Stayed here in July 2002.

We stayed at the Castle Kamaole Sands as a part of a 12-day trip to 4 Hawaiian islands. Since Maui was our first stop, we were excited to begin a great adventure there. We booked the Castle Kamaole Sands condos through Pleasant Hawaiian, and got a great deal with a 2 bedroom, 2 bath bi-level condo with a lanai with a partial oceanview and overlooking the gardens. We were upgraded to an unit with a view at check-in without asking, and the service, though not daily, were available upon request.

Many people who are residents of Maui actually live in this community of condos, and are very friendly. There is also a washer and dryer in the unit, which was very very convenient.

Pros: Across the street from Beach, close to restaurants, affordable, private, and nice landscaping.

Cons: Parking was hard to find. Furnishings were dated, and bathroom had no water pressure for showers or toilet flushing. Since we were staying on the 3rd floor, we had to wait each time for the outside elevator which is not that convenient. Condo location was far from "night action". There is no night life in the area. It was really boring to stay in Kihei. I would recommend anyone who is going to Maui to stay in the Lahaina area in order to have nightlife options. Kihei was dull, we actually walked around, then drove around looking for something to do. There was nothing.

Room: Our unit was dark, and the wood was old. The carpets drabby, and the windows were hard to close. We had a good balcony though, and it was useful for drying clothes. The furniture was "wicker" and the cushions were filled with cheap polyester. The "master bedroom" was really a loft over hanging the living room (so no privacy, if you need it). The 2nd bedroom was by the front door so in the morning you might hear people walking by. The washer/dryer was the best part of the stay. If you are looking for value and don't mind the dated furniture and shabby carpet, this is a good choice. Also, you might want to bring your own towels (or ask for extras) since they do not have daily maid service (you have to request it, I think, otherwise they come every other day).

There was a good kitchen with utensils and pans for cooking. Make sure you buy your own cooking oil and dishwashing liquid if you plan to use the kitchen. We didn't want the maid service washing the dishes or anything and it saved us breakfast money during our stay. The Fridge is a minifridge though, so keep that in mind.

The condo itself was pretty old, it looked like it was built in the 1970s or 1980s, but the grounds were pretty well maintained. There is a man-made lake that runs throughout the condo units, and I heard that there's a pool somewhere on the grounds. Next to the check-in office are the tennis courts, which may or may not cost money (I'm not sure). Its a good value for the price, but if you like service and do mind occasional mosquitoes here and there, stay at a hotel in Lahaina.

All in all, Kamaole Sands and Maui was just OK. I wish we had stayed closer to the action, and although Kamaole Beach was pretty, it is nothing in comparison to the Big Island, and the scenery in Maui nothing in comparison to Kauai. It is for romance and people in love---which we weren't since we were 6 college graduates looking for adventure.Hope you have a great time!

Side-Note:
Also, consider staying on the Hana side of the island instead. My friends and I tried to drive the "Road to Hana" in a rental mini-van. 5 of us got carsick along the 35 mile windy road. It took 8 hours to get there and back--and we never made it to the Oheo pools because the park was closed. It was kind of sad, but make sure if you do drive to stop along the way. There are plenty of waterfalls and lakes of all sorts you can jump into and hike along. You will see some locals with pick up trucks parked along the road and they are enjoying the waterfalls on the sides. Be careful when driving to Oheo, many of the bridges turn into one-lane roads where you have to yield to ONCOMING TRAFFIC. It is especially dangerous when you drive back during the night.


**Extra Side Note and Tip:
Mosquitoes: Please watch out for these. You don't understand. I'm not even joking. I got 8 mosquitoe bites on the way to Oheo (the sacred 7 pools) while waterfall jumping into a lake.They started out small during the day. It SWELTED TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS by the next day, and has permanently scarred the back of my thighs. The color has only faded throughout the year, and tanning helped after the bites themselves went away. AGAIN, I AM NOT JOKING, IF YOU PLAN ON HIKING, OR GOING NEAR WATERFALLS, OR PLACES WITH STILL WATERS--TAKE BUG-SPRAY WITH YOU. YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY. The crazy bug bites lasted throughout my whole rest of the trip and was very painful, not to mention embarassing and ugly.

Recommended: Yes