Should We Stay in a Condo Instead of a Hotel?

QUESTION

We just returned from a week in Kaanapali. We stayed at the Sheraton for the second time and realized that with our kids getting bigger, a hotel room just doesn't really cut it for us anymore - we were tripping all over each other! Having said that, we are looking at booking a condo for next time and would really appreciate any advice you could give us. I absolutely love Kaanapali but have been told that the weather is somewhat better in Wailea, any truth to that? We don't need to be right on the beach but don't want to be too too far away either. I loved the look of the Kaanapali Ali but don't know if it is out of our price range or not. What are your thoughts on the Grand Champion Resort? Please feel free to be brutally honest. It's tough for us when you are booking something sight unseen and are only going by internet photos which can quite often be deceiving.

ANSWER

You have a very good idea, to stay in a condo instead of a hotel, as your kids get bigger and you need more space. Here are my comparisons between staying in a condo and staying in a hotel:
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/hotel-vs-condo.htm

I prefer the west side of Maui (Kaanapali side) over the Wailea side. Here is my comparison:
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/west-vs-south.htm

You are correct that there is slightly less rain in Wailea than in Kaanapali. Here is the temperature and rainfall for each month of the year in Lahaina:
http://www.mauihawaii.org/maui-weather.htm

Since you "absolutely love Kaanapali" I think you should consider staying in one of the two condos that are right on Kaanapali Beach. They are
Kaanapali Alii which you can see my review and my photos here http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/kaanapali-alii.htm
and Whaler which you can see my review and my photos here http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/whaler.htm

Regarding whether either of those two are in your price range, there are a lot of good specials and discounts available. So if you shop around, you can often find good deals. Use the big white box about half-way down the middle of the following page, to get discount prices for any dates you are considering for those condos, from Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, and other discount websites quickly and easily:
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/index.htm

I do not recommend Grand Champions because it is far from the beach and it does not have central air conditioning. Here are my review and photos for that condo:
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/grand-champion-villas.htm

Why stay far from a beach, when for the same price you can stay right on a beach? Even if you don't stay on Kaanapali Beach, there are numerous other condos that are on other beaches, both on the Kaanapali side and on the Wailea side of Maui. Here are some condos on the west (Kaanapali) side
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/west-maui-condos.htm
and here are some condos on the south (Wailea) side
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/south-maui-condos.htm
Read about each one, notice which ones are on beaches, and compare prices using that hotel-condo discount shopping comparison box I suggested on this page:
http://www.mauihawaii.org/hotels-condos/index.htm

Thinking of planning a trip to Maui?

Maui Hawaii sections of this website explained here

Maui Hotels and Maui Condos choices are here

Maui Car Rentals discount tips on this page

Things to Do in Maui are at this link