This was our 3rd family trip of Maui, but we had outgrown the 'resorts', it is so expensive to book 2 rooms (we are 5 people), and wanted to have kitchen facilities so we didn't have to eat out at restaurants every night. After much research we settled on Kaanapali Alii, and have no regrets.
We booked on the VRBO website, you get to see photos of the inside of the apartments available, which gives you a bit of an insight to the decor etc. We booked a 2 bedroom, which ended up really being 3 bedrooms as they had converted the study to be a bedroom with Queen bed, no windows and sliding doors to the lounge, but our daughter who though she was going to be sleeping on a pull out bed was thrilled to have a 'room'!

The decor of our apartment was a bit 'old fashioned' and dated, however, everything was in good condition, and the space we had far out weighed the decor! The kitchen was well equipped, and very spacious living and bedroom areas. We had a nice balcony, with a partial Ocean view, mostly looking over the grounds of the Marriott Hotel next door, but it was still nice. You have to remember these are owned apartments, so each one is totally different in decor to the next - and there is no fancy reception area, or lobby, just a basic check in area.

The location of the apartments is fantastic, right on Kaanapali Beach, very close to Whalers village where you can get the bus to Lahaina, to the Cannery where there is a supermarket or into town - its $2 each way, with a fairly regular service. At Whalers village you have a variety of shops and restaurants, not a lot but enough. We did hire a car for one day (they come and pick you up from your hotel and take you to the depot - I believe all the companys do this). We met someone at the Barbeque area one evening (excellent facilities - well maintained) that told us about a place, just before Lahaina, but off the main Street, called Maui Prime that had excellent meat and seafood and deli items...it was small, and not cheap - but did have excellent Steaks, seafood etc, you would need to have a car to come here, definitely worth checking out if you did.

The Pool and gardens are well maintained, however the pools are quite small, not the large lagoon style meandering pools of some of the resorts, but you have to weigh up whether you want the fancy pool, or the large, roomy apartment?

If we get back to Maui, we will definitely be staying back at Kaanapli Alii.

We have been coming to Maui for 20 years and have stayed at almost every property along the Kaananpali beach shore..all of the hotels and condos. The Alli is second to none. Very family friendly. Great grilling while watching the sunset. You can walk to a dozen great restaurants as well. The staff is very friendly too.

This resort provides self contained apartments in Maui's most popular beach side area. There is a full reception and facilities include tennis courts and a swimming pool. For a resort of this size, the pool is very small and is no comparison with the recreating facilities in the Westin hotel next door. The apartments are privately owned so one is dependent on how well owners have furnished and maintained the place. The location is good as it is directly on the beach and close to the Whaler's Town shopping area. Lahina is a short 10 minutes drive and provide all the whale watching and snorkeling excursions. 
Due to the lack of resort features, we would in the future opt for one of the branded resorts on the same strip (Westin, Hilton, Marriott). Maui is a really good place to visit especially during the whale watching season. 

This was our first trip to Hawaii and after countless hours of research and reading reviews we decided on the Kaanapali Alii and picked unit #356 oceanfront via VRBO. Best decision EVER.

Most of the units are individually owned so they vary largely in price and luxury. Our particular unit was probably the nicest place in the entire property, completely renovated and perfect for our family of 5. If you can afford it, oceanfront is a must. It is only the large beach between you and the ocean and we loved sitting on our lanai watching the whales. From speaking with other guests, not everyone was raving about their unit so a good rule of thumb for this property is to do your research and shop around for a unit that suits your needs and budget.

We loved the grilling stations by the water and really appreciated having the guidance of the grilling chef on hand to help. The herb garden was such a nice touch too! The pools and gardens are beautiful and the property is on a beautiful stretch of Kaanapali Beach. From walking along the beach walk and seeing other hotels, nothing compares to this place. It is simply the best.