The Pineapple Inn - Maui

If you're a Hawaii regular, you already know that a rental car is an absolute must. But for the newcomers, this news supposes another important implication. You can stay whereEVER you want!! You're going to be driving to the various sights, beaches, waterfalls that mark your personal itinerary no matter what. And so, in that spirit, and in the spirit of both affordable and non-massive/intrusive hotel properties, we recommend the Pineapple Inn near the south shore of Maui.

For around 150 dollars a night (a pretty damn good price for Maui) you can enjoy this little inn set above the town of Kihei. Each room has a lanai (little terrace) all to itself and a kitchenette. The rooms are beautifully decorated, well-stocked for breakfast (bagels, muffins, juices, coffee and tea, yogurts and some fruit) and very, very clean. The bathrooms are perfect. The pool is small but clean and is set in a gorgeous communal garden area. The jacuzzi is also top-notch, and, here, you won't have to share it with hordes of children or 4 other couples. On our stay, we had it to ourselves each night. They also provide a bbq, which, if you're interested in grilling up some of that famous Hawaiian pineapple at the Pineapple Inn, works marvelously...

The drawbacks:

1. You can hear the traffic from the road below, especially from the pool/garden area. If you're incredibly sensitive to this...think again. 
2. If you don't like the breakfast food on offer, you're pretty much stuck buying your own.
   

You can find more information on their website: pineappleinnmaui.com and also via the ample user reviews on Tripadvisor.com