My husband and I took our first trip to Maui in January. We did a TON of research and almost splurged on an expensive hotel, like the Westin or the Hyatt. It seemed like the management really cared as to the reviews left on tripadvisor.

We are sooooo glad we did not waste our money at one of the more "luxurious" hotels! We wouldn't have even been able to have an oceanview room! But at the Mahana, we had an AWESOME view! Our room was great - VERY close to the ocean! Upon arrival we thought we would be in a studio, but they put us in a newly renovated 1-br suite. Everything in our room was just great! The carpets, tile, kitchen cabinets and appliances, etc. were all fairly new (updated that year) and in great condition. Nice decor, very clean, fully equipped, nice lanai, large living-room area, large windows, all comforts of home.

They were doing a little construction work while we were there (like most hotels in Maui!) but it never bothered us and it was always during the day while most people were not around.

Right across the street (behind the hotel) is a plaza with some shops and eateries.

Being the season for whale-watching, I saw whales every single day of our trip from our hotel room - it was amazing! Saw more than on our whale-watching tour!

The beach, like many others say, is not the greatest for swimming right in front of the hotel but we wanted to explore different beaches anyway, so for us, it was not a problem. We did walk often on the beach in front of the Mahana, but our favorite beaches were: Wailea (note: go to the beach right in front of the Grand Wailea - even if you don't stay there, you can use their charis and no one will mind!), Ka'anapali (in front of Westin area) and Big Beach (this is a public beach and we didn't swim there, but it's a great golden-sand beach with an awesome cliff that you can climb - one of the best views in Maui!)

Although the pool area is small and simple, it was nice and quiet and not too crowded.

Our favorite things: Warren & Annabelle's Magic Show, Old Lahaina Luau, whale-watching (Ultimate Whale Watch), and sunrise at Haleakala (we drove and almost didn't do it twice, but once we did, we were glad! it is well worth it!)

We didn't care too much for the food in Maui, but found some great places to eat: BJ's Pizzeria in Lahaina, Compadres Mexican, and Ruth's Chris. DO NOT go to Giovanni's near the Mahana - it was TERRIBLE and a waste of money (although they did have a good greek salad).

If you want more of a resort, this is not the place for you - no restaurants, shops, huge pools w'slides, etc.

In short, we would definitely go back to the Mahana! Don't feel the need to do as much research as we did - trust me, you will not be unhappy!

If you want to watch whales if Feb, this is the place.
Units have large windows. Located a few feet from the water. We sat and watched the whales many mornings, midday and evenings during our stay.

The 2br unit was well equipped and clean. Was not cheap furniture. Had plenty of towels but had a problem get enough wash cloths. Seems like four people should get along with 2!
Went to desk and got an arm load tho...
There isn't any eating facilities on the property, but if you have a rental car, many places to eat are near..
Grounds Maintenance people are washing down the area before daylite each morning.
Beach is rocky in water, not a good swimming beach but great for walking in the sand. There are swimming beachs within a short walk.. Nice pool on property.

Great place to watch sunset and moon set each day as they go down over the nearby islands. Got really great pictures right from the room.. Problem is, there is so much to do in Maui that you have a hard time being in the condo for a sunset .

We would be very happy to stay here again.., But if you need other services on the grounds, better find a hotel..

I have used TripAdvisor several times for different trips and researched a lot when we booked at the Mahana for our honeymoon. We stayed at the Mahana in October 2005, but wanted to add my experience to this site.

We stayed for 5 nights mid October in a one bedroom on the 12th floor. I read many great things from other people about the Mahana and almost everything is true. I would recommend to rent from a private owner to save money and to know in advance the accommodations you are receiving. We paid $150 a night for a well kept, clean and nicely decorated condo.

All Mahana condos guarantee an ocean view and beach front(no partial view, beachfront, etc.) I don't believe any other condo in the area offers floor to ceiling windows in the rooms offering a spectacular view. We actually felt like we were on a cruise ship when looking out the window, seeing nothing by blue ocean. Both the bedroom and living room offer a full sliding glass door accessing the lanai. The floorplans are smart (over 900 square feet for the one bedroom).

It is true the beach immediately in front is rocky, but if you walk a couple of hundred yards you have sandy beach. We walked both north and south of the Mahana on the beach each morning. There were not many children during our stay which was great for us for a romantic honeymoon. We only used the pool once, but it was clean and just large enough.

There is a mini mall within walking distance with a market, great pizza and mexican food. We actually got take out twice and ate on our lanai. Our kitchen was fully stocked with cookware, plates, glasses and dishwashing supplies.

The building and the grounds were clean and well kept. We saw facility crews actually cleaning and maintaining the grounds every day. The parking lot was quite full, but not too far to walk to the elevators.

The location is right next to the Maui Kai and Embassy Suites. Just a short drive to the other large resorts and restaurants. We enjoyed the fact that we could enjoy the shopping, restaurants and amenities nearby, but not pay the resort price. We had a rental car and would recommend it if you are planning to do a lot of activies in other cities (golf, dining or the road to Hana).

We would definately return to the Mahana for future trips.

Stayed at the Mahana in a 1 br unit for about a week. Have been to Maui about a dozen times, but this was first time in a condo. Nice, but....
Place was nice enough, but don't expect much in the way of facilities. No restaurant (yes, others mention walking to nearby places, but they aren't REAL restaurants -- more like pizza shops and fast food), you can't swim at the beach (must walk a distance and still have no facilities like chairs), and the pool is tiny for the number of units there and it's mostly in shade for the better part of the day. Parking (as others have mentioned)can be a real pain, especially when you come home in the evening. We also were hassled when we asked for 2 beach towels per person. We were told at the front desk that their policy is "1 towel per person". I guess they never heard of anyone wanting 1 for the chair and 1 for their body!
With all that said, yes, the unit was very nice (furniture looked nice, but not the most comfortable) and the views were terrific. Pricing was certainly competitive.
Be aware, though, if this is your first trip to Maui and you're looking for something very special, you might want to reconsider the Mahana, or a condo for that matter. You certainly do not get that same "tropical resort" experience as when you stay at a hotel. Hotels have restaurants, lounge areas to sit and listen to music or have a drink or even just listen to the ocean. Hotels (most of them anyway) have beaches you can actually swim in and pools that aren't nestled in between buildings and shaded most of the day. At a hotel, (unlike a condo) you also can treat yourself to a Mai Tai or Blue Hawaii poolside. It's also nice to be able to treat yourself to breakfast on the property if you're so inclined.
If, on the other hand, you're just looking for an inexpensive option to a resort/hotel and aren't too concerned about the lack of facilities or extras, the Mahana is certainly fine and probably better than many.