Where to Stay in Maui with Kids: Honua Kai Resort Review

Are you looking for the best place to stay on Maui for families with kids of all ages? Keep scrolling for my honest review of the Honua Kai Resort & Spa in Kaanapali.

This Honua Kai Resort review was written by Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

Are you planning a trip to Maui and looking for a kid-friendly resort?

My family has stayed twice at the Honua Kai Resort in Kaanapali, Maui. It’s located on Kaanapali Beach and has several pools, Duke’s Kaanapali, and is within walking distance to other resorts.

What’s unique about it is that it’s a hotel that also has Honua Kai rentals and condos. Keep scrolling for my honest Honua Kai Maui reviews of this Maui resort.

You’ll want to read all about our experience staying here because I’m going to share with you what we loved most about this place! If you’re considering booking your next Maui family vacation here or elsewhere in Hawaii, then keep reading!

We’ve got tons of tips below, so let me know if you have any questions!

Keep scrolling for my full Honua Kai Resort review.

Want to skip all the planning and just access my detailed Maui Itinerary complete with daily schedules, kid-friendly activities, and travel hacks? Click the button below.

Where is the Honua Kai Resort & Spa?

The Honua Kai Resort and Spa is located in West Maui at 130 Kai Malina Parkway, Lahaina, HI 96761. It’s right between Ka’anapali and Lahaina.

Honest Honua Kai Resort Review

My family has stayed at the Honua Kai Resort & Spa twice for multi-generational family vacations. The first time, I was pregnant with my youngest. The second time, I had an infant with me.

Each time, there were 13-14 of us, so we rented 3 condos between us.

So, these Honua Kai Resort & Spa reviews are a combination of both times we have stayed here because I figured that would be the most helpful for readers.

What was our room like?

We’ve had a two-bedroom unit both times.

The two-bedroom unit was really helpful when we had my mom stay with us. We tried a few sleeping arrangements and ended up having her bunk with our toddler at one point. It was really nice to have so much extra space.

It was great to have a kitchen where we could store easy breakfast items and snacks. Plus, there was a decent size fridge for milk and yogurt, etc.

My in-laws rented a three-bedroom unit on our last trip that they shared with a family of 4. We also used it as the main gathering place. The kitchen was huge, and we were able to cook a lot of meals in the unit, and we all had places to sit and eat.

Both of these Maui resort rentals were incredible. Both the two and three-bedroom suites were very family-friendly, making it one of the top kid-friendly resorts in Maui.

The rooms had flat screen tv’s, private lanais, and so much more! The one with three bedrooms that we rented had pretty much gourmet kitchens with granite countertops. We even had ocean views in our rooms and out on the large lanai.

What did we think of the dining options?

Duke’s Beach House

The only sit-down dining spot at the Honua Kai Resort is Duke’s Beach House. It’s part of a chain of restaurants that includes Hula Grill, Kimo’s, Keoki’s Paradise, and Leilani’s on the Beach. So you’ll be able to find similar items.

We ate here a few times for lunch. They also serve the pool area, which is nice. And we did a big sit-down dinner at Duke’s Beach House on one of our last nights.

The food is pretty good, and the ambiance is great!

‘Āina Gourmet Market

This is more of a grab-and-go deli/coffee shop. We came here every morning to grab “fancy” coffee. We also did a few quick breakfasts and lunches here. The food tasted great, and it was easy.

The last time we were here, I believe the kids grabbed pints of ice cream here. I’m not sure if they still sell those, but it was a HUGE hit!

Whaler’s General Store

There’s also a local convenience store called Whaler’s General Store. It has a lot of souvenirs and sundries. But it also has prepackaged snacks and drinks. These are super nice to grab before you head out on your daily adventure.

Other restaurants near Honua Kai Resort

You can walk to Times Supermarket, which is a local grocery store. It’s a bit of a trek, so you might want to have backpacks or a wagon to put your groceries in, especially if you buy drinks.

There’s also Slappy Cakes, which is a popular diner, and L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, which are all in the same area as Time Supermarket.

Honua Kai Resort Pool Area

The main reason to book the Honua Kai Resort and Spa is for its amazing pool area. There are 5 swimming pools! A couple of them are designated quiet zones just for adults, but others are specifically for kids.

And there’s even a water slide that is a total blast. There are also 5 hot tubs too.

The Honua Kai in Maui has a super awesome aquatic playground that the kids will love, which is why I think it’s another one of the best Maui resorts for kids.

Here you will find waterfalls, waterslides, caves, and even some fountains the kids can play in too!

I like all the multiple pools to choose from, especially the infinity pool and the adult-only quiet pool.

Is it worth renting a cabana?

YES! We’ve rented cabanas in Hawaii for many years, and this is one of the properties where it’s totally worth it. Their cabanas are nice and spacious and perfect for multi-generational trips to Hawaii.

Both of my kids have taken naps inside the cabana at the Honua Kai. Plus, the adults were able to play cards with no problems.

We were also able to order food from Duke’s Restaurant, which was another bonus. The Casabella is a lounge chair to rent that is very affordable, too, and offers two pool and beach chairs to lounge in and is currently less than $100!

Ka’anapali Beach

One of the best things to do at the Honua Kai Resort and Spa is to head to Ka’anapali Beach. It’s just a few steps away from the pool area, another reason why I think it is one of the best family hotels in Maui!

I suggest checking the tides before you head to the beach. There were a few times when there was barely any beach.

This is also a nice beach for morning or evening beach walks. We love North Kaanapali Beach! It is a nice sandy beach we could play at forever! You can rent sand toys and go boogie boarding or paddle boarding too!

Sometimes you will want to walk down North Beach to find a quieter stretch for more family-friendly fun.

Honua Kai Fitness Center

There is an on-site fitness center that has all the strength training equipment guests could want.

Honua Kai Spa

While I did not get to enjoy the Ho’ola Spa, I wanted to talk about all the spa features.

Ho’ola Spa has a variety of treatment rooms you will love. You can relax and rejuvenate with a nice massage, skincare, and body treatments.

There is even a special Himalayan Salt Room to help detox your body which is incredible.

Pros of the Honua Kai Resort & Spa

• The resort location is amazing! It’s just steps away from Ka`anapali Beach.
• Duke’s Beach House is located on the premises, and there’s also the `Aina Gourmet Market, where you can grab lattes and breakfast items.
• The `Aina Gourmet Market also has a whole section of organic baby/toddler food and Green Toys!
• The pool area is phenomenal! There’s lots of seating available, plus its 5 pools and a water slide are what make this Honua Kai Resort reviews so positive!
• The views! Our room overlooked the mountains (my personal favorite part of Maui), with the other rooms overlooking the ocean and the rest of the resort. And we saw too many rainbows to count from our lanai windows! Not too shabby!
• The bathrooms are gigantic! I think the bedroom and bathroom were the same sizes. It’s nice to have enough room to really spread out. And they have a separate tub, which is great for toddlers.
• There are large tables and chairs on the lanai, perfect for breakfasts or dinners at the condo.
• Times Supermarket grocery store is across the street (walking distance) to grab snacks and meal supplies.
• Free WiFi. This is a must for me when we travel, and it’s surprisingly hard to find some places.

Cons of the Honua Kai Resort & Spa

• The customer service was hit/miss. The first time, we arrived after midnight due to an unexpected highway closure, and by the time we got to the Resort, we were wiped. We unloaded our car, and while we tried to get a staff member to help us locate a cart, we were brushed off while they helped others who arrived after us. Not a great first impression. However, their security staff is fabulous, and the management company sent us cookies the next day as a welcome gift because of the crazy highway closure.
• Our bed was super bouncy. It was so bouncy that I felt seasick at night anytime my husband moved.
• The water pressure was really hard. Normally, I like good water pressure, but this was very painful for even the lightest of sunburns. Thankfully there was a separate bathtub.

Would we recommend the Honua Kai Resort & Spa

I really liked the Honua Kai Resort. It was nice to be on a vacation where we really could just stay at the resort if we wanted. The pools were pretty incredible, and I loved that there were food/coffee options on-site! It’s a great place to relax and unwind!

You can find out more information about the two-bedroom unit and three-bedroom unit so you can decide if it’s right for you.

Where to Stay in Maui FAQs

Honua Kai Resort and Spa Reviews Wrap-Up

For our Honua Kai reviews, we would totally recommend it as another one of the best places to stay in Maui, Hawaii.

We loved being close to Kaanapali North Beach, the large private lanais, the pools, and all the other amenities the Outrigger Honua Kai Resort offered.

Check it out next time you have a Maui family vacation and get the best price below!

Looking for more Maui travel resources? Find out the top kid-friendly Maui resorts, best Maui luxury resorts, Kaanapali vs Wailea, Lahaina vs Wailea, and the cutest Maui boutique hotels.

P.S. Join our Hawaii Travel with Kids Facebook group to get connected with other families planning a trip to Hawaii!