Very smart well appointed 1 bed condo all the normal equipment, separate kitchen and inc washer/drier. Ours was on floor 11 (out of 12) so great view over the ocean for miles... Spotted whales and a turtle from the lani. BBQ’s on the ground floor were gleaming always looked they had just been installed!

The condo building is an unattractive concrete block, but hey you’re on the inside so what’s it matter! The big advantage with this block is that it is square on to the ocean, not built at an angle as most of them seem to be in this area, so you are looking straight out to sea - views and sunsets are great.

On the beach you have to walk 100 yards or so left or right to reach a swimming spot (left is better) as there are rocks directly outside the resort. There’s also a reasonably sized pool but so close to the sea we never used it.

Nearest supermarket is Times just across the road – you can walk but the road is busy.

Great restaurant next door Dukes – busy (reserve a table for the same evening it saves the waiting) and a little expensive but mostly worth it. Some tables outside otherwise undercover – if when you book you ask for a table outside or on the edge of the covered area (quieter) the staff do try to get you one there.

Like: smart condo, views, Dukes. Dislike: sea rocks, ugly block.

We spent January 22-February 1 at the Mahana and found it to be a perfect spot for our vacation. The location is absolutely perfect and the lanai and full length windows in the living room afforded outsanding views of the ocean, the neighboring islands of Molokai and Lanai and the scores of whales which were present day in and day out.

Our unit was updated and well appointed with everything we could have wanted. The daily maid service was thorough and replenished our coffee, laundry soap and dishwashing detergent. We purchased groceries and ate many meals on the lanai. I enjoyed the use of the grills and was always pleased with how clean they were. I could learn a thing or two from the gentleman who cleans them each and every morning.

We really enjoyed the access to the beach walk and each morning walked down to Whaler's Village and back. We had breakfast at the Castaway Cafe and Duke's (dinner there as well) when we wanted to eat out, but not jump into the car.

We enjoyed our snorkeling trip to Lanai on Trilogy and our show at Warren and Annabell's, as well as a drive to the top of Haleakala. With Lahina only 15 minutes away, we made several stops for shopping, food/drinks and just hanging out (stay away from Cruise Ship days (Wed. Thurs) unless you enjoy the additional 3000+ people.

We took advantage of the pool, spa, and lounge chairs and never wanted for anything. We will absolutely come back the next time we visit Maui.

Amazing hotel in a great location. Stunning views and it was near at the ocean where you can sea the fabulous sunset in the afternoon It was a quite place to stay. The pool was nice and big, very inviting. Great accommodation and amenities. The staffs are friendly and polite. Buffets are also nice. Worth it for the money. Our stay was excellent and we would stay at the Mahana again

My wife and I have stayed at the Mahana eight times since 1995. We went for our 30th anniversary this year, as we did for our 25th. We keep going back because, obviously, we love it.

What's great about it? Start with the obvious - the location and view. You could stand or sit all day transfixed by the beautiful Hawaiian water, the people walking by below, the whales breaching within easy binocular range (and sometimes in naked-eye range), the islands of Lanai and Molokai flanking the channel, the nighttime moon on the water...you get the picture.

The only "downside" – depending on your viewpoint – is that it's not a full-service resort. It's a very nice, quiet, well-maintained 1975 condo tower in a world-class location, with every room oceanfront and good management (including daily maid service), but if you want drinks brought to you on the beach, luaus, on-premises dining, bands playing and other full-service amenities, you'd have to look elsewhere. I like the easy-going atmosphere here.

There's a small coffee-and-snacks counter on the first floor and many good options for take-out food nearby, including the Honokowai Okazuya and the Ono Kau Kau Chinese and Mixed Plate, both on the Lower Honoapi'ilani Highway. For dine-in, there's a Duke's at the new resort next door. There's a good breakfast place called Java Jazz across the highway and, of course, your condo will have its own kitchen.

We have always reserved through Royal Hawaii, the agency at www.themahana.com. I've looked at other options but have found Royal Hawaii has better rates than Aston's website and pretty close to VRBO's, especially when you figure in Aston's daily maid service, no cleaning fee, etc. And Royal Hawaii's cancellation policy is very forgiving by Hawaii standards: a $100 nonrefundable deposit is all that's at risk as long as you cancel more than four days ahead.

VRBO, of course, does let you know exactly which unit you will have, while with Royal Hawaii/Aston you're playing the availability lottery. I always request a high floor (8 or above), and I usually get one, but not this time. The one we had, though, #417, was beautiful and I have absolutely zero complaints about it.

The Royal Hawaii website can seem a bit confusing at first, but I've come to like all the different options they offer, especially if you book well in advance. I was able to grab a rate of $268 for our 1BR 1BA unit, after factoring in a 5th-night-free promo on our 5-night stay. After taxes and a $10 daily amenity fee (an annoying recent addition by Aston), the cost came to about $313 a night - not cheap, but not bad for this location and quality in high season. (The rates go down in spring and fall.)

So I definitely recommend the Mahana - one of our favorite places anywhere.