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.
Papakea delivers a classic West Maui, oceanfront condo experience with a laid‑back, uncrowded vibe. Guests rave about panoramic views, nightly sunsets, and frequent whale and turtle sightings right from the lanai. The grounds are meticulously maintained and feel peaceful, with two pools and hot tubs, putting greens, shuffleboard, tennis/pickleball, and plenty of lawn loungers along the seawall for sunset. The location is a standout: you can walk to Times Supermarket, an ABC store, food trucks, coffee, and casual restaurants, and you’re a short drive to Ka’anapali, Napili, and Kapalua beaches and snorkel spots.
Individual condos are privately owned, but many are clean, comfortable, and thoughtfully stocked—think beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, boogie boards, snorkel gear, games, and well‑equipped kitchens. Families and groups like the spacious layouts (often with lofts), in‑unit laundry, and easy parking; ground‑floor units are especially convenient for pool and lawn access. The resort is friendly and low‑key compared to big hotels, with simple, well‑kept pools, BBQ cabanas, and occasional activities like water aerobics, lei‑making, and a Mai Tai hour. It’s easy to settle into a routine of morning coffee on the lanai, beach or pool time, and grilling at sunset.
Trade‑offs to know: the shoreline fronting Papakea is primarily a seawall/rocky edge; sandy beach is limited and often a short walk next door, with the best beaches a quick drive away. Air conditioning varies by unit (some have none, others use timers or only cool common areas), and loft bedrooms can run warm; a few guests note lanai heat/noise from exterior AC condensers. As with many tropical properties, occasional pests or cleaning/maintenance hiccups happen and service levels can depend on the unit’s management; there are also separate nightly resort fees and occasional early‑morning or construction noise. If AC is important or stairs are a concern, confirm details before booking. Overall, travelers who prefer a relaxed condo setting with stellar views and convenient West Maui access love Papakea.
This summary is based on a comprehensive analysis of 1000 reviews
We absolutely loved our stay in Lisa’s condo! The short walk to the beach was perfect for my kids. We loved all the amenties-pool, putt putt and shuffle board. The front desk staff was amazing and gave us great recommendations for a near by gym (Club Maui- also highly recommend) and cinnamon rolls. We loved walking to the nearby food trucks for dinner as well.The condo had all the supplies we needed in the kitchen and we cooked several meals there. Papakea was quiet and very family friendly. The bed was very comfortable. The sofa bed was a little springy but my kids didn’t seem to mind. Overall it was amazing! Lisa was really helpful during the tsunami warning and overall provided great communication. We definitely did not want to leave and can’t wait to come back!
jennie a.
August 2025
We were shocked that major repairs were being made daily to the water system in the G building. No alerts were made at the time of booking, nor later. At the Papakea around 2013, we were alerted that the C building would be closed while all lanais were being upgraded. Had this been our first ever visit, I would have been irate!
Samuel S T.
August 2025
Great location and excellent communication with the owner.
Tim B.
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:
Cozy place on ocean!! Family enjoyed the pool and pickleball the most! Mai tai night was a hit too!!
Greg S.
August 2025
Our stay in this unit was just wonderful! We have stayed at Papakea many times but this was our first stay in this lovely unit. The place was spotless!! And the most well-stocked rental we’ve ever stayed in by far. Gorgeous view, wonderful, communicative and kind owner, all the beach gear included, full kitchen amenities (plastic bags, paper towels, plenty of dishes, glasses and cookware, etc.), books and puzzles, updated furnishings and an extremely comfortable bed. We will definitely stay again! Thanks to the owner for a great vacation!
Catherine S.
August 2025
Beautiful unit. Great communication from host. Ac, appliances and electronics all up to date as well.
Denis D.
August 2025
Overall a great experience. Check in was easy, the unit was fantastic, and you can't beat the views from every room.
Matthew B.
August 2025
Absolutely amazing! Would recommend anyone to stay in this unit. Clean! Beautiful! Location!
Renae H.
July 2025
Check-in process was easy, kitchen had everything we needed. Host very responsive and made great suggestion for after wedding dinner celebration.
Kevin F.
July 2025
This condo was beautiful and comfortable, with peaceful ocean views and we saw lots of sea turtles swimming by! We were visiting during a tsunami evacuation and Maui Paradise Properties was so communicative and shared helpful updates to stay safe. Mahalo for the hospitality and reassurance during an unsettling event.
Catherine S.
July 2025
A/C does not work, the dryer vents directly into the hallway - making it even hotter inside the apartment. It was so hot & humid that it was difficult to sleep. The washing machine kept shutting off. A few of the window cranks are broken. The hideabed mattress cover is stained. 2 of the snorkels were old/broken valves & the small, canvas ice chest was ripped with broken/rusted zippers. The location is great, but the appliances and advertised gear needs repair & replacement.
Leah Y.
July 2025
Was a gorgeous view and great location
Katrina U.
July 2025
Pros:Christine is very receptive, easy to contact. She was willing to let us check in early and leave 1 hour late, which was super helpful. The house has lots of supplies for boogie boarding. The place is clean. The fridge and washing machine worked well. There is ample parking and the beach is close by. Cons: There is no dining table. There are barstools. The AC is very very slow. It took more than 8 hours to cool down the first night. It was cooler outside than inside. If AC is important to you, this is not the place for you.
Jenny K.
July 2025
We could not have picked a better condo for our vacation. The view and amenities were more than I could have asked for. Our favorite part of the day was watching sunsets over the water from the property. The condo is closely located to an affordable grocery store and many good restaurants. Maui Property was a very responsive company to deal with.
Justine C.
July 2025
Our stay here was absolutely excellent. The location is perfect—just steps from the ocean with the soothing sound of waves to wake up to each morning. You can’t beat the proximity to the beach, and we loved being able to walk right out and soak it all in.The property itself was clean, and had everything we needed for a comfortable and relaxing stay.
Caline L.
July 2025
Great location, near everything, but without the crowds. Property was clean, AC worked great, no troubles with anything. Worked with the Gather Vacations /Stice Property Team, they went above and beyond to make sure our stay was so easy.
Matthew S.
July 2025
Tried to contact mgr a couple of times with no response. also view online was very creative to block out the apt building next door. Overall great place on ocean.
david r.
July 2025
Great 2B/2Ba stay - it has an amazing balcony view of the ocean, and full amenities available. Christine had the whole process very smoothly laid out, and the house was completely ready when we arrived. All in all, a great experience and we would definitely stay again the next time we are here.
Sonia V.
July 2025
This condo has everything you need and more. The beach amenities were super appreciated (beach chairs, cooler, snorkeling set, boogie board). The view is breathtaking, and both the condo and the resort are very well taken care of. We loved the location and everything the area has to offer. We arrived very late and the host made sure we would have no problems checking in. Thanks for everything Dawn!
Nicole G.
July 2025
We had a family of 10 stay at Brian's house for 10 nights. The resort grounds are well maintained and have a great view of the ocean. Ample sleeping room for 10 people. A/C in all of the sleeping area came in handy during 80F days. House is well supplied. If your party is 10 adults, then it might feel a bit tight if everyone tried to linger in the family room. We had a mix of adults and teens, and we hung out in the beach or the pool and gathered back in the house to hit the bed. Would highly recommend based on host's responsiveness and location of the resort.
Ajith R.
July 2025
This vacation home is exactly as described. Host was great and had a welcome package waiting for us when we checked in
Andy T.
July 2025
Great location, property and host. This place is a good balance between calm/quiet but still has lots around it. Hosts were great!
Cameron H.
July 2025
At Maui for vacation and Granddaughter wedding
Rick H.
July 2025
Great place to stay near the beach and shops. Morgan is a very helpful host. We highly recommend Papakea Penthouse as it has everything you need for a restful stay.
Aidan O.
July 2025
The property was very clean and well cared for in a great location. The grounds were immaculate with two nice pools and a hot tub. Beach access is limited as the ocean is right against the seawall. But you can walk a short distance to the beach on the adjoining property or take a short drive to Kaanapali Beach for some amazing snorkeling. The owner supplied six beach chairs which we used on all of our beach trips.The only negative about the property is there is only one AC unit in the main living area and the bedrooms can get warm. There are fans in each room to help cool things down, but some additional AC units would help.Overall, a extremely well cared for property in a great location suitable for a family of five.
Tom and Kristen H.
July 2025
Property was exactly as described. Great view and overall very nice location. Comfortable layout for family of five adults. Communication with owner was great.
John F.
July 2025
Great view.
Kris M.
July 2025
We had a wonderful stay at Papakea Resort! The location is perfect for families, with plenty of space for the kids to play and beautiful ocean views to enjoy. We loved being within walking distance to food, coffee, and a convenience store, which made everything easy with little ones. The grounds are well-maintained and the pools were great for our family. We would love to return in the near future!
Morgan G.
July 2025
This condo is in a great location and the Papakea Resort is a nice resort. Yes, it is ocean front! The kitchen was well stocked with everything you would expect for pots, pans, silverware, etc. The unit cooled off after sunset and had a good breeze with the front door open (there is a screen door). A/C worked well when it was needed. The A/C does make the lanai hot from the outside unit so we would turn off when we wanted to hang out on the lanai. The couch in the living area is more like a loveseat than a full size couch so don't plan to stretch out on the couch while watching tv! The unit had five or so beach chairs, a beach umbrella, two boogie boards, limited snorkel equipment, ice chest, and beach toys. The unit is close to a food truck yard and the Fish Market which offers fresh fish and a limited seafood menu.
Gerald G.
July 2025
Highly recommend this unit . It’s conveniently located within walking distance to many stores and restaurants. The unit has all the amenities you will need and owners are very nice . Love Maui and look forward to another stay at Papakea, thank you !
Karen H.
July 2025
We had a fabulous week staying at Dee's condo. It was welcoming and relaxing listening to the ocean and enjoying the magnificent view. Dee responded right away to a couple of questions we had. We also took advantage of a couple of exercise classes that were offered in the pool.
Julie K.
July 2025
We were so blown away by the view from the moment we walked in! This property is so perfectly located. It is right on top of the beach. Turtles, rays and seals swim by to say hello. The neighboring beaches, shops and restaurants are a short walk or short drive. And the items within the home are perfectly placed and very thoughtfully selected. We absolutely loved our 8 night stay.
TJ C.
July 2025
Really great location for our extended family including grandparents
Matthew S.
July 2025
Really nice spot to enjoy Maui! Incredible view, nice and clean and had everything we needed!
Ben V.
July 2025
Overall property was nice and room was great. Clean and well maintained. We did find ourselves driving to the other side of the island a lot so although there were things around us, location of unit caused us to drive a lot to other areas of the island. A few drawbacks:-Check in was a bit confusing after hours, instructions said there was a phone to call but no phone was there. Finally figured out there was a number sign to call. We figured it out, but after a long day of travel it was a bit stressful sorting out.-We didn't use property facilities at all (pool, green, courts, etc.). For somebody that didn't use facility features at all, daily costs were really high for somebody that didn't use anything. Unit did have a beautiful view and grounds were well maintained. - AC was really loud to the point we didn't use it. It bothered my partner to have it on. As such, the unit was really hot without it. Having a less loud AC unit would have made the stay a lot nicer.
Jade B.
July 2025
Exactly as described
DJ M.
July 2025
We had a great experience! The hosts were super communicative and very detail-oriented. The condo was gorgeous - the ocean front views were incredible. Highly recommend. Would definitely stay here again!
Katie L.
July 2025
Everything was great!
Carrie B.
July 2025
5 Stars – Perfect Maui Getaway!We absolutely loved our stay at this 1-bedroom condo in Maui! The space was clean, cozy, and well-equipped with everything we needed—from a full kitchen to beach chairs and towels. The bed was super comfortable, and the lanai offered beautiful views, perfect for morning coffee or sunset drinks.The location was ideal—close to the beach, shops, and great local restaurants, but still peaceful and quiet. We really appreciated the thoughtful touches, like guidebooks and fast Wi-Fi. Check-in and communication with the host were smooth and easy.Highly recommend this spot for couples or families looking to relax and enjoy the beauty of Maui!
Mark R.
July 2025
The condo was nice,clean.We had everything we needed for a comfortable stay,it is close to the beach,shops and restaurants.The views are just so beautiful from the balcony. The hosts are amazing and answered all our questions timely. If you're looking for a quiet condo,i can't recommend this place enough.
Stella H.
July 2025
We loved out stay! The condo was perfect for our family of 8. We enjoyed sunsets overlooking the ocean on the deck. It condo was centrally located to the beaches and hikes and shopping. Perfect vacation stay.
Nanette W.
July 2025
Amazing spot. We all could not have been more happy. Host had great communication, the condo was clean and well stocked. We wish we could have stayed for a month!!
Cary Z.
July 2025
EXCELLENT!! Easy check-in. Great location
Natalie M.
July 2025
Clean, essentials provided, comfy beds, pool and beach stones throw away and everyone in the complex was friendly and welcoming.
Stephi W.
July 2025
Location, location, location! If you want beautiful ocean views, daily sunsets, and all the amenities this is your spot. The kitchen was well stocked, they provided beach chairs, towels, cooler bag, and even had extra water shoes and pool noodles! We had 4 adults and 4 kids and all fit more than comfortably. My only complaint would be that the bedroom with two queens doesn’t have AC and can be a little noisy at night since it’s right by the outside hallway, but that wasn’t anything that couldn’t be remedied with the provided fans and some white noise- even in July! All around excellent spot- we liked it so much we even looked to see if any units were for sale.
Andrea M.
July 2025
The property was great. It was clean and met the needs of our family vacation. We would definitely use it again.
Dennis M.
July 2025
The property was just what we needed. The only drawback was the construction going on. But we would definitely use this condo again.
Dennis M.
July 2025
It was a great clean place. No problems.
Sam L.
July 2025
This property was even better than the description and the pictures. The description and the pictures (and price/location) were the main reasons for selecting this property, and then we were overwhelmed by how much better it was in-person...which is saying a lot, because it looks amazing online. Our family of four had to get a little creative with morning bathroom planning, but for 12 days in this amazing location, we made it work! We will be back. Thank you for helping us make lifelong memories for our children. This was very special for us.
Chris S.
July 2025
This complex was recommended by a friend. At first i didn't love how far away from all the action this place was but after 2 days of seeings how busy the "action" areas were we were very happy to awake up to a quiet resort.The view posted is exactly what you get. Unit was clean. The beach there doesnt look like much but there is good snorkeling there and its a quick 10 minute walk to a bigger beach. Check in and out was super easy. Was pleasantly suprise that there was some beach accessories. Well worth booking this unit, except for when I want to go again, then dont book it so I can have it!!!
JoAnna A.
July 2025