Nine Top 100 Restaurants are on Maui

With some of the world’s best chefs mastering their culinary crafts on some of the most sought-after establishments with breathtaking picture-perfect settings, a Maui culinary experience goes well beyond the food. So it is to be expected that some of Maui’s restaurants would be included in OpenTable’s Top 100 Outdoor Dining Restaurants. However, no one could have predicted that Maui would have such a strong showing.

With over 12,000 U.S. restaurants in OpenTable’s database of reviews, competition to be among the top is fierce. Of the top 100, the Aloha State garnered 16 spots. And of those 16, Maui took the lion’s share at 9! The honorees are (in alphabetical order):

Capische – Located in the luxurious Hotel Wailea, Capische presents the perfect mix of Italian with island flare.

Duke’s Beach House – Beachfront in Honua Kai, Duke’s has quickly become a favorite among West Maui visitors.

Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante – Four Seasons Wailea is the crown jewel in the Four Seasons family of luxury resorts and Ferraro’s is the epitome of  Maui culinary experiences. Dine under the starlit sky and enjoy Italian masterpieces like nowhere else in the world.

Five Palms Beach Grill – Beachfront on the world-class Keawakapu Beach, the location is simply incomparable and the food matches location bite after bite.

Gannon’s – Beverly Gannon has become a Maui institution unto herself and her latest endeavor has proven to be beyond comparison.  Tip: Heading Upcountry? Then stop at Bev’s Hali’imaile General Store for a taste of heaven.

Hula Grill – Beachfront on Kaanapali Beach provides the setting and the masterly-crafted Hawaii-inspired menu provides the experience. Enjoy dining at Whaler’s Village.

Japengo – A newcomer on the Maui dining scene, Japengo at the Hyatt has exceeded expectations. The perfect fusion of modern, island decor with Asian flavors.

Nick’s Fish Market – The Fairmont Kea Lani provides a setting on Polo Beach that few could ever match. And the unbelievable seafood options are indescribable.

Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar – Peruse through the exclusive retail offerings at The Shops at Wailea, then meander over to Tommy Bahama’s for a surprising delectable menu.

Well, those are the nine honorees. And of course, there are countless others that could have easily made the list, such as (my favorite) Humu’s at the Grand Wailea or Mama’s Fish House, but it is always an honor to see Maui institutions being honored as among the best in the country.

Aloha

Status of Hawaii HB 2078

As a brief follow up to our previous posts on Hawaii HB 2078, through a number of versions of that proposed measure, HB 2078 HD2 SD2 CD1 passed Final Reading on 05/01/2012. To summarize it, the measure will:

Require the owner of a transient accommodation to designate a local contact residing on the same island as where the transient accommodation is located. Furthermore, it requires that all advertisements and solicitations for transient accommodations on any website display the registration identification numbers.

This measure is to become effective on July 1 and is set to be repealed on December 31, 2015. Through strong opposition, the original piece of legislation morphed into the version that was eventually passed. Requiring (forcing) off-island owners to use a property manager was THE controversial aspect and it was successfully opposed. Of course, that is not to say that similar legislation could be proposed in future sessions, so it is critical that potential buyers perform due diligence and be represented by a professional who is well-versed in all matters that could affect his/her client’s real estate objectives.

Thinking about investing in a Maui vacation rental? Contact us for more information on how feasible it would be depending your individual circumstances.

*  Beach homes on Baby Beach – As we had previously noted, 1181 Halepaka is one of the best deals in Maui beachfront homes to come on the market in a long time, yet one of the neighboring homes, 1189 Halapaka, is also on the market priced at $3.81M but compensating for the price difference by more interior square footage and a bigger parcel.

*  Kaanapali Luxury Homes – Ten days ago two REO’s were listed in Kaanapali’s much sought-after Ke Alii subdivision. In need of completion, 15 Kahuakai Place is listed at $1.5M, while its immaculately finished neighbor at 23 Kahuakai Place has an asking price of $2.095M

*  The Ritz – Synonymous with the absolute most high-end accommodations worldwide, The Ritz Hotel Suites has established a reputation as a Maui luxury property with few comparables in Hawaii. And a Ritz Hotel Suite 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom unit offered at $985K may prove to the be right opportunity for a potential buyer (provided that price adjustments are forthcoming).

For those interested, it is imperative to act quickly. As evidenced by 19 N. Iwa Place in Kaanapali, there is demand for high-end REO’s (this particular property went under contract in less than 4 days).

Editor’s note: The following is being posted with expressed consent from its author and was originally posted on the internal blog for the Realtor’s Association of Maui. It is in response to our previous post on HB 2078 SD2.

The last REALTORS Association of Maui Blog inadvertently upset a lot people and this is meant to set the record straight. In the last edition of the RAM Blog – issued last Thursday — in almost an afterthought I included the following statement:

“Speaking of education, one of the most interesting, perhaps amusing parts of this discussion is the complaint raised by Canadian owners of Hawaii vacation rentals that the requirement that they pay TAT or have an on-island representative somehow is a violation of the North American Fair Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Just when you thought that real state law could not get more complex, we suddenly find ourselves dealing with international trade agreements.”

This was meant more as a bemused quip about the use of NAFTA in the ongoing RBO debate than as a firm statement of fact. Unfortunately, it was poorly worded. And worse yet, one of our members, who is entitled to receive the Blog, re-posted it on his office’s Blog, complete with attribution to the RAM GAC Blog source, without getting permission to use it. That re-post was then picked up by a network of non-resident property owners who have been dueling with licensed property managers and state legislators over pending legislation that deals with vacation rental management, taxation and consumer protection matters. Many of these folks are Canadian citizens. They did not share my amusement with this issue and RAM received a number of emails from them registering their concern about the above highlighted statement.

Rather than to get into a debate about the specifics of this topic, I think it is fair to state for the record these property owners’ key concern about the blog statement. They are not, they said, objecting to paying the same tax as any other similarly situated property owner. Nor do they object to the requirement to have adequate on-island representation for their rental unit(s). Their objection is that
they believe they are being singled out for uncalled for and unfair discriminatory treatment.

This concern about discrimination, in my analysis, was caused by the way this debate got started. The original bills did discriminate in its treatment of Hawaii residents versus folks who are not full-time Hawaii residents. That discrimination helped set the tone for the subsequent discussion. For the record, our association opposed any bill that required the use of a licensed property manager.

So, Mea Culpa and e kala mai to anyone who was offended by the post. Neither RAM nor its members meant to offend anyone with the above posted statement.

REO in Lahaina’s Baby Beach

For affluent buyers who have been waiting for the right opportunity to own a beachfront property on Maui, the time has come.  A very rare offering in the high-end sector of Maui real estate, MLS# 351924, is a REO (foreclosure) 4 bedroom / 4.5 bathroom luxury home on Baby Beach. Priced at $3,502,000, how does it compare to other values on Maui? Well, in the past year, beachfront single-family residences have sold for an average of $1,541, yet 1181 Halepaka Place is priced at $1,296 per square foot and enjoys what is arguably one of the best waterfront locations in Hawaii.

With over 2,700 square feet of interior living space and almost 600 square feet of covered lanai, this home offers a spacious open floor plan prime for indoor/outdoor living. Take a break from the ocean by taking a dip in the saline pool or take a stroll to every amenity that Lahaina has to offer on Front Street. Sold completely furnished with elegant decor, this Lahaina beachfront home offers move-in ready condition at a price well-below market value.For more information and/or to schedule a viewing, contact us at alex@mauirealestatesearch.com or call 808.385.5034 during normal business hours.