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Frequently Asked Questions (Renter FAQs)
Why choose South Maui?
Choose South Maui because it has everything you want and more: the most sunshine; a whole coastline of sandy-bottom beaches; shopping, from souvenir to upscale; a plethora of activities ranged for youth to senior citizens; food to delight a gourmet, from road side stands to 4* restaurants and enough historical sites to satisfy the historian. South Maui divides nicely into the areas of Kihei, Wailea, and Makena. Think of Kihei as a beach town growing up; Wailea as the Country Club and, Makena as wilderness being discovered. Among these areas you will find the condo perfectly suited to you. Choose an area, a condo, and take advantage of all South Maui has to offer. It's here for you; awaiting your arrival.
How early should I book my condo reservations?
You should book your condo as soon as possible, especially if your time is not flexible. Some of our reservations are booked 18 months in advance. When you decide to come, start researching and reserving. Many first time Maui visitors are shocked when they see how early South Maui books. We don't have lots of high rises here and the condos are usually larger than in other areas so they really are a limited resource and book out early.
Making a Reservation: How do I Book a condo I find on this site?
Each of the vacation rental homes on the South Maui Condos Owner Direct Rentals Network website is individually owned. To make a booking for one of them it is best to deal directly with the owner. Our webmaster can also help with reservations should you not be able to contact an owner. *
The easiest way to make a reservation is to email or call the owner directly. (Don't forget to CHECK For AVAILABILITY first) Contact information can be found in the owner's listing on our site (go to the page describing their resort) or on the owner's primary website for their property (click on the TITLE of that owner's listing on the Resort Page or Calendar to be taken to their primary site).
The owner's primary site will often have many more photos of their property and resort as well as pricing, policies, site and floorplans, etc... It is always a good idea to visit the primary site of a property you are interested in. Should you wish to make a reservation quicky and the owner is not immediately available, feel free to contact our webmaster for help.
Your vacation can take a year to save for and only a second to ruin. When purchased within the first few days of making your reservation, TRAVEL INSURANCE costs very little. We recommend vacation travel insurance to all our renters.
Befor you Call or Email an Owner, CHECK For AVAILABILITY...
To save you time, we have an availability chart for all the properties on this site, which is kept up to date as far as possible by each owner. There may be times when this chart does not indicate the current status, but for the most part our owners are very good at maintaining this information. If the property you are interested in shows it is already booked, or if you have a wedding, reunion or other large group to book, please feel free to contact the owner of a property you like. Cancellations do happen and solutions can often be found for availability that is off by up to 3 days.
Our members are also available to help you find other units should you need them. We all love our piece of paradise and are dedicated to passing on the Aloha! spirit of our islands.
* Though we (SMCODRN) maintain the network web site on behalf of rental home owners, the final financial contract is made between the owner and the renter. Rates are subject to change without notice so, please, check with the owner to confirm current rate.
Do you have a Guarantee?
We guarantee that South Maui is a special place; a sunny area with lots to do and experience. We guarantee that you'll have restaurants galore and stores to explore. But we also suggest buying travel insurance in case you can't make it at the last moment. Check the individual condos for their refund policy.
We can also guarantee you are dealing with the actual condo owner or (in some cases) their personal representative by confirming ownership with Maui County prior to activating a listing. You can also be sure that condos with our Blue Starfish of Excellence rating have passed our strict inspections. We re-inspect every 3 years and encourage renters to let us know if there is a problem. Since everyone's taste is different, we require owners to have plenty of photos on their websites to give you, the renter, the ability to see for yourself before making a decision. Same with their rental and cancellation policies. We don't regulate them, merely require they are available on the owner's website so you can see them prior to renting. Dealing with the owner means you're speaking with someone who really knows the condo and the area it is in. ASK!!
What's the Weather like? Is there a rainy season?
In South Maui resides Kihei known as the sunniest place on the planet. An average year's rainfall is 10 inches. Wailea and Makena are really more of the same as South Maui is a desert. Temperatures generally range in the 80's during the day and the 70's at night.
What can I do on Maui?
There's so much to do, see, and eat on Maui that residents here don't ever run out of new things to occupy their time. The activities can revolve around whatever you fancy: the beach; the ocean; the culture; the sea life; the arts, crafts; or health and wellness, etc. You can do it on your own with a little research; sign up for a tour, trip, or tickets; or easiest for a fee, use our recommended concierge.
Take advantage of the annual activities happening weekly such as the Music Festival, the Film Festival, Seabury Halls' Craft Fair, the Hui No'eau Jewelry Show, the Makawao Rodeo plus all the events at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC). And if you want to play or watch golf... Trust us, you'll never run out of things to do; all within reach if you choose South Maui. Use our link to Maui calendars on our Vacation Planner page to find out what's going on when you're on island.
Should activity reservations be made prior to arrival?
It'a always a good idea to book in advance if you know what activity you want. Just in case, check the cancellation policy. As a convenience to our guests, we've checked out concierge services and have found one we recommend. It's not the cheapest or the most expensive, but we believe this concierge will be found to be extremely helpful.
Can I visit other islands?
Yes. The Big Island (Hawaii), and Kauai can be reached by air usually going first to Honolulu (Oahu). The inter-island ferry that was so controversial is no longer running but you can reach the island of Lanai by taking a ferry from Lahaina.
Add other islands, or stays at a second location on Maui, to the beginning or end of your trip to maximize the time of your stay. Please note most condos charge extra (usually by having you pay the cleaning fee) if you book a "short stay" (Less than 7 nights) so if you are planning on visiting multiple locations, try to minimize short stays to get your best rates. Our group availability calendar makes it easy for you to see open days between bookings for all our condos. Sometimes when an owner has an opening like that, they waive or split the cleaning fee.
What should I pack?
Pack your bikinis and board shorts; sun dresses and Hawaiian shirts; plus skirts, shorts, Capri pants, and t-shirts; bring moisture absorbing cotton. Leave the sport coats and ties at home. Maui is casual. For men it's especially so. Some ladies, however, still enjoy and want to DRESS: wear jewelry, designer clothing, etc. especially if they plan to dine gourmet. You will see cotton shorts to silk dresses no matter where you choose to go. Of course golf wear is always good even if you don't play.
Think casual, breezy, and comfortable. Most importantly pack your darkest sun glasses, highest number sun lotion, sandals, walking shoes and hats. Of course all of this can be rounded up at your first Saturday Swap meet for less than the second bag of luggage so pack light and buy a bag here to take back all your treats, gifts and special purchases!
How do I find which owners are offering specials?
Click on over to our Condo Specials page. The right column is full of owner specials ranging from last minute discounts, to seasonal specials and even gift certificates. Click on the underlined date links and a "coupon", fully explaining the special and offering contact information, will pop up.
Sri Maiava Rusden
Photo of Wailea Beach at Sunset
by Ron Dahlquist
