked here. The upstairs room gets WARM pretty much all night but has fans that help. The two downstairs rooms have AC units and stay nice and cool. Having the fans going in the living room and dining area really helped. It only got too warm later afternoon early evening.
Christopher H.
August 2025

Our overall experience was excellent. The location was perfect .Our host was extremely responsive and we couldn’t have been happier with our decision to stay in princeville.
Brett G.
August 2025

Absolutely perfect for our 1 family with kids, grandparent, and great-grandparent trip. 3 bedrooms plus the loft area with 2 beds for the kids. Clean, well provisioned, and beautiful view off the deck. Would definitely return!
Kristina S.
August 2025

Loved the location and proximity to the pool, the path to the beach and town. Also loved that they had all the gear like beach chairs, snorkel gear and yoga mat!
Jessica Q.
August 2025

Everything was perfect! Exactly as described and expected. We greatly enjoyed this cute bungalow on the north shore. Highly recommended and would come back in a heartbeat.
Jaimie M.
August 2025

This little getaway place was fantastic! One of the best stocked VRBO‘s that we have ever stayed in. Usually, we have to go and purchase utensils and other supplies - at this place, that was not the case. The unit was very clean, well taken care of and we felt safe in this location. We’d pick this place again.
Lisa L.
August 2025

It was a nice stay and the host had good recommendations for places to go and things to see!
Alex E.
August 2025

The most perfect location with everything you might need. Very cute condo, bonus points for the beautiful pool on the property. We only had a bit of trouble with parking on the first night but we got there late, so maybe plan to arrive before sunset if you want to have a spot. When renting, I prefer when the bed sheets and towels are white or a lighter color. Here they were all quite dark, but everything still looked super clean. The A/C at night was absolutely great. Being on the second floor gives you a nice little view on the ocean and makes it easier to avoid getting bugs or other little friends inside. Tony was also very helpful. Great spot, I highly recommend!
Leyla M.
August 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: We enjoyed our stay at Hoku Lani very much. The unit is well kept and maintained, stocked with the essentials and "extras" such as a beach bag, beach umbrella and chairs, etc., and has a comfortable bed. The unit was also very clean which I appreciate. We enjoyed sitting out on the small balcony listening to the birds drinking our morning coffee. The swimming pool is close by and very nice. We swam there every day. There are many beautiful beaches nearby, one which can be accessed by walking from the condo down a steep trail. Tony and Judith are lovely, friendly and accommodating hosts who live downstairs so you have easy access if you have questions or needs. I highly recommend Hoku Lani.
Gina C.
August 2025

Rating Details: The property manager was adequately helpful. The vacation rental was clean. I was more than happy with the location. I was satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I do not recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: As much as I love coming to Hawaii, there are some things you have to live with while enjoying this island. One are the roosters (especially on Kauai), two are the possibilities of seeing big bugs, and three, renting a lower level place where you will hear the neighbors. This place had all 3. I can deal with the roosters, seeing a roach was not ideal, but most importantly, the fact you hear every footstep from above was just almost too much to bear. If you are very hard of hearing, you may be the only individual that will be able to handle the sounds. Thankfully we were there only 3 nights but that was too long considering barely any sleep was had. The location was fantastic and the unit was very spacious for us four. But I want to help others by being as honest as possible, this is NOT a good place to stay if you want to relax or just sleep.
Celeste S.
August 2025

perfect space to explore, decompress, and feel at home! will definitely return!
Marissa P.
July 2025

Given that this is Hawaii and it is a Studio rental the condition , cleanliness and facilities were very nice
JD B.
July 2025


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