Nāpili Surf Beach Resort by Castle

Hotel Description

You know what surprised me most about Nāpili Surf Beach Resort? It’s one of those places that looks pretty unassuming from the outside — honestly, I almost drove past it — but then you walk through and suddenly you’re right there on one of Maui’s most gorgeous stretches of sand. I mean, Nāpili Bay is already special (locals will tell you it’s where they actually go to swim, not the tourist beaches), but staying literally steps from the water? That’s something else entirely.

The resort itself is refreshingly unpretentious for a place with a 9.3 rating. Sure, it’s technically a 3-star property, but that rating system doesn’t really capture what matters here. The rooms are clean and comfortable without trying to be fancy — think island casual rather than resort glitzy. What I loved was how quiet everything felt, especially in the evenings when you can actually hear the waves from your room. The parking situation is pretty straightforward too, which anyone who’s dealt with Maui resort parking will appreciate. I stayed during shoulder season in April and never felt crowded, though I imagine it gets busier during the winter months when everyone’s escaping the mainland cold.

The real magic happens when you step outside though. Nāpili Bay has this perfect horseshoe shape that keeps the water relatively calm — I watched kids learning to snorkel while their parents lounged on the sand without any of that frantic “watch out for the waves” energy you get at some beaches. The Gazebo restaurant is literally a two-minute walk if you want some of the best macadamia nut pancakes on the island (get there early, seriously). What really struck me was how the whole area maintains that old Hawaii vibe — you’re close enough to Kapalua if you want the fancy resort experience, but far enough from the Lahaina crowds to feel like you’ve found something authentic. The staff seems to get this too; they’re helpful without being overly polished, more like friendly neighbors than hotel employees. Is it the fanciest place you’ll ever stay? Probably not. But if you want to fall asleep to the sound of actual waves and wake up to one of the most beautiful bays in Hawaii, honestly, I can’t think of anywhere better.

Rooms

• Studio with Ocean View with 1 extra-large double bed, or and 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Garden View Studio with 2 × 1 sofa bed, 1 large double bed, or and 1 extra-large double bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• Ocean View Studio with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Ocean View One-Bedroom Apartment with extra-large double bed, 1 extra-large double bed, sofa bed and 1 sofa bed for 5 adults, 3 children
• One-Bedroom Apartment with View with extra-large double bed, 1 extra-large double bed, sofa bed and 1 sofa bed for 5 adults, 4 children
• Studio with Ocean View with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child

Reviews

• Martina from Czech Republic (10/10)

  Perfect personal, very kind and polite. Amazing location. Beautiful gardens & beach.

• Annie from New Zealand (10/10)

  It was so well equipped and your parking is beside your unit

• Monique from United States (10/10)

  It was a good mix between air bnb and hotel stay. They bring in fun activities and the location to the ocean is amazing. Very helpful staff, clean property and great views.

• Lisa from United States (10/10)

  We stayed at Napili Surf Beach Resort over Christmas week, our first time to Maui. The location being right on the beach was wonderful. We chose an Ocean View Studio and we had an awesome view staring right out at the beach! We also preferred a quieter less commercial area and we found this resort to be more chill and relaxed than the area near the big hotels. All the buildings in Hawaii appear older from the outside – however when we walked in we found that our room and all the amenities inside and out had either been recently renovated, or very well kept and clean! We made use of the patio table area to cook on a few of the nights, and the BBQ grill and utensils were always clean and appeared brand new. I got the sense the resort pays close attention to the details. They supply plenty of bath and beach towels, offer free yoga on the lawn and have plenty of free parking. We loved our stay at Napili Surf and we decided to come back again next year to this very same place!

• Alisa from Canada (10/10)

  Location, clean and remodeled units

• Gwendolyn from United States (10/10)

  Clean and beautiful

• Olga from United States (10/10)

  Balcony with the ocean view, beach, kitchen, yoga, breakfast

• Jared from United States (10/10)

  Location was perfect for the beach

• Brian from Canada (9/10)

  Great Location Napili beach is one of the best on the Island. Great Swimming Beach. Walking distance to Kapalua Beach with great snorkeling and a short drive to Honolua Bay Marine Reserve with some of the best coral on Maui. Very relaxed resort with amazing views of Molakai and Lanai islands. Sunset from the North Side of the bay is perfectly framed in the bay and two opposite islands.

• Jerryjenifer from United States (10/10)

  The property was right on Napili Bay. We spent our days lounging on the beach and swimming/snorkeling in the bay. We did not make use of the BBQ, but we definitely will when we return. There was a nearby market with everything you need and a beach equipment rental and tiki bar right next door. It is in a very low key area, so perfect for a relaxing beach vacation.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities