The Northshore Hostel - Maui

Got what I needed out of it
I arrived in Maui without a reservation and was able to book for three nights in a dorm at the end of January. My room was an interior room (away from the balcony), so it was quieter than a room closer to the main road. I wear earplugs so noise was not an issue for me once I went to sleep. Overall it was not a loud, party place during my stay, which was good. Kitchen appeared ok although I did not buy any food on my trip. The place has four bathrooms, two of which I was in. Both were clean from my point of view. I showered in one bathroom exclusively and there was hot water for my morning shower (around 8 a.m.). The only complaint I had was when the calendar switched from Jan to Feb. I left early in the morning Feb. 1 (before 8:30 a.m.) and the code to get in to the place was changed without my knowledge. When I came back that night and punched in the old code, I realized it had been switched. I pressed the button to inform the attendant that somebody was outside waiting but he had gone to the airport to pick up a guest. I proceeded to press the alarm button about fifty times with no response. I eventually was able to get in. Make sure to get the new code at the beginning of each month. Otherwise I would recommend for a traveler who is looking for a place to sleep at night at a very cheap rate.

Pretty Good
Stayed a few days in this hostel in a private room. The room was pretty small and basic but reasonable. There are quite a few bathrooms so waiting for that is not much of an issue. It is also pretty clean. One issue was the noise though. There is a bar very close and on the weekends the party spills onto the street and goes very late, and there is also considerable traffic noise, so if you get a room try to stay away from the street side if you want a good night's sleep. There is not much going on in town but you can party at the nearby Banana Bungalow, and there's a coffee place/restaurant down on Market that has kick-ass food and libations. My reaction to the staff was mixed -- one dude seemed pretty cool but another guy seemed a bit on the angry side, but then he seemed ok on another day. All in all it has been pretty good.

Fair
this hostel is in a very quiet area of maui. you really do need a car. we arrived at 3 p.m. and everything (not that there's much) in the town was closed. the hostel from the outside looks pretty grotty but it is more pleasant inside. the rooms were clean and tidy and the place was more like a guest house than a hostel. everyone seemed to be in by 6 p.m. (even those with a car because there's nothing much else to do). the kitchen is very clean and modern. as you arrive, the staff have you read and sign a "list of rules" you must abide by. However every night at 9:30 or 10 p.m. the smell of weed came through my window from the path downstairs and the whole place smelt of it and if the staff weren't involved they certainly were aware (it was hard not to notice). i think the rules only apply to the guests! its ok here but everything is twenty to thirty minutes by car.

clean and safe. stayed here in jan 07. scott the manager is super cool and friendly. quiet time at 10 is enforced so it is definitely not a party hostel, but we met some awesome people and had a good time. maui is amazing. you will not want to leave.

If you can get past the outside appearance of the place, the inside isn't so bad. The dorms and bathrooms were a bit better than average for a hostel and the registration process was actually pretty professional. There were a lot of young, fun travelers and everyone was friendly, but the noise did go on well into the wee hours (the manager announced 10 p.m. quiet hours, but that was it -- no enforcement attempted). I also thought it was annoying that somebody else's air conditioner on the roof outside the dorm window would come with a roar at least once an hour and wake everybody up.

Didn't actually stay here but rang up to make a reservation. I asked if there were any tours -- "no sir, not doing them this week." Ok, fair enough. Can I get the free airport transfer you advertised? "not doing that either, we don't have many staff. not many people coming to the hostel this week." Yeah, I wonder why.

This place ROCKS! I have lived and worked here for over 5 months and couldn't love it more. It is clean, the staff is awesome and I have made some excellent friendships in my time staying there. I reccomend this place to anyone young or old. There are good vibes from this family oriented business and I will return someday!

Excellent choice!!! Super-clean and friendly — and I felt safe there! It's in a great central location for many attractions in Maui, and 5-10 minutes from the Kahului airport. They offer airport transportation and free tours (if there are at least six people signed up). Renting a car is a good idea too, and they have ample free parking across the street! I would highly recommend this hostel to anyone, and would love to go back very soon!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Northshore Hostel this past August. The characters I met there were unforgettable (Mona, Lars, Leejandro, Miloosh and many more). Wailuku had soul and the manager, Troy, was awesome. If you're looking for a quaint, quiet, and impersonal accommodation, don't stay here because you're not the kind of people this hostel wants. If you're looking for diverse and entertaining company, helpful and fun management, and a friendly environment in which you can be free, Northshore's your place.

This hostel isn't perfect, but compared to many I've seen it's very good. The staff are friendly and the place is clean. They worked hard when I was there to make my stay pleasant. I would recommend this hostel, as it is a good value if you are on a budget, especially in Hawaii. Aloha.

This is probably the best hostel that I have ever stayed in. It was exceptionally clean and the staff were EXTREMELY helpful. The manager (whose name I can't remember, sorry!) picked my friend and me up from the airport and brought us back the next day just so we could get our rental car. If you're on any island in Hawaii, get a car. The islands are really big, and you have to see everything, so get a car. And if you go to Maui, absolutely stay at the Northshore Hostel. This is the only hostel that I've ever stayed at where I felt comfortable enough to sleep on their sheets. The bathrooms were spotless. Thanks for everything, guys.

This hostel was great. I met some cool people and we had a great time together exploring Maui. They kept the place clean, and the staff were great and very helpful. I have many fond memories of Maui and the Northshore, and will recommend this hostel to my friends. I felt very comfortable and it was a great deal for the money--clean rooms, free breakfast and friendly people. Aloha!

I came to Maui for an adventure and beautiful scenery. This place is boring--without a rental car, I was stuck sitting at the hostel. They say "sit on our beautiful balcony," and all you see is construction work and creepy people walking around. If you stay at this hostel, I advise you get a car or go somewhere else.

Here there are really nice, helpful and respectful people (the management). You could meet interesting people. Close by are nice restaurants. The prices are affordable, and they sometimes have special deals if you stay longer. It is well-located if you know that there is no hostel on the other side of the island (which is more natural, and less developed).

Thoroughly enjoyed my stay for 10 days. The rooms are clean, management friendly and met many interesting people. This hostel has nice common areas. Loved the free internet access and downloading my digital photos to CD. The location is within an easy walk to the lowest price gift-shopping, several great local restaurants and centrally located for driving to the sites and more tourist-y areas.