This is fantastic location in South Maui. Very quiet! The snorkeling right out the back and over to Makena Landing is the best on the island! It is very convenient to drive anywhere. The house is just as described. It was very clean and well maintained. We loved the Hawaiian decor and unique Hawaiian furniture. The bed in the primary bedroom is incredibly comfortable. The fans kept the house comfortable. (We don’t like AC in Hawaii.) The house is one of a kind full of Hawaiian history in an absolutely beautiful setting. With easy access to the ocean right outside, we did not miss a pool in the slightest bit. The sunsets were amazing. We loved it here! The owners and caretakers were easy to reach for a quick question. Honestly, our favorite place we have stayed in Hawaii.
My family (parents, siblings, self) stayed here for almost 10 days and very much enjoyed it. The location of this property is amazing - right by the water, a short walk from great beaches - and there is a nice layout for spending time together inside and outside. Two things of potential concern for guests - 1) the home smelled slightly of mold, totally expected from a house that was built decades ago on a tropical island and less than 100 feet from the ocean. Be warned, and if you have allergies to that (we didn't) you may want to look elsewhere. 2) The twin beds in the 3rd bedroom are regular sized, and since my family members and I are all above 6 ft tall we did suffer a little sleeping on them. Overall would absolutely stay here again - the owners were great to communicate with and this was a special place to stay.
Absolutely fantastic property. The oceanfront location, sunset views & whale watching are second to none compared to anywhere I have ever stayed. We rent in Maui each winter and I will be coming back here. We have always rented condos in the past and having an oceanfront lawn for the kids as well as a driveway for parking and a garage for keeping strollers, suitcases, etc. was a massive positive. My kids are 3 & 1 and this was a perfect setup for our family. The kitchen is bigger than the photos look and there is a spare bar fridge as well. The table out by the water is amazing for lunch and after the kids go to bed. There is a 6 person kitchen table as well which is better for dinner since we are mostly eating around sunset and it gets dark quick. great family property!
Our family of 6 loved our week at Clark and Sue's house in Makena. The location could not be better and we were truly able to unwind and feel at peace. We watched whales everyday. We snorkeled right in front of the house or at the beach just up the road. We walked down to Maluaka beach at sunset. Every other day we did an excursion, but always looked forward to coming back to the house to relax. We cooked a few dinners and lots of breakfasts in the very well-stocked kitchen...wish we had cooked more dinners there! We loved hanging out on the patio at night with only the tiki torches to give us light. It was magical. Highly recommend!
Our family truly enjoyed our stay and would gladly return if ever staying in Makena again.
The home was so welcoming that we barely had any reason to leave. We spent most of our days enjoying the views, spotting sea turtles and whales, and walking a few minutes down the road to the nearest beach. Other great spots are just 5-15 minutes away. Stuck on an earlier time zone, we got in the habit of rising before dawn to sip coffee/tea and watch the stars and planets, which was quite nice. The overall atmosphere is incredibly picturesque, to the point of being poetic, and zen.
The home itself is not an austere, modern, slick home, more of a homy home, showing its age in some parts, but this was fine for us, and convenient in fact as we were able to borrow beach toys for the kids, pots/pans etc for cooking a few meals during our stay, and otherwise feel at home. It's clear this was a well-lived and well-loved family home and it was nice to learn about some if its and the family's history and connection to the surrounding area in the home guide book.
Both Clark & Sue and the property manager were very responsive and helpful, and the property manager accommodated us checking in an hour early when we unexpectedly found ourselves arriving early.
Comfortable beds, effective air conditioning and a great location a short walk from a sandy beach
Makena Makai is a beautiful, quaint home with views that won't disappoint. I enjoyed snorkeling with the turtles each morning. The owner/manager's are easy to speak with. We had no issues throughout our entire stay. (November 16-23, 2024) I would love another opportunity to stay at this wonderful place. ❤️
Our family had an amazing stay at this superb property in Makena. Secluded and private yet a short drive to amazing restaurants and shopping. We saw sea turtles every day and snorkeled in the clear water off the back yard. Truly a gem and a perfect family vacation!
Heaven on earth! The location with direct water access from the backyard, just cannot be beat!
My family of five (kids are 21,14,12) has been to a variety of Hawaiian islands together at least a dozen times. We’ve stayed in all sorts of accommodations from high end hotels to condos to tent structures. Makena Makai blew us away And I don’t think we can stay anywhere else now!
Likely the best snorkeling we’ve had on any of the Hawaiian islands - and right in the backyard!! Turtles galore! It was fabulous to rent kayaks and SUPs for the week and launch them from the backyard and paddle to one of the very nearby beaches to the left and right. Oh and the sunsets are fabulous! Big grassy yard for wiffle ball for the boys, too!
Both host and local property managers were helpful, responsive, and communicative, making everything so easy!
Yes, there are fancier, more updated homes nearby, but this well taken care of property and it’s access to the water, with it’s chill home-like vibe and everything you might need provided, was just what we needed, and probably now the only place we will stay in Maui from now on!
Water access does require some good water shoes to get over the rocky beach and into the water, so be sure to have those. Otherwise, Makena Makai has everything you need and is pure perfection - heaven on earth!!
Thank you, Sue and Clark!
I have been to Maui several times and have always enjoyed my stay at the resorts, so this was the 1st time at a home and it did not disappoint! Incredible location in the heart of turtle town and the house was simply stunning in its ambiance and proximity to the best snorkeling around, PERIOD!!! Loved Sue and the commutation.
This property is in good, not great, condition and not fancy. The furnishings are dated and need to be reupholstered. That’s all the bad. The key thing is this property is flat out gorgeous. The diving and snorkeling right off the back patio are so good that dive operations and snorkel tours show up everyday. Makena Beach is a 5” walk down a quiet dead end street and is gorgeous. The area is very safe so we left windows and our bedroom slider open all night, and with sea breezes and lots of ceiling and floor fans we never needed to use A/C. Love that. The kitchen is well stocked with cooking tools, the master bed is comfortable, the landscaping is in good condition and having a grassy area next to the ocean with palm trees for shade, and complete privacy too, was amazing. This is a legacy estate that is one in a million. We loved it here and wish we could just move in forever.
We come here every year to see the Humpback Whales. Enjoyed our trip very much. This house is an amazing place to relax and enjoy beautiful Maui.
This property is beautiful, and the hosts are amazing. Banana trees. Soft grass. Too many turtles and whales to count, right in the backyard.
Kristopher M.
Dec 06, 2023
If y’all are looking for a shiny new place - this isn’t it. If you want an epic location on the water in Turtle Town - this is the spot. We sat for 2 weeks in the backyard and enjoyed the “private” Bay. Cute old home.
Kristopher M.
Dec 03, 2023
If y’all are looking for a shiny new place - this isn’t it. If you want an epic location on the water in Turtle Town - this is the spot. We sat for 2 weeks in the backyard and enjoyed the “private” Bay. Cute old home.
The views are amazing from this home but the interior really needs to be updated, its very old and left the feeling of staying at my grandparents home and even smelled like it. The furniture was very old and the AC unit in the master bedroom wouldn't stay on and then blew a breaker which we reset but it wouldn't hold. Found out from the owner that the AC unit which is portable was located somehow on the wrong side of the room that has a 30amp breaker which would have held if we new about it so that really made it tough, but thankfully the night breeze was cool and it worked.
Also the exterior shows a pool but it was empty and found out it wasn't the owners of the home which I wasn't aware off.
I will say that the property manager was on top of things when we called and the owner even called to apologize about the AC issue which we appreciated. I also spoke with him about the property being old and they are making improvements to this property so I would keep it on your list as again the views were amazing.
This was our 5th or 6th time staying here but this time just the two of us. No family, no friends. Very relaxing! It was perfect! Thank you.
This was our 5th or 6th time staying here but this time just the two of us. No family, no friends. Very relaxing! It was perfect! Thank you.
A wonderful place to relax and enjoy Maui! The atmosphere and views are so special. The owners provide history of the property and location which provides interest context to appreciate the place. Hope to return in the future.
A wonderful place to relax and enjoy Maui! The atmosphere and views are so special. The owners provide history of the property and location which provides interest context to appreciate the place. Hope to return in the future.
Love it! All great! This is the second time we’ve stayed here and it’s the perfect place to make memories: great family meals prepared in the kitchen with a view, snorkeling, kayaking, sunset revelries, peaceful evenings when all that is heard are the ocean, crickets, and starlight.
Love it! All great! This is the second time we’ve stayed here and it’s the perfect place to make memories: great family meals prepared in the kitchen with a view, snorkeling, kayaking, sunset revelries, peaceful evenings when all that is heard are the ocean, crickets, and starlight.
Truly amazing oceanfront location in Makena. Large, private yard to watch the sunsets over the water. We had a lovely time.
Truly amazing oceanfront location in Makena. Large, private yard to watch the sunsets over the water. We had a lovely time.
The location and view are second to none. The house has some minor maintenance issues due to its age, but those did not significantly affect our enjoyable time in Maui.
I can’t even describe how magical it is to sit on the back patio and look at the quiet, perfect ocean and then be able to walk down your backyard to the best snorkeling with turtles on the island. The snorkeling is so good this is where the snorkel tours take people, calling it turtle town.
We needed someplace quiet to escape with my family, with enough space and things to do onsite that we didn’t have to go anywhere, as my father had limited mobility. This was perfect. My 7 yr olds never got tired of exploring the yard for lizards, cool plants and bugs or the tide pools on the property. The house is very comfortable with lots of room and a big kitchen we used to cook in most nights. You can walk to two amazingly beautiful beaches within 5 minutes in either direction. That’s basically all we did for 10 days and loved it.
The house is a bit older so has things like louder ac units in the bedroom and tricky screen doors but those little things really didn’t bother us as we were focused on the amazing location and nature in the yard.
I can’t even describe how magical it is to sit on the back patio and look at the quiet, perfect ocean and then be able to walk down your backyard to the best snorkeling with turtles on the island. The snorkeling is so good this is where the snorkel tours take people, calling it turtle town.
We needed someplace quiet to escape with my family, with enough space and things to do onsite that we didn’t have to go anywhere, as my father had limited mobility. This was perfect. My 7 yr olds never got tired of exploring the yard for lizards, cool plants and bugs or the tide pools on the property. The house is very comfortable with lots of room and a big kitchen we used to cook in most nights. You can walk to two amazingly beautiful beaches within 5 minutes in either direction. That’s basically all we did for 10 days and loved it.
The house is a bit older so has things like louder ac units in the bedroom and tricky screen doors but those little things really didn’t bother us as we were focused on the amazing location and nature in the yard.
The location and view are second to none. The house has some minor maintenance issues due to its age, but those did not significantly affect our enjoyable time in Maui.
Relaxing, tourist free lodging. Comforts of home in a gorgeous location.
Relaxing, tourist free lodging. Comforts of home in a gorgeous location.
