Where to stay in Maui
Maui is one of the most expensive Hawaiian islands and generally one of the most expensive places in the world.
Previously, the best value for money was the Airbnb platform, which is generally very popular in the US and there are a lot of offers, but in recent years the offers are being compared to the most popular Booking.com.
Where to stay in Maui
The island may not be that big, but it's still worth planning your accommodation according to the activities you want to do on Maui. Above all, though, there's one cardinal rule: book well in advance - at least 4-6 months. As time goes on, offers diminish significantly.
Stay in the capital city of Wailuku and adjacent Kahului if you want to spend your vacation being active and taking excursions around the island. The proximity to the airport and many large supermarkets certainly won't hurt.
In addition, Kahului or Wailuku are the best places to find relatively cheap accommodation.
The west side of the island, a strip of towns from Lahaina to Kaanapali to Kapalua, is dedicated to luxury resorts where you'll leave a few hundred dollars a night, as well as beach vacations. These resorts are ideal for things like honeymoons and luxury vacations without compromise.
While Kapalua and Kaanpali are real resorts where you'll find practically nothing but hotels, gorgeous beaches and upscale restaurants, Lahaina is more of a classic town with supermarkets, cheaper fast food joints, services but not so nice beaches.
South Maui, led by the village of Kihei and the resort town of Wailea-Makena, will also be good for beach vacations; there are many more smaller beaches than on the west coast, where beaches tend to be larger and more open. The surrounding waters are best for snorkelling and diving.
The town of Kihei offers relatively inexpensive condos (from 165 eur per night) by Maui standards, while Wailea-Makena is home to luxury resorts and, like the West Coast, is ideal for a laid-back vacation with all the luxuries.
The remote eastern side of the island around the town of Hana is then ideal for a quiet break from it all.
The long and iconic drive from Kahului will take at least half a day, making Hana ideal for an overnight stay before heading back. The dense green forests nearby, fewer people and dramatic cliffs dropping into the sea will provide a breathtaking spectacle. You won't find many beaches here, though.
Maui accommodation prices
The accommodation item will be the biggest one in your budget. Even the cheapest hostels in Kahului or Wailuku start at 55 eur per night in a shared room, the average price in a rather inferior hotel or guesthouse is 0 eur 18 eur per night, and large beachfront hotels start at 275 eur, and the price may not include the 12% tax, read specific listings carefully.
Some list a final price, but others list no tax, which is legal in the US.
Our accommodation tips
Looking for the cheapest accommodation in Maui and getting a bit lost in the flood of offers on booking portals? Or maybe you're looking for the hotel with the best value for money? Check out our tips to help you decide.
The cheapest accommodation is offered by popular backpackers Howzit Hostels in Wailuku, where you can get your own room from 0 eur 18 eur per night for 2, and a bed in a shared room for 4-5 people from 51 eur.
For example, you can fit into 147 eur per night in a 2-bed room at a lovely private Bed and Breakfast God's Peace of Maui in the inland village of Makewo near the road to Mount Haleakala a great guesthouse Wailuku Guesthouse in the quiet outskirts of the largest urban agglomeration of Kahului-Wailuku.
Expectclassic 3* hotels with the best value for money with prices between 147 eur and 257 eur per night in a 2 bed room, but book ideally several months in advance and for the lowest price usually for at least 4 nights.
- Gardens at West Maui - 3* aparthotel in Kapalua, West Maui
- Napili Village Hotel - aparthotel with fully furnished studios in Napili, West Maui
- Best Western Pioneer Inn - cheapest larger chain with prices around 257 eur per night for 2 in Lahaina, West Maui
Maui camping
A significantly cheaper option for sleeping will be campgrounds, where you can save thousands per night compared to traditional apartments or hotels.
Most campgrounds are managed by the National or Nature Parks or directly by the Maui Island Authority. You can pay to sleep in your own tent, but only one campground in the Waiʻānapanapa Nature Park allows camping in a campervan, so renting one won't do you much good.
All campsites are equipped with toilets and hot water showers, which can be used free of charge.
- Hosmer Grove Camping - popular campsite at the foot of Haleakala Mountain, tent pitch fee is 5 usd per night, must be booked months in advance
- Kipahulu Campground - a well-known campsite at the end of the Road to Hana and the Waimoku Falls trail, tent pitch fee is 5 usd per night, must be booked months in advance
- Pāpalaua Wayside Park - Maui County-managed campground located on the road between Kahului and the resorts to the west, tent site fee is 5 usd to 10 usd depending on day of the week
- Waiʻānapanapa State Park - a large modern campground on the Road to Hana in a well-known nature preserve. Sites must be reserved in advance, pay 10 usd for the whole car + 5 usd entrance to the nature reserve
- Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area - a quiet campsite in a beautiful forest setting completely away from civilization. Site must be booked in advance, pay 30 usd for the whole car, there is also the possibility of renting a forest cabin for 100 usd.
Sleeping in the car and under a tent
If you're used to sleeping "rough" anywhere you like from other countries, then Maui and the Hawaiian Islands in general will unfortunately not be the place for you.
Sleeping outside of campgrounds or official accommodations is illegal.
Checks by police or the National Park Service are very common, even in remote places where you would never expect them. Police officers are usually lenient but uncompromising with tourists, and if you are caught repeatedly you could face heavy fines.
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