Accommodation for traveling kids: Kaanapali Royal, Maui

When my family stayed in Maui two years ago, we rented a two-bedroom condo in the Kaanapali Royal complex in Kaanapali. I found our condo using the VRBO website and was initially a bit worried about renting privately, but it turned out to be a great experience.

The condo was exactly as it had been described in the online ad, and had all the amenities I was looking for to make our lives easier when staying there with two kids (2 and 6 years old at the time):

• It was spacious and clean with comfy furniture throughout and was cleaned every day, plus the grounds outside were beautifully kept and landscaped. There was both air-conditioning and fans to help keep everyone cool. (I usually prefer using the fans rather than the a/c if at all possible.)
• One bedroom in our condo had a king-size bed, the other a double bed, and there was a sofa bed in the living room (which we didn't use). All the beds were comfortable and there were even a couple of nightlights provided: a great thing to have when you've got kids who might get up in the middle of the night.
• The lanai had loungers and patio furniture for us to veg out on.
• The bathrooms were both roomy and clean, one with a bath tub, the other with just a shower.
• The full kitchen had everything we needed for our stay: stove, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and all the cutlery, plates, glasses, bowls, and other utensils needed. I find it so much easier to have access to a kitchen when you're traveling with kids!
• There was a full-size washer and dryer, and that really helped keep us in clean clothes and towels in spite of a lot of sand and salty ocean water getting all over everything every day.
• The complex had a beautiful pool we often used when the sun got a little too hot, and the waves a little too big for the kids in the afternoons.
• Other amenities included several barbecues available in the pool area, a Jacuzzi, and tennis courts.

I would definitely recommend Kaanapali Royal for families with kids. It was a quiet location, with a nice green-space surrounding the buildings. It's close to the town of Lahaina, the Sugarcane Train is just nearby, and beautiful Kaanapali beach is within walking distance of the complex. (Even though it is walking distance, I personally would recommend families to rent a car for their stay if possible, since there are so many great beaches and places to visit in Maui.)

Just next to Kaanapali Beach is the Whaler's Village mall with a wide selection of stores, including a small grocery store. There are many great restaurants near the beach, including The Hula Grill.

There are several restaurants, both eat in and takeout, just up the street from Kaanapali Royal. We especially loved Roundtable Pizza, and ordered pizza there a few times during our stay.