We just returned from our first vacation in Hawaii where a highlight was spending two nights at the Mango Cottage at Aloha Cottages Maui. Had we realized how close we were to the other must see sites we would have stayed there longer. I like to explore and see non commercialized areas so this was a perfect place to land. Ken helped us learn about and explore Haiku and "upcountry" that still has the flavor of old Maui. The cottage is surrounded by lush vegatation, much of it with fruit growing, that blows in the winds and swishes with the sounds of the tropical rains that come & go in this rainforest area of the Island. At night we were treated to a sky full of stars and watched shooting stars while falling asleep in our King size comfortable bed. We were about half as close to Hana than from the resort area on the South Shore making a day trip there an easy adventure and a little over an hour from the peak of Haleakala so we didn't have to get up in the middle of the night to be there for sunrise. A beautiful beach is 10 minutes down the road. The cottage supplies beach towels, mats and a cooler for day trips. Mango Cottage has, in addition to a large bedroom, a large living room with dining and kitchen areas enabling those who so chose to enjoy an economical vacation preparing their own meals. I'm ready to return. Sharon from New York

To all those travelers that are tired of staying at a resort
My husband and I stayed in the Mango Hut for 9 glorious days. The cottage was clean, quiet and off the beaten path. We could not have asked for better hospitality from our host. Not only did he greet us with fresh fruit and coconuts from the property but he also told us of great places to eat and visit while we were in Maui. We received service that you would NEVER get at a 5 star resort. We honestly felt like we were at home and really did not want to leave. The cottage is far enough out that you feel like you're the only people around and yet close enough to where you want to go that it's not inconvient.
This is the only place to stay on Maui!

My husband and I are from Spain where I am a teacher of English. We just recently stayed at Aloha Maui cottages in the Jungle Palace. We were looking for a place where we could experience what to live in Hawaii is like. We did not want to stay in a tourist resort. We did a lot of research before our trip, since it is a long journey for us. I read a lot of articles and reviews. My husband was concerned about the Jungle Palace because some of the reviews said it was rustic.
In the end we decided to book there anyway and we are glad that we did. Ken, the owner, was very friendly and helpful. He told us about lots of places to go and restaurants, etc. on the North shore of Maui. Both my husband and I enjoyed spending time in nature, hiking,
and eating in places where the prices were low, the food good, and not everyone was a tourist. We especially enjoyed our trip to Hana, which is not that far from Aloha Maui, and hiking at Twin Falls, just
across the street. The road to Aloha Maui for the last mile is a gravel road. It’s dark at night and at first that gave me concern. It turned out to be ok though and the view of the stars in the Hawaiian sky made it worthwhile. I do agree with the reviews that said it
was rustic and feel it is not a place for everyone. Rather it is a special place where we both feel we really experienced what Hawaii and Maui is like.

My wife and I stayed in the Jungle Cottage for about a week recently. Rustic, as the previous reviewer described it, is accurate. It was a lot like camping, though with a decent bathroom. It was reasonably clean, but there was plenty of dust on the fans, and the sheets smelled a little funky. We were stocked low on toliet paper and had to ask for more...which really shouldn't happen in a short stay. There's no A/C, and about half the windows are just screens. The place gets really warm during the day, at least during the summer. Though you're likely to be out, it's still not a place you can retreat back to should you have night plans and want to catch a nap. Even if it were comfortable during the day, it's too far away from most places to drive back to. We had a few bugs and geckos, and forgot to put a piece of fruit in the fridge one night - leading to a rodent intrusion while we were sleeping.

We made the mistake of trying to drive back one night after only making the drive once during daylight. The one-lane gravel road is a good mile of twists and turns and potholes, with very few landmarks. We're usually ok with finding our way around, but it was completely dark and pretty daunting at night, and we missed a couple turns. The average rental car can handle it at slow speeds, but a jeep would be better.

Still, the price ($100) was very reasonable, and $75-100 less than we would've paid for comporable places in Kihei or Lahiana. That's sort of like getting a big chunk of your meals for free (even at Maui dining prices). It was convenient for the day we did the Hana Highway - got us out an hour before the sightseers coming from other towns. We also saw a lot of Paia, which was a really cool town - and it's not too far from Hookipa lookout for windsurfer watching (though that's not a great beach for sunbathing - the wind is good for the surfers, but sandblasts you every few minutes).

Ken was friendly and attentive to anything we asked for. The jungle setting did make for breezy, cool mornings and evenings with frogs and birds chirping (and mosquitos biting, of course). Taking a bath in a screened-in bathroom on a windy Hawaii morning was something else. Evenings with the screened front door and NPR (about all the radio would pick up for us) were nice and relaxing.

The amenities are about what you'd expect for the price: small kitchenette (toaster, coffee maker, full fridge, sink, stove), a grill outside, bed, closet, and bathroom. The bathroom decor was nice new-looking tile. The living area was a dated green.

I'd recommend it to a couple that was used to camping and wanted to spend a couple days upcountry in a secluded spot. If you prefer the North and East parts of Maui, it's a decent place for the money. It wouldn't be a bad spot to spend a couple days while you toured the Hana Highway stops. It's very close to Twin Falls. It's not convenient to the other main cities (easily an hour to Lahaina). It's also not the place if you're looking for a spotless, bug-free, air-conditioned stay.