This lodge was a dream. I couldn't imagine staying anywhere else on the island. The location in Paia was perfect - tucked right beside a coffee shop and behind a strip of cute boutiques and shops. It's a short 15-minute drive from the airport and conveniently located in walking distance of the beaches and not far off Road to Hana. It was my first time traveling to Maui and a friend who has lived there for 5 years recommended Paia. It was very safe and secure. We adventured during most of the day, but we drove through later one afternoon and the area was hopping! Nalu Kai Lodge - it's not your typical place to stay. I went there with my boyfriend. It was quaint, romantic, safe, comfortable, and unbelievably clean. To put things into perspective on a cleanliness standpoint, I travel every other week for work and my routine is to check for bugs, Clorox wipe any surface I touch, and wear shower shoes (I am a germaphob and have stayed in 5-star hotels to your typical Marriott or Marriott Courtyard - you'd be shocked at just how disgusting hotels are no matter their rank). This is the first place I stayed where I haven't worn shower shoes in years. It was just that clean. The sheets were fresh and the bed was cozy. The temperature was ideal - we went during rainy season in January and the fan with the windows open made for the perfect temperature. It was almost magical the way the rain sounded on the roof. It was better than my sleep and meditation app - and it was au natural! The stone floor of the shower room felt amazing under my feet and the room came with fresh beach towels and a refrigerator. I read reviews about parking - they have enough spots for guests, there is plentiful street parking at night, and there is free beach parking a block away. Be aware - the bathroom is separated from the room by a curtain. If you are a private person and need added privacy to use the bathroom, I recommend sending your significant other/travel buddy outside to enjoy the lounge area, to the coffee shop adjoined to the lodge, or to go look at the shops. They also have an outdoor shower by the fountain outside, a hammock, picnic tables, a tiki bar, and many outlets for charging. If you run into the staff, they are extraordinary. I particularly enjoyed Suzy (Susan?)'s company. We talked one afternoon and she was a lovely person. My only regret about my stay is that I only stayed two nights. I spent the other nights in different parts of the island in Airbnb's, inns, etc. My boyfriend and I tried to book additional nights at Nalu Kai even though we had reservations elsewhere, but they were booked. We loved it that much. It was just that special. Spark Notes Recap - Cleanliness: 10/10 Location: 10/10 Safety: 10/10 Recs: Paia Coffee Shop (connected to hotel - great coffee, get a DREAM bar, food looked awesome), Kuau Store (drive down the road - great place to grab snacks, smoothies, poke), Hana Picnic Lunch Company (great ice cream), and Flatbread Pizza (get the pork and pineapple! Ask for pineapple vinaigrette). read more

Nalu Kai Lodge - Paradise - Hotels Near Me - Paia, Hawaii

So cute this place! Stayed here on a work trip and I was pleased with everything. I was just here by myself so the room accommodates me perfectly. Fridge was clean, bathroom was super clean and they even had the fans and lights going prior to my check in. I got to check in 5 hours EARLY which was fantastic!! They had a parking pass on the bed for me as well as a detailed parking diagram. Two Mac but chocolates waiting for me too! My name was on the dry erase board prior to arrival and my room was super easy to find. The back area is SO CUTE I wish I could have stayed longer!! read more

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Yelp ERASED at least 5 times my reviews that I was trying to write for this amazing place! Bad yelp!!! - illsay only that the staff (Darcy and Patti) is welcoming and super nice: real Aloha vibe exactly like the LODGE itself. The common garden is great and it gives a feeling of home and sense of community with other customers. Clean and neat rooms- amazing showers- parking space for each room- good ventilation with windows and fan: down to earth: Maui real vibes. Def going back there. Good price- quality and def better than those corporate cold all the same hotels. Best deal for price, position and lodging. Thank you!! read more

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Biggest Roach in the room that ive ever seen... well, maybe not as big as the flying dudes we saw in Ecuador. Also, bathroom filled with small ants. Bed was like sleeping on burlap sacks. Located directly next to a very loud cafe that starts in the early AM. If you can look past all this (we did) the price is right--why not. read more

So... we didn't actually stay here -- only saw their adorable outdoor area. But i CAN speak to the character of the people running the space. We missed our flight out and ended up in Paia for the day until the next flight with ALL of our luggage.. 3 rolling bags really hindered what we could do. We stumbled upon Nalu Kai and called to see if we could pay them to leave our luggage. We were exhausted... They said of course, but we won't charge you! Locked our bags up for us so we could explore the town.... genuine kindness goes along way for me! Next time to Maui we will definitely stay here. Thank you Nalu Kai for helping out a couple of travelers with no expectations.. YOU ROCK! read more

I liked this little place a lot. I love the downtown location, i liked the set up in the rooms, i liked the whole place a lot. I was never wokedn up or bothered by the noise of downtown even on the weekends. Though, do know that when they say quiet, the mean QUIET. There are certain hours that you are not allowed to basically make any noise what so ever. We got a little note on our door from the manger guy one day saying we had to keep it down. Not a problem we didnt mind and we were probably alittle to loud since we were celebrating a birthday earlier that night. I do have to say though that the morning we were leaving the managers girlfriend had a group of girls arrive at about 730 am(this is quiet time) and they were hoot n hollering and cheering their coffee cups and laughing and a whole lot louder than we were the whole time, but hey...Guess you can do that when you are dating the manager. Anyways. I would stay here again for sure and would recommend it. read more

A great find, and the best lodging deal in town. But be aware, Nalu Kai is not a hotel. There is no office where you check in, no maid service, or toiletries. When you make your reservation, they email you instructions with how to get there, where your room is, and where the key can be found. It's great for the independent type! There are 8 rooms at this 2 story lodge, tucked amid a mini jungle of lush tropical foilage in the center of Paia town. The second floor rooms have views of the ocean (request unit #7 or 8) and there's a nice sun deck up top with a hammock and lounge chairs. The place has a super mellow, secluded feel and most of the travelers there keep to themselves. A good spot for couples, since the rooms are small (though, the rooms at Paia Inn are smaller and more expensive). You can tell the rooms have been updated in some areas and kept "rustic" in others. The bathrooms are very nice, new tile, spacious (and there's a little hawaiian flower floating in the toilet when you arrive...a unconventional touch of hospitality, but I liked it!) On the ground floor there's a stone waterfall and bbq area, so if you're the backpacking type and prefer to cook your own food instead of dining out, this is the spot. It's a peaceful little haven in downtown, and perfect for those wanting to save some money and live simply. NOTE: There are really only 2 lodging options in the little hippie town of Paia - the centrally located, hip hotel "Paia Inn", and the centrally located charming guest rooms at Nalu Kai Lodge. They are within eye-shot of one another, and are both nice in different ways (I stayed at both, just for comparison). So, depending on what you fancy, the choice will be quite simple...Nalu Kai is for the more laid-back type, wanting simple yet authentic Hawaiian accommodations. Paia Inn is more for the urban/hipster type who plans to only sleep in their room, as they are incredibly nice and new, yet equally small. read more

Nalu Kai Lodge - Bathroom w/ new tile and good water pressure...no complaints - Hotels Near Me - Paia, Hawaii

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I stayed here at the end of January this year. It was recommended by a friend that lives in Haiku and so glad I chose this place. I LOVED MY ROOM. It was perfect. Smelled perfect. Clean. Felt like my own sanctuary. The grounds have a fun Bali-style vibe and the best part is that it's tucked away in a great spot in Paia. The parking was a non-existant at times in their "parking lot" when coming from traveling all day and I knew about that from other reviews...but here's the thing what other's didn't mention was the vast amount of street parking LOL. I thought I was going to have to park FAR from the hotel if I didn't get a spot at the hotel. There was plenty of parking spots in the street, that wasn't a problem at all....unless you're just too lazy to cross the damn street. I also didn't see any problem with noise at all. But I also live in Venice Beach, CA so noise is always in the background. It was almost too quiet....LOL I found it to be very peaceful and a great base camp to travel all over the island. Highly recommended. I will be back again. read more

Booked this place last minute & couldn't have lucked out more! After spending 8 days at one of the 5 star box resorts for a work trip this was the perfect contrast. Character, charm, & the best night of sleep of our entire vacation! The grounds are very Balinese & the hostess sweet & calm. Our room was simple but very clean, and again the most comfortable night of our entire vacation. Paia is a great little town and Nalu Kai Lodge is the perfect stop. Highly recommend & will stay again. read more

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I was a great pleasure staying in Nalu Kai Lodge! This place is half boutique, half guest house, and very clean (Hawaiian style=keep your shoes and flip-flops outside your room). If you're looking to fancy your jewelry, white sneakers and white socks in a resort-style hotel, then look for something in Lahaina or Wailea. Nalu Kai Lodge has 4-5 parkings spots, but the public parking area is across the street and a few steps away. The vicinity is surrounded by tropical lush, and approx. 25 meters from the beach. You could hear the crashing waves (from the north facing rooms), wind flapping the leaves in near by plants and trees, and a variety of bird species singing every morning. Just a few steps will get you to Hana Hwy, where you'll find all shops, cafés, markets, and restaurants with lots of Vegetarian and Vegan options. All in all, this place if very laid back and quaint. Loved it! read more

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The Nalu Kai was great for us. We didn't want the big resort experience -- let alone the cost -- and the Nalu Kai worked beautifully. For a price much, much lower than that of the resorts, we got a little attached cottage with a functional little kitchen, a bedroom, a nicely styled little bathroom (shower, no tub), and a tiny shaded balcony we called our lanai. Everything was clean and functional, and when there was a plumbing problem, they fixed it right away. Paia is a nice little town with sort of a Santa Cruz vibe, if you've been out that way. It's near the airport, and well situated for a drive to Haleakala or out to Hana. The only fly in the poi was noise. The rules urge guests to be quiet late at night, but the rooms are next to a common area, and while I can't blame anyone for spending a warm evening outdoors, there were a couple of times where it was a little noisy even after nine at night. It was low key, cheerful noise, not rowdy, menacing noise, and not super loud, but it was noise just the same. Not a huge problem, and we'd go back for sure, but you should know. Overall, liked it A LOT. read more

The place was a dump, It deserves a zero star and definite doesn't deserve even being listed. We stayed over new years and unfortunately, I was not even able to find an alternate accommodation at that time of the year, so I was forced to stay here 2. Not a private bath- A half curtain separates the room, so eat, shit and sleep in same room. No exhaust in the bathroom too, so enjoy the smell. 3. Cant close the windows, so you can hear people fart on the road as well. 4. Roach infested- it is a health hazard! I am not sure if this place is ever inspected!!! 5. Trash isn't even picked. 6. Room is not cleaned for at least 7 days. 7. Stinky beds and sheets-pillows were stained and smelled of pee 8. Boutique hotel-No, it was horrible, the curtains had cobwebs and dust everywhere!! FYI: READ ALL THE FINE PRINT, with EXTRA CAUTION. Do not waste your money and end up being disappointed with the stay. I'd recommend to either stay in a tent or sleep in your car over this. read more

I really enjoyed my stay at the Nalu Kai Lodge! We were on Maui during high season and were searching for a last minute place to stay that wasn't $400 a night! Nalu Kai was such a cute hotel and was totally affordable! We paid about $190 after taxes and all that. Our room was small but really cute and had everything we needed. It was very clean and you could open the windows at night and listen to the ocean waves. The courtyard is really nice and the BEST breakfast spot is just next door. Parking was a little difficult because the road is a little narrow but it wasn't too bad. They also have laundry on site. If you are looking for an affordable place to stay on the north shore this is your spot. We have stayed here three times now and absolutely LOVE it! read more

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My friend and I booked into Nalu Kai Lodge yesterday after checking out a room. The lodge is so cute and cozy with a cool beachy vib. Every staff member we've incountered has been amazing and super sweet. We love how relaxed the place is and how flexible they were with our checkin, which was super helpful since we arrived early. We love it and decided to stay an extra night. read more

Just got back a few weeks ago from a 2 week stay at the Nalu Kai Lodge. It was amazing! To start off, we are not people with high standards, and I think most of the negative reviews, both here and on TripAdvisor, come from people with extremely high standards, who expects to pay $105/night and get a room at the Westin. This place has amazing value, but that's not to say it's just a cheap place to sleep. In fact, we wish we spent more time lounging around the beautiful grounds, but we are busy people who like to explore. This was our 10th time to Maui. We normally stay in small, privately owned studios (with full kitchens) in Napili. This was a very nice change. The rooms are a very decent size, and so well kept. We never saw so much as an ant in our room, far less a large cockroach like our friends had in their bathtub at the Hyatt in Ka'anapali. The hardwood floors look original (the place was built in the 60's, but has been updated since), and the neat mosaic tile in the bathroom is always fun to look at. Our room was #5, with 2 twin beds. The beds were very comfortable. Tradewinds blew though the unit to nicely cool it down. The mini-fridge also had a freezer built in, which was good for making ice. The rooms were absolutely clean! Even little things, like the water pressure in the shower were perfect. The only minor thing regarding the rooms is the WiFi; in room 5, it was ridiculously slow, but c'mon! Who goes to Hawaii to surf the net? If you do need to access the internet, you can just go to one of the patios or the deck (or even the internet cafe around the corner), and it's nice & fast. Maria, the manager, is very warm, welcoming, and friendly. She shared with us some great tips on beaches and local restaurants (you have to try our three fav's: Charley's and Flatbread co (see my other reviews), on Hana Highway, and Cafe Des Amis on Baldwin Ave (all within a 3 minute walk). It wasn't loud at night by our standards, but then again, I live on a busy road in Vancouver. Still not very loud compared to other places we've stayed. The only minor thing was parking. Parking is tight in all of Paia, but especially here. Our car agency didn't have the compact car we reserved, so we had to take a larger SUV. I wouldn't recommend this by any means, unless you have to. You can squeeze 6 small cars in to the reserved spaces, but if it was us and another SUV, it was very tight with 4 (we actually scratched our car in several places, luckily we returned the car at night - heh heh). One more thing: if you want a good swimming beach with small waves and no coral, you won't find one in Paia in the winter. Apparently in the summer it's okay, but as I said, we were there in January and February, so we ended up driving to Wailea, Kihei, or Kaanapali/Napili for all of our swimming. Neither of us are strong swimmers, or surfers, so the beaches in Paia weren't for us. Although, watching the surfers and kite surfers is very entertaining! All & all, I would HIGHLY recommend Nalu Kai Lodge! Well, after a lengthy review (ha ha), I think this is by far the nicest hotel I've stayed in on Maui. It's cute, quiet, peaceful, yet close to everything, and still budget friendly! Enjoy your stay! read more

My husband and I stayed here for two nights toward the end of our last to Maui. We wanted to be close to Hana and the airport, as well as explore Paia a bit. As soon as we checked in, we were impressed by the cleanliness of the room. This is probably the biggest thing that I look for in lodging and Nalu Kai did not disappoint. As others have said, the rooms are small. But, they are simply decorated and laid out well, so it doesn't feel cluttered at all. Also, the bed was comfortable and they included a couple beach towels to use. We also really liked the property. It is hidden away from the street and has adorable grounds. They also have a laundry room and BBQ area - we didn't use either, but thought it was really nice that they had them. We didn't encounter a lot of staff while we were there, but those we did run into were incredibly friendly. A few reviews mentioned parking - it wasn't a problem for us. We always managed to find parking while we were there. Although, we did stay during the week, so perhaps it is more crowded during weekends. One thing to note is that the parking spaces are small - if you can, do yourself and others a favor by renting a small car. The reason that I only gave it 3 stars: 1. Mosquitoes galore! We ended up spending the first 30 minutes there killing mosquitos in the room. We figured that it may have been because they had the window open before we got there. But, this wasn't the case. We had a room with an a/c, so the windows were closed the entire time we were there, yet there were always mosquitos (much less than when we checked in though). Luckily, we had bug repellent for Hana. We ended up spraying towels with it and placing the towels under the doors and over the shower drain. My husband also went outside and sprayed it around the windows and doorway. Even with those measures, I still had to cover myself in bug repellent whenever I was in the room (they don't bother my husband, but apparently love me!). With all of that, I managed to leave with just 1 mosquito bite that I got while sleeping. The thing is, I spent half my life in an area with mosquitos and have visited many areas (including Hana numerous times) where they are a massive nuisance. So, I am not some fragile person that complains at the sight of a pest. Trust me when I say that the number of mosquitos in our room was absurd. 2. Noise! I am not talking about street noise...I am talking about noise from the guests in the room next to us. They were so loud - stomping and banging doors at around 6 in the morning. It was insane! My husband mentioned this to me manager via text. We found out that the people next to us were a couple with a child. Even though the rules state that only 2 people (including kids) are allowed per room. Nalu Kai didn't enforce this. They also have quiet hours and policies against excessive noise, which the people in the room next to us chose to ignore as well. The manager was very apologetic about this and we appreciated how quickly she responded to us. It is because of her that I am giving 3 stars instead of 2. After dealing with these things the first night/morning, my husband and I contemplated leaving and staying somewhere else, even if it meant losing the money we paid for the second night. We decided to stick it out, but if there was more than 1 night left, we wouldn't have. Overall, Nalu Kai is incredibly cute place that has seemingly wonderful staff. But, because of the mosquitos and noise, I am sad to say that we won't be back. It really is a shame :-( read more

We are going with 5 stars with the caveat that you know what you are getting into. Like others have said, this place is not a hotel, nor is it a bed and breakfast. It is definitely charming, clean and in my opinion awesome. Please indulge me for a minute as I include a little background: My husband and I chose to stay in Paia because of its proximity to the road to Haleakala. We could have easily chosen to stay in Haiku just a few miles down the road, but I'm certainly glad we found Nalu Kai in Paia. Paia is essentially a crossroads on the Hana Highway. It's an upscale-ish hippie surf town with some pretty awesome places to eat and shop. I was not too impressed with the actual beach area that was a few block's walk away from Nalu Kai. While it was pretty, it was small and had a bit of a funky smell. There may have been other, better beaches around, but we were only there for a couple days, and beaching wasn't on our agenda. Now to the meat of the review... Nalu Kai Lodge: We found this place by searching on the Internet and reading a few reviews. It sounded like it had character and charm, and we generally go for that sort of thing. One of the reviewers didn't care for the small size of the rooms, and the fact that the bathrooms only had a curtain for privacy, so we were slightly cautious in making our selection. Our other option was the much more expensive, but seemingly guaranteed nice and clean rooms at the Paia Inn. We decided to take a chance on the less expensive option and called Nalu Kai. Maria was quick to return our calls and answer our questions. We chose the one bedroom, because of our fear of the smaller rooms. The one bedroom unit (#9) is huge! It has a full kitchen, with seating for four, as well as a couch and an extra twin bed (we didn't need it, but would be useful for a child or third guest (and or fourth guest on the couch) The "master" bedroom was also spacious and accommodating with a king size bed, two closets, a built-in desk, wicker love seat, and a bathroom with a shower and what seemed like a half bathtub. The decor is very minimalist, classic Hawaiian. It seemed more like a small one bedroom apartment, and I would choose it if we were planning on staying for a week or more. In the future, we plan to try one of the smaller units and save some money. And there will be an "in the future!" If you ask me, the appeal to this place is the courtyard and the potential for meeting new people. We parked our rental just outside the gate, and walked into this little oasis with a communal dining area furnished with a couple outdoor couches, a hammock and a large 8 or 10 person dining table. There is also a really cool tiki bar (not stocked or anything, but you can take care of that on your own) with a grill and a couple of pool style lounge chairs and an umbrella to just hang out under. The area is well maintained and quiet and inviting. We ended up just hanging out in the courtyard most of the day. We were pretty tired from previous day's journeys around the island and just read some of the provided travel books, and chatted with some of the other guests. Periodically wandering into town for some food or shopping broke up the day a bit, but it was VERY relaxing. That night we sat outside in the hammock and enjoyed some wine, and slowly, some of the other guests also wandered into the courtyard and we had a lovely little impromptu gathering. I can't wait to go back to Maui and hang out in Paia at Nalu Kai! read more

I have stayed at the Nula Kai many times over the last 8 or 9 years. They have a couple properties in Paia, at least two that I know of. One is in town, easy access to everything. That one includes super small rooms with twins bed, a mini fridge, and a shower. Or larger rooms with kitchens which is nice since I'm usually there 5+ days and it's really convenient to be able to wake up and cook some eggs and make coffee without having to get out of my pjs. I am currently staying at a beautiful property about a ten minute walk from town. It has hammocks, a tree house, beautiful grounds, and a view of the ocean. The last couple stays I've been in touch with Darcy, who is super easy to reach. I had a little dust up with her last time I was here, and although I was a little nasty to her, she has been so sweet and accommodating. She has gone out of her way to make sure I was set with directions, my flight, etc, texting me here and there and welcoming me to Maui. I work in customer service and can really appreciate when a business takes a special interest when they have a dissatisfied customer. All in all, I hope to keep coming back and definitely recommend this place! read more

Really neat little place to stay in Paia. Small rooms, but with a lot of character. Rooms had everything you could possibly need, including beach towels. Some cooking utensils and laundry available. Only complaint would be that wifi was not consistent in the room we stayed in (room 4). read more

Good little spot to spend a night or two. Noisy due to it's placement downtown but convenient, cozy and cute. Nice courtyard to relax in and a short walk to the beach. Cute surf town, nice shops & restaurants all within walking distance. Parking is tight, but if you can get a street spot, it's no problem. We arrived late so we were given specific instructions on how and where to let ourselves in. Would stay here again read more

My husband and I stayed here for 5 nights. Probably should have only stayed for 2 or 3. The rooms are very clean, but very very small. There is no direct access to the beach which we were told there was. Wifi is horrible, which is not usually important for us but when there's no tv or really anything in your room and you just want hang in your room for the night and maybe watch a little something its hard to. The staff was very friendly though and we would stay here again but not for that long. read more

I loved this little secret gem!! My husband and I met Rick at a local grocery store while trying to find a place to stay because the AirBNB we had reserved was horrible. This is the perfect place to stay in Paia, Maui. read more

Pros: Really loved the peaceful, mellow feel of this place. The rooms are small but very cute, with a lot of uniqueness and personal touch to each one. We even came back later in our trip for another night! cons: the area has a lot of people camping out there long term. We left some luggage out and it got rifled through pretty quickly. We would have given the place five stars until that drove home how rough the neighborhood is. read more

This place is truly the hidden gem of the north shore! Thank your top notch hospitality and making our time in Paia, Maui an amazing experience. It was like waking up in paradise. The room was very clean and the people were very friendly. There is a beautiful community table in the common area with a relaxing hammock for you to enjoy. It is smack dab in the middle of Paia town but removed enough to where it was still serene and relaxing. There is a community tiki bar and BBQ and tiki torches light the way to the path of all the cool shops and restaurants in Paia! It was reasonably priced and worth every penny. We will be back!! read more

Great location , wonderful staff and rustic band unfussy accommodation at a great price (~$110/ night) which is amazing for Maui. Access to downtown paia cafes , restaurants and 2 minutes from the beach . read more

A very pleasant stay, a few things you should know: The rooms are cozy, and the bathroom/shower is only blocked off by a curtain (and such are not very private). This is fine for couples or if you are alone, but maybe not best to share a room with a friend. We were a bit worried about parking, as they have only 5 spots for 8 rooms, but it was not a problem. There is no check-in or check-out. The key is there when you arrive, and you just leave it in your room after leaving. There appears to be regular yoga there. read more

Love this place. So Pa'ia! Super quiet but right in town! Walk everywhere. Great fun CASUAL "Hang loose" CLEAN place!

Loved this place! Just came back from a 4 days trip to Maui. My boyfriend (who has been to the island 12 times) always wanted to experience the true Hawaiian accomodation... And here it is! The pretty outdoor patio can be useful to hang out, room was small but very cozy and cleaned. We met the owner by accident at the cafe next door and he was checking to make sure we were happy! Indeed we were super happy! A place to try! read more

This lodge is somewhere between a hostel and a hotel. The location is central to Paia town, you're a stone throw away from all the restaurants and shops. The pictures on the website are accurate: the rooms are bit tight for two people, it's clean, include a micro refrigerator, and yes, there are no doors separating the bathroom from the bedroom. You can also do laundry, they have free parking (6 spots) and they give you beach towels. There is a large common area with a table and chairs, a grill and a unmanned tiki bar. This is a no frills place to lay your head at night and nothing more. The windows are slatted so you can hear all the road noise, people hanging out in the common space, person power washing the building at 5am (yes his happened) and alley cat fights ( this woke us up at 4am). We had a room with no ac (there's a fan), which was comfortable in Feb. but still a bit humid. There is no maid service, which just means that the beds are the way you left em. The price per night is a lot cheaper than other hotels nearby and the conditions reflect that. I would suggest you stay here if you were on a budget and wanted a central location to Paia but otherwise, move on. read more

If you are looking for a place to stay in paia, this is the place to go. Very nice friendly manager with cute charming rooms. We were looking for a last minute place to stay and checked almost all spots. All were either super pricey or not available including airbnb. Then we walked by the lodge and lucky enough they had availability and we immediately checked in. Wish we had more days to stay. ( free wifi, laundry, rooms have fan but pretty adequate as it didn't get too hot in the rooms) read more

Previous reviewer pretty has a very accurate summary of the lodge, its operations, and laid back atmosphere. I really like it. Great price and location. Perfect compliment to Paia. No TVs or phones. My room was very small but well appointed. The bathroom separated by a curtain. Since I was traveling along, it was no big deal. There is very little soundproofing so you hear everything within a 1-2 block radius. Luckily the area quiets down pretty early so I went to sleep hearing the surf from a block a way. read more

Very laid back and comfy, no hassles. The ladies running the lodge made it easy for me to relax, checking in, and checking out. The lodge is within walking distance of just about anything you need, and that makes it a bit noisy with the daytime traffic, garbage trucks, etc., but come 8:30-9:00pm, things get real quiet and the air breezes into the windows. Ahhh. No air conditioning in the rooms so I left my room door open when I was there in the daytime, which was hardly at all, but at night I used my blanket, as the fan and the air coming in the windows was enough to cool it down quite a bit. Very nice. I loved the courtyard, hammock, tiki bar, etc. It was all my little home away from home when I stayed there a few weeks ago for 5 nights. I didn't really want to leave. Anthony's Coffee Company is right across the street, Flatbread two or three doors away, Gelato right around the corner. Fish Market, Mana Foods, all within walking distance. Don't get a car except for the days you're going touring or up to Hana. Baldwin Beach, Ho'okipa, are great surfing beaches and even if you are only watching. I will book at Nalu Kai again when I go back. My daughter lives in Kehei but I love staying in Paia. I've already done most of the tourist-y stuff so I enjoy just hanging around and relaxing when I'm on vacation. I agree that this is a "no-frills" kind of place, but even so, if you are an experienced traveler, you know what you want, so its quite comfortable and easy to work with. read more

I stayed here for four nights. If I did not have to prepay the entire four night with Expedia, I would have moved. The room was not cleaned or made up ever. They did not even empty the waste paper basket. The toilet is in the bedroom, is separated only by a curtain. There is no privicy. The only chair in the room was needed to put the suitcase on. The lighting was dim at best. There is no air conditioning or telephones. There is almost no parking at the lodge. You have to park on the busy Hana Road (the Road to Hana)., My last night at the lodger, I had to park a quarter mail away next to a bar filled with drunks. To top it off, when I got to my room this last night, I found a note saying that I should have checked out that day, and that I owed for another night. We finally straighten it out, but it was not thanks to the management. Oh, the one thing they do have is noise. Most of it comes from the bars on Hana Road. The walls are so thin that you can hear every thing going on. Let me tell you about the love life of the couple upstairs. Never again. read more

Nalu Kai Lodge is very chilled out with relaxing vibes being right near the beach. They have a tiki bar and we enjoyed laying in the hammock in the main area. The staff were very friendly and welcoming and you immediately feel comfortable as you walk in. Thanks again :). We will be back read more

We went as a couple in November 2019: GREAT PLACE, CLEAN, SIMPLE MAUI VIBE, ALOHA SPIRIT! Darcy (the manager) and Patti, one of the workers are super helpful and nice. We saw them everyday, but what we loved is that mostly you don't have to interact with them unless you want to. They are there most of the day time, but you can go in and out without having to pass a check in if you prefer. It feels more like home, it's the perfect lodge. Clean, down Tom earth, no frills but as a real lodge would be. Position is amazing and it's close to everything. There is guaranteed parking for each room of the lodge, which in Paia is a big plus. Real Maui experience and we loved it for all the 7 days. We appreciate that they changed sheets and cleaned our room only at the end of the stay. I hate people going in in our room every day, first it's a waste (who needs new sheets every day??? WaSTEFUL!!!!) and we are there for 7 days, room was clean coming in, I don't need anyone coming in to clean before we leave. It's Hawaii, we are out almost the most of the day anyway! If you want fancy, boring, soulless places go somewhere else, go corporate.This is real Maui and this is bohemian and has a soul. I couldn't be happier! Def going back!Thanks to the amazing staff there! read more

It would have been 4 stars but after spending every single night there awoken by loud noises early in the morning - following by the final night when someone directly behind our room decided it would be a great idea to power wash the back of the building beginning at 10:30 pm - well, that star quickly went away. Here's the thing - Nalu Kai is cute, funky, great location, clean, big rooms with not alot of fluff - just a cute place to chill while you're in Paia. I think a night or two would have been perfect - but 4 nights of no sleep due to excessive noise was just a bit much. We had the one bedroom apartment which included a small sitting area and kitchen/dining room and a separate very large bedroom, one bathroom, and an extra bed in the kitchen that we ended up moving to the bedroom. I didn't see any of the other rooms but I assume they were as simple, cute and clean as ours. The property manager - i believe her name was Anna - was very sweet, helpful and attentive but not "in your face". As I mentioned - the location couldn't be better except that delivery trucks, garbage trucks, and power washing noises prevented us from sleeping past 4:30 or 5 in the morning. If you're looking for a cheap, clean place to stay in Paia and don't mind the noice - then I'd highly recomment Nalu Kai. read more

This is a great place to stay. We spent the first two nights of our week in Maui in the ground floor of the Tower unit and it was awesome. There was a screw-up with our reservation because of Paypal, but the nice, laid-back, ukulele-strumming staff handled it immediately and even upgraded and led us to our room. We can't thank them enough, truly. As a 30-something couple from California who found west Maui and the resorts kinda gross/Vegas-ish during the rest of our stay, we can't recommend Paia, its people, its beaches, and its vibe highly enough. Just stay here, it's what you're looking for. read more

My husband and I stayed here and it was perfect for us. We are not resort people who need a daily maid so this was exactly what we were looking for. Clean comfortable affordable room with a fridge (little freezer inside for ice too!) We had the room with a/c. Maui was cooler than I expected so not sure if that is necessary for next time. I don't think we ever saw the owners, it's come and go as you please. If you can rent a smaller car, do so, parking is kind of tricky if they upgrade your car to a Dodge Challenger. Haha The Paia Coffee Shop right next door is really cute. Great for breakfast. I am vegetarian and they had plenty of options. Paia is a pretty cute little town, though a little snottier than I expected for a "hippie" town. (It's no Tulum or Isla Mujeres, MX.) All the friendly people we met were visiting from California or Canada! LOL Walk across the street to Charley's and see Lindsey, she was a great friendly server! Paia is on the way to Hana which is nice too. We loved hiking up there, the Black Sand Beach, Twin Falls. It feels like you are in Avatar when you get up in that part of the island. So beautiful. Stop on the way back for some vegan ice cream at Coconut Glen's! I would stay here again if we are ever back in Paia. Easy walking distance to everything in town. Grocery store down the street. Free wifi available in the front area with the hammocks and chairs. read more