Napili Kai Beach Resort Review – Is This the Perfect Maui Home Base?

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In a nutshell: Let me count the ways why we enjoy staying at the Napili Kai Resort: (1) prime location on Napili Bay, (2) low-key, relaxing vibe, (3) a reasonable price, and (4) super-family friendly.

Check out our full Napili Kai Resort Review and a video tour below!

Napili Kai Beach Resort Review Highlights

With a philosophy of “We don’t nickel and dime our guests,” what can go wrong with booking a stay here?

If we come across as overly enthusiastic, it is because we always have a great stay at Napili Kai Beach Resort. See if it is right for you.

The biggest thing to us is always the quality of the room and its comfort. In this regard, the resort did not disappoint. The beds were comfortable, the bathroom was freshly remodeled, and it was all spotless.

As the Napili Kai Beach Resort was the first hotel on Napili Bay, it commands the best views. Most of the rooms have a great ocean view. The private lanais (porches) are also ideal.

• No resort fee
• Free parking
• In-room WiFi
• Wireless Internet Hotspot in the lobby
• Kids Eat Free Program at the Sea House Restaurant
• 18-hole Putting Green + a 2nd putting green for children
• Beach towels, coolers, and golf putters are included in your room rate.
• Morning coffee with cultural presentations
• Two shuffleboard courts
• Air-conditioned fitness room
• Four swimming pools
• Two hot tubs
• Four outdoor barbecue areas with gas and charcoal grills

We focus a lot in this Napili Kai Resort review on how family-friendly it is. Avoid thinking that this is not a resort for a romantic trip to Hawaii. They have rooms with practically private pools on the grounds. You can be around the kids or remove yourself.

The Napili Kai Beach Resort has a webcam! With their stellar view down Napili Bay, you can get a sense of the weather, ocean conditions, and vibe of this vintage spot. See our Best Maui Webcams to check it out.

Drawbacks to the Napili Kai Beach Resort

Here are our two drawbacks to staying at the Napili Kai:

• They require a two-night minimum when booking a room.
• The hotel has an excellent, vintage Hawaiian feel. Primarily, it is small and has no high-rise buildings. But that vintage feel makes the rooms feel dated. The bathrooms and kitchenette were freshly remodeled, but the main room was older.

The Napili Kai shares pictures of all their rooms on their website. You can see what you are booking for the room type. You won’t be surprised with your room when you arrive.

Location of the Napili Kai

The Napili Kai is located in northwest Maui, on Napili Bay.

Kapalua golfing and Kapalua restaurants are a three-minute drive from the resort. You can also walk to Kapalua Bay in about five minutes or less. You will pass the Napili Plaza shopping center when you arrive at the resort. The shopping center has a full grocery store, restaurants, and a coffee shop.

The Napili Kai Beach Resort is on Napili Bay! This is a huge draw. Have your Maui beach vacation here in style and comfort. Run from the pool(s) to the beach all day long. Then, dine in front of Napili Bay from breakfast to sunset.

Family-Friendly Napili Kai

We chose the Napili Kai for the family-friendly amenities. This is what brings us back here.

During our last stay, we stayed in their Family Studio. The family studio was ideal for us for the following reasons:

• Provide additional space for us
• Large and comfortable private lanai (porch)
• Sleeper sofas in the room for the kids
• Kitchenettes or full kitchens in studios and suites
• Free in-room wireless Internet

You can book a Family Studio or a Family Suite.

For large groups, they have connecting rooms with adjacent lanais that can be opened up into one ample, family-friendly space or kept separate for privacy.

They also have the following family programs:

• Keiki eat free at the Sea House restaurant when their parents order entrees for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
• Complimentary Keiki Club (6 – 10 year olds): Children can also enjoy the complimentary Napili Kai Keiki Club during mid-June to late August, and during the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year’s periods. This daily program features two hours of activities for guests’ children. The program includes learning hula, making flower lei, enjoying pizza and a movie, running an obstacle course, crafts, beach time, and more.

Things to Do Near the Napili Kai Beach Resort

We enjoy the Napili Kai as it is a great place to explore West Maui. It is a further drive to the Road to Hana or Haleakala, as it adds another 15 to 30 minutes onto the drive compared to Ka’anapali or Wailea.

Here are our favorite things to do near the resort:

• The 16 Best Things to Do in Napili and Kapalua
• 19+ Things to Do in Ka’anapali
• Kapalua Zipline – Erica’s favorite thing to do over here!
• Stargazing in West Maui

Napili Kai also offers activities at the resort:

• Napili Kai Foundation & Hula Show is every Tuesday at 5:30 PM.
• Our neighbors in Lahaina used to always go to their Slack Key Show on Wednesdays at 6:30

The Best Maui Itinerary

Now that you know where to stay, it is time to finish your planning! Grab the Maui Wayfinder Itinerary for planned days across Maui.