My family of four (kids age 13, 10) just returned from a week at the Kaanapali Beach Club. This was our first trip to Maui/Hawaii. My aim in booking accommodations was to get a comfortable, spacious room for our family with Hawaiian-resort amenities for an affordable price - and a bit of a kitchen to cut down on dining-out expenses.

The KBC attracted us for four reasons: 1. Location 2. Pool 3. Rooms 4. Price. KBC proved to be a great value and lived up to all our expectations. It did miss the mark in a few areas (see below).

The Property, Bad: We knew it was pink, but still cringed at it's color every day. The pink walls and turquoise tiles date the structure. A little paint would go along way to update the grounds - and it would cover up the rusting roof structures visible on the top floor that reminded you were not staying at the Four Seasons or the Hyatt.

The front tower elevators were still not operating.

The Property, Good: Beautiful, tropical open air lobby attractively furnished makes you feel at ease upon arrival. Lush koi ponds and waterfalls impart a touch of luxury resort feel despite the modest resort price tag. It doesn't feel like a compromise.

The pool area was perfectly situated right next to the ocean. The pictures are accurate: Waterfalls, fun slide, lots of space, always a lounge chair available. Loved it!

The Restaurants: The evening ambiance at the 'Ohana Bar and Grill was very nice. Service and food was good, not great. Tables are covered with grass umbrellas and the torchlight (lit nightly by a young man in native Hawaiian costume) makes it a easy alternative to the more crowded restaurants with good, not great food along Kaanapali Beach boardwalk without the drive.

We did not eat at North Beach Restaurant - it seemed closed several of the days we were there. Nor did we eat at the hotel breakfast buffet.

A surprising plus: The Keiki menu was a nice touch. Kids 12 and under had their choice of $2 menu items (cheeseburgers, mac 'n cheese, chicken strips, etc) valid resort-wide, including room service. (Just watch the bill when you check out - Our Keiki's $25 room service bill had a $15 tip - in addition to the 15% mandatory gratuity - added to it by an dishonest delivery person. Management apologized and removed it, but it sullied the family-friendly feel and took a time investment to sort out).

Staff: Except for the room service incident, staff was exceedingly courteous and helpful. Lana at the front desk upgraded our scenic-view room reservation to Ocean-view for no additional charge when I inquired on availabilty and really made our trip - mahalo, Lana! Our top floor room was GORGEOUS. Granite countertops, new carpet and furnishings - we especially appreciated the ipod docks in both the living room and the bedroom. Lots of space for the family to spread out and a nice long balcony with views of Molokai to enjoy morning coffee. Housekeeping cleaned the room daily, including loading and running the dishwasher and refilling the coffee supplies.

Location: If you want a piece of the Kaanapali Boardwalk, this isn't it. KBC is located about a mile and a half north of Black Rock and the busy boardwalk. But for us, that was a plus. Close enough to visit, far enough away to be uncrowded. The beach directly in front was sandy and quite nice for wading and playing in (better than the Hyatt, IMO). A bit murky for snorkling, but a walk/swim to the south (in front of the new condo construction area) were clear waters and beautiful coral gardens teeming with fish and even sea turtles - and very few people. I highly recommend checking it out!

Amenities were nearby, too. We opted to rent snorkling gear and boogie boards for the week from Maui Dive Shop, just across the street in the Star Market parking lot.

To get our special room rate, we did have to sit through a timeshare presentation. We did not buy and the staff was pleasant enough. It was a fair trade.

Missing element that kept it from being perfect: No beachside/poolside service. I'm not sure why - the resort definitely stood to increase it's profits by stopping by my beach chair to ask if I wanted another lava flow (too tasty to decline).

To summarize, KBC is a great place for families trying to maximize their holiday budget - but still want a big pool, tiki torches and a great beach.

This was a great place to stay! My husband and I went there on our honeymoon. We really loved the appreance of the rooms and the cleanliness. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. We highly suggest staying there for anyone. Our overall experience was perfect.

Our family stayed at the Kaanapali Beach Club for five nights, July 17-22, 2008. We absolutely enjoyed our stay there and would recommend this property to everyone. The suites were very clean, the staff extremely helpful and courteous, and the best part of all is the location. It has a nice stretch of beach, a huge 1 acre pool, and is only 10 minutes away from many of the restaurants, shopping, and activity in Lahaina, HI. We celebrated our 25th anniversary there and were very glad we chose the KBC. They made our special occasion the best it could be. Our teenagers loved it, also.

ok...I have waited long enough! So, after much procrastination , I have reviewed by scribbled notes and pondered my memories, and now present for your information and ridicule, my review of my stay at the Ka'anapali Beach Vacation Resort (KBVR) (almost always referred to as the "Embassy"). This review is another "thank you" to all my Trip Advisor Forum friends and local experts who continue to provide so much invaluable advice and information. You made my Maui adventure the fantastic tour that it was. Mahalo!

The review of my 8 day stay at the Ka'anapali Beach Vacation Resort on Maui, from 11-3 to 11-10-06:

1. is it a "large, 8-acre, oceanfront resort" as it says in the on-line ad? yes it is! I didn't actually measure the acres, true, but the size of the place as you pull up from the main drag is impressive and it is indeed on the ocean. No streets to cross. No dangerous steep hills to descend. It is truly on the beach and oceanfront! And when I vacationed there it was painted pink!

2. how was the "full American breakfast buffet and sunrise at poolside", as is also described in the on-line ad? It was ok but had I had to pay for it, I might have felt differently. We got our daily buffet comped as an incentive for us to buy. Oh, and it wasn't at poolside. It was presented in the North Beach Grille, in the oceanfront section of the restaurant and we sat almost at water's edge. The wonderful floor to ceiling windows allowed for ocean breezes to sweep in and it had great natural light reflecting in off the ocean in the early morning. A perfect setting for early morning coffee and newspaper reading. You could eat as early as 7AM, which was perfect for us, since we were stuck on East Coast USA time for the entire week! Other than the omelet station, however, I thought that the quality of the fruits and pastries at the breakfast buffet was just so so. But the coffee was Kona, I guess, and it was delicious. Oh, and I got a tip for you: wear a hat to breakfast! The huge windows of the restaurant are opened for breakfast and this is a great thing but the island birds have become accustomed to this and to the fact that parents allow their spoiled bratty children to feed them by hurling bread crumbs from the table out onto the garden paths and the birds have now gotten so used to this that they fly right into the restaurant in anticipation! So be prepared for all manner of birds to swoop in from the beach as you eat your beakfast. You get used to it....you are on Maui, after all!

3. how was the "complimentary manager's cocktail reception at sunset" as is described in the on-line ad? I don't know! Never made it to one of these receptions. Never hung around the resort or got back from our various sorties around the island soon enough. I'm not a big "reception" kind of person, anyway, and I don't drink tropical fruit cocktails. I probably would not have fit in had I showed up with a pitcher of margaritas. Maybe next time? ( Although several comments that have been posted recently seem to indicate that new management has put an end to these sunset rituals.)

4. was the description of the place as "located on Maui's magnificent north Ka'anapali Beach, overlooking the crystal blue Pacific and the lush green mountains of West Maui.....perfect for that romantic 2nd honeymoon or for a family vacation" accurate? Yes! A big thumbs up for the accuracy of this description, IMO! The Pacific was indeed blue or so it appeared from my lanai at sunrise. And the mountains were lush and green. Wonderful to look up at. In addition, and not mentioned in the ad, were the islands off shore. From my lanai, the island of Molokai (I think) was in full view and was another beautiful addition to the total scene. Each sunrise was a visual and spiritual treat. Oh, and BTW, the KBVR is not located on THE Ka'anapali Beach. It is on North Ka'anapali Beach. More about this a little later..

5. were the condos of the KBVR spacious (as described in the on-line ad) ? Yes! This was no exaggeration! I would, indeed, say that the condo that we enjoyed, which was a 1BR standard unit, with standard ocean view looking west, was spacious! For 2 adults! And that was what we were. And it was the perfect size for us. The lanai was a bit "thin", meaning that you could not extend a lounger out front to back width-wise, you had to turn it length-wise, but it was big enough to enjoy that early AM coffee as the sun did it's thing with the ocean. I enjoyed this orientation. A lanai that got direct morning sun would much less enjoyable, IMO. Trades or no trades, the sun heats things up fast on the Maui West Coast.

6. how did the amenities compare with the descriptions in the on-line ads? IMO, right on target! The best is the bath. The description says that it is a "luxurious, oversized bath area" and I agree. Mind, it is THE only bath, so if you are going to share this space with 3 other adults me thinks that you would be tight, but for 2 adults, it is indeed oversized and luxurious. The wife and I could do all bathroom routines without crowding each other because there is so much floor space. His and her sinks and vanities. Separate jacuzzi bathtub and shower ( a walk-in shower- big enough to drop the soap and to bend over and pick it up). There was decent water pressure and I liked the luxury shower head. Good exhaust too. No problem fogging up the place with steam.

The sinks and vanities and floor were nicely appointed. Classy marble sink tops and quality floor tiles. The on-line photos of the bath space found in the 1BR units that can be found on-line are accurate. The private access to the bath from the master bedroom (the only bedroom) is a nice touch to the design adding a bit of privacy in case you might decide to turn the living room into a bedroom for a visitor or 2. Or, God forbid, children! Because, yes, again true to the on-line description, there is a full sized sofa bed in the LR space and it was kinda comfortable as a couch. We never had reason to sleep on it opened up as a bed so I can't comment on its comfort level in that way.

I thought that the king size bed was comfortable (I can sleep almost anywhere I can lie down with a pillow and fresh air) and I liked it that the lanai could be accessed from the bedroom as well as the LR. The BR had good closet space. Luggage could be stowed away easily inside it and off the floor. Plentiful drawer space too. Also a desk space, with desk, chair, and lamp, which was a nice surprise. Do not recall if there was an internet connection at the desk. There was an additional color TV (20 inch) in the bedroom which was a nice plus. The bedding was comfortable to me without knowing what the thread counts were!

Regarding the "mini-kitchen equipped with microwave and dishwasher" ..., this was as described but also included a full size frig with freezer. And we took full advantage of it, too. We asked for a plug-in skillet which greatly expanded the kitchen space's functionality, especially for breakfasts and for reheating leftovers. There was also a coffeemaker. Tip- pack filters and coffee.
We did take out almost every day while in West Maui from the wonderful Honokowai Okazuya & Deli or from the Star Market that was nearby, saving a small fortune in culinary costs. Dining out on Maui, anywhere, can get very pricey!
There was a dining area with table and chairs serviced from the kitchen space that was more than adequate for the 2 of us but might have been tight for 4. Overall, the furniture looked to be in good shape. Not plush, not elegant, not brand new.....but certainly serviceable. Diito for cabinets and counter tops.

7. How about the "modern entertainment center" that the on-line ads talk about? Our unit had nothing special. The TV was standard and adequate size (35 inch) but not flat screen and not HDTV and if there were pay-per view movies I never noticed. Cannot recall if there was a DVD Player either! Anybody who thinks that they will spend time in their room looking at movies or TV, especially during their 1st ever visit to Maui, is nuts! But then there is that "perfect for a family vacation" theme mentioned in the on-line ads, wasn't there? So I guess having an Entertainment Center to keep the children busy is an important consideration for parents who foolishly bring their children along to enjoy Maui with them. LOL! Tip: bring some DVDs with you if you must bring children along!

8. "The grounds are alive with lush tropical gardens and interlocking waterways and waterfalls. By far the most spectacular and prominent water feature is the 1 acre pool and a 60 foot water slide with its own splash pool. This creates the perfect environment for a family vacation".
This is the description that I read on-line and that, I must admit, appealed to my lust to vacation in Hawaii, at least once. So, how did the real thing compare to this advertisement boast?

IMO, It was right on the mark! The place was a wonder. Wonderful openness everywhere so you get the trade winds and the waterways and the waterfalls and the ocean beyond to one side and the hillsides and mountains above, and, well, it sure worked its magic on me. A definite "10", IMO. Great to wake up to, great to come back to, great to just walk around in. And did I mention that the buildings are all painted pink?

9. Other thoughts:

The lobby elevators were all glass so you could view the pool/ocean and/or mountains going up and coming down. This got you in a Maui frame of mind right away as long as your wait was minimal. They were not air conditioned and could get uncomfortable if you had to wait awhile inside one while somebody loaded or unloaded their bags or collected their children. But they worked well while we were there, an advantage of enjoying the slow season, and they had obviously survived the flooding of the lobby. However, I understood while chatting with owners who return year after year that this is not always the case. The elevators have been a problem and the resort is planning to update them. That means another increase in the ownership maintenance fees for sure! LOL! Elevators at resorts take a heavy beating as is. Throw in the long term effects of salt water and sand and children.......and.......$$$$$$$'s are needed to keep them going.

Wide open spaces. I loved it that the hallways and walkways and balconies and lobby were all open for free flow of those tropical trade wind breezes, but this had its down side when the island got whacked by a series of incredible rains the days before we arrived. The road to the south shore resorts from the airport had had to be closed and there was talk of shutting the access road to the west shore too. When we pulled up in front of the "Embassy" we were amazed at the sight. The lobby was under water! The rain had filled up the various ponds and waterways that surround the lobby and the staff had had to actually sandbag the run off to keep one lane of walkway to the check-inn safely above water. We were very lucky. It never rained again during our entire week, at least not during the day. I loved the openness. Rain is a risk worth taking.

Air conditioning. Air conditioning and ceiling fans are a must in Maui, IMO. We were there in late October and it was hot and humid even then. It has to be worse in the summer. Our unit had both a.c and ceiling fans (2) and were we ever grateful. After a day in the sun we could not wait to return to the comfort of our air conditioned condo. And the ceiling fans in the LR and in the BR kept that conditioned air flowing perfectly thru the space. I need that to sleep. There was no electric meter churning out an additional charge for the a.c. but maybe there should be. We are green minded and kept our a.c turned way down while we were away. I hoped that others did too.

Parking. Something that I was very happy we were "gifted" with was valet parking. The wife and I were totally drained after being in the sun all day. And we enjoyed the luxury of pulling up at the valet station and having somebody else park the car. The fact that valet parking is provided gives the KBVR that "resort" touch of class and it surely spoils you. Would I have opted to pay an additional $25.00/ day + tip for each coming and going? Ask me in year 2010 when we plan to return! The parking rate at the time of our vacation was $12.00/ day. Remember , that was almost 2 years ago!

Laundry. The condo that we occupied did not have a laundry. There was a laundry with coin operated washers and dryers on our floor, and we used them almost every day. I believe that you could also take advantage of a Laundry Service pick up and drop off to your room if you wanted. Dry cleaning too. Most owners that I spoke with told me that not having washers and dryers on each floor was a major point of contention at the moment with ownership.

Housekeeping. You get the standard mid-week housekeeping. You could arrange for more....at a price, of course. The bath towels were standard quality. Not plush. But there was an ample supply. Toiletries were provided and replenished. I had no complaints. The place looked clean when we checked-in and we kept it that way. There was no hint of smell of cigarette or cigar which I considered a big, big plus.

View. The on-line ads that I studied before deciding on the KBR deceive a bit about the view that can be enjoyed, IMO. Do not be deceived. Unless you get a 2BR unit you are not getting that spectacular oceanfront view that you might have seen in the ads. Those units are very scarce and very expensive. Maybe some day for us, but for now we were satisfied with our view, which as mentioned previously was standard ocean view but on the north side so our lanai got morning shade. We could see ocean and we could see mountain from our setting. Not much of either but enough. The views that the so-called "deluxe ocean views" had were not that much better, IMO. Certainly not worth another $1,000.00 or more!
I think that I would splurge another $200.00 to go standard ocean view over scenic view, however, because I love the smells and sounds of sea and salt air!
However, I do not think that you can request a specific room or view, unless you are an owner, and even then it is the luck of the draw that decides which owner will get the best of the best views in a select room view category, which I think runs: scenic (aka garden), ocean view, luxury ocean, and ocean front.
Some ads will also show a nice photo of the resort's pool with a building that looks to be almost alongside the pool and right on the beach. Again, don't be deceived. This is not the KBVR. This is another condo building altogether and not at all related to the KBVR.

Other stuff. The KBVR had a busy concierge and activities desk where we obtained lots of useful and up to date information, including a few money saving coupons. The 18 hole miniature golf course was located on the roof of a building and looked to have weathered those rain storms that I mentioned earlier pretty badly. Our lanai was located directly overlooking this rooftop. I never saw anybody playing golf on it.
There was a fitness center somewhere I was told but I successfully avoided it all week. I did successfully find a great poolside bar and met each sunrise there with a bloody mary after a brisk ocean walk. Hint- bring your own tabasco and a fresh lemon. I enjoyed teaching my bartender friend the extrafine details of preparing THE Bloody Mary Cocktail. I also enjoyed watching the NFL games from poolside early Sunday morning while sipping my bloody mary and chomping on a celery stick. You need some vegetable in your diet, you know!

BTW, the pool, as mentioned, was a thing of beauty, with waterfalls and waterslides and the Pacific Ocean as a background. At night, it gets all lite up by torch light. Very pretty! Another advantage of vacationing off season is that you never have to stake out pool stuff at dawn and then guard it all day. From reading the reviews of others about the KBVR, this happens at poolside regularly during prime season, as I am certain it does at most resorts. We had absolutely no problems sitting wherever we wanted and pool chairs and towels were easily obtained. I give the pool area and environment a strong 10 of 10 rating for certain.

The resort also had its own beauty salon and spa someplace but we were much too busy snorkeling to schedule for stuff like that. The vast, open air lobby had a few shops and the resort offered a calendar of kids programs that could keep the little buggers occupied while the parents got busy elsewhere. There is a children's pool and and of course a games room. Scuba lessons are offered in the pool and next time I plan on taking a few. Maui has fantastic places for snorkeling and I guess for scuba too, if you know how. Hint- go to Black Rock at the Sheraton. It was sensational.
The KBVR also offered room service for breakfast and for lunch. Not certain if you could get dinner or not. There was mention of high speed internet availability but I didn't care. I was on vacation in Maui.

Ka'anapali Beach. The KBVR has very little actual beach. The on-line advertisements will rave about the wonderful Ka'anapali Beach Scene but in truth, the KBVR is not part of that scene. It is part of the North Ka'anapali Beach Scene. People do go in the water in front of the resort, yes, but when we were there (late October) it was unprotected and looked to be rocky and rough. Certainly not for snorkeling. The beach action is back at Ka'anapali Beach and to get there you either hitch, grab a bus or a trolley, or drive your rental. By car it takes 5 minutes tops. Parking can be a chore, especially if you are there in peak summer season. I suggest parking near the Sheraton or actually at the Sheraton. You can stroll the entire Ka'anapali Beach Walkway from there and also snorkel at Black Rock, which is usually chock full of colorful fish. When you need a break, you can order a drink and a lunch or both at the Sheraton. They offer great poolside table service. Just remember to re-apply that sunscreen often. Another day you can park at Whaler's Village and shop and do some people watching as you stroll the along the paved beach walk. Usually there will be a band or 2 playing in the Mall or at one of the many outdoor restaurants or bars along the strip.

Restaurant Tips- You will read that Mama's Fishouse is "number 1" but there are many number 1's on Maui. You are paying for Mama's notoriety big time. Unless you have a "must do" lust to take a photo at popular Mama's, and have the desire to drive all the way back across the island in certain traffic, for at least 60 minutes, in 1 lane, bumper to bumper, then I suggest that you pass on Mama's and the dinner for 2 that will easily cost you $200.00 or more plus tip. We were disappointed...can you tell? If you must go, go for lunch, early on a clear day, and enjoy the view and then travel up to Paia and stroll around. Find the Paia Fishmarket and wander around until you find the take out section. It was way in the back when I was there. Sense your mouth watering and your stomach churning as you smell those wonderful smells wafting away at you from the many varieties of take out suggestions that are available to you that day. Now find an appropriate bottle of wine or 2, be sure to pick up a cheap corkscrew, and head for the beach and maybe a sunset. Enjoy.

Other restaurant suggestions: We enjoyed a great dinner at the Makawao Steakhouse where I savored some wonderful sushi, a bowl of Maui onion soup and a great prime rib (end cut) in front of a lively fire started in a huge fireplace that took the chill out of a previously (when we got there) chilly room. It's worth visiting Makawao Town too, so go early and visit the artsy shops. At the Ka'anapali Beach we had a great lunch at Leilani's Beachside Grill (downstairs) and enjoyed people watching as the crowds strolled or roller bladed or skate boarded on by! Another restaurant tip is the many waterfront bars on Front Street in Lahaina, which offer reasonably priced lunches, and if you go anytime near sunset, you will enjoy some of the best sunset views on the island. We also enjoyed a fine dining experience at a restaurant in Lahaina called David Paul's. Expensive but very worth it, IMO. More about that later. And I mentioned it previously but let me praise it once again....the Honokowai Okazuya & Deli on Lower Honoapilani Road. Wonderful take out dishes. I especially enjoyed their spicy fish of the day concoction. Ditto the Star Market, right across the street from the KBVR, which also offered lots of take out choices that we took advantage of.

The Maui Real Estate Rental Market- On any given day you can see 10 or more offers to rent 1BR condo units at the KBVR, just like the one that we enjoyed. The market for the summer of 2008 appears to be in the $699 to $799.00 range for a 1 week stay (7 nights). Higher in July, lower in August. You can buy a unit on the resale market for $4,000.00 that can be used EOY. Management at the KBVR has changed though, so buying a private resale might be a bit tricky now. Annual maintenance fees run $1,800.00 and up at the KBVR ! Ouch! And this is about 1/2 what it is at other prime resorts on Maui.
With the air lines facing big trouble trying to hold prices down while fuel prices escalate, I'm thinking that the travel situation to the Hawaiian Islands just might be in a general state of chaos very soon, with prices jumping up and then down again as the major players try to fill their half empty planes at the last minute. This may affect rental demand on Maui as soon as this Fall.
If I was a "bidding" man, I think I would study this market very carefully and submit a few low ball offers.... if I could take some vacation in the Fall. If you could get a 1BR condo at the KBVR for 1 week for...say $500.00...then you would be sitting pretty and could spend that savings on a couple dinners at Mama's! LOL!

Activities. My favorite was the bike ride down the Haleakala volcano. I used Maui Mountain Riders and they offer a sunrise trip from the top to the ocean, with a stop for lunch. Takes all day but great views and super photo ops. A chase car (actually a truck) follows all the way ready to repair and/or replace any bikes or bikers that go down along the way. I had to get my bike replaced when the brakes locked up. There are only a few short sections of flat traveling that requires vigorous pedaling during the entire trip. Most of the time you spend gawking at the views and trying to keep a specific distance from the biker ahead of you while you coast and brake and turn. My wife decided not to chance the bike ride and they let her ride with the truck driver. She got a personal, narrated tour from him as we descended down the mountain.

Another "must do" activity is an off shore snorkel trip to the Turtle Reef, which is a coral reef located off a south shore golf course. The reef supports a nice variety of fish and rays and eels but the big draw is the huge green sea turtles that hang around and that surface now and then for a gulp of air amid lots of hysterical shouts from snorkelers who get scared shirtless when these monsters come up right beside them. One was my wife! LOL! This activity included a trip out to Molokini, which was fun and a thing to do, once, but the snorkeling that day was not nearly as good as it had been on Turtle Reef.

I also recommend at least 1 full day in Lahaina. Bring your coupons. We had the opportunity to enjoy Halloween in Lahaina and this celebration gets rowdy early. Lahaina is the old capital of Maui and the core of the novel, Hawaii by Mr. James A. Michener, which is a must read before you go, IMO.
As mentioned, in Lahaina, we treated ourselves to a very pricey dinner at David Paul's Lahaina Grill, and we were wowed! And not just by the price. Everything was perfect and the portions were enough for a 2nd meal later in the week. If they offer a rack of lamb, and you like rack of lamb, then go for this treat. It was done Pacific Rim style and was delicious.
Also offered as a special dessert of the day was a luscious chocolate eclair kind of thing. Yummy!
An advantage of being from the US East Coast is that we got hungry early on Maui and this motivated us to get to restaurants early. I suggest that you do this if you want choice eats at David Paul's. They sold out of most of that days dinner menu items by 7PM and closed. We lucky patrons who were inside were then treated to at least a full hour of impromptu song and dance by various members of the bar staff and kitchen staff. We were all delighted. It was one of the greatest of the great days and nights that we enjoyed on Maui. Save your pennies though. The David Paul's Restaurant is easily as expensive as Mama's.

We passed on all of the luaus while on Maui, since we were heading for Oahu and a stay on Waikiki and our hotel had its own luau, right on the beach. Some of the other many activities that we didn't do were: helicopter ride, road to Hana (road was closed), visit to the brewery, hike the Iao Valley, vist the South Shore Maui resorts, play golf, catch a fish, see a whale breech, learn to surf, and eat at about 90 of the several hundred restaurants that I had targeted before I left, based on the suggestions of many of our TA members.

Conclusion. OK, What I have left out? The Ka'anapali Beach Vacation Resort is probably still referred to as The Embassy by most locals and it is still erroneously referred to as the Ka'anapali Beach Club (KBC) in Lahaina by some uninformed sources. But now you are informed and you now know that the true name, at least for the immediate present, is the Ka'anapali Beach Vacation Resort, and it is located neither in Ka'anapali Beach nor in Lahaina. And it has undergone yet another ownership change. Some say this was needed. Others are not too sure about it. New ownership usually means higher maintenance fees! There was renovation going on while were there but we were up and out of our room long before the banging began. I questioned a few owners about this and was told that many of the condos are being completely refurbed. New appliances, new TVs, new counter tops, new furniture, new bedding....the works. That's when I realized that we were in a newly refurbished unit!. The stories that I then heard about the "old" units were distressing. There would have been trouble had we chanced on 1 of these. But...no harm...no foul...so they say!

We enjoyed the week that we spent there very much and would definitely go back again, no matter what it was called, if it was just the wife and I. I am assuming that all units have been refurbished by now. But, I would not book the 1BR condo if I was bringing along another adult couple. Instead, I might try to book a 2nd 1BR unit. Given the rental offerings that I see recently, this may be doable for the same price as a 2BR villa at another resort on or near Ka'anapali Beach. The 1BR 1bath unit, although spacious, is not enough for me to share with 3 other adults while on vacation. I think that the 1BR 1Bath condo unit at the KBVR is a good value for 2 adults..... maybe the only true resort value on Maui with 1st class amenities and a perfect location, close enough to most everything yet far enough away to offer some space from the big crowds. Compare with similar offerings at the Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Westin or Sheraton and see if you don't agree with me. When I shopped them, the KBVR offered savings of as much as $100.00 per nite over Studio or 1BR Units at most of these big names and they had not nearly the space or functionality of the KBVR condo that we enjoyed, which was approx 750 sq ft. plus lanai.

Please let me know if I can answer any questions that you might have about the KBVR (Embassy) or about planning and enjoying Maui in general. There was a major development underway in the North Ka'anapali Beach neighborhood while we were vacationing but it was far enough away to not be a bother....then. It could be a different story now. There is also a big pool maintenance scheduled for 2009 so you want to inquire about that for certain if you are considering planning something around then.
If any of the restaurants that I mentioned or any of the other suggestions that I made are now inaccurate, remember that my recollections are from notes made almost 2 years ago! Hey, good advice is worth waiting for, you know! LOL!

But seriously, I'll be happy to share my thoughts with you, just as so many did with me as I planned my first visit. Thanks for listening!

mm98