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Walt,
I can see why you or anyone for that matter would get that feeling. If you think the private signs are an issue at Papakea, you should see them at other resorts in West Maui. I'd have to agree that the Ka'anapali Beach Club is more open and inviting. It feels more like a hotel resort than a timeshare resort. The Papakea feels more like a condominium complex with neighbors partying with each other. I agree with that distinction. Some prefer the hotel resort feel. Others prefer the condo complex feel. Personally, I like both.
As an aside, I've noticed that many resorts in Hawaii are mixed use. I think this is smart. I like the resorts that have combinations of whole ownership, rentals, timeshare owners and exchangers. I believe they have the best chance of keeping costs down and maximizing resort utilization.
I didn't feel anyone was more or less friendly at either resort. I just walked right in, took pictures, said hello to people and just took in the environment. In fact, nobody gave me any trouble at any of the resorts, even the Kuleana which is very private and hard to get into without really trying hard. Remember, I only had 15-30 minutes at each resort. And, I didn't get to see any of the rooms. So, I didn't have time to have negative feelings about a location.
Many, if not most of the beaches are public in Maui. So, that visitors from other resorts come to "my beach" doesn't bother me. Stealing a free breakfast would be a problem. I don't agree with or condone that practice. Moreover, why would owners want to pay for the breakfasts of all those exchangers and renters? Seems like stopping the free breakfast is a better practice anyway. The way I look at it is if my resort doesn't have a beach and I have to walk to another resort to get to the beach, the other resort is more appealing. I don't view it as a slam on the guests who make use of public facilities. Just as a badge of honor that my resort has that feature and other don't.
I would rate the Ka'anapali Beach club slightly higher than the Papakea. So, you comments and some additions that I provided help to explain the rating difference.
I can see why you or anyone for that matter would get that feeling. If you think the private signs are an issue at Papakea, you should see them at other resorts in West Maui. I'd have to agree that the Ka'anapali Beach Club is more open and inviting. It feels more like a hotel resort than a timeshare resort. The Papakea feels more like a condominium complex with neighbors partying with each other. I agree with that distinction. Some prefer the hotel resort feel. Others prefer the condo complex feel. Personally, I like both.
As an aside, I've noticed that many resorts in Hawaii are mixed use. I think this is smart. I like the resorts that have combinations of whole ownership, rentals, timeshare owners and exchangers. I believe they have the best chance of keeping costs down and maximizing resort utilization.
I didn't feel anyone was more or less friendly at either resort. I just walked right in, took pictures, said hello to people and just took in the environment. In fact, nobody gave me any trouble at any of the resorts, even the Kuleana which is very private and hard to get into without really trying hard. Remember, I only had 15-30 minutes at each resort. And, I didn't get to see any of the rooms. So, I didn't have time to have negative feelings about a location.
Many, if not most of the beaches are public in Maui. So, that visitors from other resorts come to "my beach" doesn't bother me. Stealing a free breakfast would be a problem. I don't agree with or condone that practice. Moreover, why would owners want to pay for the breakfasts of all those exchangers and renters? Seems like stopping the free breakfast is a better practice anyway. The way I look at it is if my resort doesn't have a beach and I have to walk to another resort to get to the beach, the other resort is more appealing. I don't view it as a slam on the guests who make use of public facilities. Just as a badge of honor that my resort has that feature and other don't.
I would rate the Ka'anapali Beach club slightly higher than the Papakea. So, you comments and some additions that I provided help to explain the rating difference.
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