I stayed here with my parents (3 adults including myself and a 16 year old) and can say this small resort is a great find. Our apartment was great with modern appliances and although it wasnt facing the beach, we still had a view of the ocean. The two pools were great and the resort was well-taken care of and quiet. The beach was also great. Only thing I would say that was very off-putting (which is not any fault of the actual resort) was the Maalaea landfill only a few miles from the resort. At times when we were sitting outside on our balcony enjoying our dinner, we could REALLY smell the landfill. While VERY offputting, it wasnt a constant occurrance, mostly just in the evening when the winds blew from that direction. I would definitely stay here again.

We stayed (2 adults and 9+12 yr old boys) here for 11 nights in unit G7 which was rented through ResortQuest. As alluded to below condos outside the main pool can be a little dated and this one was certainly in need of some updating. The bathrooms especially needed a big upgrade. Having said that we found the place suited a laid back approach to the holiday. The kitchen was well equipped (dishwasher included) and comfortable king size beds. Beach equipment was provided including snorkelling gear. We didnt notice a single "critter" and found the place was clean and tidy when we arrived. No housekeeping was provided but this can be organised if required. We just chilled out and didnt worry too much about that. There was TV with VCR/DVD and stereo player and the seating was adequate for 4. I was told that some of the other apartments were getting a major makeover shortly. If we went back we would probably look at a more modern place but we did enjoy this one. The location is superb nestled just off the main road at the intersection of three roads. The place is very quiet and the grounds very welk kept. BBQ faciltiies are very good and cleaned every day. There are two pools and the beach a step way with warm shower to dust off the sand. The sea is great for swimming especially in the morning as the wind comes up in the afternoon at this time of day. We really had a fabulous time here....Grand Wailea? You must be joking!! That place was like a zoo. Te 4 Seasons had a great beachside restaurant which i would recommend. Tommy Bahamas down at the Wailea shops also was good. Overall we would recommed this place...it's quiet, great location and very good value. Sometimes it felt like there were only a few people staying there. We paid $250 a night....not bad for a family of 4. So make sure you get a decent condo on the main pool side i would suggest if you have children or the other side if not. I think this is a little gem that can only improve as more people discover.

We would definitely return to Maalaea Surf. While the decor of our 2 bedroom unit was a little dated (particularly the upholstered furniture), the wonderful location on the beach and peacefulness of the resort more than made up for it. The housekeeping service was an added bonus with clean towels and bed making daily. In the past we stayed at Sugar Beach and liked it well enough; however, we enjoyed being so close to the beach at Maalaea.

Things are not always as they appear!

We are just back from 10 days in Maui (July - August 2004). We have in the past booked our accomodations through an agency known as Maui Condos and usually stay at the Sugar Beach Resort in North Kihei (nice place) but could not get the unit we wanted on this our third trip to Maui. The people at Maui Condos suggested the Maalaea Surf as an alternative (it is located just slightly south of Sugar Beach Resort). We looked at the website for Maalaea Surf and read the glowing review in the "Maui Revealed" book (get it, it is the definitive guide to Maui). The resort looked great.

When we arrived the unit looked worn and not nearly up to the standard shown on the website. When we could find no instruction sheet re: facilities in the unit nor could we open the safe that was advertised on the website we spoke to resort management. That was when we learned that some units in the resort, such as ours. were outside of the regular resort rental pool and were rented through agencies such as Maui Condos. As a result, those units were not required to be up to the same standards as the regular units. Nor were those units provided with the daily housekeeping service and other ammenities that are touted on the website.

We visited with some guests staying in the unit next to ours which was part of the regular resort rental group. The difference was significant. Their unit was wonderfully furnished and spotlessly clean.

In our unit we found on arrival: 1 dead cockroach; 1 dead cricket; countless invading ants; leftover clothing and shaving razors from previous guests; a non-working blender; filthy wall to wall carpeting; and a noisy and barely functioning ceiling fan.

The air conditioning unit shut down and leaked buckets of water on the 2nd day. The resort manager was helpful but limited in what he could do as the unit was outside the rental group. We eventually contacted Maui Condos who sent people to fix the a/c and the ceiling fan. Both repairmen advised that the a/c unit and fan had not been maintained properly and should have been replaced long ago.

The Maalaea Surf is a nice resort that is well located in the North Kihei area. The grounds are well kept and the views from the units are quite nice. However, the only way I would ever return would be by renting directly from the resort itself and not through an intermediary agency such as Maui Condos.