This top floor unit worked great for our family of 5 during a week-long visit to Maui. It’s a two-story unit where the 2nd bedroom is an open loft above the living area. The loft has a shade that can be pulled across the railing for privacy and to block out light. It also has its own bathroom. The loft space worked well for our 3 kids. Views from the lanai were outstanding, with soothing surf sounds drifting in from the ocean.
The Papakea resort is well maintained and in a great location just north of the larger, busier resorts in Ka’anapali. We enjoyed the quieter atmosphere and much smaller crowds. There’s a small beach directly off the resort, but it’s only accessible at low tide. Otherwise the water comes up to the sea wall at the edge of the resort. However, there are wider beaches at the adjacent property to the south and just north of Papakea, which are an easy walk. You can snorkel straight out from these beaches or the resort, where there are reefs with lots of fish and even the occasional sea turtle. During our visit in March, we saw multiple whales out in the channel in front of the resort every day.
The resort is made up of condos with individual owners. It has a chill vibe with families playing in the lawn and putting greens, or grilling by the pool. There isn’t a restaurant or bar on the premises. However, the adjacent property has a pool side bar and restaurant that you can use. Overall, it’s a fantastic spot. We would definitely return.