Maui Accommodations Guide Now MauiAccommodations.com

By Maui Now Staff

The Maui Accommodations Guide, the leading Maui-based online resource for book-direct accommodation, has discontinued its 18-year-old printed directory and rebranded to focus on its website, MauiAccommodations.com.

The Maui Accommodations Guide has specialized in “where to stay” in Maui since 1997, when it began publishing a quarterly printed guide that was mailed to travelers at no charge. In July, the company discontinued the printed guide and launched a new, more comprehensive website.

Napili Bay, Maui. Courtesy photo.

The site features listings for hotels, resorts and licensed/permitted vacation rentals, such as condos, homes, and B&Bs in Maui County, with links and contacts provided to enable travelers to book directly with the owners or management companies.

“It’s clear that today’s travelers like doing their own research and getting the best price possible by eliminating the middleman and booking directly with their chosen accommodations,” said Candy Aluli, owner and publisher of the Maui Accommodations Guide. “We decided it was time to reinvent our guide and make MauiAccommodations.com the go-to resource for independent travelers planning a trip to Maui.”

New features on the redesigned site include:

• a twice-monthly “All About Maui” blog providing Maui travel tips from a local perspective;
• a free monthly Maui Deals & Steals enewsletter with exclusive book-direct bargains offered by advertisers;
• and a newly developing “Things To Do” section that will include activity, services and dining recommendations.

Aluli noted that advertising prices on MauiAccommodations.com have been reduced to as low as $30 per month, and advertisers can now list individual condominium units and vacation rentals. The previous Maui Accommodations Guide focused only on entire resort properties.

“Travelers want choices and we want our site to provide them with as many choices as possible,” said Aluli. “MauiAccommodations.com now offers a full spectrum of accommodation options on Maui, from mega-resorts to smaller, privately-owned rentals.”

Aluli said the inclusion of traditional resorts along with vacation rentals is just one of the ways that MauiAccommodations.com differs from the larger book-direct sites, such as VRBO and AirBnB.

“Yes, we offer owner-direct vacation rentals on our site, but that’s where the comparison ends,” said Aluli. “We offer a wider scope of accommodations and a more personal and focused approach. We specialize in Maui. We don’t list every vacation rental on the globe. And we live on Maui, so MauiAccommodations.com is more than just an impersonal directory to places to stay. Through our blog and newsletter, we are able to provide timely information and personal suggestions and insights for travelers from a local resident’s point of view. Itʻs like having a friend on Maui to give you some tips for your trip!”