Vacationing at Valley Isle

In the middle of the Pacific, on a tiny island known for its rainbows, lush tropical forests, dormant volcano, and beautiful beaches, is a small high-rise condo called, Valley Isle Resort.

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My husband and I were lucky enough to call the corner suite on the ninth floor “home” for two weeks during our honeymoon, and we loved it so much that we stayed again on our most recent visit in January. Valley Isle is located in Kahana–about a ten minute drive North from the bustling, ocean-side town of Lahaina, and it’s a short drive away from my favorite beach on the island: Napili Beach.

The resort is beautifully landscaped with gorgeous Hawaiian flowers, shrubs, and many palm trees surrounding its perimeter, and just off the grassy lawn is a very nice (and long) stretch of sandy beach. Valley Isle offers many amenities including a small pool with lounge chairs, a poolside bbq area with three different grills, free-parking, and (in most cases) wifi. Snorkeling here isn’t the best, but the swimming is good, and we love getting out on the water to paddleboard in the mornings before the afternoon winds pick up.

The best part about this beach-front property is that every single room has an ocean view so you won’t miss those incredible Maui sunsets–I would recommend reserving a room ending in 04-10 as those rooms are literally right on the ocean. During whale season we enjoy hanging out on the balcony to watch the whales frolic out in the ‘Au’au Channel between Maui and Molokai.

During our stays, we enjoy visiting the farmers market at the Honokowai Marketplace just down the street (they have AMAZING homemade Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies), and you can’t stop by the farmers market without visiting the Fish Market right next door. Delicious, caught-that-day-fresh fish grilled to your liking back at the resort, fresh local vegetables grown on Maui, a few Mai Tai’s, and homemade Mac-Nut cookies set the tone for a perfect evening. I don’t know if there’s anything better than enjoying an ocean-view dining experience from the privacy and comfort of your own balcony.

I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but when my husband and I travel we prefer renting condos as we like to have some extra space and most importantly, a kitchen. We always save a significant amount of money by cooking a few meals in the condo instead of going out every time we need a drink, meal, or even a snack. Valley Isle isn’t a five-star resort, however it is a comfortable ocean-front–and beach-front–condominium with exceptional views of Molokai and Lanai.

The one downside, if there is a downside, is that in the fall of 2012 the health center that was connected to the resort was destroyed by a fire. Unfortunately the entire situation appears to be on “Maui Time” in regards to building permits, union agreements, zoning approval, and so on, so the health center and gym has not been rebuilt (yet). The resort grounds are still immaculate and it won’t impact your ocean views, but you may notice the construction barriers when you park your car in the parking lot (but you’re not going to Maui to hang out in the parking lot). 🙂

We will be back Valley Isle, Aloha!

**Please keep in mind that some condos in the Valley Isle Resort are independently owned and therefore, I cannot guarantee the quality of each room. Everyone has different styles, expectations, and needs, and the experience shared are mine and my husbands alone.**

Do you prefer staying in condos or hotels when you travel?