The Plantation Inn Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Maui, Hawaii, United States

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Plantation Inn's landscaped courtyard

A charming, intimate property, the Plantation Inn is in many ways the exact counterpoint to typical Maui resorts. Where most have hundreds of rooms, multiple pools, amenities galore, and tout their oceanfront locations, the Plantation Inn offers 19 modest, courtyard-facing rooms, a small pool, and an intimate setting in Lahaina's touristy downtown with its crowded streets, restaurants, souvenir shops, and nightlife.

Rooms range from small, 235-square-foot rooms to larger, one-bedroom units with small kitchenettes that include a two-burner stove and microwave. The hotel is in the process of needed room renovations, trading their current overdone and dated Victorian, floral-based decor for a colonial Hawaiian look. Despite the decor, rooms are clean, comfortable, and well-furnished.

The Plantation Inn's small size results in highly personalized service, which, along with a free daily breakfast at the excellent adjoining Gerard's Restaurant, raises the experience here a few notches above Lahaina's other, similarly small but a bit more worn, historic property, the Pioneer Inn. The Plantation's sister property, the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, offers some of the same character in a bigger, family-friendly, beachfront setting -- but no other options on Maui capture the historic character of these downtown Lahaina spots.

As soon as rooms are booked, guests receive personalized emails and letters from the staff, and by the time they arrive the staff seems to know them. When told my name, the front desk clerk immediately addressed me by name and knew where I was arriving from. Compared to the overwhelming majority of Maui resorts, where the staff asks for confirmation numbers and shuffles guests through arrivals and room assignments, the Plantation Inn is like staying at your grandmother's. On the other hand, the staff is small, so don't expect a porter, turndown service, or room service.

• Personalized welcome letters, and friendly staff that knows guests by name
• No porters or elevators make hauling luggage a chore.
• No room service or pool service
• No separate concierge, but front desk staff is happy to help

View on a Larger Map

The Plantation Inn is around the corner from downtown Lahaina, a bustling whaling port during the mid-19th century and former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Today, this touristy seaside town is home to some of Maui's best shopping, dining, and nightlife. Chain restaurants like Bubba Gump and Hard Rock Café coexist with local establishments, like scrimshaw sellers and shave-ice shops, and art gallery exhibits pay tribute to Lahaina's past as the whaling capital of the Pacific. In the center of it all is a huge, banyan tree that arches over an entire city block.

Front Street is the main drag of Lahaina. This half-mile-long stretch is packed with everything a tourist could need, from activity desks to souvenir shops and fresh island cuisine. Well-preserved, 18th-century buildings give it a historic feel -- most of the town has been designated a National Historic Landmark - and its many attractions, retail stores, and excellent restaurants make it a must-see for every Maui visitor.

• Two blocks from Front Street's lively nightlife; live music and a mix of tourists and locals fill the bars (though it still tends to die down before midnight)
• Historic attractions like the 19th-centry Courthouse (free) and the well-preserved 18th-centry Baldwin House ($3 admission).
• Two blocks from Lahaina Harbor, the takeoff point for interisland ferries and trips for diving, snorkeling, and sunset sailing around Maui
• A short walk away from from the majestic Banyan Tree Park, a single, century-old tree with gnarled branches and twisted roots that covers almost one acre.
• Warren & Annabelle's magic show-cum-comedy act is one of the best shows in Maui; on Front Street for guests 21 and older.
• Considered the most authentic luau in Maui, the intimate Old Lahaina Luau takes place nightly on a beach near the Lahaina Cannery Mall. (Reserve tickets well in advance.)
• 35-minute drive from Kahului Airport

Lahaina isn't about beaches. It's a former whaling village fronted by a large harbor and filled with shops, restaurants, and Maui's best nightlife. Some surf schools run lessons out of the harbor, but the nearest swimmable beaches are five to 10 minutes away.

• In general, the water around Lahaina is good for surfing, but the beaches are narrow and hard to reach from the roads.
• Long, resort-studded Kaanapali beach is the most developed beach nearby; it's about 15 minutes drive north of Lahaina.
• Launiupoko Park is the most swimmable, and busiest, beach along the highway south of Lahaina.

Courtyard facing balcony at the Kilohana Suite

The 15 rooms and four suites run on the small side compared to most Maui resorts, but they're far more charming. With seven separate categories, few rooms are alike. Most face the courtyard and have a porch or deck, and the busy Victorian decor is being updated to a more modern colonial Hawaiian aesthetic (floral wallpaper and bedding are being replaced by plain whites, Hawaiian quilts, and dark colonial furniture, for example). Two of the suites feature full kitchens, but little details like coffeemakers aren't offered in most rooms.

• Small rooms (for the area) range from 235-square-foot standard rooms to 600-square-foot suites.
• Almost all rooms have courtyard-facing porch made private by lattice dividers.
• Tube televisions with basic cable will be replaced during current renovation with larger flat-screen TVs
• Free in-room Wi-Fi -- solid connection but not high speed
• Comfortable beds, but will be replaced during current renovation
• Bathrooms vary by room type, but generally spacious with Personal Paradise toiletries

Plantation Inn's quiet courtyard pool

The Plantation Inn doesn't offer too many features, but they're done well for such a small facility. The hotel's quiet, intimate atmosphere is really its distinctive feature, unlike nearby Pioneer Inn, a similarly small property whose building contains numerous shops and restaurants on the lower level.

• Free Wi-Fi throughout property
• Free on-site parking, a great feature in busy Lahaina
• Excellent, free a la carte breakfast from Gerard's Restaurant
• Small, 24-hour pool set in a beautiful, landscaped courtyard
• Quieter atmosphere then nearby Pioneer Inn

The Plantation Inn doesn't allow children under 12 on the property, and it doesn't encourage families to visit. Only three of the suites have kitchens, and most of the rooms don't allow more than two people. With a pricey French restaurant, a small pool, and a quiet, romantic atmosphere, this is not the place to bring the kids.

Rooms and grounds are well-kept and clean, but they're undergoing gradual room renovations. Those not yet updated are somewhat drab and have out-of-date electronics, but the furnishings are clean and in good condition.

Free alfresco breakfast at the ground-floor Gerard's Restaurant

This is a bed-and-breakfast, after all, so it's a plus that the free morning meal from Gerard's Restaurant, on the ground floor of one of the Plantation Inn's two buildings, is one of the best parts of staying here. Served with the restaurant's own excellent coffee blend, the menu choices include great French toast and French-style dishes like baked eggs, along with traditional options. Dinner features French fare highlighting local Hawaiian ingredients; it's one of the priciest options in Lahaina, but also one of the most romantic. For lunch and other dinner options, Lahaina is filled with everything from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse to cheap sandwich shops, all within walking distance of the hotel.