The Hostelz.com Review
There are not many hostels in Maui, and the Banana Bungalow seems to be the top choice for most backpackers. You'll find it busy at most times of the year and brimming with international visitors.
Because of the lack of choice, quality accommodation options in Maui are hard to come by. While the Banana Bungalow is not a high class backpacker hostel, it does provide the basics that you'll need for a good stay.
There are great communal areas complete with TV, foosball table, pool table, and an outdoor tropical setting with fruits. The kitchen area has all the facilities you'll need and is stocked with shared cutlery. However, the advertised jacuzzi is no longer in existence [Update: We're told it's back in service], but who needs it when you've got Maui's world class beaches nearby! Internet is also free via wi-fi or the computer that's available. Common areas are shut in at 10 p.m. on weeknights and you'll have to return to your room by 11 p.m.
The thing that really makes the Banana Bungalow a decent place to stay is the tours. No other hostels in Maui run the extensive (and free for a tip) tours that are offered here -- you could be swimming with turtles or driving to the beautiful town of Hanna during your stay here. The going rate for tips is well worth it. The guides are not paid by the hostel and rely on tips.
Rooms here are pretty average by hostel standards, but adequate for a good night's sleep. You won't get much better in Maui and the rooms are clean and fresh -- the most important thing. The hostel offers free transfers from the airport and a free local bus is available at certain times of day. You can catch it to connect with other buses across the island or jump off at the Mall to do shopping or whatever you have planned.
Because of the lack of choice, quality accommodation options in Maui are hard to come by. While the Banana Bungalow is not a high class backpacker hostel, it does provide the basics that you'll need for a good stay.
There are great communal areas complete with TV, foosball table, pool table, and an outdoor tropical setting with fruits. The kitchen area has all the facilities you'll need and is stocked with shared cutlery. However, the advertised jacuzzi is no longer in existence [Update: We're told it's back in service], but who needs it when you've got Maui's world class beaches nearby! Internet is also free via wi-fi or the computer that's available. Common areas are shut in at 10 p.m. on weeknights and you'll have to return to your room by 11 p.m.
The thing that really makes the Banana Bungalow a decent place to stay is the tours. No other hostels in Maui run the extensive (and free for a tip) tours that are offered here -- you could be swimming with turtles or driving to the beautiful town of Hanna during your stay here. The going rate for tips is well worth it. The guides are not paid by the hostel and rely on tips.
Rooms here are pretty average by hostel standards, but adequate for a good night's sleep. You won't get much better in Maui and the rooms are clean and fresh -- the most important thing. The hostel offers free transfers from the airport and a free local bus is available at certain times of day. You can catch it to connect with other buses across the island or jump off at the Mall to do shopping or whatever you have planned.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2006
Their Description
Banana Bungalow Maui Hostel Details
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Awful place. Perfect for uneducated, selfish travelers. First the positive stuff: Nice "free" tours and some members of the staff are very helpful. Why quotes at "Free"? Well, this place is pretty expensive: 31$ for a dorm bed in a loud hostel is not my idea of a bargain. Also you're expected to tip the driver (who's not being paid to drive the guests I suppose). So all in all it's not a good deal. Two tours are for hikers (Iao Valley, Volcano) and only offered if it's not raining. The Hana tour is the only one I really liked but this time I did it with a rental car I shared with other people. The rest can be done by city bus (Lahaina, Kihei, Paia) or with a rental car for one or two days (Iao Valley + Makena Beach: one day and Volcano: half a day). The "Northshore Hostel" up the street offers QUIET rooms for 25$ and a free airport shuttle. The owners are very nice and live in the same building. The Banana Bungalow was not even able to organize a shuttle if you offered to pay for it! When you complained about the noise (signs say, Quiet time after 11PM, probably meant as a joke), the staff said, they couldn't do anything (who can then?). The truth is, they were sometimes the ones making the noise. So if you don't care about sleep, if you don't care about other people's sleep and don't mind the price and being isolated from nightlife (unless you mean drug dealers, this area being pretty shady), go ahead. I won't go back there. I prefer a more civilized and welcoming place that drives the rude and primitive backpackers away. — Anonymous , France (2011-04-16) Great staff, great tours I stayed there for 10 days. I met a ton of awesome people. The tours were tons of fun. The facilities had a chill sociable atmosphere. The road to Hana was my favorite with swimming through lava tubes, a bamboo forest, cliff jumping, a hawaiian barbecue, and a 300 foot waterfall. Little beach is a great party for the open minded. Turtle town had the best snorkeling. Haleakala had the best sunset. Afterward I went to Oahu. It was only ok. — James Kase , Alaska (2010-11-05) Constant drug use fuels a bad theft problem I've stayed in youth hostels many times during my life. This is the worst place I've stayed. Not because of the occasional bug, randy fellow patrons noisily giving each other the goods in public, or general lack of cleanliness standards you'd expect in higher end accommodations. You expect marginal conditions in a youth hostel. Its life. Its part of the experience. Embrace and deal with it. No, this place is full of thieves. I wasn't there more than an hour and my room was broken into and stuff stolen. Who the hell steals a man's condoms and disposable razor for god's sake. That's just desperate. They were looking for more I'm sure and stole my home keys hoping to find my rental car keys. But, I had those on me. Oh well, they stole nothing of importance and I went my way the next day and found other accommodations. The staff did refund me 2 out of a 3 days prepaid stay. But, only after I threatened to file a police report. Upon questioning the locals at Kite Beach later during my vacation I was told three different stories about theft at the Bungalow that had happened in the previous few weeks. These ranged from minor pilfering of toiletries like my experience to theft of a Spanish passport and ALL of the poor fellow's vacation money out of the Bungalow's own supposedly secure office safe. That means the Bungalow's own management team is in on the thievery! The locals just laughed and said I got off lucky. They had many more unfortunate stories to relay if I wanted to take the time to listen. They said to avoid the Banana Bungalow Maui Hostel at all costs. Its well known by the locals and the local police force as being a place with recurring small time drug and theft problems. The drug use is constant and that breeds the constant thievery problem they said. Overall, I'd give the place a rating of zero for not addressing the thievery problem. If you remove the theft issue than the place is your basic partying youth hostel with a few more bugs thrown in. — Ken , Alaska (2010-10-17) Very nice Stayed there for 4 days in June and everything was fine, the hostel is very clean, and the staff friendly. The location is good , in a beautiful valley, can take 2 buses from the airport. If you're looking for another waikiki then stay in Oahu. — Anonymous , usa (2010-08-17) "This is what you gotta do man" I am telling you man this place has energy. It's all about the lifestyle. This is like hub of the universe for souls. Every type of person passes through here. They always come back. You have to get naked in the hot tub, clothing is not optional. Tip your guides, they eat ketsup packets when they run out of money. — Bungaloid Jim , Minnesota (2010-01-08) Absolutely disgusting! Overflowing toilets, critters, and cold water I arrived at a hostel that was advertised as a clean location with several bathrooms and shuttle service, I paid for a private room with queen bed and was told quiet time was at 10:30 p.m. When we arrived I was told I had to pay for two nights. When I got my room it was a dirty bed with dirty sheets, bedbugs, cockroaches, ice cold shower water (no hot water whatsoever), and toilets overflowing with sewage. I tried to stay but at 2 a.m. when people were partying outside my door I tried to call the night manager at the number provided in my room and the number was a former employee. I left this place that should be condemned and have every intention of filing a report with the better business bureau. This place is a rathole and not at all what was advertised. There is no way I could have stayed in this place and no one should be subjected to its conditions. There is no telling what diseases you could catch there. They must have hired a maid for these pictures. My shoes stuck to the carpet, the place smelled like garbage rotting, and cannot believe they charged $68 a night for this. — Terribly Disgusted Visitor (2009-12-08) I never had so much fun in my life before. It was awesome! My friend and me had a really great time. Just too short, but well. The staff are really nice and we always had fun with them. Some good and long nights! Just crazy there, but enjoyed our time there. I would love to come back someday.
The tours were amazing, especially the tour on monday. I really enjoyed it, also with sandels. I guess it was more fun for the other guys, but I did my best and loved to entertain the group. — Michele , Germany (2009-10-21) The good, Great tours. did i mention they have great tours? Issaic rocks! Big flatscreen TV with satellite, great Wi-Fi, super cool jacuzzi, great and friendly staff, great common area. Clean areas. Free bananas when they cut them from the tree. Free mangoes. The bad, Far away from everything (larger supermarkets -- there is a smaller one around the corner but very limited supplies -- and beaches). Tons of spiders and flies (legs were bitten up after a few days). Only two of the six showers downstairs had hot water. Quiet time of 10 p.m., this includes the jacuzzi and common area. Because of the fantastic tours, I would defiantly come again if i ever make it out to Maui. — Neil , USA (2009-05-22) Cool beans! I really liked the Banana Bungalow. The rooms were really simple but clean. We booked a double room but for some reason they thought we wanted a twin, we stayed in it the first night and they offered a double for the next night but we actually like the view of the mountains and the flowering tree outside our window so we stuck with the twin beds! The second night we had an impromptu rap session happening outside our window, some kids with some mad rap skills! The bathrooms were mostly clean but there was usually a line up in the mornings. I loved the kitchen and cooking with everyone felt really homey. The tours were awesome, although getting a spot wasn't always easy, they fill up fast. Big Beach-Little Beach Day was the best, despite the nakedness, or maybe because of it? Common area was awesome, fresh mangoes every morning. Quiet time starts at 10 so it wasn't much for partying. Not really close to anything so renting a car was a must for us. — Kristi , Canada (2009-02-27) Good times/accommodation below average/great tours Although I was relegated to the so called "TV room" with six bunks, avoid that room if you go, after two days it aired out somewhat with fans going on constantly as the room was airless -- no windows to the outside. the staff was fine along with the tour drivers. great rainy day trip to Hana and other beach trips on the sunny days. location is ok with a great Mexican restaurant fifty meters away. Also the bus is convenient to Lahaina. so other than the slightly worn out accommodation and scuzzy showers, kind of like travels in India years ago, it was fun and I'd go back anytime! Oh and awesome New years party, free Sierra Nevada and passing of the rum. — norm , canada (2009-01-08) Awesome -- love Banana bungalow This place is not the cleanest one but the Staff and people staying at the hostel are amazing and will have great memories for life! plus the free tours are great. yes you are expected to pay tips but if you take the time to see how much a guided tour to Haleakala or Road to Hana costs, $100 to $150, a $20 tip is nothing. besides all the guides are volunteers -- they are not paid. i save so much money from doing the free tours and saw most of maui, the tours are really well made. Yes the location sucks, but people just hang out and chill in the garden at night if you want to do something besides the tours just take the bus or there is probably someone with a rented car and a group will be able to go somewhere. Great place to travel if you are alone, they have a common room with foosball, pool, and giant TV. I'm going bananas for Banana Bungalow, love it! — Isabelle , Canada (2008-09-17) Great First Hostel Experience This was the first Hostel I have ever stayed at. The whole staff was very friendly and helpful. Great Tours to Iao Needle, Hana, Lahaina, Snorkeling. The Tour guides work for tips and to show the guest great times. I personally had no problem taking care of my guied each day as it would have cost a lot more to take a tour through a tour service. I stayed in a dorm room and never had any problems with bugs. Great get togethers every night. There is a small mini-mart next door and a grocery store about a hundred yards down the street. Bus stops with in fifty feet and only cost a dollar to go to Lahiana or Paia. — Gary , Kansas City, Missouri (2008-07-08) It's excellent The accommodation is great, the people very friendly, even the guests, cause the atmosphere is so good that you feel comfortable and free as in your house. The tours are awesome as the guides! I'm very happy to have spent my days in hawaii there. — Victoria , Argentina (2008-04-29) Whoopie This is a great hostel, good times. I traveled by myself to maui and found so many to hang out with. Tours are awesome and really keep you busy. i suggest renting a car as the hostel is not walking distance to anything really, plus it gives you the options to explore more on your own! would come back. — beth , canada (2008-04-06) Best hostel so far! The tours are amazing, it is a great place to make friends when you're traveling on your own! Just get on one of the tours, the beach shuttle, or in the hot tub. I've made friends for life! Private bathrooms, four-Bed Dorms, no bedbugs plus the most comfy bed ever in a hostel, fun and helpful staff! Thanks to Isaac and Hans, who did an amazing job being a tour guide and showing us the real Hawaii! If you want to see Hawaii not only from its touristy side this is the way to go! — Annemarie Conrath , German (2008-03-09)