Thank you so much for a wonderful stay. Your cottage was the perfect escape for our honeymoon. You made our vacation dreams come true! Thank you so much for your hospitality and warm welcome! We won’t be forgetting the memories we made here anytime soon. 🙂 Favorite Restaurant: Lima Cocina. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling. (Felmington, NJ, April 2024)
Thank you so much for a wonderful place to stay. Your cottage is an absolute dream. There was no better place for David and I to spend our Honeymoon than here in Maui in your little slice of heaven. Thank you for your sweet hospitality. This is a place we definitely want to come back to. 🙂 Favorite Restaurant: Tobi’s. Favorite Activity: Helicopter Tour (Maverick) (Coolidge, AZ, March 2024)
We have been coming to Maui for many years and this is our favorite place we have stayed :). The cottage, the ocean, the lanai were a dream. We were grateful everyday to have such a lovely place to stay! Already counting the days until we come back next year! Thank you so much 🙂 Favorite Restaurants: Baked on Maui (Haiku) Favorite Activities: Surfing, SUP Surfing, Disc Golf, Trivia at Mahalo Aleworks. (Qualicum Beach, BC, Canada, January- February 2024, 1 Glorious Month)
It is so magical here! We loved starting Maui mornings watching the ocean, sipping cold brew and watching surfers, whales, and honu. We’re also now in love with apple bananas – yum! From lounging on the coast to adventuring at 7-10,000ft elevation at Haleakala we loved calling this place home base. Thanks to Valerie and Coach for sharing their amazing home. Tomorrow we head to Kihei… we will miss Paia and this side of the island! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House (curry!), Belle Surf Cafe & Lounge (smoothies, coffee). Favorite Activities: Hiking, Biking, Driving our way around the island ♡, Haleakala Hikes and Views, Local Beach walks, dips @ Mama’s beach with no break :), Whale & Turtle sightings. (Bozeman, MT, January 2024)
Love your cottage by the sea… everything so carefully thought out, all the things a vacationer needs to be comfortable, cook and enjoy! Love the sea-side, surf, lounge chairs and in the middle of all the things we love to do. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Uma’s Indian Curry truck in Kula on Saturdays, Makawao on Wednesdays at Farmer’s Market. Favorite Activities: Beach, Long Walks and Galleries (Atase, CA, January 2024)
We loved it all. Beautiful weather and spectacular scenery. A bit disappointed in snorkeling and was told it just isn’t like it was 30 years ago, but still fun. Aloha! Thank you Valerie and Craig for a lovely stay. Favorite Restaurants: Vegan. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Hiking, Walking the beaches, Animal Sanctuaries, Driving all around the island, Luau (Grand Junction, CO, January 2024)
2023
We loved staying in this little cottage. Craig and Valerie were so nice to us! We loved looking at all their fruit trees and all the different plants they had. They were always so nice to give us all the fruit we wanted! We also loved the location of this cottage. Perfect driving distance to everything we wanted to see. It was also so nice to walk down and enjoy the ocean on some beach chairs. Thank you so much for it all!!! 🙂 Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Road to Hana, Guided Snorkel Trip, Surfing Lessons, Exploring the Coast, Honolua Bay (College Station, TX, December 2023)
This was the PERFECT place for me to stay on this amazing Hawaiian vacation. I felt at home and like a special guest. Valerie and Craig – you have cultivated a sweet piece of paradise! Thank you. Favorite Restaurants: Kula Cafe, Baked on Maui. Favorite Activities: Gold Pineapple Tour, Sunrise/set here at the cottage by the water, Molokai day trip! lookout views, a beach all to myself – plane ride to Molokai via charter, Art Shops, Plumeria orchard, Lavender Farm, Sea Turtle watching. (Minnetonka Beach, MN, October 2023)
This was my second stay and I’m still in awe of the beauty of this property. I feel completely comfortable here so much that it is hard to venture out. Valerie and Craig are lovely people, so warm and welcoming. Thank you Valerie! Will see you soon. XO. Favorite Restaurants: Lumeria, Nuka (Sushi). Favorite Activities: Slowing down :), Baldwin Beach walks, the lanai at Valerie’s with a good book, Exploring the many beautiful places on the North Shore. (Aptos, CA, June 2023)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for providing the most perfect home for us to spend on our honeymoon! We loved picking the fruit from your trees and enjoying the beautiful views from the deck. We’ll be back as soon as we can! Mahalo!:) Favorite Restaurants: Nuka, Star Noodle. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Twin Falls Hike, Beach Days. (Ashland, OR, June 2023)
We felt utterly spoiled staying at “Maui by the Sea”. Valerie and Craig made us feel at home with this amazing accommodation, which served as our private nirvana during our stay. The property’s fruits were delicious, and the ocean views made us want to stay for all our meals! We truly felt like we hit the jackpot by staying here. Thank you for welcoming us. We look forward to booking again in the future 🙂 Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Haleakala Sunset, Snorkeling, Surfing (Vancouver, BC, Canada, May 2023)
From the moment I arrived I was welcomed by Craig and then Valerie. There was a feeling of ease that washed over me. All the thoughtfulness and accommodations of and from the Richter’s left me realizing the property and cottage are like a Sanctuary. It afforded the ability to disengage from concerns and responsibilities at home, and enjoy the simple pleasures ie: Sunrise, Sunsets and magnificent Stars. Looking forward to a return trip in 2025. Favorite Restaurant: Kimo’s Lahaina. Favorite Activities: Turtle Watching a.m and p.m. Exploring and walking the Beaches. Haleakala National Park. Maui Ocean Center (Roseville, CA, May 2023)
We had the best time ever in Maui! Lots of exploring, especially national parks & Road to Hana! There is no shortage of activities in Maui; you can relax or go on adventures in the lands of Maui! The fresh fish at various restaurants was simply amazing. This island is a treasure! This cottage was a fantastic home away from home. Val and Craig were terrific hosts in providing the clean and well equipped cottage for a truly relaxing vacation. Thanks and all the best. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Joey’s Kitchen. Favorite Activities: Turtles, Zip lining, Haleakala sun rise, local foods and drinks. (Pittsburgh, PA, May 2023)
What a perfect stay. Weather was great! We had a hard time with the time change so was up early and able to come home and nap and head back out. The walk to see the turtles was fantastic. The locals seem very nice! It was great to have a grill as well as the coolers! We met some amazing people we will connect with down the line and also caught a fabulous Luau with fire!:) Favorite Restaurants: Fleetwood’s, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling the crater, Volcano, waterfalls, bamboo forest. (Milford, NH, April 2023)
We are so grateful to Valerie and Craig and their Maui by the Sea. My wife and I spent 10 days at the cottage. We loved the sunsets and the view from the patio. A true gem. This is a place we will definitely come back to. Thank you Valerie and Craig for your hospitality. Thank you. Favorite Restaurants: Lahaina Fish Co. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Watching Turtles, Molokini Crater (Hemet, CA, April 2023)
Valerie and Craig were here to greet us when we arrived and made us feel quite welcome. We saw swimming turtles right away and Valerie offered us fruits from their cherry tree and we picked oranges as well. The Japanese white-eye bird nest had several babies that we saw being fed by mama bird All birds gone by Saturday. We drove the Pi’ilani highway after visiting the honey bees; it’s a spectacular drive even with clouds (pages 228-229 of the Lonely Planet Maui book). Thank you Valerie and Craig. Your place met our needs and we would happily return. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Cooking at home, eating on deck. Favorite Activities: Maui Gold Pineapple Tour, Watching Turtles, Maui Wine, Maui Honey bee sanctuary. (Laguna Beach, CA, April 2023)
The perfect spot for two! So cozy and clean. Everything you need is here. Valerie and Craig are lovely hosts. Made us felt welcome and at home here in Paia. We will be back for sure! Favorite Restaurants: Vana (sushi), Mama’s (for view and maybe cocktails, otherwise too $$$). Favorite Activities: Swimming, surfing, foiling and hiking, Cooking at Maui by the Sea. Watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets from the porch! (San Francisco, CA, March 2023).
What a perfect place to stay to explore the island of Maui! We loved the cottage and the town of Paia. I have never picked my own oranges before! Every morning we enjoyed the view from the lanai and watched a little Japanese white-eye build a nest right beside the railing :). There is so much to see on Maui and so much natural beauty, we wish we could stay longer. Thank you for being such kind and welcoming hosts. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Seeing turtles, whale watch, surfing and watching the surfers at Ho’okipa. (Charlotte, NC, March 2023)
2022
Wow! How does one describe perfection? Along with your scenic view your hospitality is most memorable. The minute we arrived we knew our stay would be fabulous. Your gorgeous property and comfortable cottage made for a relaxing picture/photo opportunity. Thank you for sharing the Aloha. We will be back. ♡ Favorite Restaurants: Nuka, Mama’s Favorite Activities: O’o Farm Garden + lunch Tour, Aldi Nui Sunset Tour (boat), Old Lahaina Luau, Beach walking + shell hunting, Alii Nui Whale Watch (Bay Area, CA, December 2022)
We can’t thank you enough for welcoming us to your home. Our trip was amazing and we can’t wait to come back. Your place is paradise. You both were so kind and helpful. We hope to see you again in the future when we come back here! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s! Favorite Activities: Road to Hana/eating;) (Visalia, CA, November 2022)
We wanted a Maui experience away from the hotels and condos. Your cottage was perfect. The cottage is comfortable and charming. Your property is beautiful and the location couldn’t be better, close to town and the airport but private and peaceful at the same time. We loved the avocados and oranges. So good. You and Craig have been welcoming in every way. Your cottage gave us a glimpse of what it would be like to live here. Thank you. Favorite Restaurants: Cafe Mambo, Colleens, Flatbread Co. Favorite Activities: Exploring: the Roda to Hana, Haleakala, Makena Beach, Paia, your beautiful property. (Thompson Falls, MT & Wickenburg, AZ, November 2022)
We’ve stayed here many times. This trip was for our oldest grandson’s 6th birthday! We were so happy to be here and not in Florida or even at home where a tornado touched down 3 miles from our home and put a hole in the gym ceiling!! Keep safe everyone. Thanks again Valerie. Love. PS: we also celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary! Favorite Restaurants: Flat Bread Pizza. Favorite Activities: Beach with grandkids esp. the turtle Beach! (Cutchogee, NY, September 2022)
We had a wonderful time in the cottage (so comfortable and impeccably organized). A few chats with Valerie and we were guided to the most interesting things to do. She is so warm and helpful! Of course eating breakfast by the ocean was incredible, and the constant view of the blue sea, whether calm or choppy has been a constant delight. Favorite Restaurants: Cooking at home. Favorite Activities: The beauty is everywhere, mountains, beach, waterfalls. (Los Angeles, CA, September 2022)
We were looking for a calm, relaxing and quiet place to stay – and we are SO HAPPY that we found this place! Valerie is the most wonderful host and the property is absolutely gorgeous. I can’t think of a better place to enjoy your morning coffee than here on the porch. We can’t wait to come back, and hope everyone else who stays here will feel the magic of Maui just like we did! Mahalo! 🙂 Favorite Restaurants: Paia Fish Market, Flatbread Co, Fleetwood’s, Ono taco Truck (in Lahaina). Favorite Activities: Lots of relaxing on the beach, Haleakala, Road to Hana, watching sea turtles and exploring! (Stratford, CT, September 2022)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for the cozy stay! We absolutely loved your backyard and fruit trees! It was such a beautiful and well kept property with an awesome location for us to enjoy all our activities. We really enjoyed our 3 day stay in Paia, and it was always nice to have this cozy home to return to! Mahalo! Hopefully we will return one day! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Haleakala for Sunset, beaches, Hana Highway, Maui Pineapple Tour, Maui Wine. (Edmonton, AB, Canada, September 2022)
Valerie and Craig, thanks so much for your hospitality. We absolutely loved staying here and can’t wait to come back. We especially loved sitting on the deck and enjoying the delicious fruit from your property. The beach close to the property is great and we also recommend going to Makena Cove. Beautiful at sunset. Hana Highway was fun – just prepare for a long but beautiful day. We can’t wait to be back here in paradise! Mahalo 🙂 Favorite Restaurants: Tasty Crust!! Food Trucks + Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Swimming. Hana Highway. State/National Parks. (Athens, OH, August 2022)
We enjoyed your little paradise to the fullest, had a wonderful time at the turtles beach and having barbecue at the terrace watching the sunset. Thank you for your warm hospitality. We hope to come back! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurants: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Turtle beach, Haleakala crater. (Vienna, Austria, August 2022)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for your hospitality! We loved our stay here! The view on the ocean is incredible from morning to night. The cottage is a beautiful haven to relax. We recommend going to the beach close to the house where we can see dozens of turtles. We wished we could have stayed longer here! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Flatbread, Choice Healthbar. Favorite Activities: Swimming with the turtles, Roadtrips around the island. (Berkeley, CA, July 2022)
Valerie and Craig, thank you for being so welcoming and making our return to Maui so special. We loved staying in the cottage, enjoying the peacefulness of the yard and plants, and especially the guest chairs right at the ocean’s edge. It’s been a wonderful place to just relax or head to nearby beaches, Paia town, or daily excursions to see the beauty of the island. Thanks for providing towels and beach chairs, and especially the delicious fruit from your trees. We hope to return one day and stay once again in your wonderful cottage by the sea! Mahalo! Oh, and I loved seeing Valerie’s art! Favorite Restaurants: Paia Fish Market, Colleen’s, Maui Tacos. Favorite Activities: Coffee on lanai, turtles at Tavares Beach, Hookipa Lookout – gorgeous turtles and monk seal, Iao Needle Monument, Kanaha Beach, and watching beautiful sunsets right at Maui by the Sea! (Leander (Austin), TX, June 2022)
Aloha Valérie and Craig. It was really a pleasure to stay in this lovely cottage with the beautiful garden and tasty fruits and meet you perfect hosts. We enjoyed the outlook from the deck and from the place in the garden where we could see the bright moon and all the stars shining much stronger than at home. We’ll keep good memories of Maui by the Sea. Mahalo. Merci. Favorite Restaurants: Cooking Mana foods in cottage. Favorite Activities: Watching turtles, snorkeling, exploring Maui by car. (Bern, Switzerland, May 2022)
Thank you for having us in your perfect little get away. We’ve greatly appreciated all the thoughtful touches and amenities. It really made our stay in Maui extra special! We couldn’t imagine a better place to stay! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Mala Ocean Tavern, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Hiking, Exploring! (St Louis, MO, May 2022)
Thank you for such a wonderful stay Valerie and Craig! Your place was the perfect place to stay, so charming, beautiful, and perfectly set-up with every little detail considered. It was so wonderful to chat with both of you! Thank you for making us feel so welcomed and taken care of! Hopefully, we will be back soon! Warm Regards. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling/Whale watching (Seattle, WA, March 2022)
Thank you so much for providing such a fabulous, welcoming getaway. Best Maui ever! We’ll be back! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Bumming on the beach/Hiking (Moorhead, MN, January 2022)
2021
It was nice to have breakfast on the deck. Your cottage is so nice and sitting on the lawn chairs reading and watching turtles was the best. Thanks for a relaxing stay! Favorite Restaurants: Colleens. (Denver, CO, December 2021)
Thanks so much Valerie and Craig for a wonderful place to come to for Christmas time. We are so thankful that we and you guys are healthy and could do this. We missed last year so much! Keep Safe and Happy. Love. Favorite Restaurants: Saigon Cafe Wailuku! Favorite Activities: Beach with Grandkids and Turtle Beach. Ali Nui boat out of Maalea to see whales! (Cutchogue, NY, December 2021)
Thank you for sharing your piece of paradise with us. The property is beautiful and the cottage peaceful, with such tranquility from the deck and ocean side. The North Shore offered a welcomed different experience. All the best. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Hana, walking, visit to State park, driving along the crater (Victoria, B.C, Canada, November 2021)
Thanks Valerie and Craig for hosting us in your beautiful and charming cottage. Paia is a great alternative to the South Shore and we appreciated its funky, laid-back vibe. It made a great base to explore Maui and we appreciated all the advice and insight. We couldn’t have had better weather or imagine a better place to stay. Thank you, Mahalo, Merci. Favorite Restaurants: Mana Foods (we cooked so many delicious meals!) Favorite Activities: Haleakala Sunrise, snorkeling, watching all the beautiful sunsets. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada, October 2021)
I loved my stay here. It was really exceptional in every way. Thank you Valérie and Craig. It was very relaxing and unique. I also love Valérie’s art which gives a special touch to the cottage. I want to come back already! Mahalo!:) Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Café Mambo. Favorite Activities: Driving around. Food. Beaches. Hana Tour. Watching turtles. Reading books. Watching movies on the lanai. Chilling on the sofa. (California – but French ;), October 2021)
Thank you for a beautiful stay on a beautiful island! We had a great time and can’t wait to return. Very grateful that you shared your lovely home and hospitality with us. Highlight: the rainbow over the water right outside in your garden. We hope to be back soon!! Favorite Restaurants: Wholefoods and Mana Foods (we cooked!). Favorite Activities: Diving Molokini, Road to Hana, Watching turtles on the shoreline. (London, UK & St Louis, MO, September 2021)
This is such a great place to stay! Little piece of paradise ♡ . Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Can’t wait to come back! Mahalo!! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House! Favorite Activities: Turtle Beach! Haleakala! (Eureka, CA, August 2021)
We could not have had a better trip! (unless we stayed longer). Thank you for being such thoughtful and kind hosts. Mahalo! ♡ Favorite Restaurant: Cooking on the grill! Favorite Activities: Road to Hana, Crater Hike. (Los Angeles, CA, July 2021)
Valerie and Craig, Thank you for sharing this beautiful place! We loved sitting on the lawn chairs, picking oranges and just feeling at home. Thank you for connecting us and allowing us to use your porch fo our massages. The cottage had everything we needed to cook and relax. It was perfect, it allowed us to run into town for a lavender latte, walk the beaches, drive to Haiku to the butcher and my favorite drive to Makawao for the shopping. It was beautiful and we loved our stay. Favorite Restaurants: Cooking in the “cottage”. Favorite Activities: Seeing the sleeping turtles on the beach down the road. (Glen Head, NY, July 2021)
Mahalo! This is an amazing place. A little piece of Paradise on Maui. Thank you Valerie and Craig for making it so welcoming and a wonderful experience. Your small touches to the beautiful view from our balcony and the back were amazing! Mahalo! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurants: Colleen’s for Breakfast. Favorite Activities: Beaches and Ziplining. (Bridgewater, NJ, June 2021)
We had an amazing visit to Maui, and our stay at the cottage was a highlight! The cottage has everything you need to make yourself at home on the island — even things we didn’t realize we’d need while there (eg, we bought coffee beans and forgot to grind at the store, only to discover a coffee grinder in the cottage). The view from the porch is incredible, and we saw a rainbow appear over the water almost every morning we were there. If you’re looking for a home away from home for your visit, and in a less touristy location, this is your spot! Thanks to Valerie and Craig for a wonderful stay. (Boulder, CO, June 2021)
Thank you so much for hosting us at your cottage! We loved staying here and are excited to come back and visit again! Words cannot do justice on how incredible Valerie and Craig are as hosts. We loved eating the rest fruit (surinam cherries, papaya, oranges) from your garden. We can’t wait to come back and stay here again! Thank you for making us feel at home in Maui. ♡ Favorite Restaurants: Nylos – best on the island. Food trucks near airport – Geste Shrimp truck. Poke at Kuau Store. Favorite Activities: Scuba diving at Makena Landing, Hiking at Bamboo waterfalls, Waihe’e Ridge, Makamakaole, Runs at Baldwin Beach, Haleakala Crater Hike, Baby Beach. (Newport Beach, CA, May 2021)
Valerie and Craig are consummate hosts, warm, inviting, and communicative. Thanks for a wonderful stay and recharge. Favorite Restaurants: Paia Fish Market (huge portions!), Flatbread Pizza Co, Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling (Ahihi Cove), Lounging on the beach. (San Francisco, CA, March 2021)
Day 0: Arrive ~ 10pm, chat with Valerie and Craig. Day 1: Coffee on deck and waterfront chairs, Valerie provides info; Craig tells stories; breakfast @ Café des Amis; walk Kuau beach; Mana Foods; drive up Baldwin Ave to Ranch Farmer’s Market; Ho’okipa to watch windsurfers and sunbathe with sea turtles; bright stars on waterfront. Day 2: Baby beach – swam in reef pool; Baldwin beach – waves toss us; northwest drive to blow hole (easier drive from Kaanapali); dinner at Milagros. Day 3: Started on Road to Hana but turned back at Haiku when Valerie checked forecast (it rained, maybe biggest in 40 years, and one dam near Haiku overflowed causing evacuations in that area), so we changed course to Makena beach on South side, low-key snorkeling before rain pushed us over to Kihei and the Bermuda Triangle – Ohana Seafood, Life’s a Beach (billiards), and round 2 Ohana for live music and dancing on sidewalk. Day 4: The Crater! Mist, clouds rain, low visibility but got to summit and stopped for Hosmer’s Grove bird sanctuary hike – peaceful. Day 5: “Hope for Hana” About to head to bed, and will be dreaming of a relatively dry day, for one more try at Road to Hana. Thank you Valerie and Craig for being such lovely hosts. Maybe one day we will see you again! Favorite Restaurants: Flatbread Pizza Co. Quality pizza and cocktails for good price. Favorite Activities: Exploring new places, meeting people, enjoying landscapes, laughter, life. (Minneapolis, MN, March 2021)
2020
We stayed here to be close to our grandson whom we have not seen in a year! Valerie was awesome, she provided high chair, gate, fruit and avocados! We love this little cottage, it is perfect to gather, cook and gaze ou at the surf. We are coming back after 10 days out at Napili for two more weeks! A really nice place to stay and everything works great. Happy New Year. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Swim, turtles swim (Ferndale, WA, December 2020)
We stayed here on our last 2 days on Maui. We drove all around the island and it is truly a spectacular place. Everything is beautiful. I’ve said “Wow” a lot on this trip! Back to 20 degrees:). And we got engaged!! Favorite Restaurants: Cafe des Amis, Fish Market, Flatbread Pizza. Favorite Activities: Watching turtles at the beach 5 houses down, watching the ocean, trees & sky, shopping in town. (Denver, CO, December 2020)
Our stay here was perfect. We felt right at home in your cozy home. I still can’t get over all of the rainbows! + your amazing view from the front yard. It is quite a magical place and was refreshing for the soul after a very draining year! Thank you for the warm hospitality. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s, Aloha ‘Aina bbq. Favorite Activities: Turtles, Swimming at the beach next door, Road to Hana, Trips to Mana Foods, HH @ Cafe des Amis, Rainbow watching (San Francisco, CA, November 2020)
Thank you for sharing your lovely cottage with us. Wonderful time + lots of memories with our 2 yr old. We enjoyed our “social isolation” here in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. We hope our next visit to Hawaii is not in the midst of a global crisis and that everyone stays safe + healthy. We will dream of this porch with ocean-mountain views for years to come! Favorite Restaurants: Mambo, Mama’s. Favorite Activities: Turtle Beach! Road to Hana + relaxing on the porch with fresh squeezed orange juice. (Fort Collins, CO, March 2020)
We are happy that we were allowed to stay here for 2 days. A paradise in paradise. Valerie and Craig were super nice and provided us with lots of tips and information. Thank you for everything. Today we will drive the road to Hana. Valerie, your pictures are beautiful. Favorite Restaurants: Flatbread, Choice Health Bar. Favorite Activities: Turtle Watching, enjoy the cottage, the city and the beach. (Erlangen, Germany, January 2020)
Thank you so much for sharing your home – we had a magical stay and appreciated all the small touches! Your beautiful cottage made us feel right at home. Taking in the water views made morning coffee all the more relaxing. Our time here could not have been more perfect. We so greatly appreciate the opportunity to stay with you and hope to come back in the future! All the best. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Coconuts. Favorite Activities: Coffee by the water under a rainbow, hiking Kipahulu, Haleakala. (Arlington, VA, January 2020)
2019
From breakfast on the lanai with the sounds of the surf crashing! The sight of the sea with brilliant rainbows to behold, to ending the day hearing the trills of songbirds in your garden, we really enjoyed our restful interlude on Maui. Thank you Valerie and Craig. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Bap. Favorite activity: Turtle watching. (Minnetonka, MN, December 2019)
Thank you Craig and Valerie! We had a fantastic second stay and will definitely be back for a 3rd visit sometime! Look us up if you’re ever in Chicago! Favorite Restaurants: Eskimo Candy, Koiso Sushi. Favorite Activity: Body surfin at Hamoa Beach. (Chicago, IL, December 2019).
Thank you to Valerie and Craig for sharing their little spot of paradise with us! We loved the location on the north side – close to all the biking and kiting we could muster. Spent a great 2 weeks reconnecting, visiting friends on the Island and from beyond, great cycling trips to Hana/West Maui Loop/up to Makawao/Grandma’s and the winery, etc. Weather was warm and just a bit wet from time to time. Loved the turtles on “baby beach”. Also had great massage with Susan Wilesmith on Baldwin. Too much to say – love Maui – we’ll be back. Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis. Favorite Activities : cycling, kiting, painting. (Banff, Alberta Canada, November 2019).
Thank you so much for hosting us in this absolutely stunning and welcoming place! Very relaxing and a perfect way to start our Maui “baby moon” vacation! Paia is wonderful to walk around – great food and enjoyed some beach time, seeing the turtles and relaxing on the deck. Amazing accommodations, felt right at home. Thank you Craig and Valerie. Favorite Restaurant : Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Swimming in the waves! (Ottawa, ON, Canada, November 2019).
Thank you for another amazing visit! Already counting down the days until next year. We are grateful that you share your home with those of us that love visiting Maui. 🙂 Appreciate the tropical tea – it will be a little Maui I get to take with me – see you next November! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House. Fresh Food Cafe. Favorite Activities: Maui Boat Rental. Beach Time! (South Jordan, UT, November 2019)
Hated to leave! Was very comfortable! Nancy and I absolutely love this place. Thank you Craig & Valerie for your fine amenities and hospitality! Thank you, we will be back! Valerie and Craig, Danny and I will never forget our honeymoon stay at your beautiful cottage. Seven days went so fast we are sad to leave but looking forward to our stay in the future. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Haliimaile General Store, Charley’s. Favorite Activities: Cruiser Phil’s Volcano Riders, Feast at Lele, West Maui Parasail, Flying Hawaiian Zipline. (Loomis, CA, October 2019)
Here we are again. Our oldest grandson turns 3!! We wish we lived closer but thanks to Valerie and Craig we always feel at home here at Maui by the Sea. We will continue to visit thanks to them! Favorite Restaurant: Colleen’s, Mama’s Fish House, Millagros. Favorite Activities: Beach with grandsons! (Cutchogue, NY, June 2019)
Here we are back again! Our youngest son lives here. We’re here for the arrival of grandson #2!! Ya! June 21, 2019. 11:45pm. Summer Solstice grandson born “Nainoa William”. Just beautiful. Thanks again Valerie + Craig for providing all we ever need! See you again in September. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Beach trips with grandson to Aquarium!! (Cutchogue, NY, June 2019)
This is the cutest cottage ever. We had a wonderful stay. Craig & Valerie were super informative and helpful. The view from the back – overlooking the water is breathtaking. It was very cool to see so many sea turtles! Paia is a charming little town which is very close to the cottage. Pretty relaxed vibe here and it’s one of our favorite things about this place. Fairly close to the airport and easy to get around to the different areas on Maui. It’s also important to mention that this is super close proximity to the road to Hana. We were able to get 2 days worth of Hana activities into one. We definitely recommend staying here. We wish our trip was longer!! Valerie & Craig, Mahalo for your hospitality! You made our anniversary celebration awesome!!! Favorite Restaurants: Lahaina’s Fish Co. Favorite Activities: Road to Hana!! Upper Waikani Falls – 3 Bears. Shopping/ Eating in Lahaina (near the Big Banyan tree). Historic District. (Jacksonville, FL, June 2019)
What drew us to Maui by the Sea was its views, its cottage “feel” – clean, light, airy – and large covered lanai. Lovely and so enjoyable! Craig and Valerie: you are wonderful hosts, generous with yourselves and your property. Ella and I loved sitting in the lounges by the water, watching the sunsets, moon over the water. It is so pleasant here we treasured just staying here!! Valerie – your artwork is beautiful! We enjoyed talking with you about it and having you share your techniques, styles and projects. This was our first trip to Hawaii/Maui, and your cottage was the PERFECT honeymoon place for us! We definitely hope to be back. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Fish Market, Mana’s Market. Favorite Activities: Relaxing on the lanai, beaches, enjoying the views! (Cornville, AZ, June 2019)
This cottage is like our second home. Craig and Valerie are like our Maui family. The cottage is perfect! The hosts are the greatest people around. You truly make this place a home away from home. This trip was as amazing as our last. We HIGHLY recommend to everyone we know and I do on Facebook Maui sites to stay at Maui by the Sea. It is truly paradise. Mahalo for making this so special and sharing it with us and others. We love you guys. Aloha, until we come again. Favorite Restaurants: Cool Cats. Da Kitchen. Rock’n Brew. Hula Grill. Favorite Activities: Sunrise Haleakala. All the beaches. Shopping. Lahaina Luau. and connecting with this beautiful island. Our biggest highlight was doing a glass blowing class at Moana Glass. Taking home a beautiful fish. (Washoe Valley, NV, May 2019)
Thank you! It’s a perfect place to get away! Ate and sat too much but loved the ocean sounds and watching sleeping turtles. Went to fabric world so I can have the “Maui look” on our deck. (Tacoma, WA, April 2019)
The cottage was the perfect place for us, convenient to all of Maui. Valerie and Craig are super hosts. Wish we had spent more time with them. They were very helpful and we did not lack anything. Great sunsets from cottage. Ate most dinners on lanai which was perfect way to end day. This was the perfect winter escape for us. The energy and spirit of what Val and Craig have created is hard to find. It will forever be our connection to the spirit and love we know is the Hawaiian Islands. We will be back. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Nuka, Mama’s Fish House, Cafe des Amis, Flat Bread, The Mill. Favorite Activities: Whale Watch, Trips to Lana’i, Molokai, Molokai Tour/Flight, Helicopter Flight around Maui, Botanical Gardens, Beaches – Big and Little Beach , Shopping and eating in Paia, Swap Meet @ Maui, Haleakala State Park, Hana Tours, Farmer’s Markets. (Salem, MA, February-March 2019)
Valerie and Craig, thank you so very much for sharing your heavenly home with us! We really do not want to leave. We hope to return in the near future. Please know if you are ever in Colorado, you are welcome to stay with us! Mahalo. (Erie, CO, February 2019)
We loved the cottage and Valerie and Craig are great hosts. Thank you for sharing your wonderful place! Turtles, surfers, and whales from the oceanfront were a great bonus we weren’t expecting. We’ll be back! Favorite Restaurants: Charley’s (breakfast), Paia Fish Market, Kuau Store (sandwiches). Favorite Activities: Exploring different beaches every day! (Big Beach, Baldwin, Hookipa, etc) (Missoula, MT, January 2019)
Spending our honeymoon at Maui by the Sea has been an absolute dream. We loved getting to know Craig and Valerie – they are wonderful hosts, and wonderful people. We will be recommending this property to everyone we know, and will definitely coming back in the future! We loved sitting out by the water in Craig + Val’s yard – we spent many mornings + evenings here. Overall, this was the perfect honeymoon. We cannot wait to return! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Ululani’s Shave Ice. Favorite Activities: Red Sand Beach, Road to Hana, Helicopter Tour, Haleakala Nat’l Park. (Broken Bow, OK, January 2019)
2018
Wonderful cottage to stay in while visiting Paia. Valerie and Craig are the most wonderful genuine hosts. We enjoyed our stay very much, thank you (Tess). Felt like staying with long-time friends. One of the cleanest, nicest rentals we’ve stayed in. Thanks!! (Rob). It was the best place to stay Valerie and Craig were so nice to me. Thanks so much! (Ben). FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: Fish Market in Paia. FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Crater Hike. (Winnipeg, Canada, December 2018).
We so enjoyed our stay at Maui by the Sea! We explored so many areas of Maui we have never explored before! We truly enjoyed the little town of Makawao and chatted with many locals there! We were lucky enough to be here when Jaws was firing and spent a morning watching Kai Lenny and hanging with his photographer! What a Treat! The house and location were ideal for us and Valerie and Craig were perfect hosts! Until we’re neighbors… Aloha! Favorite Restaurants: Donuts on a stick in Makawao!! Favorite Activities: Watched Kai Lenny surf at Jaws, turtle watching, Haleakala, hiking lava fields at La Perouse, beach time. (Ocean Isle Beach, NC, December 2018)
Valerie and Craig are so warm and friendly and full of helpful information and great stories! Peaceful and lovely atmosphere that was much needed after a busy wedding for us! Thank you so very much for the hospitality. You two are wonderful. Favorite Activities: Swimming at the beach (Makena). Trilogy snorkeling, Iao Valley, Watching sea turtles napping on the shore (walking distance from here!). (Nashville, TN, November 2018)
Truly a special place! It felt like “home” away from “home”! Thank you for sharing your lovely home and space with us. I cannot imagine experiencing Maui with my husband any other way. We greatly appreciated the special treats and all of the kind reminders. *Rick doesn’t always remember – Ha! We hope to return to Maui-Paia in the future and will definitely plan another stay. Wishing you love and blessings! Favorite Restaurants: Da Kitchen. Favorite Activities: Beach time, Downtown Paia, Yoga, and Fishing. (Chicago, IL, November 2018)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for the wonderful paradise and homey feel. You are both so welcoming; we wish we had more time to spend with you and hear more stories. We really loved our morning coffees by your coconut trees and walking on your soft manicured lawn, and watching the turtles in the surf. Turtle town is here but don’t worry, we will keep it our secret. Hope to see you again soon, Love. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House! Favorite Activities: Molokini snorkel, hiking, eating poke. (SF, CA, October 2018)
Thank you for a fabulous stay! Very comfortable accommodations and everything we needed in a great location! We had a magical trip and surely will be back. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Fish Market, Flatbread Co, Sea House. Favorite Activities: Road to Hana, downtown Paia, beaches (Oneloa, Keawakapu, Baby Beach). (Cape Cod, MA, July 2018)
Our third visit. Your place continues to bloom and grow with new landscaping, new sofa, new kitchen gadgets… of such nice quality! Super cottage, beautiful artwork, incredible views, fresh fruits… Many thanks to your two gracious hosts, Valerie and Craig. Favorite Restaurants: Paia Fish Market, Cafe des Amis. Favorite Activities: Tide-pools, Baldwin Beach walks. (West Linn, OR, June 2018)
Thank you both so much for this wonderful cottage! We loved staying here and appreciated the low key and charming area. Also thanks so much for the lovely fruits and treats! We had a wonderful time and look forward to our next visit! Favorite Restaurants: Star Noodle, Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Road to Hana, Paia, Watching the turtles, Kapalua trail. (Seattle, WA, May 2018)
We are so thankful to have found this cottage and that Valerie and Craig have opened their place up to share this incredible view/life, etc. The cottage itself is just perfect – size, furnishing, location, views!! Valerie was beyond helpful prior to our arrival + both were here to meet us on our late arrival – so warm + welcoming. We really wish we had had more time to visit with them – next time?! If you do not want condos + crowds, etc. – This is your paradise – Paia + Maui by the Sea. Our time here was too short – as I imagine any length would be – but we hope to come again + stay longer! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Rock + Brews, Flatbread Company, Mama’s Fish House $$$$ for Birthday 5/2 Treat! Favorite Activities: Exploring Paia (luv), Road to Hana Drive (we survived!), turtle watching, the beach, watching the surfers + spear fishers – The great view from the ocean chairs + patio view too! Sat. morning Swap Meet – great shopping, hot! Laid back Hawaiian life… (Lake Norman, NC, May 2018)
What a beautiful place on earth – gorgeous beaches, lush gardens and warm temperatures! We raised our porch sitting to competitive levels and are already discussing another visit when we get in need of sun! Thanks so much. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s & La Provence. Favorite Acitivity: Porch sitting and watching sleeping turtles. (Tacoma, WA, April 2018)
Thank you so much for a PERFECT STAY! Your home and property are absolutely amazing. We absolutely loved it here & couldn’t have picked a more perfect place to stay. We hope to be back again someday. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Sitting out front on the lawn chairs, walking in Paia, beach. (Boston, MA, April 2018)
Wonderful cottage! Was perfect location + size for the 2 of us. Valerie and Craig are so nice + helpful, answered all of our questions! Thank you for making our first trip to Maui memorable! Hope to be back one day! Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Helicopter Ride/Tour. (Cleveland, OH, March 2018)
We are so grateful to have stayed at this piece of paradise. Valerie and Craig are such kind and gracious hosts. Thank you for sharing your stories :). They even offered for us to stay until 5pm, we have a late flight, so this was such a kind and appreciated offer. The cottage is perfect and we will be back one day! Thank you so much!! We also loved picking oranges from the trees. Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market!! loved the snapper. Favorite Activity: Turtle watching, dream come true! (Orillia ON, Canada, March 2018)
Excellent place to stay. Size and layout were perfect. Valerie and Craig were very special people. Friendly, helpful and accommodating. They also helped as guides pointing out bike routes, hikes, beaches and walks that we might enjoy. We are sure to connect on a future visit to Maui. Thank you. Favorite Restaurants: Flatbread, BBQ on deck. Favorite Activities: Morning coffee in the seaside loungers, turtle watching at the nearby beach, biking, hiking, walking, Makawao forrest. (Comox, BC, Canada February 2018)
Thank you for a great stay! You have a beautiful view in a convenient location to all of the downtown restaurants and stores in Paia. We really appreciated the use of beach towels and beach chairs. The in-cottage laundry was also very helpful. We hope to be back someday. thanks again! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House & Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Whale watching & Road to Hana. (Bowling Green, KY January 2018)
2017
Here we are again! We really love Valerie and Craig’s cottage. Love the view and the always helpful owners! We hope to be back again soon! Merry Christmas and Happy 2018!! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Colleen’s. Favorite Activities: Visiting with family. Whale watching on Alii Nui. (Cutchogue, NY, December 2017)
Just a perfect place to stay! comfortable, clean, a gorgeous view and friendly, helpful owners. We had an excellent time. THANKS a lot Valerie and Craig! Hope we can return someday. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Road to Hana (Young, Uruguay, October 2017)
Thank you! Mahalo! Merci! We had a magical time at this lovely cottage. A perfect home away from home in spectacular Maui. Valerie & Craig are the best hosts you could ask for. WE so enjoyed their stories. I wish we could stay longer. Favorite Restaurants: Cafe des Amis. Favorite Activities: Red Sands Beach (Oneonta NY, October 2017)
Here we are again! This time to celebrate two big events. Our 50th Wedding Anniversary! and our grandson’s 1st Birthday! We had a spectacular 1st Birthday Celebration at Kanaha Beach Park with 60 people! Never expected the size of 1st Birthday parties in Maui. We LOVED It! Thanks again to Craig & Valerie making our time here so comfortable. See you at Christmas! Favorite Restaurants: Colleen’s, Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Playing with our grandson! (Cutchogue, NY, October 2017)
Merci beaucoup Valérie ! Votre cottage est parfait. Nous avons passé une superbe semaine à Paia! Il a fait beau et chaud ! Au delà de nos attentes ! 🙂 Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Hana Road, Sunrise at Haleakala volcano and biking. (Montreal/Quebec, Canada, September 2017)
Fantastic beach in walking distance (with great turtle watching!) Great food, beautiful weather, perfect location! We really enjoyed our stay! Thanks so much Valerie and Craig! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Tin Roof (lunch), Mama’s Fish House, Da Kitchen. Favorite Activities: Kite boarding, snorkeling, road to Hana, blow hole hike, Twin Falls hike. (Houston/Midland, TX, September 2017)
Best beach is 1/2 block away! Took Hana highway for second and final time (scary but beautiful – lots of traffic!). Great sunsets from porch – best view anywhere is right out door. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s!! Favorite Activities: Snorkeling (Berkeley, CA, August 2017)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for sharing your piece of paradise with us. Relaxing and felt like a home away from home. Perfect location for seeing the whole island. Thank you for all the recommendations and all of the helpful information. 5 nights definitely wasn’t enough time so hopefully we can come back soon. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Cafe des Amis, Flatbread Pizza Company. Favorite Activities: Watching turtles at Tavares Beach, Haleakala Sunset, Relaxing! (Philadelphia, PA, July 2017)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for your generosity and kindness. Maui by the Sea was PERFECT for us! Such a great little Get-Away et so close to the town of Paia and even Kahului. The covered porch is wonderful for morning coffee and the view is great no matter what time of day! Sunsets are amazing! Thank you for the use of beach front chairs and table! Incredible seating :). the cottage has everything you need which is so helpful. Thank you Valerie for your friendship and for the shells! If we come back to Maui again, you will be hearing from us! Favorite Restaurants: Paia Fish Market, Da Kitchen, Milagros. Favorite Activities: Well we worked manual labor with the team every day, so not a lot of free time – but we did enjoy Paia Beach – shelling with Valerie :), Baldwin Beach, Makena Beach and Lahaina Beach. And a one day whirlwind trip to Hana and the “back side”. (Lynchburg, VA, June 2017)
Thank you Valerie and Craig for your warm hospitality. Your cottage was the perfect place to conveniently explore all of the natural wonders Maui has to offer. Paia was definitely a relaxing town that made Maui feel like a home away from home. After staying in your cottage we can’t imagine staying anywhere else that would suit our needs and style of travel any better. Again, thank you for sharing a slice of your world with us!! The memories made will not be forgotten! Mahalo!! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Inn Cafe. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Sunrise at Haleakala, Volcanic beach at Hana Bay, Twin Falls hike. (Springfield, MO, May 2017)
What a lovely place – great escape from the NW rain & cold. Craig and Valerie were super welcoming – fresh lychees in the fridge, best dried bananas ever, and fresh squeezed orange juice form the yard daily. We started our trip at a wedding in Kaanapali and what a relief to come to this side of the island to enjoy the calm relaxing surroundings. Would definitely want to stay here on a return trip! Favorite Restaurants: Nuka for lunch and dinner, Paia Fish Market, grill on cottage deck. Loved Mana Foods grocery store. Favorite Activities: Kite Surfing, running Makawao Forest Reserve. Exploring Upcountry. (Portland, OR, May 2017)
Merci pour votre accueil, cette petite maison était parfaite pour ce séjour sur votre belle ile! Vous vivez dans un petit paradis, chanceux! Bonne continuité! Favorite Restaurants: Flatbread Pizza, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Kitesurfing and walking on beach. (Québec, April 2017)
We’ve been on the island since March 1st. Spent time in Kaanapali, South Kihei, and here. Paia was a great place to end out vacation. The town has “grown up” since we first started coming to Maui in the 80’s. Lots of great shops and restaurants. Thanks Valerie and Craig for the oranges , etc. We really enjoyed the fresh fruit. Favorite Restaurants: Makawao Steak House, Kimo’s. Favorite Activities: Baby beach, Polo Beach, Snorkeling, watching sunsets and surfers. Not to mention the TURTLES! (Plymouth, MN, March 2017)
Thanks so much to Valerie and Craig for making this an amazing spot! Saw lots of turtles from the picnic table and beach next door. Loved the fresh orange juice from their trees. Glad to have the beach chairs and boogie board to travel with. Really appreciated all the great tips on where to go and what to do. Kai Kanai II is a great boat to snorkel Molokini. If you like sushi, Nuka is awesome in Haiku. Charley’s has great ambiance and healthy yummy food and drinks. Also Lisa Cary (Somatics) is an amazing body worker. Favorite Restaurants: Nuka (Haiku), Charley’s , Milagros, Cafe Des Amis (Paia), Sorrento’s (Kihei). Favorite Activities: Baldwin Beach, Snorkeling Molokini on Kai Kanai, watching whales form the cottage deck, and turtles from the picnic table up front! (Paw Paw, MI, March 2017)
“Maui by the Sea” is a great cottage to stay and relax, or be busy seeing all the sites. I have done most of that through my trips to Maui. I needed to decompress from home after losing my husband. This cottage with Valerie and Craig here to help, answer any questions and just be a warm, caring couple. They take care of everything! A large bowl of fresh fruit to get you started. I wish I could have stayed longer here instead of already having booked at another place. I am seeing if I want to buy a home on Maui or continue to visit. That is still up in the air. Mahalo till next time! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Fish Market, Honu on Lahaina side (easy drive). Favorite Activity: Relaxing. (Nashville, TN, March 2017)
Thank you so much for letting us swing by for a short visit It is such a lovely spot on the coast! I loved sitting on the long chairs watching the waves. The HUGE swells this week were incredible. I appreciate all the little extras you provided. Thank you! Favorite Restaurants: Charley’s, Leota’s, Maui Pie. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling at Olowalu, Hana hiking, watching the waves and the whales. (Renton WA, February 2017)
Merci beaucoup! Mahalo! Thank You! We have enjoyed sharing your piece of Paradise. Mahalo Valerie & Craig for being such gracious hosts. And for thinking of everything we could need to make our stay more enjoyable. We will miss the Honu! Woke up at 4am to see the full moon on the ocean. We will have “Maui by the Sea” in our hearts wherever we go. Bless you both… Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, the lanai. Favorite Activities: Sitting quietly with a sleeping turtle, beaches, lava field, Lahaina!, whale watching. (Rockland, Ontario, Canada, February 2017)
One day here was just a “tease”, just as 2 weeks in Hawaii allowed us to barely scratch the surface! So very grateful to experience this lovely oasis! Thank you, Merci, Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Kimo’s, Thai Spice, Star Noodle. Favorite Activities: Haleakala Sunrise/Hiking the gulch, Watching sea turtles at beach next door! Baldwin Beach, Hookipa Beach. (Napanee, ON, Canada, February 2017)
Mahalo to Valerie & Craig! Lovely cottage with a view of the ocean & the West Maui mountains. Great location to stay if you want to do some sightseeing. Visited the neighborhood beach (you can easily walk there) and saw so many turtles on or near the beach. From the cottage, you can see whales on the horizon. Be sure to shop at Mana Foods! Paia town is “real” Hawaii! Valerie is a lovely person & she is very kind. As a long-term resident, Valerie gives good advice about what to see on Maui. PS: Valerie sends out an email message with recommendations! Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis (crêpes), Flatbread Company (pizza), Kahili restaurant (Opakapaka), Ululani (shave ice), Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Twin Falls hike, Hookipa Bach, South Maui beaches, Road to Hana (Auntie Sandy’s banana bread, Kahanu garden, Waianapanapa State Park), Upcountry (farmer’s market, Kula Botanical Garden, Maui Wine tasting room), walking Ma’alaea Beach and boardwalk through a wetland designated as a Nat’l wildlife refuge, Sunrise at Haleakala Nat’l Park & short hikes, Hapa performance at Kahili restaurant, art galleries at Makawao town (upcountry), the Sugar Museum. (Edmonds, WA, February 2017)
Aloha! We loved staying in this treehouse cottage, sleeping to the sound of the breeze through the garden greenery. We loved Tavares Beach and its proximity to the cottage, refreshing swims, double rainbows and suntanning with the turtles. We wanted to stay somewhere in/near Paia; this was the perfect option. So happy for all the little touches in the cottage that allowed us to relax, make meals here and feel like we’re at home. Valerie + Craig are so nice and accommodating. I got sick for a few days when we got here and was grateful for the juicy oranges left in the fruit bowl. Craig even brought me more when I ran out! 🙂 We hope to be back soon. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Mana Foods + Flatbread. Favorite Activities: Swimming and Sunbathing. (Vancouver, BC, January 2017)
Valerie & Craig were the absolute best hosts ever! This little cottage was perfect for us. Maui was the last leg of our honeymoon and we’re glad we stayed here. Best views! Romantic! Quiet & close to the village with great food & shops! The only thing it would be great to have an alarm in bedroom & and an upgraded microwave. I would stay here every time I come to Maui! Love this place! Favorite Restaurant: Da Kitchen (lunch/dinner), Ululani (shave ice, best on island), 808 Grindz (breakfast). Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, submarine tour, diving, biking, EVERYTHING, drive to Hana. (Seattle, WA, January 2017) PS from Valerie: Got the alarm clock. Microwave works just fine!
2016
Valerie + Craig are great hosts and made us feel so welcome and taken care of. The sunset was beautiful and their property is gorgeous. As an avocado lover I was so excited to see them growing right outside of our door! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread! Favorite Activities: Beaches, exploring, eating our way around the islands! (Danvers, MA, November 2016)
This house will be always on my mind… would rent it forever! Thanks Valerie for your hospitality and your “tips” “going around the East Hana Rd”. First time that I spoke with a person who played with Boris Becker. Thanks Craig! The beaches are naturally nice and Paia is a special wonderful location. We loved it here! For me another little “Margaritaville” that I found…! In Germany you say “Aufwiedersehen”, we hope we will. Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis, Charley’s. Favorite Activities: Hana Road, Volcano, Beaches. (Hamburg, Germany, November 2016)
Valerie and Craig are wonderful hosts. We enjoyed the cottage after our daily adventures. We recommend driving up to Makawao for the yummy treats at the Komoda store and bakery. It was a great way to kick off the day. All the beaches are worth a visit… We relaxed at Baldwin. Hope you have the best time… Kind of hard not to enjoy the island and cottage. Favorite Restaurant: Kimo’s, Mama’s Fish House, Komoda store and bakery in Makawao. Favorite Activities: Exploring the island. (Sammamish, WA, October 2016)
We came to spend time with family who live here. Our 1st grandchild was born so our time was spent there – everyday for 3-4 hours. The rest of the time we LOVED spending time here at Valerie + Craig’s lovely cottage. Peaceful setting – beautiful sunsets – Loved the Lanai!! We come to Maui regularly – we will definitely try to stay here again – such hospitable hosts! Our only suggestion – a more comfortable sofa + a chair. Because we weren’t sightseeing this trip – we spent lots of time at the cottage. Thanks for all the great ambiance! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Colleen’s. Favorite Activities: Spending time with family and our 1st grandchild!! (Cutchogee, NY, October 2016) PS from Valerie: we heard your suggestion and we got a new bigger more comfortable sofa in January 2017!
We came to HI to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary + fitting that it ticked the 50th State off Russell “Bucket list”! We survived the “Road to Hana”. I would recommend hitting the road as soon as the sun comes up to avoid traffic. The black sand beach @ Waianapanapa Park made the trip worthwhile. If you want to see sea turtles – they congregate @ Hookipa Beach after 3pm every day. Valerie + Craig “Maui by the Sea” was a perfect retreat for us – we loved the hippie vibe of Paia Town. As beautiful as it is here we are looking forward to our fall foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Favorite Restaurant: Geste Shrimp Truck (pineapple spicy shrimp), Rock & Brews (excellent burgers). Favorite Activities: On Maui: Waianapanapa State Park, Sea Turtles @ Hookipa Beach (3-7pm), Baldwin Beach, Old Lahaina Luau ~ on the Big Island: Volcano’s Nat’l Park, Rainbow Falls, Lava Tubes. (Richmond, VA, October 2016)
We had a wonderful time and are so sad to leave this place! The cottage became our home. We came here to celebrate our 35th anniversary and to check off a bucket list item of kitesurfing on Maui! Valerie + Craig are the nicest people and we will highly recommend Maui by the Sea. We are hoping to come back some day! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market + Maui by the Sea cottage! with fresh fish from Mana Foods. Favorite Activities: Kitesurfing! Haleakala Crater. Eating out on the lanai! (St Paul, MN, September 2016)
Valerie & Craig, you were awesome! You made us feel at home and gave us great tips + info.We loved the stay and felt lucky we chose this place. We’d love to come back again and will recommend it to anyone + everyone we know. Will report from our time in Hana. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Hali’imaile General Store, Casanova, Paia Fish Market, Tobi’s Shave ice (poke), Honolulu Coffee. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling @ Napili + Honolua Bays, Maliko Run downwinder (SUP with Jeremy Riggs), Massage with Claudie @ Body Therapeutics, South side Beaches (Paako cove), Grilling on balcony/lying on chaise lounges (Santa Monica, CA, September 2016)
Listen to the CD especially for instructions in the Bamboo Forest. It was an awesome little adventure! Big Beach gorgeous and not as busy – drove down then grabbed lunch @ Five Palms. Tavares Beach just around the corner from the front gate was also very undercover awesome. Valerie & Craig, thanks so much for letting us stay! We had an amazing time and can’t wait to return. XXX. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Road to Hana (Bamboo Forest), Big Beach, Five Palms. (Chicago, IL/San Francisco, CA, August 2016)
Thank you so much! We had a great time and will recommend Maui by the Sea to all! Favorite Restaurant: Kimo’s (Smoked Fish Appetizer) Favorite Activities: Cribbage on the Porch, Turtles at Baldwin Beach. (Santa Cruz, CA, July 2016)
Valerie and Craig, we have thoroughly enjoyed our lovely stay at your beach cottage! It was way too short as there is so much to do right around here! We hope to be back in the area again before we have to leave the island, but we would love to stay here again in the future! You have thought of everything for your guests, right up to the fresh fruit (yummy bananas) and personal bits of advice for sightseeing!! It has been a pleasure to get to visit with you and to stay in this piece of paradise! We’ll think of you as we return to the “north” and see our shells from Paia. Love the artwork Valerie! Thank you for the tutorial on the botanicals Craig! Favorite Restaurant: Hana Farms (pizza, salad), Coconut Glens. Favorite Activities: Drive to Hana, Keanae Peninsula, Waianapanapa State Park (Black Sand Beach), Views from the front yard – rainbows! (Alberta, Canada, July 2016)
We had an amazing first anniversary celebration here on Maui & at the cottage. This was the perfect spot to relax & a perfect home base for exploring the island. Big thanks to Valerie for the hospitality, recommendations & homegrown fruits!! The bananas, mango & papaya were amazing. We loved being near Paia & far from the busier parts of the island. Hope to return one day soon! Favorite Restaurant: Morimoto, Mala, Humu Humu, Geste Shrimp Truck. Favorite Activities: Diving at Molokini, Drive to (& past) Hana, Sea turtles at the beach just South of the cottage, yoga in front of the sea near the house. (Jacksonville, FL, July 2016)
Mahalo for a beautiful place to stay! We really enjoyed waking up to the sound of the waves + the ocean view. Great location to town. Thank you Valerie + Craig for your hospitality we had a great time ~ what a cute, quaint place – leaving too soon – off to explore Hana! It’s great playing tourists in Maui since we live on Big Island. So Blessed ~ many Mahalos. We love Paia! + Aloha. Great change of pace from busy Lahaina side. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Beach – Mama’s beach, Cafe des Amis, Watching windsurfers at Hookipa. Relaxing – large turtles at little beach just south of here (late night) (Hawaii, Big Island, June 2016)
On our second trip to Maui, we had an unexpected “project” that kept us cottage-bound the first half of the trip. But this little cottage made it all worthwhile, keeping us confortable with beautiful views out to sea while we worked. Valerie went above and behind as a gracious host and just a lovely person in accommodating our unusual requests. Fresh orange juice every morning, bananas off their tree & papayas for breakfast were a real treat. This truly was a home away from home. Thank you so much, Valerie and Craig, for creating a lovely oasis for your guests. And the wedding that brought us to this beautiful island was magical & topped off our trip. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Maka, Paia Fish Market, Mana Deli, Cafe des Amis. Favorite Activities: Hike across the crater, snorkeling, chillaxing at the cottage, wedding.(Renton, WA, May 2016)
This time our entire Maui visit was at Maui by the Sea – our “home base”. Our theme song here was: “Our house” by Crosby, Still, Nash & Young. Loved finding a baby octopus at Baby beach! Wonderful hospitality here! This was a much needed vacation & we’re well-rested! Mahalo, dear Valerie & Craig. Loved every moment from checking the waves in the morning, to picking oranges for fresh OJ , to exploring the Island. Thank You. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market, Cafe des Amis, Provisions to go (best latte + scone). Favorite Activities: Walking the stretches of beach from the Paia Youth Center (where we’d park) to Baldwin and Baby Beach, sampling the fruits in Craig + Valerie’s garden, driving the road to Hana and the road around West Maui in a Jeep with the top off, breakfast on the deck, watching Craig with his mechanical bow & arrow. (West Linn, OR, May 2016)
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Valerie & Craig for allowing us the privilege to soak in the beauty that surrounds your home. Both Tate & I fully took advantage of all sorts of adventure around the island, and were so comforted knowing we had a place to truly call home at the end of the day. Now we are on to the resort portion of our trip, and are sadly second guessing that decision! We want to stay here forever! PS: Thank you Valerie for your delicious apple tart. Next visit we will cook for you! Favorite Restaurant: Provisions (Ahi Bowl), Paia Fish Market (Mahi Fish Sandwich). Favorite Activities: Road to Hana!!!, Upcountry (Seattle, WA, April 2016)
We had a wonderful time in Maui and loved coming home each evening to Maui by the Sea! The cottage is great and the location beautiful! What an amazing vacation! Thank you Craig and Valerie. Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread. Favorite Activities: Exploring Maui. (Boulder, CO, April 2016)
We could not have asked for a better experience in Maui with our accommodation. The cottage is absolutely perfect and our hosts were even more special. Mahalo for always being more than happy to answer our questions and making us feel at home (even before we arrived). We can’t imagine staying anywhere else on the island and wish we were staying longer! 🙁 Will definitely be recommending your cottage to anyone Down Under who is wanting to come to Maui. Mahalo Craig and Valerie for everything you have done for us and for being the beautiful people you are. We will miss you both but hope we will be back very soon. Favorite Restaurant: Troy’s Mixed Plate at Hamoa Beach. Favorite Activities: Surfing and Snorkeling Honolua Bay, Sunrise at Haleakala, Sitting on the Maui by the Sea front lawn. Absolutely amazing view – have never seen so many turtles before . Will never forget your beautiful spot. (Australia, April 2016)
Maui by the Sea is the perfect spot on the island to start and end your daily adventures. Watching sea turtles and surfers is a nice way to accompany that morning coffee/evening cocktail. Paia is a neat little place. We’d stay here again, and we explored the whole island (well, we tried). Every activity we did was easily accessible from here. The cottage had everything we needed, including an incredibly soft bed to lay our tired, sunburned heads at the end of the day. Thanks to Valerie and Craig for providing a great home away from home. I can’t imagine those fancy pants hotels on the other side of the island can do it better than you ! Favorite Restaurants: Cafe Mambo, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Haleakala Grand Crater Loop, Driving around the West Maui Mountain, Secret tide pools, Hana, Roadside beach sunsets, Jaws. (St Paul, MN, February 2016)
Such a perfect place to stay while visiting my brother and friends: Sooooo much better than a hotel. Thanks for making us feel so welcome. We even had a double rainbow as a going away present. Favorite Restaurants: Nuka, Mama’s. Favorite Activities: Snorkeling, Haleakala, waterfalls, “being in paradise with the honu!” (Altadena, CA, January 2016)
2015
We had a wonderful time! This cottage is absolutely perfect! Having a grill was so nice and we enjoyed fresh fish and steaks from Mana. Just relaxing on the lanai with morning coffee and dinners was great! LOVED watching all of the turtles!! Thank you for the wonderful hospitality Valerie and Craig! Thank you for such a wonderful and comfortable cottage, and for your warm hospitality! We had a fantastic stay! Aloha. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activities: Road to Hana, Snorkeling. (San Diego, CA, October 2015)
We enjoyed our 2 nights in Paia wrapping up a week long vacation to Maui with our 9 month old daughter. Baby Beach was the perfect place to hang out and swim for the day with our baby and we got to see a ton of turtles! The cottage was perfect and Craig and Valerie were so welcoming! We loved trying the apple bananas! We will definitely be back! Thanks for a great end to our vacation! Favorite Restaurants: Paia Coffee and Flatbread Pizza. Favorite Activities: Baby Beach and walking Baldwin Beach. (Denver, CO, October 2015)
We had a wonderful stay. The cottage was a perfect home base to get to all the various places on the island. We enjoyed turtle watching and getting to see the local surfers. Valerie and Craig were the most gracious of hosts. We really enjoyed our stay, hope to be back again! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Cafe O’lei, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling, relaxing on the many beaches. (Chicago, IL, September 2015)
On Valerie’s suggestion we went to Ho’okipa Beach Park (5 minutes drive) – there were 11 turtles on the beach. Snorkeling out to the rocky point at the right end of the beach we swam with two more. We enjoyed the tour + lunch at O’o Farm (reserve ahead), drove to Haleakala Summit and drove the Road to Hana. For dinners, also enjoyed the Flatbread Pizza Company and Cafe des Amis. Many thanks to Valerie! Favorite Restaurant: The Fish Market in Paia. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling with turtles. (Baltimore, MD, September 2015)
We couldn’t have imagined a more delightful and relaxing spot to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Although 2 hurricanes in the Pacific limited our water activities, we thoroughly enjoyed our trips to the Upcountry and West Maui. Valerie and Craig are great hosts – sharing fruit from their garden and inviting us to a local art reception. This is a vacation we will treasure for a very long time. Thanks so much Valerie and Craig! Favorite Restaurant: Casanova Italian Restaurant in Makawao. Favorite Activity: Relaxing in the lawn chairs watching sea and sky. Observing glass blowing. (Central Coast, CA, August 2015)
We had a great time in Maui! Biggest complaint is we didn’t get to stay long enough. 🙁 Favorite Restaurant: Rock & Brews. Favorite Activity: Road to Hana and driving ALL the way around. (Greer, SC, August 2015)
Reluctantly we say “Goodbye” to our wonderful “Maui by the Sea”. I’ve never met a French person who didn’t have art in their life – Valerie’s cottage is so thoughtfully designed and appointed for guests. Every inch so tastefully done and I love the artwork! Such hospitality! Feel as though we’ve always known you. Will send you a coffee grinder and aeropress coffee maker for the cottage we won’t have to bring ours on our next visit. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Getting to know this area by driving, walking, eating, snorkeling. (West Linn, OR, June 2015)
We enjoyed sitting on the lanai and having breakfast. The view is beautiful! It was fun to watch the sea turtles here and at Ho’okipa. The wind and kite surfers were amazing! We really love Paia and the slower pace compared to the other parts of the island. This location was excellent for exploring more of the “non-water” activities Maui has to offer. We also enjoyed Surfing Goat Dairy and Ocean Vodka on the one rainy day! Thanks for the yummy mango! Favorite Restaurants: Mama’s Fish House, Nuka in Haiku, Maka by Mana. Favorite Activity: Road to Hana, Yoga at Maui Yoga Shala, Haleakala at Sunset. (Santa Cruz, CA, June 2015)
We really enjoyed our stay at Maui by the Sea and the Paia atmosphere during this express trip from France. Our hosts, Craig and Valerie, have been so helpful with any questions we may have or advices about anything in Maui. We hope we can come back to Maui North Shore for a longer stay ! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Windsurfing/Beach + Haleakala View + Turtles (Paris, France, May 2015)
What a great place to stay! We truly enjoyed our time here. Valerie made staying here with a toddler easy (no small feat) Besides exploring Paia + the surrounding beaches, we lounged in the backyard, ate delicious tropical fruits + enjoyed meals (some home cooked) on the porch with the killer view. Thank you Valerie for being so kind + for helping to make our stay here so special. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Activity: Beach time ! (San Francisco, CA, May 2015)
I’m here to be with family but it has been wonderful to have my own little piece of paradise! Thank you so much and Mahalo! The Lord will provide!! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House Restaurant. Favorite Activity: Watching the sea, seeing a turtle (Orinda CA, May 2015)
We loved the cottage, the view from the porch, the tasteful decoration and cozy feel inside. Watching the turtles from the beach in your garden was awesome. Thank you, Valerie and Craig, for your advice and insider info! To shop at Mana market was great, and we will miss the delicious food from the take-out buffet, it saved us a lot of kitchen work ;). The drive to Hana is still ahead of us, it is something you made us look forward to. Thank you, perhaps see you again in the Okanagan!? Favorite Restaurant: Homemade food from local ingredients on beautiful porch. Favorite Activity: Swimming and snorkeling at Big Beach, biking, sightseeing. (Vernon, BC, Canada, March 2015)
A really great place to stay – perfect size for two and perfect facilities. This was our second “once in a lifetime holiday” to Maui and we will definitely be back ! Highlights: Windsurfing and paddle boarding at Kanaha. Watching the turtles at the bottom of the garden and also in the surf at the end of Baldwin Beach. Whale watch trip. Chilling on the deck watching the day go by – especially the sunsets. Waterfall and bamboo forest walk at the end of Hana Highway. Thank you Valerie and Craig for being the perfect hosts and for making our stay so enjoyable. Hope to see you again soon. Favorite Restaurant: Cafe Mambo. Favorite Activity: Windsurfing. Paddle boarding. (Hayling Island, UK, March 2015)
We had a great time! Enjoyed watching the turtles and surfers from the lawn chairs. Enjoyed cottage compared to hotel life ~ Thanks. Favorite Restaurant: Makawao Steak House + Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Whale watching. Driving the island. (Eureka, CA, February 2015)
Maui No Ka’oi! We could not have picked a more relaxing place to enjoy our ‘babymoon’ than here at this cottage! We wish we could have stayed longer! Paia is such a down to earth town with plenty of beautiful sights, restaurants, and people! We particularly liked the drive to Hana (hike the Bamboo forest!) and all of the windy roads on the island. Valerie and Craig are wonderful hosts who greeted us so warmly. The cottage was well equipped for relaxing days of picnics by the beach and a BBQ on the deck with the most beautiful views. Mahalo! Aloha! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Beach Coffee, Dazoo. Favorite Activity: Baldwin Beach, eating!, driving to Hana, relaxing and turtle watching. (Tacoma, WA, February 2015)
This cottage could not have been more perfect! I wish we could stay here forever!! The weather was perfect & a nice break from what we have at home. The town is absolutely fantastic, very laid back & relaxed. It is also in a good location & you don’t have to travel far to get to other places. We would recommend doing the “Feast at Lele”. It is touristy but a great experience with open bar & five courses of all different food. It you need snorkel (beach gear, go to snorkel Bob’s (Sue) is amazing. My boyfriend and I are here celebrating me graduating Law School & I wouldn’t change a thing about the trip. We will recommend this cottage to everyone as Valerie & Craig were perfect hosts :). Aloha ! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread Co & Charley’s! Favorite Activity: Snorkeling at Four Seasons & Big Beach. (St Louis, MO, December 2015)
2014
I still can’t believe our 2 weeks are up!! The cabin was wonderful. Just right for the 2 of us. We were celebrating our 35th anniversary and our stay was wonderful. Paia was an excellent surprise. Valerie & Craig were excellent hosts! Thanks y’all!! We will miss the beautiful weather as we will be in regular winter temps when we get home! Valerie + Craig – Mahalo + Aloha. We will see you again!! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Doing absolutely nothing. Turtle watching on the bank. Road to Hana. Eating incredible fish! Coffee on lanai. Rainbows. (Concord, NC, November 2014)
We really enjoyed our stay, especially after a hectic week on the Big Island after IronMan World Championships. Unfortunately hurricane Ana rained on us for 2 days, but we still found things to do like rainy hikes & runs along Hana Highway Not to mention, high winds created some awesome waves. Mahalo Valerie! & thank you for your amazing hospitality & cozy cottage. Favorite Restaurant: Mana Foods (& maybe Mama’s 6 heading there tonight). Favorite Activity: Cycling Kula Highway, watching surfers & sea turtles at Ho’okipa Beach, Haleakala & hiking in bamboo forest. (Philadelphia, PA, October 2014)
We had a lot of fun for our honeymoon in Paia. The cottage was the perfect place to call home during our trip. We cooked at home quite a bit and enjoyed the spectacular view from our deck. The location was perfect since we are only a 10-15 minute drive to the kiting beaches and also close to town. We want to come back! Valerie is a wonderful host and knows how to make your feel at home! A few things to do: 1) Check out the sea turtles laying on Ho’okipa beach at sunset. 2) Do the bamboo hike at mile 6.5 on the Highway 360. Wear water shoes and be ready to swim! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread, Mambo Café, Anthony Coffee. Favorite Activity: Kiting and snorkeling. (Oakland, CA, September 2014)
This cottage met our needs exactly, and was the perfect place to come back to after going to Baldwin Beach, or from exploring the rest of Maui. Thank you so much to Valerie and Craig for your generous hospitality, and for making our honeymoon a great one! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Fish Market, Flatbread Company, Mana Foods. Favorite Activity: Hiking Haleakala Crater, Old Lahaina Luau. (Ottawa, ON, Canada, August 2014)
It was so nice to settle in and make Maui by the Sea home! Valerie is a great host and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. This lovely cottage was the perfect home base as we explored the many sides of the island – coffee at the picnic table on the lawn, grilling on the lanai, puttering about the spacious kitchen – all of these were comforting and relaxing between discovering as much of the island as we could for these two first–time visitors. And such an amazing location, and what a view! Truly epic sunsets! Thank you for sharing your slice of paradise with us! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House!! Favorite Activity: Kite boarding/drive to Hana (tiny waterfalls! banana bread! lava tubes). (San Francisco, CA , July 2014)
As soon as I walked into the cottage I knew I had picked the right place for our first stay in Maui! I loved the view from the lanai! Rick and I enjoyed going down to the lawn chairs and watching the turtle poke their heads up. Valerie is a sweetheart and her paintings are amazing. We enjoyed our chats with Craig and Valerie. I loved the coconut fish soup from Mana Foods. And Mama’s Fish House is a culinary delight. This whole experience has been a blessing and a much needed break from a cold icy Midwest winter! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Off the beaten path finds. Baale Vietnamese Food Stand in Wailuku. Favorite Activity: (Driving up to Haleakala. (Pleasant Plain, OH, April 2014)
We loved our time at the perfect Maui by the Sea cottage. Valerie is a wonderful host. We are already missing all the fresh fruit and coconut water. We couldn’t imagine a better place to spend our baby moon! PS: To whomever is reading this, do yourself a favor and drive to Haiku for a hot dog at the Fukushima store! It’s worth it! Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market/Maui by the Sea. Favorite Activity: Exploring/Ocean/Eating! (Nashville, TN, April 2014)
Thank you so much for a GREAT stay! The cottage is great, and the fresh fruit & banana bread were amazing! We had an amazing time here on Maui and are so glad we found your cottage for our stay! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Thai Food Stand in Hana, Hali’imaile General Store, Anything on the cottage deck. Favorite Activity: Kayaking, snorkeling, hiking on road to Hana (bamboo forest/waterfall)(Tucson, AZ, March 2014) Thanks a lot for your friendly welcome. We like Paia a lot and we felt very comfortable at your place! Favorite Restaurant: Hali’imaile General Store. Favorite Activity: Exploring the island, its nature, food… (Zürich, Switzerland, March 2014)
A perfect cottage in a perfect location with perfect hosts & perfect amenities. Special (and perfect) amenities included on-site laundry facilities & Pumpkin the sweet, ginger kitty. Oh yes, the weather was perfect too. Wouldn’t change a thing – we are returning home well rested, with batteries fully re-charged. Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread Pizza & Eating on the deck @ Maui by the Sea. Favorite Activity: Everything we did with no schedule to follow. (Redmond, WA, February 2014)
Perfect relaxing location for our stay in Maui. We loved the lanai for coffee & sunset snacks. View is wonderful. Thank you Valerie and Craig for hosting us. Aloha for now. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Beach days at Hookipa. (Corona Del Mar, CA, February 2014)
A lovely well-needed rain showered on our parade, but that’s why we take at least a 3-week vacation! Maui by the Sea is a cozy place to read books, work + cook. Exploring the island is awesome + so diverse! Also knowing it is minus 0 temperature at home makes us appreciate the warmth and humidity – no dry skin! And still more rain on day 3….. it is bound to get better soon. Thanks for a cozy place to stay dry. J. Joan and Averill. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s, Lahaina Grill. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling, Whale Watching, Beach Walking. (Waterbury, VT, January 2014)
2013
We had a special week here, it was great. The view is amazing, sit and watch whales is wonderful…. You don’t need any more. You can’t share the moment – you have to be here, to feel the experience. Thanks for all (fruits, tips, help and so on). Aloha. Simona + Rod. Yes we would change with our life….Favorite Restaurant: BBQ home here. Favorite Activity: Windsurfing, Yoga, Relax + shopping (wife). (Munich, Germany, December 2013)
Mahalo, Valerie and Craig. You guys are wonderful and always so helpful. This has been one of our best stays away from home (the kids just loved the Lanai). Sitting by the ocean and watching the turtles, the sunset was so relaxing. Thanks for sharing your little piece of paradise with us. Love. Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread, Anthony Coffee. Favorite Activity: Driving around the island with many different “Aha” moments. (Houston, TX, December 2013)
Thank you for the magical stay – it was exactly what I needed to renew my energy and spirit. Love to you! Favorite Restaurant: Mana Groceries. Favorite Activity: Sunrise + Sunset. (Boulder, Colorado, November 2013)
Thank you so much, Valerie & Craig, we had the most amazing relaxing time here in Paia. You guys are truly blessed with the natural beauty of Maui surrounding you. What an amazing place Maui !! We will be back here for sure. In the meantime take care of yourselves & Pumpkin. Lots of love. Aloha & Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Nuka/Haiku, Haliimaile General Store, Tommy Bahama/Wailea. Favorite Activity: Yoga@yoga shala/Paia, Cycling around Maui, going to Mana Foods, Baby Beach, Watching Turtles, Eating out, Watching Sunrise, Sunset & Rainbows, Haleakala. (Cologne, Germany/Australia, October 2013)
Thanks Valerie! We had a great time! The cottage was perfect… very relaxing. Favorite Restaurant: Choice in Lahaina. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling, Reading on the beach, watching the turtles and the monk seal. (Bend, OR, September 2013)
It is our second time here, and not our last. Valerie and Craig are fantastic hosts and have become friends. This is a wonderful place to unwind and enjoy. Swimming in nearby Tavares was a great start to the day. The windsurfing and downwind paddle boarding was my highlights. Lyn enjoyed the cafes, beaches and just relaxing with the fantastic views from the beach garden. Au revoir, Valerie, Craig and mostly Pumpkin (the ‘mascot’) XXX. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Windsurfing, Downwind Paddle boarding. (Sydney, Australia, August 2013)
It was a lovely and peaceful stay. The cottage is warm and in a perfect location. Thank you Valerie and Craig for your recommendations and hospitality. Thank you for sharing Pumpkin! We look forward to seeing you both again soon. Mahalo! Jeanie and Stu!Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: So Many! Haleakala & Swimming with sea turtles at Hookipa. (Los Angeles, CA, August 2013)
Thanks, Craig & Valerie, for sharing your piece of paradise with us this week. We particularly enjoyed your hospitality and getting to know you. Also thanks for sharing tropical storm “Flossie” with us the light show was spectacular. Favorite Restaurant: Enjoyed all the local restaurants. Also liked Star Noodle in Lahaina. Favorite Activity: Road to Hana. (Carmel, IN, July 2013)
We had a wonderful week at Maui by the Sea. Perfect spot for relaxing. Love Paia! Mana Foods was wonderful. Lots of lovely local foods to enjoy. Thanks Valerie for letting us share your little piece of paradise. Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread & Café des Amis. Favorite Activity: Road to Hana, esp. Hike through Bamboo Forest at Oheo Gulch. (San Diego, CA, July 2013)
Wow! We absolutely loved the cottage. Valerie is a wonderful host. We will be back! We loved Paia, the snorkeling at Honolua Bay was great. Road to Hana was beautiful! We cooked most meals in the cottage as we loved watching the sunset from the deck! Thank you Valerie Craig & Pumpkin! Look forward to seeing you next year. Favorite Restaurant: Flatbreat Company. Favorite Activity: Downwind Stand up Paddling, Snorkeling ! (Perth, Western Australia, July 2013)
Ideal honeymoon! Was 1st time at Maui so we tried our best to see whole island. See “Maui Revealed” guide book. Views from lanai were breathtaking at sunset, enjoyed the grill and chillin’ with Pumpkin! Tried Mai-tais everywhere – best were at Milagros. XOX I♥u Pumpkin! Favorite Restaurant: Lunch: Café des Amis. Happy Hour : Milagros. Dinner: Mama’s Fish House $$$$. Favorite Activity: Snorkel @ Honolua Bay. Hiking off Hana Hwy. Turtles @ Hookipa. (DC, July 2013)
We had a wonderful time here in Paia. Maui by the Sea was a great location, very comfortable, beautiful views, and Valerie was the perfect host. Thank you for all the fruit! It was the best we’ve had. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling in Molokini on the Paragon; snorkeling in Turtle Island with Maui Kayacs. (Rochester, NY, June 2013)
Second time around & Maui still holds a special place in our hearts. We love staying @ Maui by the Sea Cottage and it was wonderful spending a night of good food, wine and company and getting to know you both better, thanks Valerie + Craig for joining us for dinner. Very pleased we finally snorkeled with the sea turtles – Amazing, and the paddle boarding was great, our new sport. We will miss Maui and all its healing powers, until we meet again XX. Favorite Restaurant: Our kitchen @ Maui by the Sea. Favorite Activity: Paddle boarding and snorkeling (Seattle, WA, May 2013)
A wonderful place to stay on the right side of the island one look at the sea of condos on our first day (on the other side) was enough to know we had made the right choice! Watch the turtles feeding as the sun goes down at the bottom of the garden; what could be better than that! Many thanks for sharing your lovely home. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Mana Food Store. Favorite Activity: Volcano. (Auckland, New Zealand, May 2013)
The past two years we’ve been around the Hawaiian Islands for 6 weeks. This year – coming from Kauai – we found the definitely best place to stay: Maui by the Sea. The garden, birds, butterflies and the turtles at the beach give a feeling of arrival in paradise. The porch is really great, the kitchen the best equipped we found on Hawaii and Valerie and Craig made our stay pleasant and had good advices on what to do on Maui. So we explored the whole Island and loved it. MAHALO to Valerie and Craig, we are coming back! Favorite Restaurant: Maui by the Sea Kitchen. Favorite Activity: Hiking, swimming, snorkeling, sunset at Hookipa Beach. (Cologne, Germany, May 2013)
This was our 8th Anniversary trip and we rank it as one of our best. The cottage is so well supplied with beach gear, chairs, mats, towels, that it made it so fun and easy to enjoy ourselves. We’ve explored the whole island, and this place is conveniently located to all sights. Aloha. Favorite Restaurant: Really enjoyed all the fresh produce available, sometimes we just ate here @ cottage. Really like Bistro Casanova. Favorite Activity: Enjoyed everything from snorkeling to hiking @ Haleakala. (The Dalles, OR, April 2013)
Don’t miss the sea turtles, drive the whole island. Wear sunscreen! Favorite Restaurant: Nuka Sushi (Haiku) Favorite Activity: Kiteboarding, snorkeling @ south Wailea (Dumps)(Vancouver, BC, April 2013)
Craig + Valerie are awesome hosts – we loved the peace + tranquility of the “back yard” by the coast + sweet visits by Pumpkin the cat ;). We have been truly blessed! Get up early + enjoy the day: drive to Hana; quiet beaches for snorkeling down by Wailea/Makena State park (take first yellow gate entrance to that park…w/dirt road). We were busy driving all over exploring, hiking & being in the H2O. Thank you also for the fresh fruit, too. We hope to return to this comfy cottage again! Don’t want to leave… Bed pillow…ahhhh…J. Philippians 4:4-13! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House is worth it. “A Saigon Café” in Wailuku. We didn’t get to Veg-out or Colleen’s in Ha’iku. Anthony’s for coffee or breakfast treat! (mango scone!:)). Ono gelato for dessert. Favorite Activity: Paddle boarding, snorkeling, hiking, driving road to Hana + continuing back the southern route. (Eagle, CO, April 2013)
This was our first visit to Maui & we loved it! So diverse a landscape! If you drive the Hana Hwy… go all the way around, it is way worth it! As it was the first time we did all the regular activities, snorkeling, helicopter, Molokini, Sunset sail….. next time we will spend more time relaxing on the wonderful beaches. Ukumehame Beach park…. park under a tree and enjoy the calm waters. Ho’okipa Beach… wild waves & turtles! Thanks Valerie & Craig for sharing your corner of paradise. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Watching the turtles at Ho’okipa Beach… wild! (Montreal, Canada, March 2013)
This was our first trip to Maui & we loved it! The cottage is located in such a relaxed area – but close enough to the “busier” towns when you want to venture out. The cottage had everything we needed – it was the perfect getaway location. Great hosts as well! So nice to be greeted on arrival! We took Valerie’s advice + did the “full round trip” drive when we went to Hana (coming back through unpaved parts) + are not sorry that we did! Such a nice drive with incredible views & stops along the way! God bless! Hope to make it back some day! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House!! (dinner), Café Mambo (breakfast) Favorite Activity: Hana Hwy drive, swimming under waterfalls, scuba diving (saw sea turtles, eel, white –tip reef shark!), whale watching, luau, etc, etc.!(Moosonee, Ontario, Canada, March 2013)
Maui was a PERFECT escape from the reality of the “north country”. We loved the cottage & Valerie is a “gem”. Hope to come back to the cottage SOON!! Thank you Valerie & Craig… PS: What a great bed, one of the best:) Favorite Restaurant: Charley’s in Paia. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling to Molokini with Four WindsII crew (Bozeman, MT & Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada, March 2013)
We love Maui and really enjoyed the cottage by the sea – a lovely sitting. I loved watching the turtles our front in the afternoons and the entertainment of the surfers. We enjoyed the pineapple and bananas. Thank you to Valerie and Craig. Favorite Restaurant: Bill’s cooking anywhere! Mama’s for the view. Favorite Activity: Hiking, golf, snorkeling, boogie board, whale watching (Bend, OR, February 2013)
Feel so homey with the little cottage. Love the view on front house, really enjoy our comfy bed, fruit are delicious, also the herb is help a lot for our food in the kitchen. Pumpkin is lovely friend that we will really miss after we leave. It is a dream come true for Santi to live on little house by the sea even just for a week. Really love your spot and we will never forget this place. Thank you so much for everything that you prepare for us. Favorite Restaurant: : ”Maui by the Sea Kitchen” Favorite Activity: Mountain + Beach sight seeing (Hong Kong, February 2013)
Loved our private spot out front, beautiful water + sky, ever changing views. Even the “kitchen sink” had a lovely view. We looked forward to our morning visits with Pumpkin. He’s a special kitty. Thanks for a week we couldn’t have enjoyed more!! Love this island! Favorite Restaurant: Fresh + tasty everywhere! Favorite Activity: “Chil-axing” (San Miguel, CA, January 2013)
Gorgeous setting, great weather. Enjoyed every moment (except for some of the twisty parts of the drive around the North Shore!) Valerie + Craig are gracious hosts (esp. Valerie being polite about my French!). Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s, also Flatbread Pizza. Favorite Activity: Sunset sail on Scotch Mist II (lots of whales). (Hancock Point, Maine, January 2013)
What a wonderful vacation experience!! Craig + Valerie are wonderful!! Thank You So Much… Pumpkin is a great host alsoJ Enjoy your Stay!! Go to Hana, drive all the way around!! (No worries, Worth it!!) South Maui Beaches are top notch!! Mama’s is special for sure!! Things we missed: Haleakala Crater, Whale watching tour, surfing, snorkeling, guided tour. All for Next time!! Aloha!! Mahalo Craig + Valerie!!! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s, Paia Fish Market, Duke’s (Lahaina), Kimo’s (Lahaina), Flatbread, Milagro’s, Café des Amis, Café Mambo. Favorite Activity: Hana, Backside of Hana!!!, South Maui Beaches, Lahaina, Beaches, Snorkeling, Soaking the Sun!! Enjoying the Aloha Spirit!! (Newtown, PA, January 2013)
Sometimes, weather permitted, Haleakala Sunset might be better than a 4am sunrise with too much clouds! Some mad energy up there in the crater!!!! Lahaina is really pretty. Really pretty beaches around that area!! Pipiwai trail – past Hana + 7 Sacred Pools! Really easy trek!! No flip flops though – 1 hr up – 1 hr down – easy! Thank u Guys!!! Favorite Restaurant: Mambo’s breakfast and lunch, Casanova’s Italian – Makawao, Lahaina Grill – posh n yum – Lahaina, Mana Foods – everything else. Favorite Activity: Whale watching (Ultimate whale watching in Lahaina) & Road after Hana!!! (Galway, Ireland, January 2013)
2012
We had a great time and stay in the cottage. Thank you Valerie for being very friendly, helpful and accommodating. Wishing you a Happy New Year. And hopefully till soon! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s. Favorite Activity: Windsurfing. (New York, NY, December 2012)
We have had a wonderful time and Valerie & Craig are wonderful hosts. They have given us really good advices on trips and what to see for example a tour round the Hana Highway, a rainforest hiking and sunrise at the volcano with breakfast at Kula Lodge. One new favorite for Sandra & Victor is throwing the American football. Tack så mycket! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s. Favorite Activity: Eating fruit, body surf, windsurfing. (Goteborg, Sweden, December 2012)
This is such a wonderful place – exactly what we needed + more. We have many reasons to come back + will be at Maui by the Sea again. Favorite Restaurant: Lunch Wagon – Best Poke in town. Favorite Activity: Beach hopping. (New York, NY, December 2012)
Thank you for a fabulous stay! We’re so happy we decided to stay here – Paia is a lovely little town! Favorite Restaurant: Komoda bakery in Makawao, Mama’s, Ono Gelato (Maia’s favorite) Favorite Activity: Twin Falls hike, Goat Dairy Farm, Swimming & Baby beach, looking for turtles & Pumpkin! (San Francisco, CA, December 2012)
Thanks for a home away from home – we really enjoyed the place and the ability to get away from the crowds! Thanks for the fruit – very good! We had a wonderful anniversary! Thanks. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s. Favorite Activity: The drive home from Hana – on the back side – very beautiful! (Vancouver, B.C., November 2012)
Great hosts, great place. Many thanks! We’ll be back. Favorite Restaurant: All of them!! Favorite Activity: Exploring Maui. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada, November 2012)
Valerie & Craig are great hosts! Now great friends. Cottage was perfect with the best front yard view on the North Shore – perfect location at famous Hookipa and east to Hana, access to Haleakala – sunrise & South to Kihei – West to Lahaina/Kaanapali. We spent one day on O’ahu – Pearl Harbor. Molokini day trip snorkeling was great, snorkeling at the North end of West Maui on the way to the Blow Hole may be the best. We love the surfing town of Paia the best! And on of the best surfing spots in the world with big Green Sea Turtles! We loved our stay and definitely are coming back soon! Aloha! Favorite Restaurant: Kula Lodge, Mama’s Fish House, Whole Foods! Favorite Activity: Exploring, snorkeling, SU Paddle board, windsurfing, hiking, eating. (Carolina Beach, N.C, November 2012)
We had a very good time here in Maui – to be open I like Maui more than Big Island where we spent the week before – the road to Hana is amazing, but the road via Kahakaloa is also very impressive. I can really understand why people decide to stay here! Many thanks. Favorite Restaurant: Flatbreat Pizza and Mana Store, prepared at home meals. Favorite Activity: Exploring the island, swimming. (Germany, October 2012)
We had an amazing start of our two weeks stay in Hawaii – we are worried it will all be downhill from here! The deckchairs are amazing and we’ve enjoyed relaxing on those as we watch the surf. This cottage has been wonderful; we felt right at home and were really able to relax and enjoy our time here. Many thanks! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbreat Pizza, Paia Fish Market, Mama’s Fish House – Amazing, Café des Amis – great coffee + crepes. Favorite Activity: Exploring the island, snorkeling at Honolua Bay, surfing, Baldwin Beach Park, soft sand and swim (Australia, October 2012)
Amazing place. Felt like a home away from home. Will recommend to all my friends. Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis. Favorite Activity: Paula Fuga’s concert (Québec & Montréal, October 2012)
We really appreciated the view, the large balcony and your hospitality. Montreal is a long way from here but hopefully we will be back soon. Merci! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Bay Coffee. Favorite Activity: Haleakala National Park (Montreal, Quebec, October 2012)
We had a spectacular time! Great location after a few days in Hana – central to everything! We are going to miss our daily visits from Pumpkin! Great meals at Mama’s, Spago and Café Mambo. Great hikes at Poli Poli Park, Haleakala Crater and Waimoku Falls. Can’t wait to come back! Favorite Restaurant: Café Mambo, Spago. Favorite Activity: Stand Up Paddle (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October 2012)
I had the pleasure of sharing this vacation with my 16 year old cousin (the first week). We loved staying here, the cottage was perfect for the two of us. We enjoyed the snorkeling trip with the Pacific Whale Foundation-highly recommend it. We couldn’t get enough of the lovely beaches this island has, from Kihei to Kapalua. I will definitely be back and will stay at Maui by the Sea again! Paia has changed a lot since I spent a summer here 20 years ago, but I still love this place. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Flat Bread Pizza. Favorite activity: Relaxing. Going to the beach. (Richmond, CA. August, 2012)
As this was our 4th visit to Maui, and we were celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary, we found this lovely Cottage. The reservation process was quick, simple and friendly. Not being “Resort People”, we always look for quaint properties at which we can relax, enjoy the natural beauty of the land and sea and, most importantly, be “far from the maddening crowd!” Thanks for making our stay wonderful! See you again. Favorite Restaurant: Feast @ Lele Luau. Favorite activity: Hiking Rainforest(Beaumont, TX. July, 2012)
Thank you Valerie and Craig and Pumpkin for sharing this beautiful spot of earth with us. The Cottage was a perfect home base as we explored Maui. We loved Hana, Haleakala, Iao Valley and the western beaches and breath taking cliffs. After the busy-ness of Oahu, this was the perfect ending to a memorable trip! Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Flatbread Pizza, Milagros. Favorite activity: Not working! Seeing all this beautiful island has to offer (Hyattsville, MD. May, 2012)
We loved the North Shore! Maui by the Sea was located close to everything we wanted. Kitesurfing and volleyball at Kanaha Beach was our go to day. We also really enjoy the Mt. Haleakala sunrise (the pre-glow is quite the show). Road to Hana was wonderful day of exploration and relaxation (the CD in the Cottage is very helpful!) We enjoyed our frequent visitor Pumpkin and our dinners on the Lanai. Great place to end our month long stay in Maui! Thanks so much Craig and Valerie!! PS: The view from our porch and the backyard to die for. Loved waking up to it every day! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread + Paia Fish Market. Favorite activity: Kitesurfing, snorkeling, volley ball + Red sand Beach. (San Diego, CA. May, 2012)
We loved Maui by the Sea as our starting point for many adventures. Loved traveling around the island, stopping at small fruit stands and beaches. Most of all loved living as a local here in Paia! Morning yoga at Yoga Shala. Dinners at Cafe Des Amis, Flatbread Pizza etc. What a great place with so many warm and fun people. Valerie and Craig were the best hosts, along with Pumpkin stopping by for morning treats. Thanks for the warm clothes for the early sunset-oops-sunrise at the Crater. We will miss it all, but hopefully be back soon! Now off to our wedding : )) ! Thanks much! Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis + Flatbread Pizza. Favorite activity: Touring the island + Road to Hana. (Malibu, CA. May, 2012)
All the food we had in Paia was really good. Baby Beach is great for the little ones. We got the audio tour for the road to Hana-it was great! The whole trip narrated by a rich Polynesian dude’s voice! We loved it. We love Maui by the Sea! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread! The Best was eating @ Maui by the Sea. Favorite activity: Baby Beach! Road to Hana was great too. (Seattle, WA. May, 2012)
Lovely Cottage, wonderful hosts. Just the right size and comfy to come home to! Shade and breeze from the Lanai and spectacular view from the garden. Lots of sea turtles grazing on the rocks out front. Thank you! Favorite Restaurant: Anthony’s Breakfast/Colleen’s Dinner. Favorite activity: Touring the island and stopping at deserted beaches for a quiet time. (Amherst, NH. April, 2012)
The Cottage was very comfortable and felt like home. Valerie and Craig were wonderful hosts and Pumpkin was a well-behaved frequent visitor. The setting here is beautiful. We started the trip at Kaanapali Beach Hotel and will finish at the Plantation Inn in Lahaina Maui is a fantastic getaway-our favorite! Theme of this trip–Sea Turtles! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market, Colleen’s in Haiku. Favorite activity: Sail/snorkel on Trilogy IV. Hiking Waiehu Spring Trail, local Paia beaches (Longmart, CO. April, 2012)
We came for the kiteboarding at Kanaha Beach near the airport. We had good wind most days and a great time. We recommend making you way up to Haleakala Crater to watch the sunset and about one hour later the stars are amazing. Just remember to bring warm clothes. If you are into snorkeling we enjoyed Makena Beach and the nature reserve at the southern tip of the island. We found the Maui Ocean Center just average and didn’t enjoy Mama’s Fish House as the food was overdone with sweetness though the ingredients were good. We really enjoyed the cottage and beach combing in front. Many thanks to Valerie and Craig! This is a very comfortable spot. Favorite Restaurant: Café Mambo in Paia. Favorite activity: Warming up after Canadian winter. (Vancouver, BC, Canada. March, 2012)
So very relaxing to enjoy our morning coffee on our deck watching the ocean and listening to the rushing surf. This is a good spot to begin a trip to Hana-incredibly beautiful. We loved our early evenings with our “guest” Pumpkin. We enjoyed our conversations with Valerie! It all ended too soon. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite activity: Walking the Beach, Watching the surfers, Sea turtles & Windsurfers. Walking the streets + Shopping in Paia. (Mansfield, OH. February, 2012)
We enjoyed our stay at Maui by the Sea. It’s well situated to visit the sites like the road to Hana, Haleakala Crater and environs. We enjoyed sitting out on the lawn chairs watching the surfers and the turtles and walking Baldwin Beach, bird-watching at Hosmer’s Grove and shopping at Mana Foods. We recommend the cherry pie. Favorite Restaurant: Pizza at Kula Lodge, Feast @ Lele, Dinner on the lanai. Favorite activity: Exploring the beaches & the slopes of Haleakala crater including the Kula Lavender Farm. (Saskatoon, SK, Canada. February, 2012)
We had such a wonderful time this week–the Cottage was perfect for our last week of 4 on the island…away from it all, just “beaching it: and enjoying the scenery. We did a few more “tourist” stuff like the summit of Haleakala, the “Swap Meet” Saturday in Kahului, the Iao Valley…but the best things in life aren’t things–like whale watching and surf watching. Thank you Craig and Valerie for the wonderful cottage and everything we could need. God’s Blessings on you and your home! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s, Paia Fish Market, Flatbread, Feast at Lee, Polii’s etc… We love Hawaii’s food! Favorite activity: Watching the “BIG” surf! (RockFalls, IL. February, 2012)
Amazing good night sleeps. The wind blowing thru the window and the waves crashing were exactly what was needed. A complete and total recharge for the next year. Everyday we found a beach or scenery that was more beautiful than the day before. The area past Hana was some of the best. Of course having Pumpkin waiting for us when we got home was a bonus–so well behaved : ) Thank you! We love Maui by the Sea! Favorite Restaurant: Alive and Well – Seafood chowder. Haliimaile General Store–order apps at the bar. Favorite activity: Kitesurfing, exploring the island. (NC/Brasil. January, 2012)
2011
I’ve stayed in many places on Maui over the years, and the Cottage seemed like home and Valerie seemed like a long, lost friend. My new home away from home! Thank you. Favorite Restaurant: The Market. Favorite activity: Kitesurf, SUP. (Hood River, OR. December, 2011)
We had just a fabulous time here! A true vacation on a wonderful part of Maui. Thanks for creating such a terrific place – close to all the lushness on the road to Hana, down the mountain from Pastoral Farms, and not far from great beaches. Meals in Paia were delicious. And loved sitting on the lanai for breakfasts and nighttime reading. Wonderful place, thanks!! Favorite Restaurant: Star Noodle. Favorite activity: Snorkeling. (Mountain View, CA. November, 2011)
This was the best Maui Holiday we’ve ever had. It was great to stay here, all the conveniences, the lanai was our favorite, we’ll always treasure our BBQ Dinner Candlelight evenings, the beautiful Ocean, Palm Trees, & of course time with Pumpkin. We sure loved Paia (Flatbread!), the Boutiques, great coffee, the Fruit!, Upcoutnry was marvelous too. We did so much, Hana, beaches, pretty well covered all of Maui. Ate incredibly well. A lot of relaxation. It’s definitely very hard to leave. Thank you so much for making our holiday even better than we imagined! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite activity: Hana Adventure, Snorkeling, Exploring, Tidal Pools, Beaching. (Vancouver, Canada. October, 2011)
Once again we “loved” it here. You have made this place a second home for everyone that is blessed enough to be able to come here. We love you guys, and loved having Pumpkin come and hang out with us. As Michael says: “You have one cool cat, Valerie!” Thank you and May God Bless every step you take. Favorite Restaurant: Charley’s & Alexanders. Favorite activity: Surfing, Snorkeling, Hana and well everything. (Providence Village, TX. October, 2011)
Thank you very much Valerie & Craig for your hospitality. We enjoyed our stay very much. We will definitely miss this place and especially of course Pumpkin. Happy to recommend your place to others. Best wishes/Viele CriBe und viele Dank. Favorite Restaurant: Eating at house/Mambo. Favorite activity: Windsurfing/SUP/Snorkeling. (Dublin, Ireland & Kiel, Germany. September, 2011)
A beautiful house, tastefully decorated and completely outfitted with everything one needs. Paradise! Merci beaucoup! Favorite Restaurant: Eating at home! Favorite activity: Hiking and Swimming. (New-York, NY. August, 2011)
We can’t believe how quickly time has passed! The cottage was just perfect, especially after two previous weeks of road tripping on the mainland. It was well kitted out, relaxing and a perfect central base in which to explore the island – and let’s not forget about that wonderful view from the veranda. Valerie & Craig, thank you for your friendly hospitality and advice on where to go on the island. It’s a shame we didn’t have enough time to spend getting to know you more. Oh well, we will just have to come back! Last but not least, Pumpkin, you are definitely a flirt! Thank you so much for a fantastic last week to our honeymoon. All the best. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite activity: Snorkeling with the turtle, Lahaina Luau, Hana drive and generally relaxing. (Berkshire, England. August, 2011)
This is one of the best holidays ever! We loved swimming with turtles at the waterfront, standup paddling from Tavares to Sprecks + great windsurfing. Craig and Valerie are wonderful hosts, who enhanced our stay at the cottage, and enjoyment of Maui + various activities here. The welcoming fruit basket was also a lovely surprise! We love the cottage and felt right at home here. Mr. Pumpkin kept us entertained and made our holiday even more memorable. We’ll definitely be back!! 11/10. Favorite Restaurant: Cocktails @ Café Mambo in Paia, La Provence in Kula for French pastries. Favorite activity: SUP, Windsurfing. (Sydney, Australia. August, 2011)
We had a wonderful stay at Maui by the Sea Cottage. We enjoyed meeting Valerie, Craig & Pumpkin. The Kula Botanical Gardens were beautiful, as were the gardens comprised of plants brought to Hawaii by the Polynesians at Iao Valley. Even though we had vowed never to drive the Road to Hana again – we did & this time visited the gravesite of aviator Charles Lindbergh + the “Seven Sacred Pools”. We enjoyed fresh produce from UpCoutnry. The weather was perfect for our snorkel trip to Molokini. Spent some time in Lahaina & Wailea. It was great to watch a Stand Up Paddle board race from the lawn chairs out front, then see the finish at the harbor. Thanks for everything. We love the cottage! Favorite Restaurant: Maui by the Sea Cottage. Favorite activity: Walking Baldwin Beach, then swimming at Baby beach. (Near Annapolis, MD – It was over 100F at home while we were here. July, 2011)
The place was wonderful. Thank you, Valerie + Craig, for your hospitality. Pumpkin deserves his own TV show. We’ll miss you Pumpkin! You’re the only cat I ever loved… Favorite Restaurant: Haili’imaile General Store. Favorite activity: Seven Sacred Pools Hike. (San Francisco, CA. July, 2011)
We love it here in Paia! Wish we could have stayed longer… the cottage is so wonderful and we had everything we needed here. The front porch was a great spot to enjoy sunsets and to watch the rain, and we loved reading in the morning in the chairs on the front lawn. Valerie, thank you for showing us all the plants and trees in the yard – we absolutely loved our fresh squeezed orange juice and the unbelievably delicious bananas! Our only regret is not being able to spend more time with Craig & Valerie – thank you so much for EVERYTHING! We hope to come back soon! Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread Pizza Co. Favorite activity: Going to the beach, surfing, Goat dairy farm tour, Haleakala Sunset. (Austin, TX. June, 2011)
Thank you for accommodating us at this amazing place in Paia – We’ve had an amazing time on Maui and packed a lot in-windsurfing at Ho’okipa, Hana Highway, Sunrise on Haleakala + biking down to Haiku, beaches on the west coast, eating, sunbathing, photography of everything! 1 week just isn’t enough and you’ve made our stay so easy – the cottage is so well equipped and I love the deck chairs!! You have a fantastic life here – wishing you all the best…maybe one time soon we will return for more of what Maui has to offer! On to Kauai now…Love. Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis, Paia Fish Market and Flatbread Pizza Co. Favorite Activity: Windsurfing, sunbathing and photography (Chichester West Sussex, UK. May, 2011)
Thank you Valerie for providing such a cozy guest house, nicely decorated and well equipped to meet our every need. Highlights for us were exploring West Maui especially the coastal drive (clockwise is definitely best), beach hopping along South Maui coast, strolling H.A. Baldwin Beach Park nearby and watching windsurfers at Ho’okipa Beach. We also really enjoyed the Feast at Lele in Lahaina, the Hana Highway and Hana area were also fantastic! We hope to return one day to see the sunrise at Haleakala Crater. PS: Give Pumpkin a pat for us. The friendliest cat we have ever met! Favorite Restaurant: Feast at Lele, Flatbread Pizza and Mana Foods. Favorite Activity: Exploring Maui, beaches, mountains, rain forest and Upcountry (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. May, 2011)
Thank you for sharing this beautiful spot with us! It was a great place to be and great base from which to explore! Craig and Valerie and Pumpkin really helped us enjoy our honeymoon in peace, beauty and comfort! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Flat bread Pizza and Maui by the Sea. Favorite Activity: So many…kayaking, hiking, snorkeling. (Bethesda, MD. April, 2011)
We came for our 10 year wedding anniversary and loved every minute of it! We loved good shopping at Whole Foods in Kahului, Mana Foods in Paia (+ champagne is cheap at Costco and Safeway if you join – free at Safeway!). We loved the cottage + the view. It is very well stocked with everything we needed. Thank you for the chocolates, nuts, fruits + yummy pineapple! We had a wonderful dinner at Mama’s Fish House – you can walk. There is a short cut – ask Valerie). Thank you for the warm welcome from you all, including Pumpkin! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House, Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Kiting at Kanaha, Surfing at Lipoa Point, sitting in the garden here, The Spa at The Grand Wailea! (Sydney, Australia. April, 2011)
Nous avons passé 2 semaines absolument extraordinaires à Maui pour notre lune de miel: Le cottage est magnifique et a largement surpassé notre attente. Nous partons avec l’espoir de pouvoir revenir ici très bientôt et avoir l’occasion de nous loger à nouveau à Maui by the Sea. Merci Valérie pour la précieuse aide par email pour la préparation du voyage! Bises. PS: Pumpkin est un chat en or… Favorite Restaurant: Maui by the Sea! Favorite Activity: Windsurf. (Barcelone, Spain. March, 2011)
Thanks much Craig and Valerie! Favorite Restaurant: Fresh fish, fruits & veggies cooked at Maui by the Sea. Favorite Activity: Exploring Maui. (Anchorage, AK. March, 2011)
Thank you to Valerie and Craig. It was beautiful to sit on our deck and below, watching the whales, surfers and waves. It was fun to explore all of the little towns and talking to the merchants and hearing the local scoop. We enjoyed the forest reserve off of Piiholo Road. We hiked down to the spring that was dry but we got a good hike. It’s fun to see pine trees here on the island like the Northwest. Such a diverse landscape. We tried to see the Redwoods up Waipoli Road, but the road got closed in January due to a storm. It was a beautiful road though. So many things to do and see. We hope to be back. Thanks. Pumpkin was our favorite, always our greeter – sweet kitty!!! Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread, Makawao Steak House (the biggest prime rib ever/it’s taken me 3 days to eat it all, amazing), Colleen’s at the Haiku Cannery. Favorite Activity: Exploring the winding roads around here & finding Reserves, gardens, churches, old houses etc. (Seattle, WA. February, 2011)
Thank’n to Valerie + Craig for the welcome and great cottage. Great view we enjoy from the outside table. Watch quietly you will see blows + splashes from the whales in the bay. Maui has multiple microclimates from the tropical way toward Hana (617 curves – 56 one lane bridge) to the more dry area of Kihei and Lahaina. Haleakala volcano a 10000″ was a great experience going down with the front suspension bike. From amid 50F to 82 F of Paia in less than 2 hours. I have lot of respect for those who bike uphill…. I saw more fit people and zen type of people than in the last years. Our Holiday finished with Elton John – What a trip…. Pumpkin loves Ahi Poke. Aloha! Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread Pizza. Ahi Poke. Favorite Activity: Stand up paddle. Snuba. Maui bike ride down volcano.(Caraquet, New Brunswick, Canada. February, 2011)
We enjoyed every moment + as always are planning our next trip back while we are here! Love the cottage, location & and the fruits and veggies. Much Aloha. Pumpkin was a welcome sight every time he came to visit. Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread Pizza. Favorite Activity: Driving around and exploring.(Spring Valley, CA. January, 2011)
I really enjoyed the welcome feeling by Valerie, Craig & Pumpkin. The cottage was clean, very well organized & I felt I had everything I could ask for in accommodations. I got to experience a few nights of downpours & thunder/lightning. The cottage stayed cozy & dry while I got to experience nature at its finest! A wonderful experience, over-all. Thanks much! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Island’s best fish burgers! & Market Fresh bistro, Makawao. Favorite Activity: Paddle boarding, zipline, swimming, trips to the upcountry. (Los Angeles, CA. January, 2011)
2010
What an amazing “tree house”. Thanks so much for everything – especially the fruit. The avocados were amazing. LOVED Pumpkin! Loved the house! Thanks for the tips on the surfer watching. Can’t wait to return! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Relaxing on the beach & biking the volcano. (Portland, OR. December, 2010)
We loved staying in this most comfortable and lovely cottage, wish we lived right here all the time – we did not lack for anything. The cottage is very thoughtfully and generously equipped by our warm and welcoming hosts. Thank you Valerie and Craig and Pumpkin! We enjoyed the fruit ~ Mahalo. I have never felt more “at home” away from home anywhere else I’ve stayed. We will certainly stay here again if we are fortunate enough to someday return. Truly a taste of Paradise staying here at Maui by the Sea. Favorite Restaurant: Café des Amis. Favorite Activity: Waterfall hunting along Hana Highway. Surfing lessons at Lahaina. Exploring the Kahekili Highway (scary narrow mountain roads but worth it!) Hanging out in Paia. (West Hartford, CT. November, 2010)
Valerie & Craig we love “Maui by the Sea”! we had a wonderful time, great location, love your little town of Paia! We hung at Kanaha Beach almost every day for kiting! Thanks for your generous hospitality + for sharing your piece of Maui with us! We hope to be back! Fondly. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fishmarket, Polis Fish tacos + salsa! Favorite Activity: Kiting, exploring the island. Hiking, riding, snorkeling.(Chicago, IL. November, 2010)
The location of the cottage is great! Paia is so close and has wonderful quaint shops and restaurants. It’s easy driving distance to all areas of the island. It feels like living in a tree house! The cottage is perfect for a family of 3, with a small child/infant. We sure appreciated the crib and high chair! Thank you so much for the welcoming fruit basket…. we enjoyed that very much. Valerie & Craig were ideal hosts, always available if needed. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Baldwin Beach & watching surfers at Ho’okipa (Sacramento, CA. October, 2010)
Thank you Craig & Valerie for your fabulous hospitality! Craig and Valerie are one of the coolest couples we have met on our Maui trip. It was unfortunate we only spent one night but at least we got a taste of paradise here at Maui by the Sea. We can only hope to return someday and enjoy this wonderful place again. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House – Yum. Favorite Activity: Road to Hana (San Diego, CA. September, 2010)
Valerie and Craig what can we say about your slice of heaven: EVERYTHING! WE truly loved our time here. Never seen so many rainbows and enjoyed every sunset (and sunrise too at Haleakala). the windsurfing was the best ever, came at 2pm every day! Thanks for making us right at home and Pumpkin too. Take care. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House (lunch). Favorite Activity: Windsurfing & Snorkeling. (Oak Ridge, NJ. September, 2010)
Valerie & Craig created such a cozy, homey charming home away from home! Thank you for all the fruit & extra touches that made our stay here even more enjoyable. Try Valerie’s recipes on her website too! Lemongrass with ginger and fish – Yum! Of course Pumpkin was an added sweet feature! Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread Pizza, Haliimaile General Store, Mama’s. Favorite Activity: Fleming Beach body surfing & hanging out, hiking in bamboo forest at Seven Sacred Pools & the refreshing pools & snorkeling @ Honolua Bay. (Santa Cruz, CA. August, 2010)
Thank you for the relaxed lodging. We like very much the tasteful cottage (please don’t hide your great art behind the edge), fresh renovated and comfortable. Stay healthy and enjoy your chosen little heavenly homespot. Thanks both of you!Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market, Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Seeing different climate zones around the island. Kiteboarding. (Hamburg, Germany. August, 2010)
Thank you Valerie for taking our wedding pictures! We loved your yard with the lounge chairs. Thank you Craig for the winter clothes for watching the sunrise at the crater. Valerie + Craig are such wonderful hosts. Their cottage is so cozy + cute. We loved every minute of our stay here! PS: Pumpkin is a great little kitty! Favorite Restaurant: Whatever you pick, you can’t go wrong! Favorite Activity: Hike to Seven pools waterfall, Sunrise at the crater. Feast Lele Luau (Buffalo, NY. July, 2010)
Thank you so much for the wonderful stay. We loved our time here… what a great place for a honeymoon! Thanks so much. (Lake Forest Park, WA. June, 2010)
Great place – very comfortable and clean. Great for our little baby – thanks for the high chair, crib and baby gate! Sitting out front, looking over the ocean & reading was beautiful! Thank you for your hospitality! Favorite Activity: Windsurfing. (Fairfax, CA. June, 2010)
We loved our time here – thank you so much for having such a great place! It was so nice to have a comfortable place to come home to. The beach front locale was everything we were looking for – it was wonderful to be able to watch the sunset from the back lawn. We will refer our friends looking for a place to stay in Maui, and we will be back! Thanks Valerie for everything! Oh, and we loved hanging with Pumpkin too! Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market for fish sandwiches, Charley’s for breakfast and good times watching a game, Kula Lodge for a unique upcountry dining experience! Favorite Activity: Swimming in the Pacific! (Los Angeles, CA. June, 2010)
Valerie and Craig are wonderful – so kind, warm and helpful. We love this place – the view is outstanding. The people are friendly and helpful. What a special treat. We certainly will return many times, and we might bring the kids and we might not! Many thanks! Mahalo! Amazing!! Favorite Restaurant: Anthony’s is fun for breakfast. Paia Fish Market (good fish tacos). Flatbread Pizza (yum!). Moana Bakery cafe (a great surprise found on our last night) Favorite Activity: Tough to choose! Twin falls hike/swim, kiting, snorkeling, stand up paddling, being here together and enjoying the beauty. My favorite part – kiteboarding beneath a full rainbow in a rain squall in 30+mph winds at Kanaha. (Portland, OR. May 2010)
We really enjoyed our stay here. This is our 3rd trip to Maui and I know it won’t be our last. The island of Maui si so beautiful and the people are very friendly. Our favorite place on Maui is Paia. We like all the little shops and the quaint atmosphere is portrays. Makawao also was another place we visited a few times. There is a lot of talented people here on the island. Thank you Valerie & Craig, it was a pleasure sharing stories with you. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread Pizza. Favorite Activity: Working out, watching the surfers (Prince George, BC Canada. May 2010)
We couldn’t ask for a better place to stay. Everything about this place is such a gift from God. The cottage feels like home, and Valerie and Craig like family. To wake up every morning to the ocean and all the beautiful surroundings is just breath taking. We have loved every minute here, and hope to come back soon. Mahalo and God Bless! PS: Give Pumpkin a Hug for us! Favorite Restaurant: Alexander’s (Kihei) Favorite Activity: Boogie boarding, snorkeling, and eating. (Aubrey, TX. April 2010)
Thank you Valerie + Craig. It was great to spend part of our time on Maui over here in Paia, a real change from Kaanapali. Wish we didn’t have to leave! Really enjoyed visits from Pumpkin too. Aloha till next time! Favorite Restaurant: Flatbread. Favorite Activity: Hiking, snorkeling, wave-watching. (Courtenay, B.C. March 2010)
What a relaxing time we’ve had just what we needed. The cottage is beautiful and so perfectly equipped. We enjoyed BBQing on the porch every night. A nice break from the 15F from Anchorage! Hopefully we will be back once our little new born is going to be in age to travel! Thanks for your hospitality. Favorite Activity: Kite/Hikes (crater, 7 pools). (Anchorage, AL February 2010)
Thank you so much. We had a wonderful stay. Perfect location for us, great view, and very comfortable cottage. We enjoyed BBQ on the lanai and sitting on the front lawn watching surfers. Pumpkin was a nice addition to the ambiance. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House (Ono). Favorite Activity: Hiking the bamboo forest. (Seattle, WA February 2010)
In and out like the wind! Loved the place, would love to be back for longer. Many thanks for sharing your beautiful spot Valerie. Favorite Restaurant: Cafe des Amis, music on Wed. night. Favorite Activity: Kitesurfing. (San Francisco CA. + Amsterdam NL. February 2010)
Great location! Lovely view. Valerie is a fantastic hostess. Pumpkin is fun to have around and likes avocados! We had a good time. Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread Pizza. Favorite Activity: Walking Baldwin Beach. (Ottawa, Quebec, Canada. February, 2010)
Check out Moana Bakery Tues. evenings 6:30-9:30pm for open mike. Cottage is centrally located to get to all parts of the island. Big Beach and Napili Bay are good places. Upscale shopping at Shops at Wailea. Check out hikes to waterfalls on Road to Hana. Sand and sea in Paia is good for gifts for home. Favorite Restaurant: Moana Bakery and Cafe and Flat Bread Pizza. Favorite Activity: Hiking to waterfalls along Hana Highway. (Los Angeles, CA. January, 2010)
Must drive road to Hana, takes about 7 hours R/T though. Many different landscape and habitat/ecosystem changes. West Maui is very commercialized. Kaanapali is very modern and pretty, but the nicest part of whole island is right here. Biggest waves I have ever seen here. Paia Fish Market’s fish is outstanding. Kihei is nice, so is Maalaea. Snorkeling was fun and saw close encounters w/whales in South Maui. Mama’s Fish House is nice, food pretty good but way over priced. Old Lahaina Luau was good. All you can eat and drink– great Pina Colada’s. Biked Mt. Haleakala. Get a good bike though. Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Swimming Twin Falls. (Colorado Springs, CO. January, 2010)
Great cottage. All very easy. Wonderful views–food for the soul!!! Thank you dear Valerie for thinking about every aspect of home comfort and more (Binoculars!!). Hope to see you again…Cascoux awaits any time you are in our neck of the woods! Favorite Restaurant: Cafe Mambo (breakfast), Milagros (Lunch), Haiilimailie General Store Favorite Activity: Walking the beach, hiking, being!! (St Lions/Ve’ze’re. January, 2010)
2009
Merry Christmas! We really love playing with Pumpkin!! We like playing in the waves, whale watching, snorkeling and much more. Love, PS. Good bye Pumpkin, Good bye Valerie! Favorite Activity: Playing with Pumpkin and whale watching. (Chicago, Il. Christmas, December 2009)
We have stayed many times in the Napili/Kaanapali resort area, so thought we would try something new. We loved Paia town, every restaurant and shop was a gem. The folks are happy and helpful and the pace is mo’ bettah. We also really enjoyed “cottage living” here at Maui-by-the-Sea. Valerie helped us feel at home and everything we needed was right here–including our daily “cat-fix” (Thanks Pumpkin). Hope we can come back soon. Favorite Restaurant: Moana Cafe. Favorite Activity: Breakfast on the deck. (Santa Cruz, CA. December 2009)
Great first family vacation! Favorite Restaurant: Jacques, sushi. Favorite Activity: Surfing Tavares + Watching from the lawn. (Danville CA. December 2009) # Valerie is the best! Thanks for the fresh fruit. Very relaxing & destressing time here. Great location for day trips, loved Paia & Makawao towns, people we meet were so friendly! And of course there’s Pumpkin! Great cat! Favorite Restaurant: Right here (Great kitchen) Favorite Activity: Hiking down into the crater. Road to Hana. Beaches. (Ardrossan Canada, November 2009)
Maui by the Sea is amazing, we felt completely at home. It’s a perfect vacation spot with all the comforts of your home. We swam at the near-by beach that was walking distance (short stroll away), enjoyed the view of the sea at breakfast and would love to come back here again soon. Valerie is the most gracious host and it was our great pleasure to stay here. Favorite Restaurant: The Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Swimming & Kiteboarding. (San Francisco, CA. November 2009)
Came to this comfy, cozy place to relax, write and paint. Loved the West Maui view from the living room and the North Shore from the Lanai. How relaxing – Settled in this quiet atmosphere and didn’t turn the T.V on once. Wish I could stay and stay. Finished a watercolor – wrote and wrote and wrote. Valerie you’re a wonderful hostess. Enjoyed visiting your church at Doris Todd campus – Thanks for the fruit. (Lahaina, Maui. November 2009)
We don’t want to leave!! Maui by the Sea just feels like home. We really appreciated all of the thoughtfulness put into making sure that we had everything that we needed. We definitely enjoyed visiting with Pumpkin, as we certainly miss our kitties! Being here is just wonderful, and truly hope to make it an annual tradition. Valerie, thanks so much for accommodating all of our needs! Oh, and the bowl of fresh fruit. Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread but Mama’s Fish House was also spectacular. Favorite Activity: Shopping, fishing, laying on the beaches, aquarium, Haleakala @ sunrise, lavender farm, just relaxing!! (Corvallis, OR. October 2009)
Maui by the Sea is a little piece of paradise. We don’t want to leave! There’s so much to do on Maui, but we would’ve been just as happy staying at “home”! Valerie, your kindness & attentiveness is greatly appreciated. We love all the creature comforts, we had all the little things one needs. Until next time, thank you so much! Give Pumpkin a good scratch from us! Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market & Cafe des Amis. Favorite Activity: Kite Surfing & Swimming in waterfalls on the road to Hana. (Newport Beach, CA. October 2009)
Val, thanks for the cozy atmosphere. Great location for us. You can get anywhere (except Hana) in about the same amount of time. Your ocean view is very calming. Thanks for the extra pineapple. Tell “Willie” Hello. Will tell our friends about Maui by the Sea. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Gazebo (Kahana). Favorite Activity: Road to Hana. Iao Valley. Maui Ocean Center. (Kearney, MO. September 2009)
Thanks for giving us such a homey place to stay – we LOVED sitting down on the lawn and we tried not to spoil Pumpkin too badly :). Thanks also for all your insider tips. We felt like locals. What a wonderful home away from home! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House + Cafe Mambo. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling with Paragon. Surfing with Goofy foot. Road to Hana! (Oakland, CA. September 2009)
We had a wonderful time here at Maui by the Sea. We particularly enjoyed waking up to the sound of the waves, to a beautiful ocean view from the Lanai, watching the sunsets from our home…. and of course Pumpkin’s surprise visits and cuddles. Favorite Restaurant: Makawao Steakhouse. Flatbread in Paia. Favorite Activity: Horse riding in Haleakala with Pony Express and Makawao with Pihiolo. Spending afternoons at Big Beach in Makena. Snorkeling at Molokini. (Hong Kong. September 2009)
Thank you for thinking of so many ways to make this a comfortable and delightful stay. Hospitality Aloha-style! Sunsets, rainbows, crashing waves, sweet Pumpkin purring – aahhh! Favorite Restaurant: Hali’imaile General Store. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling + Full moon cruise (Pacific Whale Fnd.). (San Rafael, CA. September 2009)
Valerie, thank you so much for your cosy and well-equipped cottage with this beautiful view. From the first moment we loved this place and we don’t want to leave. Your warm welcome and of course Pumpkin’s visits were so nice. We felt at home and we will be back! All the best for you!! Favorite Restaurant: Local food stands and Thai Chef in Lahaina. Favorite Activity: Surfing, beach + a lot of Aloha. (Krefeld, Germany. August 2009)
We’ve had a truly wonderful 7 days in this fantastic part of Maui 🙂 Paia is even better than we remember and that’s saying something!! Maui by the Sea has been a wonderful spot. Valerie, Craig and Pumpkin are beautiful people… Yes Pumpkin is a person!! We adored daily visits and chats. The kids had a great time and loved our home from home !! We will be back. Thank you. xxx. Favorite Restaurant: Cafe Mambo (Brekkies) Flat bread (Dinners). Favorite Activity: Beach time and Hanging out in Paia. (East Sussex, UK. August 2009)
Everything was perfect! Paia is a very cool little town and the house was awesome. It was the perfect starting point for all of our activities. Sunrise at Haleakala, trip to Hana, snorkeling at Honolua Bay and Slaughterhouse, sailing trip from Lahaina and beaches all over the island! Mahalo Valerie, we will be back! Favorite Restaurant: Hali’imaile General Store. Favorite Activity: Day trip down to Hana with stops along the way. (Downingtown, PA. July 2009)
Exploring Maui was great!! We checked out a few different beaches. Big Beach was our favorite. Along the road to Hana we found a place to stop and swim in a small pond with a waterfall – that was amazing! Also, the divine pools up at mushroomrock was fantastic! Overall, this was a wonderful, relaxing trip. Thanks so much for providing this cozy, homey place for us to stay! PS: Pumpkin came to visit every day! We love him. Favorite Restaurant: Mana Foods or smoothies from Hana Bay Picnics. Favorite Activity: Going to the Beaches and swimming! (Los Angeles, California. July 2009)
Baby beach is awesome ~ in a neighborhood. It’s the far West end of Baldwin Beach. A great long walk. We loved sitting on the yard with wine + cheese watching the sun set. Where ever we were on the island, we would rush “home” to soak up the end of the day. That’s after a quick stop at Mana’s for steak or fish + salad (no cooking). Fantastic. Favorite Restaurant: Barbecuing on the patio. Favorite Activity: Walking on the Beaches. (Florence/Italy. June 2009)
Gracious and generous hostess and kitty. We could not have dreamed up a more perfect base for our Upcountry adventures. Our honeymoon cottage had all the bare essentials. Valerie’s generous gift of fruit and a convenient trip to Mana Foods covered the rest. We would love another visit here in order to really soak up the restful pace of this part of the island. Thank you Valerie, Marlon + Pumpkin! Sincerely. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s – Charley’s. Favorite Activity: Sunshine Molokai Tour and hanging out at Maui by the Sea! (Fort Worth, Texas. June 2009)
Thank you for a lovely visit. The cottage was wonderful, and we had a great time. We hope to visit again soon. Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Beaches, eating, shopping. (Atlanta, Georgia. June 2009)
Maui is a small world away from our homes physically and a world away from the mainland in atmosphere and scenery – and worth the trip. Warm weather, warm people, warm beaches and a hostess as sweet as Hali’imaile General Store pineapple upside down cake. Our daughter, Gracie, summed up our sentiments best when she looked around the cottage our last night here and said “I wanna stay”. Viva Valerie ~ merci buckets. Ciao Maine. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Creating Family Memories. (Brownfield, Maine. April 2009)
We had a great time staying at your cottage once again; it’s a wonderful get-away spot! Favorite Restaurant: Fish everywhere is great! Favorite Activity: Windsurfing. (April 2009)
Thank you very much, we really enjoyed staying here. Pumpkin is a love. We will recommend your Ohana to friends. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s and Mala (Lahaina). Favorite Activity: Tea, Honey, Toast for Breakfast. (April 2009)
We enjoyed having a comfortable and quiet home base for our honeymoon. We got married on March 16th with 31 friends and family. A beautiful spot to relax and explore the island from. Pumpkin was a wonderful addition as we have a very friendly orange cat at home “Mittens”. Thank you Valerie for a great experience. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House! Yummy!Favorite Activity: Road to Hana/ The Beaches. (March 2009)
We are so stoked on this place. Valerie, you gotta let us come back. Thanks for the surf tips. Thanks for your “Aloha”. Loved it!! Surfed it! Soaked up that Maui Bliss!! Thanks. Mahalo. Peace Out!! Shaka!! Favorite Restaurant: Home cooked treats!! ooh ahh!! Favorite Activity: Surfin!! (March 2009)
We came for a wedding with approx. 30 of our friends. We were all able to rent facilities close to one another. The main house was the Blue Tile roof house which is within walking distance. The wedding was great and staying in this wonderful cottage really made our vacation enjoyable. Thank you Valerie. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling. (March 2009)
We had the best vacation ever! The relaxed atmosphere on Maui and the comfortable cottage right here made it great. We loved that everything we needed to cook our own meals, to the great view and warm hospitality from Valerie. We hope to come back. Thank you for everything. Favorite Restaurant: General Store. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling (January 2009)
Valerie — Thanks for giving us a wonderful place to “warm up our bones” and totally relax. Your cottage is so comfortable and well-equipped. We cooked so many delicious meals here (salmon + steaks from Mana Foods) — and, loved eating on the porch, watching the planes & ships come in. (Pilots love to watch other planes!!!). It was also very special to find that we have a lot in common! It’s hard for us to leave here. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s (of course!), Mambo’s – Kalua pig fajitas, Fish Market – Mahi burger. Favorite Activity: Sitting on the lounge chairs reading + watching the surfers. Walking on Baldwin Beach. (January 2009)
This was a wonderful little cottage! We honestly just slept here… too many things to see and do! Wish we did have more time to just sit and enjoy the waves and the view! Was so great to wake up and see the ocean!! Paia is a great little hippie town! All the locals we met were really friendly. We love Maui! Favorite Restaurant: Organic Flatbread Pizza. Moana – great mango margarita! Favorite Activity: Whale watching. Road to Hana. (January 2009)
2008
Merry Christmas! We really love playing with Pumpkin!! We like playing in the waves, whale watching, snorkeling and much more. Love, PS. Good bye Pumpkin, Good bye Valerie! Favorite Activity: Playing with Pumpkin and whale watching. (Chicago, Il. Christmas, December 2009)
We have stayed many times in the Napili/Kaanapali resort area, so thought we would try something new. We loved Paia town, every restaurant and shop was a gem. The folks are happy and helpful and the pace is mo’ bettah. We also really enjoyed “cottage living” here at Maui-by-the-Sea. Valerie helped us feel at home and everything we needed was right here–including our daily “cat-fix” (Thanks Pumpkin). Hope we can come back soon. Favorite Restaurant: Moana Cafe. Favorite Activity: Breakfast on the deck. (Santa Cruz, CA. December 2009)
Great first family vacation! Favorite Restaurant: Jacques, sushi. Favorite Activity: Surfing Tavares + Watching from the lawn. (Danville CA. December 2009) # Valerie is the best! Thanks for the fresh fruit. Very relaxing & destressing time here. Great location for day trips, loved Paia & Makawao towns, people we meet were so friendly! And of course there’s Pumpkin! Great cat! Favorite Restaurant: Right here (Great kitchen) Favorite Activity: Hiking down into the crater. Road to Hana. Beaches. (Ardrossan Canada, November 2009)
Maui by the Sea is amazing, we felt completely at home. It’s a perfect vacation spot with all the comforts of your home. We swam at the near-by beach that was walking distance (short stroll away), enjoyed the view of the sea at breakfast and would love to come back here again soon. Valerie is the most gracious host and it was our great pleasure to stay here. Favorite Restaurant: The Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Swimming & Kiteboarding. (San Francisco, CA. November 2009)
Came to this comfy, cozy place to relax, write and paint. Loved the West Maui view from the living room and the North Shore from the Lanai. How relaxing – Settled in this quiet atmosphere and didn’t turn the T.V on once. Wish I could stay and stay. Finished a watercolor – wrote and wrote and wrote. Valerie you’re a wonderful hostess. Enjoyed visiting your church at Doris Todd campus – Thanks for the fruit. (Lahaina, Maui. November 2009)
We don’t want to leave!! Maui by the Sea just feels like home. We really appreciated all of the thoughtfulness put into making sure that we had everything that we needed. We definitely enjoyed visiting with Pumpkin, as we certainly miss our kitties! Being here is just wonderful, and truly hope to make it an annual tradition. Valerie, thanks so much for accommodating all of our needs! Oh, and the bowl of fresh fruit. Favorite Restaurant: Flat Bread but Mama’s Fish House was also spectacular. Favorite Activity: Shopping, fishing, laying on the beaches, aquarium, Haleakala @ sunrise, lavender farm, just relaxing!! (Corvallis, OR. October 2009)
Maui by the Sea is a little piece of paradise. We don’t want to leave! There’s so much to do on Maui, but we would’ve been just as happy staying at “home”! Valerie, your kindness & attentiveness is greatly appreciated. We love all the creature comforts, we had all the little things one needs. Until next time, thank you so much! Give Pumpkin a good scratch from us! Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market & Cafe des Amis. Favorite Activity: Kite Surfing & Swimming in waterfalls on the road to Hana. (Newport Beach, CA. October 2009)
Val, thanks for the cozy atmosphere. Great location for us. You can get anywhere (except Hana) in about the same amount of time. Your ocean view is very calming. Thanks for the extra pineapple. Tell “Willie” Hello. Will tell our friends about Maui by the Sea. Mahalo. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Gazebo (Kahana). Favorite Activity: Road to Hana. Iao Valley. Maui Ocean Center. (Kearney, MO. September 2009)
Thanks for giving us such a homey place to stay – we LOVED sitting down on the lawn and we tried not to spoil Pumpkin too badly :). Thanks also for all your insider tips. We felt like locals. What a wonderful home away from home! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House + Cafe Mambo. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling with Paragon. Surfing with Goofy foot. Road to Hana! (Oakland, CA. September 2009)
We had a wonderful time here at Maui by the Sea. We particularly enjoyed waking up to the sound of the waves, to a beautiful ocean view from the Lanai, watching the sunsets from our home…. and of course Pumpkin’s surprise visits and cuddles. Favorite Restaurant: Makawao Steakhouse. Flatbread in Paia. Favorite Activity: Horse riding in Haleakala with Pony Express and Makawao with Pihiolo. Spending afternoons at Big Beach in Makena. Snorkeling at Molokini. (Hong Kong. September 2009)
Thank you for thinking of so many ways to make this a comfortable and delightful stay. Hospitality Aloha-style! Sunsets, rainbows, crashing waves, sweet Pumpkin purring – aahhh! Favorite Restaurant: Hali’imaile General Store. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling + Full moon cruise (Pacific Whale Fnd.). (San Rafael, CA. September 2009)
Valerie, thank you so much for your cosy and well-equipped cottage with this beautiful view. From the first moment we loved this place and we don’t want to leave. Your warm welcome and of course Pumpkin’s visits were so nice. We felt at home and we will be back! All the best for you!! Favorite Restaurant: Local food stands and Thai Chef in Lahaina. Favorite Activity: Surfing, beach + a lot of Aloha. (Krefeld, Germany. August 2009)
We’ve had a truly wonderful 7 days in this fantastic part of Maui 🙂 Paia is even better than we remember and that’s saying something!! Maui by the Sea has been a wonderful spot. Valerie, Craig and Pumpkin are beautiful people… Yes Pumpkin is a person!! We adored daily visits and chats. The kids had a great time and loved our home from home !! We will be back. Thank you. xxx. Favorite Restaurant: Cafe Mambo (Brekkies) Flat bread (Dinners). Favorite Activity: Beach time and Hanging out in Paia. (East Sussex, UK. August 2009)
Everything was perfect! Paia is a very cool little town and the house was awesome. It was the perfect starting point for all of our activities. Sunrise at Haleakala, trip to Hana, snorkeling at Honolua Bay and Slaughterhouse, sailing trip from Lahaina and beaches all over the island! Mahalo Valerie, we will be back! Favorite Restaurant: Hali’imaile General Store. Favorite Activity: Day trip down to Hana with stops along the way. (Downingtown, PA. July 2009)
Exploring Maui was great!! We checked out a few different beaches. Big Beach was our favorite. Along the road to Hana we found a place to stop and swim in a small pond with a waterfall – that was amazing! Also, the divine pools up at mushroomrock was fantastic! Overall, this was a wonderful, relaxing trip. Thanks so much for providing this cozy, homey place for us to stay! PS: Pumpkin came to visit every day! We love him. Favorite Restaurant: Mana Foods or smoothies from Hana Bay Picnics. Favorite Activity: Going to the Beaches and swimming! (Los Angeles, California. July 2009)
Baby beach is awesome ~ in a neighborhood. It’s the far West end of Baldwin Beach. A great long walk. We loved sitting on the yard with wine + cheese watching the sun set. Where ever we were on the island, we would rush “home” to soak up the end of the day. That’s after a quick stop at Mana’s for steak or fish + salad (no cooking). Fantastic. Favorite Restaurant: Barbecuing on the patio. Favorite Activity: Walking on the Beaches. (Florence/Italy. June 2009)
Gracious and generous hostess and kitty. We could not have dreamed up a more perfect base for our Upcountry adventures. Our honeymoon cottage had all the bare essentials. Valerie’s generous gift of fruit and a convenient trip to Mana Foods covered the rest. We would love another visit here in order to really soak up the restful pace of this part of the island. Thank you Valerie, Marlon + Pumpkin! Sincerely. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s – Charley’s. Favorite Activity: Sunshine Molokai Tour and hanging out at Maui by the Sea! (Fort Worth, Texas. June 2009)
Thank you for a lovely visit. The cottage was wonderful, and we had a great time. We hope to visit again soon. Favorite Restaurant: Fish Market. Favorite Activity: Beaches, eating, shopping. (Atlanta, Georgia. June 2009)
Maui is a small world away from our homes physically and a world away from the mainland in atmosphere and scenery – and worth the trip. Warm weather, warm people, warm beaches and a hostess as sweet as Hali’imaile General Store pineapple upside down cake. Our daughter, Gracie, summed up our sentiments best when she looked around the cottage our last night here and said “I wanna stay”. Viva Valerie ~ merci buckets. Ciao Maine. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Creating Family Memories. (Brownfield, Maine. April 2009)
We had a great time staying at your cottage once again; it’s a wonderful get-away spot! Favorite Restaurant: Fish everywhere is great! Favorite Activity: Windsurfing. (April 2009)
Thank you very much, we really enjoyed staying here. Pumpkin is a love. We will recommend your Ohana to friends. Mahalo! Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s and Mala (Lahaina). Favorite Activity: Tea, Honey, Toast for Breakfast. (April 2009)
We enjoyed having a comfortable and quiet home base for our honeymoon. We got married on March 16th with 31 friends and family. A beautiful spot to relax and explore the island from. Pumpkin was a wonderful addition as we have a very friendly orange cat at home “Mittens”. Thank you Valerie for a great experience. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House! Yummy!Favorite Activity: Road to Hana/ The Beaches. (March 2009)
We are so stoked on this place. Valerie, you gotta let us come back. Thanks for the surf tips. Thanks for your “Aloha”. Loved it!! Surfed it! Soaked up that Maui Bliss!! Thanks. Mahalo. Peace Out!! Shaka!! Favorite Restaurant: Home cooked treats!! ooh ahh!! Favorite Activity: Surfin!! (March 2009)
We came for a wedding with approx. 30 of our friends. We were all able to rent facilities close to one another. The main house was the Blue Tile roof house which is within walking distance. The wedding was great and staying in this wonderful cottage really made our vacation enjoyable. Thank you Valerie. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling. (March 2009)
We had the best vacation ever! The relaxed atmosphere on Maui and the comfortable cottage right here made it great. We loved that everything we needed to cook our own meals, to the great view and warm hospitality from Valerie. We hope to come back. Thank you for everything. Favorite Restaurant: General Store. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling (January 2009)
Valerie — Thanks for giving us a wonderful place to “warm up our bones” and totally relax. Your cottage is so comfortable and well-equipped. We cooked so many delicious meals here (salmon + steaks from Mana Foods) — and, loved eating on the porch, watching the planes & ships come in. (Pilots love to watch other planes!!!). It was also very special to find that we have a lot in common! It’s hard for us to leave here. Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s (of course!), Mambo’s – Kalua pig fajitas, Fish Market – Mahi burger. Favorite Activity: Sitting on the lounge chairs reading + watching the surfers. Walking on Baldwin Beach. (January 2009)
This was a wonderful little cottage! We honestly just slept here… too many things to see and do! Wish we did have more time to just sit and enjoy the waves and the view! Was so great to wake up and see the ocean!! Paia is a great little hippie town! All the locals we met were really friendly. We love Maui! Favorite Restaurant: Organic Flatbread Pizza. Moana – great mango margarita! Favorite Activity: Whale watching. Road to Hana. (January 2009)
2007
Thank so much and we hope to see you soon! A wise old monk once said “Better to be here than there!” (October 2007). Favorite Restaurant: Man Foods 🙂 (and Mama’s). Favorite Activity: Hiking + Surfing (first try!)
Thank you very much Valerie. Maui by the Sea is beautiful. It seems to be at home. And Maui is wonderful. We hope to come back soon also if Italy is so far from here. We have finished our honeymoon in the better way. Sorry for not to have talked so much with you but our English is not so well (and our French too! :):):). We hope to see you soon. (October 2007) Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Surfing School. Shopping at Surf shop.
Thank you so much Valerie! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Maui by the Sea and we plan to return. After exploring most of the island, we think Paia is the place to be. Mahalo! (September 2007). Favorite Restaurant: Paia Fish Market/Mama’s. Favorite Activity: Night in Hana.
Valerie, thank you so much for your hospitality! We had a fantastic time; especially on the 18th!! The cottage is everything a traveler is looking for. We will take home many great memories and hope to come back some day! Thanks again for making us feel at home! Love. (September 2007). Favorite restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Grilled steaks from the bbq on the deck. Favorite Activity: Hiking Sliding Sands trail at Haleakala, swimming in the ocean, gazing at the stars from the yard.
Thank you for our wonderful stay here! You do have paradise in your own back yard. Aloha. (September 2007)
Thank you so much for giving us a wonderful home away from home. Our second visit here to Maui by the Sea and just as great as the first one. We ventured out to all 4 sides of Maui and survived the road to Hana. Our favorite beach although everyone was fantastic was Napili. It was a great visit. Thanks. (September 2007). Favorite Restaurant: Fresh Mint in Paia. Favorite Activity: Beach + Walking.
Thank you for making our vacation in Maui even more enjoyable. The cottage is very comfortable and well equipped. Maui is lovely and we look forward to coming back.
Thank you Valerie! (Pumpkin too) (August 2007). Favorite Restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite activity: Beach, snorkeling.
Thank you so much for offering this comfy and cozy cottage. We both felt very comfortable and at home here. We love this little town of Paia and are so happy to be on this side of Maui. A wonderful location and a great place to spend our honeymoon. PS: Thanks for the notebook of beach info – very useful. (August 2008). Favorite Restaurant: Milagros, Alis (road to Hana). Favorite activity: Snorkeling at Red Beach & hanging out there for the day – What a magical place!
Great place to get away from the hectic LA life! Love the view and the beaches. We needed a place to “hide out” for a while and veg and this place gave us that opportunity and Pumpkin helped ease the pang of homesickness and missing our cats! (July 2007). Favorite restaurant: None, sorry. Home cooked meals at the cottage! Favorite activity: Snorkeling and relaxing on the beach.
Thanks for everything; we really enjoyed our stay at your fabulous cottage! (June 2007). Favorite restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Milagros + Charley’s were good too! Favorite activity: Relaxing & viewing the ocean from your wonderful yard or deck.
The cottage was great, thanks for everything! Aloha! (June 2007). Favorite restaurant: Mama’s Fish House. Favorite Activity: Snorkeling at Wailea Beach, Kula upcountry & crater are both great as well!
Our stay felt too short, but we had a wonderful time and absolutely love your guest cottage!! Pumpkin the cat is also adorable. The location of your home is perfect for exploring the whole island, from Haleakala to Hana to the Kahekili Highway (worth the drive!!). We’ll spread the word, and we’ll be back someday, we hope. Thank you! (June 2007). Favorite restaurant: Breakfast at Moana’s – get the Benedict! Dinner at Café des Amis. Favorite Activity: Red Sand Beach in Hana.
Beautiful spot! So glad I found you. Great view, great lil’ beach, great food in Paia or just making dinner here with the view! Really makes a difference where you stay! (May 2007)
Dear Valerie, the guest house is absolutely charming, magnifique! The views and fresh ocean breeze, the landscaping of bamboo, coconut trees, birds of paradise and sunflowers creates an absolute paradise. Mahalo for your kindness and hospitality. We will be back to visit very soon. We would like to recommend theses places in Paia for future guests : 1. Mana Foods! Very affordable, excellent selection of food and drinks. 2. For vegetarians, health conscious or those that like Asian food: Fresh Mint. 3. Lastly: Mambo’s + Anthony’s! (May 2007)
What an adorable cottage at an amazing location. We loved the location and beautiful view from the patio – close to a bunch of great beaches, shops, and restaurants. The cottage was also packed with so many things including a fully furnished kitchen and gave us a lot of cooking/food options. Wonderful experience in Maui! Mahalo! (May 2007)
Thanks for everything.We loved Maui and we can’t wait to come back. The Zipline, biking, scuba and the beaches were amazing. We had a great experience. Thanks. (April 2007
) This was the perfect spot for our honeymoon. It’s a really nice cottage and just the right distance from all the places we wanted to go. We enjoyed meeting you two, and Pumpkin :). We’d like to stay here again sometime. Thanks! (April 2007)
Thank you for a wonderful stay! The cottage is more than what we expected! We had a wonderful time on Maui. We will be back for a second honeymoon! (because you made our first so great!) Love. (March 2007)
Merci Valérie. Nous avons trouvé la maison charmante et confortable. Nous avons apprécié les déjeuners sur le balcon en contemplant l’océan. Mahalo. (March 2007) Valerie: Our first stay in Hawaii couldn’t be better: Great cottage, fabulous view, gracious hosts. We loved it!!! Mahalo. (February 2007)
Thank you for sharing your cottage with us, it was great! We enjoyed coming home after sightseeing – very relaxing. Your beaches are beautiful and your hospitality was much appreciated! We will recommend you to our friends. Mahalo! (January 2007)
2006
Valerie: on a pas des mots – Merci pour nous laisser habiter au lieu plus parfait du monde – où on a trouvé tout… on vous embrasse. (November 2006)
Valerie, we really enjoyed this place in a perfect location. Waves, sun and wind made the stay even more enjoyable. It was great having all the comforts of home including a spectacular view from the upper deck. Mahalo! (October 2006)
Val, thank you very much, everything was great (except the wind). Still did have a couple of 5.0M days – Hope to see you on the slopes this winter, you never know, might see you next year, till then, good health and lots of happiness. Luv. (October 2006)
Valerie. You have the most wonderful spot here. I love the little tropical forest below with all its beautiful blossoms. Thanks for allowing Sue + I into your little corner of paradise. Mahalo. (September 2006)
Mahalo Nui for a fabulous rest + relaxation. Maui Ko Ka Oi!! The Lewis’ are wonderful + gracious Kamaainas. The view + ambiance true Hawaiian. The only regret is that I did not take the time to learn more island stories. Mahalo. (September 2006)
Had a very relaxing stay here. Didier was able to sleep thru the night, which he rarely does at home in San Diego, even with the road noise! Thank you! (September 2006)
Perfect! Very relaxing in the ideal set up. Thanks heap. (August 2006)
We love our stay. The view from this cute cottage is simply breath-taking. We enjoyed the “central” location of Paia to everywhere. It made going to each destination relaxing. Paia also was nice and quiet as it suit newly weds like us form some bonding. God willing our paths will meet again. Till then… God Bless! Mahalo! (July 2006)
Paul and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our stay on Maui. It is a beautiful, diverse, and friendly vacation destination. Thank you for your warm hospitality! You have thought of every need one could possibly require on vacation. Maui By The Sea has been a wonderful place to relax, and explore Maui. I’ll miss looking out at the ocean and greenery each morning! (July 2006)
Thank you for allowing me to stay at your beautiful house. You made me feel like Ohana! The view from the lanai was captivating. To see sunrise hit the Iao Valley 3 mornings in a row was incredible. Hope to return to see you soon. Aloha! (July 2006)
Mahalo Valerie! We had a wonderful stay in your beautiful guesthouse… just swimming, eating and surfing… ah ah! Thanks for the delicious apple pie and all of your hospitality. Hope to see you in Santa Fe in the near future! Best wishes + happy travels! (July 2006)
This was exactly what we needed. It was even better meeting you both. I now know where we are going when we come back. Please call or look us up if you are in Colorado or Utah! We’ll show you the “waves” of powder snow! Thanks for everything – we had the best vacation and so relaxing. It was fun to come “home” everyday – we felt like locals! (ha ha!) (May 2006)
What a perfect start to our honeymoon… we couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend some much needed QT! Paia was charming – everyone is so friendly, and food was awesome. Valerie – thanks for your hospitality and for anticipating anything we could possibly need. Mahalo! We’ll be back!!! (May 2006)
Mahalo Valerie! You have such a perfect spot here in Paia. The local food was great and the cottage was perfect driving distance to see the crater, Hana and anything else on the island. We loved the sunsets and the chance to go watch the water crash against the rocks. Also the windsurfers make it a great place to complete our vacation. We will miss it here + you made us feel at home away from home! Aloha. (April 2006)
Thank you very much Valerie for sharing this piece of paradise with us, you have a beautiful place. We really enjoyed our stay, the cottage was beautiful and Paia is a wonderful place. Maui is just gorgeous there is no word to describe it, wow!! This was the perfect place to stay for the perfect holiday! Take care! (April 2006)
Loved your cottage, the view is beautiful. We had a great time investigating Paia + the surrounding towns. We loved Baldwin Beach + watching the windsurfers from your lawn. You have an amazing slice of heaven here! Thanks for sharing it! (March-April 2006)
Thank you for thinking of everything we’d need for a comfortable stay at Maui by the Sea. Everything exceeded our expectations (the view, the cottage, the town of Paia) except the unusually rainy weather! We made the best of it and totally enjoyed our stay. We’d love to come back for another relaxing + fun get away. ( March 2006)
The cottage is very cozy, comfortable, and was an easy home away for us + our 7 month daughter. Great, convenient location, well stocked, nicely decorated, and now (starting yesterday) a cable internet in case you want to work – yuck! (March 2006)
The cottage was perfect for us – we really enjoyed the peacefulness & appreciate all your hospitality. Thank you so much for all your help – the Luau was great! You have a beautiful place! Mahalo! (March 2006)
Thank your for a wonderful time. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay! The cottage is beautiful & well maintained. Love the decor! Every possible thing we needed was anticipated & provided for in advance in a home away from home. Fantastic view of the ocean & it was a real treat to fall asleep to the sound of the waves. We would definitely stay here on any future trips to Maui. Thank you for our friendly & gracious host Valerie! Mahalo! (February-March 2006)
Thank you so much for making us feel so comfortable and at home. We truly enjoyed our conversations, and your advice and bits of wisdom for getting around. We will highly recommend your place to our friends we know who would be looking for a special hide away. Mahalo. (February 2006)
Thanks for the great cottage. We had a great time here on Maui and this turned out to be a good central point for all our activities. Aloha! (February 2006)
Valerie – Your lovely home here on Maui has made us feel completely welcome and comfortable. This was a truly excellent location for us to launch all our activities from! The view from this deck is spectacular and the sounds of the ocean and the trade winds enhanced the experience. Mahalo for your kindness. Aloha. (January 2006)
We had such a wonderful time. Thank you for sharing this warm and exciting place with us. This will always be a special place for us – Maui was my mother’s home and while on our stay here, Adam asked me to marry him. Right here in this wonderful cottage!! We love the view, the people and Pumpkin!! Valerie, Mahalo. (December-January 2005-06)
2005
Thank you for sharing your lovely place with us! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay – very homey and comfortable. Mahalo. (December 2005)
This cottage was great, much better than we expected from a rental place. It is cosy with a nice “home feeling” to it. Maui is definitely a great place and the windsurfing is obviously the best. Thank you so much! (November 2005)
We really liked the cottage – great views and steady breeze. Great fun on Maui – Molokini snorkel trip – road to Hana – sight seeing! Mama’s Fish House a must. Shopping in Paia very nice and interesting. Pumpkin was friendly. Gladys was sweet to check on us while house sitting. Thanks! Mahalo! (October 2005)
After a ten hour flight, two wrong turns and a blue roof that is impossible to see in the dark we made it here – paradise. Maui has been an experience I will never forget, the residents are just as beautiful as the land. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without my wonderful girl here to make it happen on my 25th b-day. Thank you and I love you! Hope whoever reads this has as much fun as I did! Aloha! (October 2005)
Valerie & Pumpkin – Thanks for opening your cottage & home to me. It was a magical trip for many reasons and your hospitality was frosting on the cake! I know I will be back. (September 2005)
A wonderful break in our biannual globe-trot. The house is well-appointed and comfortable. Our thanks. (September 2005)
Thanks for everything. Kurt and I loved this place and are already looking forward to the next time we can come. Best wishes to you and your family. Cheers until next time. (August-September 2005)
The cottage is exactly what we were looking for – a wonderful place close to Paia, Baldwin Beach and Hookipa with a great view. We enjoyed to stay on the lanai for breakfast, sunset and dinner. Great amenities. Thank you for the warm welcome – we felt so comfortable. We’ll be back! Mahalo et à bientôt. (August 2005)
We would not have changed a thing about our trip to Maui. The cottage was absolutely perfect – great views, very well appointed with all the comforts of home, easy access to the beach, and proximity to charming Paia. If you are a kite or windsurfer, this place is perfection, with easy access to Kanaha & Ho’okipa, and plenty of storage for gear, etc. We are coming back next year. Can’t wait! (August 2005
) Thanks so much to Valerie for creating this idyllic retreat. We wanted somewhere extra special to spend our 40th anniversary and we found it. Six days not nearly long enough to explore Maui, we will return. Cheers. (August 2005)
Because of the beauty of Maui, the warmth and generosity of Valerie + the fact that we have family here has made this one of the most memorable of vacations. Thank you. (July-August 2005)
Wonderful, without a doubt. This was a beautiful spot for honeymooners. We loved the cottage, grounds, and beach nearby… Not to mention the locals, restaurants and cozy spots in Paia. Every time we went out to dinner, snorkel, bike, etc. we always looked forward to coming ‘home’ to this cottage. Soak in all Maui has to offer, and while soaking – relax here in Paia. Thank you so much. (July 2005)
We had a great stay at the cottage. Everything was well equipped and perfectly clean. I will miss opening the drapes in the morning and seeing the wonderful view!!! Our hosts were gracious… Joe says “Thanks for the spear fishing experience!” We will definitely return to Maui by the Sea. Thanks. (July 2005)
Maui by the Sea has been the perfect retreat! We feel very lucky to have found your charming cottage and Paia town. This has been an ideal start to our 10-year anniversary trip. Mahalo. (June 2005)
A truly amazing place on the coolest side of the island. Our second stay here actually surpassed the first, hard as that is to believe. Valerie has created a haven for Maui-starved dreamers, and the world is a happier place because of it. We’ll be back! (May-June 2005)
We enjoyed our short stay. Well located, beautiful view, great food in “Café des Amis”. Great windsurfing location at Kanaha & Kihei. We’ll come back. Merci Valérie. (May 2005)
What a fantastic home away from home in a truly wonderful location. Our honeymoon was made all the more special for having such a lovely and well equipped cottage. In all the years that we have “self-catered” there’s never been a property so comfortable and pleasant to stay in. Thank you so much. Ps: Cinnamon rolls @ Cakewalk are fantastic!!! (April 2005)
We want to move in!!! This cottage, the view, everything about the island is like paradise. Thank you for thinking of all the small details, it made our honeymoon so relaxing and so enjoyable. We loved staying in Paia and will recommend this place to everyone. We did so many things, Paia is the best location. We can’t wait to come back. Mahalo!! (February 2005)
Just wanted to thank you for an amazing and relaxing time. You have a little piece of Heaven here in Paia and we thank you for your flexibility and view. We will recommend your place to anyone we know that is coming to Maui. Thank you for everything. It breaks our hearts to leave…. Thank you! (February 2005)
What a wonderful home away from home. So nice to eat breakfast on the lanai looking out at the ocean and enjoy an evening cocktail down on the front lawn. We loved Paia, especially Mana Foods and Café des Amis (both the curries and crêpes were fabulous). Enjoyed several great mornings and sunsets on Baldwin Beach. We are so sad to leave! (January 2005)
The cottage couldn’t have been any more perfect! It was exactly what we wanted. During our stay, it was all about sun, surf, sweet dreams and good times. We loved every minute. Thanks to Valerie for sharing their piece of paradise and for her wonderful hospitality! We hope to come back sooner than later. (January 2005)
2004
Mahalo for a wonderful home to return to after each day’s adventures! Loved shopping in Mana Foods + cooking while looking at the beach, surf + West Maui. On windy or rainy days, we found Palauea Beach in Wailea to be warm + sunny (+ deserted!). Makawao is great to visit, like stepping into old Maui. We’ll be back! (December 2004)
We came here on “honeymoon”, and what an experience! Would have loved to stay longer, definitely will next time. The “Diving Guide” & “Day Hikes on Maui” were a fantastic resource. Beautiful view, great location. Listening to the waves crash at night is truly a tropical dream! (November 2004)
Great time, wonderful Island, waves, nature, “hang loose people”, we tried first time surfing: what a feeling, what a fun! We really enjoyed our vacation and… this wonderful cottage! (November 2004)
It was great to celebrate my birthday, my husband’s birthday and our 2nd anniversary in Maui. We had a good time sailing <windsurf> and exploring here. The house is excellent — clean, quiet and relax. Mark said: “Pumpkin is the best”. (October 2004)
What a way to spend my 40th birthday – in paradise! We had a wonderful stay in Maui and this “cottage” was just perfect for us. We loved the town of Paia – we think of it affectionately as “Northern Exposure, Hawaiian style”. We highly recommend Haliimaile General Store for dinner, seeing the crater at sunrise + baby beach – so many things, so little time. Thanks to my husband for pulling off this wonderful surprise + to Valerie for her Hawaiian hospitality. Aloha. (September 2004)
We couldn’t have picked a better place to stay on Maui. The cottage was adorable – everything you could ever need and Valerie was so sweet & friendly. Thank you so very much for making this a vacation to remember!! (September 2004)
We enjoyed our short stay – perfect weather for Cycle to the Sun on August 29th. Brian finished 10th out of 116 entries… Yea! We love Paia and hope to return next year for Brian’s second try in the race. We met many wonderful people!! Mahalo. (August 2004)
This was the perfect place to spend the bulk of our honeymoon. It’s a beautiful cottage, the location could not be better (especially if you are a windsurfer!) and Valerie has been a fantastic host. Thank you for allowing us to share in your little paradise for these 10 days. We hope to come back one day. Many Thanks. (August 2004)
Thanks for sharing this beautiful spot. I enjoyed the quiet early mornings near the shoreline and occasional visits from Pumpkin & Tiger – sweet kitties! Mahalo. Best wishes to you. (August 2004)
Mahalo Valerie! This was the perfect place to spend our first week being married. It was just like being at home, except with the gorgeous view. Thank you for opening your home up to us! Hopefully we’ll be back again! We loved it here! (July 2004)
Our stay at the cottage was wonderful. It was great having all the comforts of home, (including the friendly kitties.. Pumpkin & Tiger). Thank you for a great stay! We can’t wait to come back again! (July 2004)
Mahalo Valerie. The cottage was everything we wanted it to be -personal, spacious, well appointed & decorated, away from the hustles bustle yet convenient to everything. Waking up to the ocean & its beauty is the only way to go. As my husband said “everything just led to another”, recommendation to visit the surf shop, snorkeling then a surfing lesson, more snorkeling at the aquarium, our drive to Hana around the island then upcountry. The feast @ Lele, Mama’s Fish House all fantastic. Paia, we loved the quaint shops, the down to earth people, & yummy ice cream & coffee @ Anthony’s. The people and land of Maui are beautiful. Thank you & we’ll be back. (June 2004)
Thank you Valerie for a wonderful start to our honeymoon. The fruit was delicious and the cottage is wonderful. And thanks to Koko for keeping us company and welcoming us home every night. Definitely have breakfast @ Moana Cafe. (May 2004)
What a lovely cottage! So relaxing and peaceful. We will definitely be back. Thank you for making everything perfect. (April 2004)
Mahalo – Absolute Paradise – We had a wonderful time… be back soon! Peace! (March-April 2004)
Thank you for the delicious (and beautiful) fruit bowl that welcomed us – yum! Maui by the Sea was centrally located for our day trips and well-appointed to make our stay extra comfortable. The wonderful sunset on our last night was a special treat. What a great view for our morning coffee. Mahalo!! (March 2004)
Thank you so much for everything! We just fell in love with the cottage in Maui. This vacation is our last for a while since we are 4 months pregnant and realize that this will be a life changing journey – so this has been a great private setting to enjoy one another – just the two of us while we can. We will be back. (March 2004)
Excellent cottage with thoughtful amenities near delightful Paia Town and beach. Mahalo! (February 2004)
Had a wonderful time in Paia Town. Beautiful views. Loved your animals. Made it feel like home. Really enjoyed Baby Beach and Baldwin together except for Bill’s sunburn! Nice to see so many young and healthy fun people. Can’t wait to return. (February 2004)
Our stay was very short, but tried to make the most of the time. My last visit was over 20 years ago and stayed in Kaanapali area. I think I preferred Paia (could be the age difference). We especially preferred the “close” proximity to Hana and Haleakala National Park. The town of Paia is great and especially Mana Foods. This is such a pleasant cottage with all the necessary and extra amenities. Mahalo/Merci. (February 2004)
I had a fantastic week in the cottage! Enjoyed great surf at Hookipa and Tavares! Relaxing to the extreme… Next time I’ll bring the whole family! Keep in touch! (February 2004)
Our time here was extremely wonderful. We wanted to get away from the hustle bustle of the city. We found the perfect place here. Spent many a relaxing moments reading & swimming at Baldwin beach + spent our nights grilling fresh fish on the deck. Quite a great time we will return again. Mahalo. (January 2004)
2003
We couldn’t have enjoyed our stay more! This is our first time staying on this side of the island and it is truly wonderful, great food, great yoga, etc. The daily visits from the pets were always appreciated. A perfect home away from home. Thank you. (December 2003)
I think that our 4th visit qualifies us to be Maui by the Sea groupies. This trip we did nothing but hang at the cottage + go to yoga @ the Shala. Highly recommend Cafe Mambo. I enjoyed lunch on the lanai w/Valerie. Always great to see the kids, Koko, the cats. It feels like home. (December 2003)
It was great to have a nice place to heal all the wounds I suffered while windsurfing. It was fantastic to stay here, will be back ASAP. I really like here – very nice house beside the ocean! Thank you! (December 2003)
This cottage is adorable, and romantic for our first stay. We loved staying here but most of all we loved Valerie, the two boys, and the dog and cats which visited each day. (November 2003)
Aloha!! We are on “Honey Moon” and we come from Spain. It is the most beautiful place on world, and I am sure that we never forget this incredible holiday. Many thanks to Valerie for the fantastic hospitality and keep this wonderful cottage for all of us. Kisses and Mahalo!! Thanks also to Koko, Tiger and Pumpkin. (November 2003)
We both really enjoyed the beautiful house and beautiful family that lives here. The view is spectacular, and the town of Paia made us feel right at home. Thank you for making our honeymoon amazing + unforgettable! (October 2003)
Thank you for making this cottage so comfortable. It has everything we needed to stay well-fed, rested, clean and cool. The kitchen is nice and big with all the dishes + supplies we could want. The fresh fruit awaiting us on our arrival was a special treat, too! Thanks for the pineapple. Perfect location, great hospitality, and a wonderful place to spend a laid-back vacation. We’d love to come back! Mahalo! (September 2003)
Vue imprenable et magnifique au lever du jour, petit cocon superbement décoré et très confortable!!! L’endroit est tout simplement… paradisiaque. Comme on dit en France, un vrai nid d’amour. Le voyage est un peu long pour nous, mais nous reviendrons sûrement très prochainement. (August 2003)
Breathtaking view at sunrise, little nest wonderfully decorated and very comfortable!!! The place is just heavenly. Like we say in France, a love nest. The trip is a little long for us, but we will surely come back soon. (August 2003)
Great time, great place. (August 2003)
We’ve had a great time here in Maui and in your cottage. The only thing that we didn’t know was that the location of the cottage (North Shore) was pretty far from everywhere we wanted to go (West/South) but the cottage was wonderful, private, romantic and had an amazing view. Thank you very much for everything. Peace. (July 2003)
We are so thankful for the time that we were able to spend at the breathtaking cottage, and enjoyable and informative visits that we had with Valerie, and family. This vacation was everything we ever dreamt of and more. Our 2 year old son especially enjoyed the time he got to hang with Koko, Pumpkin, and the bunnies. We will be more than glad to recommend this cottage to anyone that wants to come to Maui, everything was a God sent. Thank you & God bless, Love. (May 2003)
Lovely view to wake up to each morning, we’ll miss it ! Great location, great apartment, like a home from home. We have had a fantastic time here, the weather has been perfect and we have had some great surfing + windsurfing days. Would recommend this to friends for sure !! Thank you for making us feel so welcome ! (May 2003)
Thank you so much it was very healing & peaceful + a perfect Spring break for my son and I . We will return. PS: Thanks for the hike suggestion we had a wonderful time and my calves are sore. (April 2003)
The perfect base for Jame’s kitesurfing, Alastair’s baby beach & our families adventures. We were impressed with how fully equipped the cottage was, along with the added touches – beautiful flowers, succulent fruit & tasty chocolates ! But what really made it was our hosts – really nice people ! Thanks for making this a wonderful family holiday ! (April 2003)
Fantastic stay. Beautiful property and “high end” cottage. We loved it + will be back. (February 2003)
Our 3rd trip + still discovering Maui. Strongly recommend the Waihee Valley Hike, the Swing bridges are great fun with super waterfall view at the dam. The whales breaching outside our window means no need to take a whale watching tour ! Thanks again ! (January 2003)
2002
We had a really great time here ! Wonderful cottage, nice weather, good Hawaiian food, what else can we wish ? Thank you ! (December 2002)
Great cottage, great location. Nice being away from the busy tourist areas. Hope things go well. We’ll be back. (November 2002)
Thank you for allowing us to stay. Paia is a great and spiritual town and “Maui by the Sea” is a special place to relax. Like a home from homes! (September 2002)
We said we’d be back! Loved every minute again. This really feels like our home away from home – wanna sell it? We’d be great neighbors! See you next time ! (September 2002)
We spent our honeymoon here, it was amazing! It was just like coming back home. We both met in Maui four years ago and lived here as well. Coming back to Maui was so great. We had good waves and an awesome relaxing time at this cottage. Thanks. (August 2002)
We had our 2 year wedding anniversary here in this relaxing lovely cottage by the sea. It was perfect! Thank you. Warmest regards. (August 2002)
What a wonderful setting for a relaxing vacation! We loved returning from each day’s adventure to ahi sashimi from Nagata Market, take poke and icy cold beer overlooking the beautiful blue ocean from the porch. Mahalo for creating the perfect island escape! (July 2002)
After some calm and overcast days (which was a perfect start for us) we had a wonderful 12 days with lots of sun and wind – we had a blast in the waves. Thanks for a great place. Mahalo. (May 2002)
We had a wonderful stay – it was great coming home to this peaceful haven every evening from our adventures on the island. Love. (April 2002)
What a wonderful stay. Exactly what we were looking for – away from the big hotels yet close enough to everything… It was a treat having breakfast outside every morning watching the waves break! And having Koko keep us company… Mahalo ! (March 2002)
Beautiful view, the only way to start your day. Great place and people. Thanks for great stay! (February 2002)
This place is so great!! We couldn’t have picked a better place to spend our 1st Valentine’s Day as husband and wife. We will tell everyone looking for the perfect romantic spot to come here. Thank you! (February 2002)
We loved it here. Perfect location + wonderful hosts. Also loved all the animals : cats, dog… We’ll be back! (January 2002)
The first ten days of our married life- and what a beginning! We had a very special time in a very special place- so relaxing (and I think the windsurfing was pretty good too !) Thank you. (January 2002)
2001
We thought that there would be no place like home… and home has an ocean view too, but this was “the retreat above all the retreats”. “Absolutely charming accommodation”. Thank you for making it so pleasant! (September 2001)
We loved it here!! This will be the beginning of a new, wonderful tradition for us. Mahalo ! (May 2001)
It’s romantic and charming! We loved to spend our time here and also to play with Koko! Thank you! We hope to come back!! (April 2001)
2000
Just like Home ! But with a spectacular view and close enough to hear the waves hitting the rocks. Safe, comfortable ~ an excellent value. Thanks! (December 2000)
