My wife and I stayed in the Pioneer Inn for two nights in July. We had stayed there two years ago, and we liked the turn of the century architecture, the free parking, and the historic central location. We had no need for a big pool, but we wanted to walk frequently between the restaurants/shops and the hotel’s shade to avoid “the cruel sun.” It feels as if, from the time Lahaina was Hawaii's capital, the rest of the city radiated outward from the boat landing and the Pioneer Hotel site. We were sad to see that the sailing ship, The Carthaginian (see photo taken July 2005), had been removed permanently from its mooring in front of the hotel and scuttled as an artificial reef, but it still can be found on the hotel's T-shirt photo. The combination of the historic light tower, wharf, the Carthaginian, and the century-old giant banyan tree and red-and-white
hotel building protected by palm trees and a tall green volcanic ridge appear in many paintings and on postcards. They capture Maui's modern history in a single scene. When we booked through the Best Western website, we said that we were willing to pay for a room with a refrigerator, so we were booked in room no. 50, a larger room on the second floor with a king-sized bed. It faced the courtyard and the public library, well worth the extra cost with a bigger porch, as well. The card-key lock on the door was tricky, and sometimes it took 5-10 attempts to open it. We tried the discount coupon at the hotel's popular restaurant for breakfast, but we got a reluctant server, and they were out of English muffins. A minor quibble: macadamia nut pancakes cost $2.50+ more than regular ones, but tourists wanting to try a "local dish" will find just one or two crushed macadamia nuts on top of a regular pancake, which seemed a bit much considering you could make your own and have lots left over from a small tetrapak of macadamia nuts that sells everywhere for 69 cents. The staff at the front desk were relaxed, friendly, and casual, and the housekeeping staff were friendly and helpful--especially when we had trouble opening the door to room 50. Wireless
Internet access was provided free in room 50, which is important to us when we travel. Because the hotel has the problems of an old building, we rated it above average, but we will return to the Pioneer Hotel for its excellent economic and aesthetic value; we'll skip the restaurant and go to others such as BJ's Pizza instead.

When we first entered the Pioneer Inn we were dissapointed. The rooms are smallish, kinda old decor, there's no parking onsite and no elevator to ease the pain of hauling your own dive gear. But the next morning we realized how good we really had it. The Pioneer Inn is directly across from the harbor where the dive boat departs and - thanks to an incorrectly set alarm clock - we would have missed the boat if we weren't right across the street! Furthermore, this place is right in the heart of old Lahaina town and so centrally located we could walk everywhere. The balcony was huge and great for setting out dive gear (i recommend a courtyard view room for this) and you can't beat the price. Our friends stayed at a fancy hotel, paid twice as much and then had to pay for parking when they came to Lahaina - which is where we hung out all the time. [--] coffee is located in the building and it was awesome to get your coffee early in the morning an walk around before everyone else decends on the town. Recommend Lahaina Divers for a great diving experience. Recommended Dining: Kimos, Cool Cat Cafe, Roy's, and Lahaina Coolers.

A couple of years ago I took a cruise around the Hawaiian islands. We stopped in Lahaina, Maui and I vowed to go back and stay at the Pioneer Inn. We did just that this year and it couldn't have been better! This hotel isn't a fancy resort, but the location can't be beat! It is right by the banyan tree, shops, and dining establishments.

The room was just right for one or two people. I had a room with a queen bed. There was a ceiling fan and air conditioning unit, which kept the room cool on hot days. The balcony was huge! I had a room facing Banyan Tree Park. To my left were the West Maui Mountains. To the right was the ocean. Just perfect!

The only downfalls to this place was that the pool was small (didn't go in and didn't see anyone else go in either), there is no elevator and all rooms are upstairs, so that was a little bit of a pain when bringing luggage up to the room, and parking can be a problem, since there is not much parking around the hotel. There is a parking lot for the hotel a couple of blocks away.

My stay was so relaxing, that I am planning on visiting as much as I can afford to and am planning a stay for next year already!

Lahaina is my favorite town in Hawaii and Maui is my favorite island. By the way, you can't beat the price of this hotel either for Hawaii!!!

I would recommend staying here to just about anyone, except those that cannot walk upstairs well.

I have been to Maui 4 times now and I've stayed at the Westin Ka'anapali, the Embassy Suites (back when it was a hotel), and the Grand Wailea previously. Since I was going to Maui on my latest trip alone I decided to be a bit more economical and stayed at the Pioneer Inn. I'd noticed it on previous visits and a co-worker who had stayed here recommended it. The rates are comparatively very good and the location is great since I'm a big fan of Lahaina. I stayed here for 5 nights in Sept. '06 when I was on Maui for the marathon weekend races. The race starts were just a short drive up the coast...maybe 10 mins. tops which wasn't a problem at all. Not having a beach right outside my door wasn't a problem either in my case especially since I love putting the windows down on my rental car and turning up some local tunes on the radio and enjoying the drive. I went to several different spectacular beaches all up and down the coast which I think is the best way to see Maui anyway. I'd do this even if I were at one of the higher end resorts.

While at the Pioneer Inn I really enjoyed getting up for sunrise in the mornings and sitting on the seawall which was right outside my door and watching Lanai light up as the sun hit it. I also enjoyed watching the local kids surfing right in front of the hotel before they went off to school in the mornings and again in the evenings. I liked the idea that the locals seemed to congregate at a small park right outside the hotel by the seawall. This spot is one of the most relaxing I have ever experienced. I enjoyed walking the streets of Lahaina in the evenings also and meeting some of the local characters...and they have their share...and you will meet them unless you make an effort not to. All of this was right there surrounding the hotel, so I loved it.

As for the hotel itself, being a history fan, I enjoyed the character of the place and the old feel of it. My room was fairly large and clean if not overly plush. It's not the Westin or the Grand Wailea, but it is perfectly functional and I didn't spend much time there anyway other than to sleep. The balcony was a bit public, but that was charming to me. My room overlooked the banyan tree and I actually enjoyed hearing the birds when I sat outside. I wasn't bothered by them at all when the door was closed and I was sleeping. The a/c in my room was fine and not loud at all as a previous reviewer noted. I liked the interior window shutters that actually worked rather than being for decoration. They do help keep out the noise and light also.

The hotel staff was very friendly and accomodating. I had breakfast twice in the hotel restaurant and it was very good. I recommend it. Sitting out on the lanai watching the town come alive in the morning was very nice.

Parking was a couple of blocks away which you may want to know ahead of time, but it was free and walking through the streets of Lahaina is fun anyway.

Had a great visit and plan to return this September. I'd recommend it to anyone not determined to stay at a luxurious resort on a beach. Those places are great too, but for a relaxed low key vacation this place is it.