Wow, what a great stay we had at Island Sands unit #605. The unit is beautifully decorated, well stocked with everything you could need and very clean. We spent a good portion of our time sitting out on the lanai enjoying the spectacular ocean views. There is something special about starting your day with a nice cup of coffee and breathing in the refreshingly clean ocean air while you sit on your lanai gazing out at the incredible ocean. And, to end your day sitting on the lanai with a cocktail watching the sunset is even better! Nikta Houston, who owns and manages the property, is a gem among gems. It was so nice to have a manager that lives locally. Any questions or needs that we had were met promptly and with a smile. Nikta is very helpful with suggestions for anything that you might want to explore on the island. Being a resident of Maui, she has seen and done just about everything. She is epitome of "Aloha" and the island way of life. Because Maalaea is so centrally located, it is the perfect location to see everything on the island. Nikta and her amazing condo have won us over and we will be back again and again. Thank you for all of your hospitality, Nikta!!!!

We absolutely love Nikta's beautiful 2BD/2BA unit at Island Sands and we cannot wait to go back. There is access to a great little beach right behind the building and most days we were the only ones on it. We fished right off the beach and caught enough papio and lai for two nights dinners, which we BBQd down stairs by the pool. The view is terrific from the lanai and we could watch the sunset from the bed in the master bedroom. There is a washer/dryer and full kitchen. Just stop at the grocery on the way in and you are set! We cooked many of our own meals (which saved lots of money) and with the washer/dryer, you hardly have to bring any clothes at all. Nikta has setup the unit beautifully and it is spotless when you arrive. You can see lots of pictures at her website http://www.uniktavacations.com/condo2.html
In the evening just open up the back bedroom windows and the lanai screen door and a breeze blows right through. Terrific!

We would recommend Island Sands #605 whole-heartedly. It feels like home the minute you walk in and working with Nikta is effortless. She also has a 1BD/1BA unit in the building next door, Ma'alaea Banyans #219. We've stayed there twice. It's perfect for a couple and the view toward SE Maui and Molokini is incredible. We love Nikta and Ma'alaea!

Island Sands and Ma'alaea Banyans are located near Ma'alaea Harbor, away from the busy tourist areas yet accessible to everything. Kihei is just a few miles away (that's where we went for groceries), Lahaina and Ka'anipali are to the west, and we took highway 30 several times over to Wailuku and Happy Valley. We like Ma'alaea because it feels like you're in the center of everything but away from the crowds. We watched the dive boats leaving for Molokini right from Ma'alaea Harbor and we walked to the Maui Aquarium. BONUS: right at the end of Hauoli Street is a beautiful sandy beach. I couldn't find it in the guide books either, so it is almost private. Sometimes Ma'alaea can get windy, but because of the way the buildings are situated they act as big windblocks and we were never bothered by it. We sat out on the lanai everyday. This was our most relaxing vacation ever!

Mahalo Nikta! Hope we get to stay with you again soon!

Ocean view? What a rip off to be charged over 200 a night for the promised ocean view and then find out you had the one unit that has NO view when seated ( as in relaxing on vacation) and if you stand you can see a bit of ocean between the shed and another building. Extremely disappointed. The only reason I chose Island Sands and Maalaea was to relax with the ocean views advertised.

Will never rent anything related to CRH again. If you are there on a weekend, you have NO recourse in case something goes wrong. In our case, the toilet worked ONCE. When the condo office opened Mon. morning, I told the lady there and she said she has nothing to do with it and to call CRH. So really there is no one to hold accountable.

Also - I took photos of the mold, caked dust, torn curtain, hairs and gross stains that really are unacceptable for ANY price. Old shag carpet and bizarre clingy dingy fabric on couch need immediate replacement. Internet never worked once. The TV did work, the kitchen was fine. The washer and dryer were helpful and some of the oceanic art was nice. Chairs on patio (the one without any ocean view over the shrubs) and at dining counter were very nice. So it isn't a total disaster but close. Oh and the AC is just one window unit behind the TV - providing no relief in bedrooms. And as someone else noted - the parking space is so small that one can only enter your vehicle on one side - annoying and avoidable had they planned better.

This is our second trip back to the Island Sands in Maalaea, and I promise we will come back again. We discovered Nikta Houston a few years ago and she introduced us to Maalaea. We had previuosly stayed ay the posh resorts in Wailea and Kaanapali, but we have now fallen in love with this less crowded, great beach and beautiful harbor town. I don't know what is better our host Nikta or our accomidations in Island Sands condo #605. Nikta made us feel like VIP's. We went to Maui this time to get married and Nikta ensured that our family was well taken care of going above and beyond what any concierge at a resort could/would do. Nikta made us feel like a part of her family. Our condo was beautiful, think understated elegance meets Tommy Bahama. Upon arrival we felt like we were in our own Maui home, it has a wonderful warm feel. Anything that you would want at home Nikta has provided in the condo. We spent every morning on the lanai having coffee over looking the ocean watching the "Freight Train" surf and most evenings with a glass of wine reminiscing about our adventures on the island that day. If you are looking for a very relaxing, stress free, beautiful island vacation this is a great place to stay!