Napili Kai Beach Resort Hotel Review, Maui, Hawaii.
I stumbled across Napili Kai Beach Resort while surfing the net, the property instantly drew me in with its beautiful sandy bay, see-through emerald waters and lush tropical surroundings.
I’d traveled to Maui numerous times but never to Napili, a region tucked away on the islands north-west coast. I reached out to learn more about Napili Kai Beach Resort and soon after they graciously invited me to stay. I’m thankful to have found this piece of paradise because now I get to share it with you!
Napili Kai Beach Resort is more than just a resort, it’s an oasis for rest and rejuvenation. It’s the ideal location for creating sun, sand and surf memories with loved ones, and a special place where the aloha spirit is alive and well.
NAPILI KAI BEACH RESORT AT A GLANCE:
- Low-rise oceanfront resort set on 10-acres fronting Napili Bay
- Over 160 guestrooms and apartment-style suites
- Choose from hotel rooms, studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom suites
- Most suites have kitchenettes with separate sleeping and living areas
- Four pools and two whirlpools
- Two championship golf courses, tennis court, and fitness center
- No resort fees or parking fees, and free social activites
- Home to Sea House Pacific Rim restaurant with a Kids Eat Free guest offer
- Makai Massage & Bodywork offering massages, body treatments and facials
- Kapalua coastal hiking trails are close to the resort
- It’s next door to the acclaimed Merriman’s Maui
- The resort is a 15-minute drive to Lahaina, one of Maui’s most popular villages
10 THINGS I LOVED ABOUT NAPILI KAI BEACH RESORT:
- Tropical Hawaii Feels
- Oceanfront Views
- Napili Bay Sunsets
- Morning Coffee Rituals
- Keiki (Kids) Hula Show
- The Superb Bay
- Nest-ability
- Whale Watcher’s Happy Hour
- Sea House Restaurant
- Hanki-Panki Whirlpool
1. Tropical Hawaii Feels
The resorts vibe, decor, and grounds weave wonderfully together giving Napili Kai Beach Resort a tropical Hawaii feel. The welcome sign and hotel lobby furnishings set an immediate retro tone to the resort.
The property is a tropical garden wonderland, the gorgeous vegetation is meticulously cared for by a large team of horticulturalists. Believe it or not, there are over sixty varieties of hibiscus on show throughout the grounds including rare hybrid varieties. Garden-lovers will want to take the free horticultural tour offered weekly.
2. Oceanfront Views
Many of the resort suites have epic oceanfront views. Because the property starting being built in the 1960s the buildings have a unique advantage, they’re situated extremely close to the shoreline (newer resorts are forced to build further back).
Here’s the stunning view from Puna Point Suite 211, click here to check out the location on the resort map.
Leaving your bedroom window open at Napili Kai Beach Resort pretty much guarantees you’ll be drifting off to sleep to the sound of lapping water.
3. Napili Bay Sunsets
Napili Bay sunsets are famous. If you ask around the island of Maui for the best spots to watch the sunset this bay is guaranteed to come up in the conversation, and rightly so! Napili Kai Beach Resort is perfectly positioned to catch these daily spectacles. Absolutely breathtaking.
4. Morning Coffee Rituals
There’s a lovely social element to Napili Kai Beach Resort, every day mid-morning refreshments are made available for guests in the orange-and-yellow-striped Beach Cabana. Guests are encouraged to come here for a complimentary tea or coffee, and the opportunity to enjoy Hawaiian cultural presentations at the same time.
5. Keiki (Kids) Hula Show
Napili Kai Foundation hosts a Keiki (Kids) Hula Show every Tuesday at 5:30pm. The goal of this non-profit organization is to instruct children in Hawaiian and Polynesian dances, culture, language, and history and instill pride in their ancestry. The 45-minute program is free for guests (donations welcome) and for non-guests attracts a small fee ($10 Adults $5 Kids).
There’s also an Adult Putting Party on the 18-hole putting green (with 50c cocktails) each Monday and Slack Key Show (7:30-9:30pm) for $37.99 each Wednesday. Fun!
6. The Superb Bay
Napili Bay is superb for swimming, boogie boarding, and snorkelling the reef crowd-free! It’s a great habitat for sea turtles. At dawn and dusk, you’ll often see turtle heads bopping above the surface of the ocean. From December through April, Napili Bay is a perfect place to watch for whales.
7. Nest-ability
There is a sense of spaciousness around Napili Kai Beach Resort. Almost all of the accommodation comes with kitchen facilities and a handful of rooms that don’t still have a microwave. It’s perfect for, well, nesting LOL.
This is the type of resort you’ll want to spend a week or two on holiday, so having the ability to prepare your own meals is a huge plus as it helps keep meal costs down. Napili Plaza has a convenient grocery store, only 5-minutes drive down the road.
We adored having a night in! We sipped on red wine, baked a roast chicken, watched Netflix on our laptop and chilled. Our cooked brekkie was the perfect way to start the day, we were in Hawaii heaven.
8. Whale Watcher’s Happy Hour
The resort’s on-site restaurant, Sea House, has an incredibly good bar! It comes with one of the best bar views in all Hawaii.
I spent an entire afternoon in this seat and loved every single second of it. #bestdayever
You won’t want to miss Whale Watcher’s Happy Hour, it runs from 2-4:30 pm. Sure, the drinks are discounted but the food was the highlight! From left to right, we enjoyed Sashimi, Coconut Shrimp, and Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts.
9. Sea House Restaurant
Sea House was so good for Happy Hour that we booked a table on our way out for dinner that evening.
French Onion Soup to start + Surf’n’Turf = one happy belly!
10. Hanki-Panki Whirlpool
Guests are spoiled for choice with four swimming pools and two whirlpools across the property. My favorite? The large heated adults-only whirlpool, the name says it all… 🙂
After only a short stay at Napili Kai Beach Resort, I totally get why year-after-year guests return to this beautiful property on Maui. It’s low-key luxury at it’s best, much less commercial than other Hawaii brand-name resorts and has that feeling of being your home away from home.
SEARCH: Napili Kai Beach Resort Trip Advisor Reviews
Getting There
Napili Kai Beach Resort hugs Napili Bay, situated on Maui’s north-west coastline in between the more well-known areas of Kaanapali and Kapalua.
Kahului Airport (OGG)
From Maui’s major airport, Kahului Airport, Napili Kai Beach Resort is an estimated 60-minute drive, approximately 32mi (61km). Airport Transfers are easily organized, you can also hire a car or catch a taxi (CB Maui Taxi Service), Uber or Lyft.
Kapalua Airport (JHM)
Travelers can also fly into Maui’s regional airport, Kapalua Airport, a short 10-minute drive from Napili Kai Beach Resort just 3mi (5km) away. Small aircraft operate out of this airport and airfares are usually more expensive. There are no public transportation or car rental companies, however, many car rental companies service the airport from off-airport facilities. A taxi can be arranged (CB Maui Taxi Service) or use Uber or Lyft.
TIP: For affordable car hire, book online with Discount Hawaii Car Rentals. Choose from a variety of brands and vehicle types. They have no booking fees, no pre-payment, and no cancellation penalties! Convertibles and Jeeps are popular options.
