We just came back from our trip to Kapalua -we were delighted with our stay in the Ridge villas (booked through Ridge Realty).. After reading some of the reviews here, we were concerned but as always it was really great despite the construction at Kapalua Bay. We had asked Ridge Realty (office in Naplil) for a unit that was two levels assuring us of terraces overlooking the ocean from our bedroom and our living room and also facing northwest away from Kapalua Bay. We had a super view looking north west to Dt Fleming and Honoloau. It was quiet and our unit was really fine. The bedroom had a mirror above the bed so you could almost view the ocean 360 degrees! Wow you could see and hear the waves lap the shore. Also sunrise was spectacular from the bed -beautiful pinks and violets! The furniture was absolutely fine, with some nice items & touches by the owners - We were delighted and also delighted with the price. It was $200 a night. Why anyone would stay at the Ritz at $360 or more for one room and no ocean view escapes us. We used all the facilities, including the shuttle when we did not use our car. .
There was a minor problem and because the Rdige Realty group lives right there in in one of the units it was fixed immediately!

Couldn't ask for more, especially in these times of escalating costs! glad to know that paradise is still in our reach and will be in the future. Why would anyone go elsewhere and pay so much more for the same or less!

We recently rented a super upgraded unit The Ridge at Kapalua Villas. The inside of the unit was recently redone- nicely. However, we felt that the Villas themselves are very out-dated. Basically the unit is updated but the bones of the villas are very old. The pool is horrible- basically a square with old chairs and a BBQ grill. Not very updated- very basic. For the price you pay, we suggest another- newer condo.
The one thing to keep in mind is that this area of the island is ALWAYS windy. That was very disappointing to us. There is little point in sitting on the deck due to the wind.
Maui in general is very "touristy".
The restaurant at Kapalua called Sansei - sushi and service is GREAT!!!! We were very unhappy with all meals until we at here. It is so good. Mama's Fish House is good food but not worth the price at all.

The Bad

We just returned from staying in Kapalua and wish to share the good, bad and ugly.

We had a three bedroom Golf Gold Villa which was an outstanding unit. Problem, the A/c did not work even though the maintenance person told us otherwise.

After 2 days, we where give a two separate units for an even to sleep in until the unit could be fixed (we where told Sat or Sunday by maint) Sunday morning the Villa manager informed us that we would not have to wait until Monday. Explain that would not be acceptable, the manger took us on a tour of several units (Bay View) until we found something suitable. Even though we had to take two separate units (1 1 Bedroom and 1-2 bedroom close to each other) it was not a Gold unit, but I guest the view was to make up the difference. The staff was outstanding to try and help us, but since we had planned on a 3 bedroom, anything beyond that wound is a disappointment.

The Good

We did have some great meals in the units. We hired an outstanding Chef that made meals that in the end would have cost us over $2,000 if we had eaten out.

Add in meals at the Pineapple Restaurant, Sea House, The Ritz and you get the picture of Outstanding or the good part.

The ugly........

Nothing found nor were we looking for anything in this category.

I will be posting picture shortly and if anyone wants information about the Chef, please let me know.

If you can fly into Maui direct from the mainland that would be my suggestion. If you fly into Honolulu and then plan to fly onto Kapalua, try flying into West Maui Airport, rental cars are near buy and its less of a hassle driving across the island. Traffic can be a real challenge.

Over all, we had a great time, but we will do something’s a little differently next time.

We have just returned from a wonderful stay at the Kapalua Villas, where we and our guests stayed for our wedding on 4/28. My wife and I were in Bay Villa 23 G1 for 6 nights and were VERY reluctant to leave. So many positives, and very few negatives. I'll try to separate out my comments by category:

Villa:

Our 1BR/1 1/2 BATH villa was very well-appointed, modern, and spacious. Overall, solid 4-star accommodations. We had a great view of the ocean and enjoyed the sound of the waves lulling us to sleep each night. The bed was fairly soft and comfortable. The master bath featured a stone tub with shower.

As others have mentioned, it is quite important to do research and request specific units when booking this property, as the standard villas vary considerably from one another. On the other hand, the Gold-level villas are all very nice and feature premium appliances/furniture/cabinetry/fixtures. However, our guests stayed in both Gold and standard villas and were very satisfied.

As an additional note, some villas are only available directly through the owner. Prices through that channel may be lower than through the Villas office. Although renting from the owner means that the resort amenities (housekeeping, shuttle, Ritz access) are not included, these may or may not be worth an extra 50-100 per day for some.

Amenities:

Housekeeping- Extremely discreet, quiet, and flexible. We kept irregular hours, and they were still able to get the job done without approaching us repeatedly. They basically do light work only (make bed, take out garbage, run dishwasher).

Shuttle- Variable, but generally good service. They typically arrived within 0-15 min of our target pickup time, which was perfectly adequate most days (we used our rental car on wedding day to be safe). They will take you anywhere on the property, and drivers are generally polite and accommodating. On one occasion, I was asked to "please wait outside" by the operator when I called for a shuttle, which I thought was rather rude. On every other occasion, the driver gave a knock on our door when he arrived.

Resort Priviliges- All residents of the Villas can access the pool and have charging priviliges at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Since we had our wedding ceremony at the Ritz, these extras came in handy for some of our friends and family. The Ritz pool is very nice.

Check-In/Out:

Efficient and pleasant front desk staff. One charge was inaccurate on our bill, but was quickly remedied. The error was understandable, since approximately 20 people were staying at the resort who had the same first name, last name, or both!

Location:

We like the natural beauty and stunning views offered at this resort. In contrast, the resort "complex" of Kaanapali to the south seemed more crowded and artificial when we visited friends staying there. From our oceanfront villa, it was a 2-minute walk to a small but pretty beach and rock pools. Two other larger beaches were accessible via shuttle. Kapalua is about an hour from the airport and 20-30 min from Lahaina.

We highly recommend this resort as a wedding site (see also our review of the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua coming soon). Please feel free to contact us with any questions not answered in this long (sorry!) review.