If you are planning a trip to Wailea, you have probably looked at the big resorts along the Wailea coast. They have the spas, the pools with slides, the restaurants and the lobby with the view. For a lot of trips they are exactly right.
But if your idea of Maui is waking up to the ocean, cooking breakfast in your own kitchen and walking down to a beach that never feels crowded, it is worth knowing about the other way to stay in Wailea-Makena. Here is an honest comparison, from the owners of an oceanfront condo at Makena Surf.
Space
A resort stay usually means one room, or a suite if you pay well above the base rate. F307 is a full two-bedroom, two-bath home: a main bedroom with a Tempur-Pedic king, a guest bedroom with two Tempur-Pedic twins that we can join into a king, and a living and dining room that opens completely onto a large lanai. Two couples, or a family of four, each get their own room and bathroom.
The lanai is where most of the day happens. Coffee at sunrise, lunch in the shade, whales in the winter months and the sunset over the water every evening, all without leaving home.
A real kitchen
Resort dining in Wailea is excellent and adds up quickly. At F307 you can eat out when you want to and cook when you don't. The kitchen has a big island facing the ocean, a Vitamix, an Instant Pot, an air fryer grill, a Keurig and drip coffee. Makena Surf also has a pool cabana with a full kitchen, built-in grills by the south pool and two herb gardens to cook from.
The beach
Makena Surf is a beachfront resort on Po'olenalena Beach, which locals also call Wedding Beach or Secret Beach. It is one of the quieter beaches in the area, with lava points at either end. The reef just off the shore is the one snorkel boats call Turtle Town. From F307 it is a one-minute walk, and beach chairs, an umbrella, towels and a cooler are in the condo.
Resort amenities, without the resort
Makena Surf has two pools, each with a hot tub, four tennis courts with two lined for pickleball (racquets and paddles provided), a 24-hour fitness room, free parking, EV charging and 24-hour security. Washer, dryer and air conditioning with separate bedroom controls are in the condo. And our prices include all fees.
Quiet
Makena Surf sits past the big resorts, at the south end of Wailea. It is low-rise, set in gardens above the shoreline, and the loudest thing at night is the surf. The Wailea shops and restaurants are five minutes away by car, and the golf courses four.
What you give up
We would rather you know before you book:
- No daily housekeeping, room service or concierge desk. You have your own home, and us.
- No spa or restaurant on site. Both are a short drive away in Wailea.
- No elevators. F307 is on the third floor, which in this building means a flight and a half of stairs.
- A five-night minimum stay.
Booking direct
We are Nathan and Cindy. We live on Maui full time and look after F307 ourselves, so when you book direct you deal with the owners. It is rated 10/10 across 91 VRBO reviews. If you are weighing a resort against a place of your own, ask us anything. We are happy to help you decide, even if the answer is a resort.