Why e-book?
Set on a hill simply quarter-hour from the seashores in Ka’anapali, with panoramic views of the Pacific within the foreground and the West Maui Mountains within the again, adults-only Ho’oilo House is an elevated mattress and breakfast with a breezy island vitality and Asian-inspired model.
Set the scene
Swaying palm fronds and plumeria delicately dropping from the timber and twirling within the wind appeared to usher me towards the stone steps and carved wood entrance door of Ho’oilo House. Once inside, tender rays of daylight greeted me via the floor-to-ceiling home windows within the widespread space, the place low tables atop raised teak wooden platforms (“conversation tables,” because the house owners, Dan and Amy, name them) on both sides of the room tempted me to overlook my dinner plans and watch the sundown over the ocean as a substitute.
Later, an out of doors bathe turned an sudden stargazing session, and I spent the next morning on my lanai watching rose-breasted finches and monarch butterflies flit and drift about. The Balinese-inspired, largely open-air format of the home retains you linked to Maui’s pure magnificence; regardless of being “inside,” you are feeling such as you’re open air. And blissfully alone. Ho’oilo House attracts {couples} on the lookout for a quiet retreat away from the high-traffic resorts, and with simply six rooms (and most friends out adventuring throughout the day), you’re more likely to see extra geckos and butterflies across the pool than individuals.
The backstory
The unique house owners constructed and furnished the home in a method they adored from time spent in Asia. When they put it up on the market in 2003, present proprietor Amy’s dad and mom have been on Maui and attended the open home on a whim. Amy and her household, initially from Alaska, had spent numerous time on Maui all through her life, and she or he’d been feeling pulled to maneuver there completely. The pull was so sturdy, it even infiltrated her sleep; she was having recurring goals by which she and Dan have been dwelling on Maui. So when her dad and mom despatched pictures of the property, it clicked; Amy instantly knew it will make a singular mattress and breakfast—and their new house.
They’d by no means owned a resort, however each Amy and Dan had hospitality expertise on the mainland, in order that they dove straight in. They bought the home in partnership with Amy’s dad and mom, and opened the doorways just some quick months later. Despite many challenges, together with the pandemic in 2020 and the wildfires in 2023, the mattress and breakfast has been internet hosting guests (and throughout the fires, displaced residents, till they too have been compelled to evacuate) for greater than 20 years.
The rooms
Ho’oilo House’s rooms all have completely different Hawaiian names and their very own distinctive options, however all include out of doors showers, wood and wicker accents (some vintage), and a mix of island parts and Asian-inspired decor. For instance, there’s a Buddha statue and seashell stone sink in Kipuka, a bamboo water spout in Kohola, and an vintage Chinese wedding ceremony mattress in Nalu. Two rooms, Nalu and Kohola, provide ocean views, and in case you’re fortunate, whale sightings (from November via March).
Food and drink
The solely meal right here is breakfast; you place your order from a collection of fruits (some come straight from the on-site, pesticide-free orchard in true farm-to-table style), fresh-baked breads, and different small bites the evening earlier than, and the hosts ship your tray to the widespread space with a scorching cup of MauiGrown espresso within the morning. No restaurant may be an inconvenience to some, nevertheless it additionally means no noisy kitchen or massive events disturbing the peace, and it’s an invite to get out and style different West Maui eats.
I ventured to Sale Pepe Pizzeria e Cucina, simply 10 minutes away in Lahaina city, and you must too. The unique Italian bistro was misplaced within the 2023 wildfires, however the soul of the restaurant lives on; the house owners reopened in a brand new location on Kupuohi Street, the place you’ll discover them serving up the identical heat hospitality and genuine Italian meals (together with handmade pastas and artisanal pizzas) made with each Italian and island substances.
The neighborhood/space
The hillside group of Launiupoko shouldn’t be a bustling vacation spot, and it’s not meant to be; primarily agricultural land, it is a quiet house base for a West Maui expertise. The decrease part of land that Ho’oilo House sits on features a small citrus orchard and the 144-panel photo voltaic discipline that gives nearly all of the vitality wanted to function. The center part is occupied by Amy and Dan’s house, the mattress and breakfast, and the pool. And the higher part, which was initially too rocky to develop a lot of something, is now an orchard the place Amy and Dan develop tropical fruits equivalent to mangoes and starfruit. There aren’t any eating places or nightlife right here, however you’ll discover native eateries (like Sale Pepe and different Lahaina favorites, together with Aloha Mixed Plate, Honu, Mala Ocean Tavern, and Star Noodle) simply 10 minutes away. And in case you’re itching for a bit extra motion additional up the street, the Whaler’s Village retail middle and Ka’anapali seashores are only a 15-minute drive.
The service
Service at Ho’oilo House is low-key however accessible—like visiting household associates who put you up of their guesthouse and count on that you just’ve acquired your personal plans that don’t require hand-holding. You can name on the hosts in case you want further towels or a dinner advice, and so they’ll be blissful (and immediate) to assist, however in any other case, they offer you area to really feel at house and create your personal Maui reminiscences.
Eco effort
While many bigger motels are vocal about their eco-initiatives, Ho’oilo House carries them out in the identical method that they do most issues: quietly. You doubtless wouldn’t even know except you ask, however their eco efforts embody a 144-panel photo voltaic discipline that produces 75–80% of the vitality that powers the property, unhazardous pest therapies, donations of bedding and towels to the Women Helping Women shelters, donations of extra fruit from their orchard to the Maui Food Bank, financial donations to the Pacific Whale Foundation, and recycling of in-room facilities via Clean the World program. And there aren’t any huge buffets right here—you order solely the gadgets you want for breakfast and the hosts put together them accordingly—so meals waste is stored to a minimal.
Accessibility
Pathways and stairs usually are not wheelchair accessible, and there aren’t any ADA-friendly rooms or elevators accessible. The hosts are capable of accommodate some meals restrictions, however you must inquire about specifics earlier than reserving.
Anything left to say?
Luxury right here is concerning the quiet magnificence—the highly effective presence of the majestic mountains, the calming earthy coloration scheme, the open areas, the sound of birdsong, the scent of plumeria—not over-the-top service or multi-course meals you would possibly discover at sprawling five-star resorts. Don’t pack your schedule so full that you just miss the serenity accessible right here. Catch the sundown out by the pool and don’t overlook to show round; Maui’s magical rainbows typically seem close to the mountains at golden hour.