Travel Blog
October 27, 2025
Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger and Palms at Wailea Maui by Outrigger
I flew United Airlines into OGG leaving on the early morning flight with one layover in Denver.
The layover was a little over 3 hours but that still put my arrival into Maui just after 3pm local time. Arriving at midday was wonderful for beating the crowds to pick up the rental car.
The drive is approx. 40 min to the Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger from the airport and is located north of Lahaina and Kaanapali on the West side of the Island. It was great arriving in time to settle in, grab a couple of cocktails from the lounge and catch sunset before heading off to dinner.
I stayed at the Napili Shores Maui by Outrigger September 2nd through September 4th.
Most of the rooms on this property offer kitchenettes with at least a fridge and sink or you can get more of a condo set up that includes a full kitchen. They have various categories from Ocean Front to Garden or Pool View. This property appeals to guests who might want to have a few meals in but will also be eating out and/or wanting to have a place to store extra snacks and drinks.
Since some of the rooms have more basic and standard hotel amenities it can be a good balance for those travelers that are on the move a lot but also want some furnishings that offer a home away from home feel. The Napili Shores does have outdoor grills available for guests to use up until 8pm at night as well as two restaurants and a bar/lounge. I found it to be quiet as there are some other condos and residential homes in the area, and it is only a couple of minutes’ drive to a nearby shopping market and 2-minute walk down to the beach.
I was upgraded from the Garden View Studio to a Partial Ocean View Studio w/ a full Kitchen. The room was very nice, with good sized bathroom and kitchen (loved the counterspace).
On September 4th we checked out of the Napili Shores and headed for Wailea.
Took the long way and drove north to the Road to Hana and though this still did require us to do some backtracking to get to our resort in Wailea and made for a very full day and lots of driving we were able to squeeze doing and seeing so much more into our trip.
The remainder of my time in Maui I was at the Palms at Wailea Maui by Outrigger.
The Palms at Wailea property is gated and there is a secondary section that is vacation rentals only and is separate from this property and not part of the Outrigger but it is also called Palms at Wailea Condos it is gated as well and just down the road so that can be a little confusing when driving in at night.
If arriving late there is someone at the gate to let you in, but the front desk is not staffed around the clock (hours vary day of the week/season) so late arrivals receive an email confirming their room number, map of the property and the door code to get in. No key is used. They do have a 24/7 number to call. Nice and clear options if there are any issues during their outside operating hours.
I booked the Garden Villa Deluxe 1- Bedroom. This place was super spacious, even with only one bedroom the space is designed to accommodate more than two people. I think small family could comfortably stay in this room.
This villa/condo had two pullout couches in the living room plus the additional King bed in the master bedroom, so it could easily sleep six.
There are two full bathrooms, one is attached to the bedroom along with one of the two balconies, the other balcony is off the living room and has a large outdoor table and chairs to seat four, perfect for a family dinner and watching the sunset.
There is a Full Kitchen and Dining room that also seats four plus a breakfast bar with additional seating. Also, in this Deluxe Villa there is plenty of closet space and a stackable washer and dryer which is in its own linen closest.
I was astonished by the amount of space in total, it was over 1400 sq ft.
One thing to note is I was on the second floor, up two flights of stairs, there is not an elevator available to get to this room. I do believe they offer ground-level rooms of the same category so for limited mobility guests it could be important to request the appropriate floor.
The Palms at Wailea Maui by Outrigger has one pool and hot tub as well as a library. There is no bar or restaurant on location but there are many options just minutes away and within walking distance.
There are 4- and 5-star restaurants located all around Wailea, including some of the best being at other resorts, many offer award winning and Michelin Chef’s working at these high-end restaurants so you can expect the prices to reflect the notoriety and the quality. One can find many food trucks and cheaper dining options in Wailea and all around the island.
It may seem common knowledge, but you do not have to stay at a resort to eat at their restaurant and use the valet service when dining.
We called and confirmed this in advance when planning our dinner reservation with Duo at the Four Seasons Hotel. The service and food were exceptional and lovely place to celebrate my 10-year wedding anniversary.
