Historic Hotel in the centre of Lahaina with very attractive external appearance.

The rooms were designed for a very different and older era and are dark and appear small and fairly cramped. The historic design of the balconies incorporated no privacy screening and so were effectively shared in common. Better, of course, than nothing at all.

The common areas were not kept clean. Dirt (e.g. old corn plasters, refuse, etc.) was left on the stairs throughout the stay and there was no evidence that any cleaning of the common areas took place at all, which detracted from the expectation of a memorable stay due to the prime location. Similarly the pool area in the courtyard needed a good brush out although the water appeared clear, but the overall ambience was not inviting and it was notable that no other guests were seen to use it either.

We stayed at the Pioneer Inn for a week in April/May 2006 during a three week trip to Maui and the Big Island. We knew there was no beach nearby but chose to base ourselves here for the night life – accepting that it would be quite a long drive to our favourite beach.

We stayed in a Queen room (46) overlooking the plantation style courtyard. The room was small, but we expected that in an historic inn. It was furnished in a style suited to the age of the building and unlike a recent reviewer we had no complaints about cleanliness. Our only regret was that we had not paid extra to have a room with a refrigerator, but there was an ice machine just down the hall.

As the room faced the courtyard it was very quiet, the only time we were disturbed was when a fellow guest spent an age loudly trying to book a Lu’au on his cell phone on an adjoining balcony.

One of the nicest aspects of this hotel is if you eat breakfast (15% reduction for residents) in the hotel restaurant you are only a few feet from where the passengers from the cruise ships disembark for excursions – a great place to people watch! It did however strike us as rather sad that some people coming ashore to an island with as much to see as Maui seem to choose just to spend their day playing golf.

We were impressed by the standard of the food in the restaurant for breakfast but with there being so many places to eat in Lahaina we did not eat there in the evening. The food was reasonably priced, with a varied selection.

We didn’t have a problem with the fact that parking was a short walk away, other than you had to remember to pick up a new parking permit each day. You could drop and pick up luggage at the hotel, even when a cruise ship was in port and the area in front of the hotel was partly cordoned off.

We found all the staff to be really friendly and helpful, even the handyman who had to fix the air conditioning in out room (turned out he only needed to replace the batteries in the remote).

It was our fourth trip to Lahaina, previously staying at Lahaina Shores and the Plantation Inn. We took quite a long time deciding where to stay this time. We have stayed at the Plantation Inn twice (for two nights each time) and adore that hotel, but for a longer stay the rooms are just too small unless you are prepared to upgrade to one of the suites. We were also more than happy with Lahaina Shores (we stayed for 10 nights) which despite its historic facade has all the amenities of a modern condominium but it is quite a dark walk back at night from the main attractions in Front Street. On balance we felt we made the right decision this time and will stay here again on our next trip to Maui. It’s the perfect place to stay if you really want to soak up the unique atmosphere of Lahaina.

We had traveled to Maui many times and always made the comment that some day we would love to stay at this hotel. We finally booked a weeks vacation in Febuary and could not of been more pleased. From the time we arrived we were treated very well indeed and had no complaints. The room was small but very clean and pleasant. Yes the parking is about a block and a half away but it really is no problem. We will return to Maui again and again and knowing that we can stay any where we want we will choose The Pioneer Inn over and over. We really were that pleased with our stay.

My husband and I loved everything about this hotel. We stayed in a room overlooking the Banyan tree two summers ago and have booked the same side again for our trip next month. A previous reviewer said he didn't understand all of the good reviews but from his comments, I understand why he didn't like the hotel. First of all, he complained that there was no access to the beach. But no one stays in Lahaina for beaches. If you're looking for a great beach right outside your door--stay in one of the resort areas. He also complained about the air conditioner. Mine was noisy too, but I never used it--and I was there in July. If you're a person who closes up the room and blasts an air conditioner all night--then no, this probably isn't the place for you. But I slept with the window and patio door open (it is screened). I fell asleep to the sounds of the wonderful band playing across the street, had a wonderful breeze all night, and in the morning, I was awakened early by the zillions of birds (and I'm not exagerating) chirping in the Banyan tree outside. It was a fabulous experience. It isn't a flashy resort hotel. The rooms are small and the decor is simple. The hotel is old but it is not run down. It is exactly what I would expect from a historic building. If you're a person who loves the big resorts--pass this one by. But if you spend your weekends searching out antique shops, dream of owning your own B&B and you just love historic places--Lahaina and this hotel are gems.