Paia is on the northern coast of the Hawaiian island of Maui, four miles east of Kahului Airport. A plantation town during Maui's sugar cane industry boom, the streets of Paia still feature old plantation-style wooden buildings, along with colorful storefronts housing galleries, boutiques and antique stores. Paia boasts three beaches, including Hookipa Beach, which is an internationally known windsurfing spot.
The Paia Inn is a five-room boutique hotel that offers private beach access, just a few steps from the front door. "The New York Times" recommends this hotel for style-conscious travelers, noting that guest room decor resembles a "modern yoga studio with homey touches." Guest rooms are decorated with fresh flowers and Polynesian artwork, and amenities include iPod docking stations. Use of beach towels, boogie boards, mats and chairs is complimentary, and bicycles, surfboards and stand-up paddling boards are available to rent. Coffee, oatmeal and muffins are provided in the second-floor lounge, and room service is available from Anthony's Coffee, across the street. Restaurants within a few feet of the hotel include Flatbread pizza parlor.
Situated just a few feet from Paia Beach, Nalu Kai Lodge has been in business since the 1960s and offers eight budget-priced guest rooms and a one-bedroom apartment with a Japanese-style bathtub. Rooms are basic and have ceiling fans rather than air conditioning and no television or phone. The hotel's second-story deck offers ocean views, and facilities include a tiki bar and barbecue area. Nalu Kai Lodge is just a minute's walk from Paia Fish Market, which claims to serve the best fish burger on Maui.
The Blue Tile Beach House is situated beachfront on Tavares Bay and a 20-minute walk west of Hookipa Beach. The hotel has six guest rooms, including two suites with kitchenettes and private decks offering ocean views. Restaurants within a 10-minute walk of the Blue Tile Beach House include Charley's Restaurant 7 Saloon, which, in his own words, is one of Willie Nelson's favorite places on the island.
The Kuau Inn is on the Hana Highway, one mile east of Paia. The hotel is a five-minute walk from Kuau Cove, which offers safe swimming conditions, and a 15-minute walk to Hookipa Beach. The Kuau Inn has four guestrooms, two upstairs and two downstairs. The upstairs rooms share a bathroom. The inn has a common area with piano, patio and fully equipped kitchen with complimentary breakfast items. Guests can buy supplies for other meals at the Kuau Mart, just a short stroll from the hotel. The closest restaurant is the Polynesian-style Mama's Fish House, which is a five-minute walk west.
