Aston at the Maui Banyan

Aston at the Maui Banyan is situated on a lovely 11-acre property in Kihei featuring lush tropical gardens blooming with many colorful flowers. This large condo resort has a total of 256 units, 140 of which are rented by the Aston Hotels & Resorts, a management company that operates several hotel and condo properties in Hawaii.

This laid-back, friendly property is quiet in the evenings, with a mix of older couples and young families socializing by the pool in the day. Its best feature is its location right across the street from a great beach. It is not an oceanfront property, so there aren’t direct views of the ocean from any of the condos. Some rooms offer partial ocean views -- however there aren’t great sight lines, so in this case it might not be worth the money to pay extra for them.

The hotel rooms and one- and two-bedroom condos are spread out over eight buildings, only a few of which have elevators. The condos are categorized into standard or deluxe units; it's worth taking note that deluxe units offer significant upgrades, like new countertops and stainless-steel appliances, versus old, tired kitchens in the standard units. For the proximity to the beach and the decent amenities, Aston at the Maui Banyan offers value to budget-minded travelers -- however it may be worth your while to spend a little more for the deluxe rooms, as the standard rooms can be quite worn. Be sure to factor in the mandatory daily resort fee as well, which is charged upon checkout.

The Aston at the Maui Banyan is situated in South Kihei, a lively area with many condo properties on the coast of South Maui. This property has a great location right across the street from Kamaole Beach Park II, a lovely beach that’s great for families. Guests will have to cross a busy road to reach the beach, but lighted crosswalks help. It’s a five-minute walk at most to reach the beach, where lovely sunsets are a daily activity. There are several shops, restaurants, and a few bars within walking distance of this convenient location. It’s about a five-minute drive to the nearest supermarket, and less than 10 minutes south to reach great snorkeling beaches in Wailea. It’s about a 25-minute drive to reach the airport.

The one- and two-bedroom condos include full kitchens and living rooms. Each kitchen is equipped with a fridge, oven, stove, dishwasher, microwave, and toaster. The one-bedroom condos have two full baths, with a second bath located in the front of the apartment by the entrance of each. The bathrooms feature glass-walled walk-in showers. Two-bedroom condos have a similar set up with the addition of a second bedroom and another full bath, which can also be locked off and rented as a standard hotel room. The hotel room has its own mini-fridge and small lanai, but the room is fairly small.

There are significant differences between the standard and deluxe rooms. The deluxe condos are much more updated, and the newest units have stainless-steel appliances, and new bathrooms with updated tile and marble countertops. But in the older standard units, the appliances haven’t been updated and the furnishings are dated. Some standard rooms still have old tube TVs, dated furniture, and decades-old dishwashers. Standard units have older bathroom fixtures and basic, plain tile. There are flat-screen TVs and DVD players in most condos, and PlayStation 3 consoles can be requested for "no charge" (there's a daily resort fee regardless).

The condos are individually decorated, but in general there is a tropical theme and popular items include wicker or bamboo furniture, mirrored closet doors, palm-frond patterned sofas, and warm colors in sage greens, browns, and soft yellows. Washer/dryers can be found in all the one- and two-bedroom condos. Most condos include beach items for guests to use like chairs, umbrellas, and coolers. All units have large sliding glass doors leading to small lanais with a few chairs.

Aston at the Maui Banyan offers two nice, medium-sized free-form pools, one on each side of the property. Each pool is about the same size and shape, and is accompanied by a shaded picnic area with tables, and a few barbecue grills. Each pools also has a small hot tub. There are plastic lounge chairs surrounding the pool, but shady spots for lounging are scarce.

There are some additional barbecue grilling areas and seating scattered around the nice green gardens of the 11-acre property. The gardens are especially well maintained, featuring lots of green, nice pathways, and many colorful flowers that make it feel very tropical. For example, there are several different varieties and colors of the hibiscus flower. The property also include two tennis courts. There are DVD rental machines and a computer for guests to use in the lobby area. Next to reception, there’s a desk for booking tours and receiving other island info.

One of the best features of this condo resort is the proximity to the beach. You do have to cross a busy street to get to the beach, but drivers in this area are very attentive to the crosswalks. Kamaole Beach Park II is the closest beach, directly across the road. There are picnic tables and public beach access ramps. It’s a very nice, wide beach that’s perfect for kids, with great sunset views.