Great beachside value in Maui: A stay at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Tourism in Maui is still struggling to recover from 2023's deadly wildfire, but locals are urging visitors to return to Maui, and I wanted to go back after doing some reporting on the fires last year. I'd heard good things about Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, which offers high value in an otherwise costly Maui hotel scene.

With a stay at Royal Lahaina, your tourism dollars go a long way both for you and for the people of Maui. Here's what it's like to check in to this property.

Related: The best time to visit Hawaii for good weather, smaller crowds, deals and more

What is Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows?

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows was one of the first resorts built on Maui way back in 1962, just as Hawaii was being developed as a major tourist destination. It's a sizable hotel with a large main tower containing more than 330 guest rooms, but the surrounding 127 private bungalows have recently been remodeled and provide a plethora of options for families who might be looking for something a bit different than your run-of-the-mill hotel room.

The hotel sits on a 27-acre, oceanfront property, nestled on a long section of pristine Kaanapali Beach.

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It's about an hour's drive to Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG). The cost of a taxi or a ride share from the airport to the hotel will hover around $90 - $120 depending on the time of day and the season.

The cost of Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows and how to book

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows offers significant value, especially within the Maui hotel market. You'll pay much less than at comparable resorts on the island, which tends to be one of the most expensive places to stay in the U.S. That doesn't mean this property is cheap, but it is certainly more of a bargain than most of the surrounding upscale hotels.

Base tower rooms start at around $364 with bungalows starting as low as $499 a night in the low season (November through March). Suites start as low as $611. In the busy summertime, room prices jump. Base tower rooms in the summertime start at $422, bungalows begin at $557 and suites at $670.

When it comes to booking, you can book directly with Royal Lahaina's website for the best rates and packages, since this hotel is not part of any major hotel loyalty program.

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If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can book the hotel through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts at 5x points on prepaid hotels when booked on amextravel.com and receive perks like availability-based upgrades, up to a $100 credit to use on-property during your stay for things like drinks or meals, complimentary daily breakfast for two and guaranteed late checkout.

During my stay, I used my new Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card (see rates and fees) to pay for incidentals at the hotel, since at the time I was working on the minimum spend. The card, which earns valuable Aeroplan points, comes with a signup bonus of up to 100,000 points: earn 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and another 25,000 points after spending $20,000 in the first 12 months from account opening. The card earns just 1 point per dollar on hotels and lodging.

Quirky but comfortable rooms at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

There is a wide variety of room types at Royal Lahaina, with everything from newly renovated bungalows to standard old-fashioned tower rooms. You'll want to pay close attention when booking to make sure you are getting the room type that you want.

I got to see a variety of rooms during my stay.

The bungalows at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

The bungalows are homey and charming, and a great option for families since there is plenty of space and the added benefit of sofa beds. You'll enjoy great views of the property, the ocean and/or the beach.

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The furniture and appliances inside are brand new, set among large kitchens and living spaces.

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The tower rooms at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Tower rooms are more classic hotel rooms, in a similar style to what you'll see up and down the coast of Maui.

Standard rooms feature small kitchen areas (with coffee makers) that lead to the compact bathrooms. The rooms have not been gut renovated but have been refreshed and are still comfortable, if a bit dated.

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Tower suites at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

I got to enjoy a suite in the tower with two small balconies and a separate living room. I was in one of the Molokai suites on the 10th floor. The room had a king-sized bed and a sofa bed in a separate living room.

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The suite featured two flatscreen TVs, comfortable seating, local art, rich wood accents and neutral-toned furniture. Overall, the space was very well-lit. I found the bed to be very comfortable.

My suite's bathroom felt a bit dated, though serviceable and spacious (the double sink vanity was convenient), and I enjoyed the addition of a fabulous standing tub.

The real selling point of the suite was the ocean views, which were perfect for watching the sunset.

Suites like the one I stayed in cost $872 in the high season.

Obviously, you'll want to book a room or a bungalow with a view of the ocean if it is available, but the resort is right on the water, so even if you don't end up with a view from your room, there's easy access to spectacular vistas all over the property.

What I ate at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Lahaina Noon

I've been to Maui now close to 10 times and I've never had as good of a meal as the dinner I enjoyed at the resort's Lahaina Noon. It's rare for me to be so excited about fine dining, but I think the dinner at Lahaina Noon is worth making a trip to Royal Lahaina even if you aren't staying there.

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This is the main restaurant where you'll find they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. There's a full bar as well, where they have happy hour (or "pau hana") from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

One of the highlights for my guests and me at dinner was the little gem salad ($22). Among the incredibly fresh ingredients grown locally were string beans, garlic and the gem lettuce served with a creamy miso Caesar dressing. The beet salad ($26) was another hit, served with Kula strawberries, burrata and a chili crisp and red wine vinaigrette.

The main courses we loved included the seared tuna with a wasabi mash and bok choy ($44), the filet mignon steak served with a potato puree ($72) and the royal seafood cioppino with Kona lobster, Manila clams, Fresh Catch sourdough bread and linguini ($48).

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Unfortunately, the Royal Lahaina breakfast buffet was disappointing, especially after the delicious dinner. It's also not cheap, at $38 per person. (You can also order a la carte.) Service was good, though, and be aware that gratuity is not included.

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Pineapple Moon

Pineapple Moon is the poolside option with cocktails, beer and a comprehensive light bites menu. A fruit salad here will set you back $10, while a smash burger is $26. You can also order salads and some plates like grilled mahi mahi with rice for $21. You'll need to order at the bar, as I didn't see chair service during my stay.

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Scoops

Finally, there's an attached ice cream/coffee shop called Scoops, where you can get food to go, snacks, delicious specialty coffees and ice cream.

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There is plenty to do at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows offers a slew of amenities and lots for guests to do in and around the resort.

• The resort's best feature is the huge, sandy ocean beach, which is widely considered one of the best stretches of Kaanapali Beach. Black Rock (Pu'u Keka'a) is at the north end of Kaanapali Beach not too far from the hotel, and is an ideal place to cliff-jump into the ocean and snorkel (I saw an endangered monk seal while snorkeling there).
• I enjoyed the swimming pools on-site. There are two pools with views of the ocean. There is plenty of seating, but be aware the pools are not heated and the water is quite cool. Cabanas can be rented for $100.
• The hotel offers lots of local Hawaiian experiences like ukelele and hula lessons to try for free, or you can book the signature luau, Myths of Maui, for $185 for adults and $115 for children.
• The Alana Spa offers a wide variety of soothing treatments, including the signature Alana massage, which costs $175 for an hour-long session and a traditional Hawaiian massage called the Lomi Lomi, which costs $160 for 60 minutes. The spa also offers facials, waxing and brow and lash treatments. It is currently undergoing a major expansion.
• The USTA Hawaii Pacific manages the neighboring Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch with multiple tennis courts available to guests a short walk from the hotel. Hitting sessions are $85 per hour, and you can rent equipment beginning at $5. Private lessons are $65 for half an hour or $110 for an hour. There's also the neighboring Kaanapali Golf Courses.
• Water sports rentals, including snorkel equipment, range from $17 to $40.
• Guests who don't want to run on the beach can break a sweat at the hotel's fitness center, which fills two rooms. There, you'll find Life Fitness gym equipment including elliptical machines and treadmills, along with free weights

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Insider tips for staying at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

• There is a resort fee of $45 per day. The fee includes Wi-Fi, fitness classes from yoga to Zumba, gym access, a one-time $20 spa credit and classes like lau hala weaving, hula lessons and ukulele.
• That resort fee does not cover parking, which is $45 for valet and $40 for self-parking.
• There are Keurig coffee makers and local Kona coffee brew pods in the rooms. I wasn't a big fan of the coffee and ended up going out to Scoops for coffee each day.
• The hotel has laundry facilities for extended vacations. There is a self-service coin-operated laundry room.
• Not only is there live music poolside at sunset, but there is also what the resort calls Branches. It's nightly live music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. under a giant, 100-year-old rubber tree, featuring local musicians, some of whom were displaced from Lahaina, which was almost completely destroyed during the Maui fire. You'll have cocktails and light bites by candle and torchlight. Guests I spoke with absolutely loved it.

Accessibility at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Because the original hotel dates back to the 1960s, Royal Lahaina isn't perfect for those which accessibility needs. That said, the hotel has done a lot to improve accessibility offerings.

The swimming pools have chair lifts, and the hotel amenities are connected with flat paths for wheelchair egress. There is accessible parking, and the hotel can also provide wheelchairs upon request.

The elevators are fully accessible and have grab bars and wide entrances. Elevator buttons are low to the ground and have Braille lettering. Hallways are plenty wide enough for wheelchairs.

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There are 15 fully ADA-compliant rooms, and several accessible room types are available, including a double bedroom, a one-bedroom suite and an oceanfront bungalow. Those rooms feature wider doors, grab bars in the bathrooms, step-free access, roll-in showers and lowered handles, light switches and counters.

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Bottom line

Maui is filled with notoriously expensive hotels and resorts. Booking at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows can provide all the luxuries of more expensive resorts at a more moderate price point.

While Royal Lahaina doesn't have the waterslides, heated pools and hot tubs that are sometimes found at other Maui resorts, it's got an incredible beach and small-scale amenities in a family-friendly and relaxed setting that can more than make up for the missing bells and whistles. Plus, the restaurant is well worth a visit, even if you're not staying at this resort.

I look forward to coming back to Royal Lahaina, and next time I'd love to stay with my family in one of the newly made-over bungalows.

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