The Whaler On Kaanapali Beach, Lahaina

For fans of The Whaler on Ka'anapali Beach, the grand lady of Ka'anapali Beach, the structural repairs and new pool decking and landscaping work is done. The Whaler has been returned to its first rate, 5-star status as a resort destination that is more than just another stay at a beach hotel. Come see the results of the multi-million dollar renovations and enjoy.

The Whaler is situated on beautiful Kaanapali Beach in the southwestern area of Maui, Hawaii. It consists of two 12-story buildings which are separated by a courtyard and a small, simple swimming pool. Additional landscaped areas around the building are minimal since the facility is squeezed between the Kaanapali Beach Hotel to the north and The Whaler Shopping Center to the south. Except for the western exposure of the corner suites, all the rooms appear to have balconies facing in a north or south direction as opposed to facing the beach. Partial views of the beach to the west and the mountains to the east are the best that can be hoped for with this orientation. Parking is provided by way of an underground garage situated beneath the courtyard between the two buildings. Unlike other properties along Kaanapali Beach, The Whaler is not a resort hotel but rather a 'condotel' which has a number of vacant condos available for daily or weekly rental. They have a small unconnected lobby/office area between the two main buildings; however, there is no restaurant or bar. These services can be had at The Whaler Shopping Center immediately next door. Concierge and adequate housekeeping services are provided although more than once we had to venture to the front desk to receive our daily coffee packet for the room coffee maker. We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in Maui at The Whaler in mid-October 2008. The property was undergoing an extensive renovation program at that time. The courtyard landscaping had been removed thus exposing the concrete roof deck of the underground parking garage, the swimming pool was being reconstructed, and structural repairs of the parking garage were underway. The beauty of Kaanapali Beach had been supplanted by a major construction zone. The condition of The Whaler property due to their current renovation program was not fairly represented at the time we made our reservations in early July. At that time, we were correctly advised that the courtyard landscaping was being renovated. Two weeks before our departure date we were then FULLY advised that the parking garage was also under construction, that the pool would not be available and, that we were welcome to walk next door to use the pool at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. In hindsight, we wish we had stayed next door at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel which appeared to be a rather lively and fun-oriented property. During our stay it became obvious to us that The Whaler's construction program had been ongoing for quite some time; and, at the time we made our reservations in July we could have been HONESTLY informed as to what we could expect. However, we were "played like a fiddle" and taken advantage of. It appears The Whaler is making a serious effort to improve its exterior infrastructure. Overall, the interior public spaces and finishes are well kept. However, judging from the condition of our room some interior renovation is also required. The room was spacious, we loved the layout, and the kitchen area was well stocked with whatever we needed. However, room 565 in the south building was well worn. The carpet and tile floors were not clean. Painted surfaces were dirty and in need of recoating. The furniture was marred and ready for replacement. Obviously, this weekly rental had been neglected for a long time and its condition was not worth the price we paid for it. If you decide to stay at The Whaler, try to get a north side room in the north building with views of the grounds at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel and the island of Molokai. Our south side balcony in the south building faced the shopping center and was subjected to the constant noise of its HVAC power plant. Bottom line: If you're staying at Kaanapali Beach you can do much better than The Whaler for about the same price or less.

We liked the spacious room and Murphy bed, even though the furnishings are out of date. We liked the views, but the floor was too high for our personal taste (don't care for heights); however, the staff was unable to give us a lower equivalent room. We looked out the windows but didn't spend much time on the lanai (too scary!). The lobby staff and most of the pool staff were perfunctory and curt. We avoided them as much as possible because they gave off such "don't bug me" vibes. Our bedroom backed up to the bank of elevators and the noise from three elevators going up and down all day and night was very loud. Any room ending in "70" in Tower 2 will have that problem. The bbqs are too far away to be useful to anyone not on the first or second floor, unless you like toting your food up and down and all about. Kitchens are small and minimally equipped. Snorkel equipment that you can rent at poolside is much more expensive than local snorkel outfitters; forsake the convenience at the hotel and look around for a better deal. When we checked out, there were no courteous remarks, such as "hope you enjoyed your stay" or "please come again" or "thanks for staying at the Whaler." Their last words to us were "Here's your receipt." After spending $2500 with them, we expected a bit more. So much for "Aloha spirit." Don't waste your time at The Whaler. There are plenty of other places that are happy to take your money, but do it with a smile to make you feel OK about it.

Very nice great location great beach. The units are all in good shape. Parking sometimes is difficult. All units have a great view and very close to good eating.

We booked two rooms and stayed at the Whaler last year in Tower I and had a fabulous stay. The rooms were clean and fresh and the room journal had entries from many other satisfied renters. When we made reservations this year, we assumed all the rooms were this way...big mistake. Room 770 was dirty looking (Carpet was discolored) and smelled dank and mildewy, as did the entire hall, but less so. It took a day to "acclimate" to the smell, and so long as the AC was full blast, it kept it at bay. The smell was characteristic of washing clothes and then forgetting about it in the washer for a day or two. All your clothes smelled of this when you left the room. The next huge problem was the elevator...it was located directly behind the headboard of the bed. All day long and through most of the night it sounded as if a grocery cart was being rolled up and down the wall. I would assume all the rooms on each floor located adjacent to the elevator had this problem, but when I brought it up to the manager she acted as if this were the first time it was ever brought up. This noise and vibration is way too loud to act as if nobody else has ever mentioned it. She acted surprised. We were there for 6 nights and it never relented. The last problem was the mysterious bites we would wake up with. They didnt look like mosquito bites and we didnt have them before we went to sleep. They itch like crazy and look like little dots...not raised like a mosquito. I got mine mostly on my belly and butt...kinda odd to get bit through clothing. Overall, we still managed to have a great time in Maui...we love kaanapali and would even recommend staying at the Whaler. Just dont be naive like us and assume all rooms are the same. Do your homework as we will next time if we stay there again. I did a search on google when we got back and noticed 770 was on sale. Perhaps the new owner will do something about the cleanliness, bugs, smell and sound. Will and family

We love the Whaler. Everything about it is great for a couple- the location on the beach, the accommodations,the value and the service. The location is the best feature- on the beach, near lots of restaurants and shops with great snorkeling nearby. The condo kitchen provides an easy way to save money on meals, and a huge variety of restaurants and bars is nearby. The value is excellent, and they give extra consideration to returning guests (we've stayed there four times). The Kaanapali golf courses are across the street. The service is wonderful. One year we had a problem with our air conditioning, and were upgraded from our studio to a one bedroom for the rest of our stay. The Aloha spirit is alive and well at the Whaler.

My wife and i stayed here during Christmas 2006. We had no idea what we were getting into as we didn't know anything of the Whaler previously. We were very pleasantly surprised! It was spacious, clean, elegant. Absolutely perfect location! Great views from an awesome huge balcony. Very comfortable bed. Friendly staff.The kitchen is fully stocked with all the tools you would need to prepare wonderful meals with if you didn't feel like going out to eat and there is a market right next door in Whaler's Village as well as great shopping and dining. We plan on returning every year.

We love the WHALER! You cannot beat it for location. It is right next to Whaler's Village and Black Rock for snorkling. You have the best fo both worlds in that all units are condos with kitchens so you can cook when you want to (there are even BBQ's available) and walk to great restaurants when you do not want to cook.

My self and my family have been to Maui several time since 1980. We have stayed at different location in Kaanapali. In October of 2005 we stayed in the Whaler for the first time. The location and view were perfect. What a bargain compared to the rst of the places we have stayed. See you in September and again in February.

We were there in August 2004, on our honeymoon, and the service and cleanliness was impecable!! Everyone was soooo super friendly. They were always willing to offer you assistance without any reservation and the site itself is breathtaking. It is located right on the strip and the easy access from the pool to the ocean was wonderful. All in all we met a lot of visitors that have stayed there more than once and enjoy the hotel itself. I loved the spaciousness and openess of the room and the balconies were to die for. I am very proud to have visited Maui but even more proud to have stayed at The Whaler because it was an unforgetable experience!! Thank You, Angela and Luciano DiMuccio (aka - Maui Babe)