WorldMark Valley Isle

Thank you Unilocalers!
We have a reservation at this facility.
We were excited to stay in Lahaina. We thought it was in Lahaina because of the Lahaina address. The facility is actually miles north of Kanapali with not much around.
Check in is complicated. You have to arrive when someone is at the desk.
Overall, we have stayed at many Worldmark resorts. This is NO RESORT. I am disappointed with Worldmark, and will bring it up at the next shareholder meeting :(

I booked «WorldMark Valley Isle» through Interval International. I was disappointed to find out that this was not truly a WorldMark resort. The property has privately owned units, Vacations Internationale units, and a handful of WorldMark units. The downside to the privately owned units was the open houses held during the week for the units that were for sale. This made for many strangers on the property.
When we checked in the receptionist started to give us a set of very nice pool towels. An older woman stopped her and told her to give us a set of other towels. We were then given raggedy, stained pool towels. When I asked why we couldn’t have the nicer towels the woman told me they were for VI patrons and that we had to use the WorldMark towels. After complaining about how tattered and stained they were she finally agreed to let me have the nicer towels. I then asked about trading out the towels during the week and was told we had to launder them ourselves. Unfortunately, our unit (a studio) did not have a washer and dryer. I’ve never stayed in s resort, even with a washer and dryer, that did not trade out pool towels.
Our studio unit had a Murphy bed. Unfortunately, one of the doors was removed for repairs so we were left with an exposed, eyesore of a bed in the living room. When I asked if we could move to another until we were told the only other WorldMark owned studio was already occupied.
The kitchen was missing a few items, not a big deal. But then I saw some of the missing silverware on the floor between the stove and the cabinet. I don’t understand how this could have slipped by housekeeping. The gap was a few inches wide and could have been easily swept without moving the stove. Instead, the gap was gross and dirty. Also, though minor, our salt shaker was empty. I’m only mentioning this to show that housekeeping really doesn’t pay attention. There were no filled ice cube trays in the freezer like we’ve had in many resorts and there were no ice makers on the property.
The pool area looked lovely but had an odd smell. The loungers had nice, thick upholstered cushions which appeared to be nice and comfy but reeked of mildew and BO. I don’t think the cushions had been laundered in quite a long time. On the plus side, there were three well taken care of gas grills in the pool area, all equipped with the necessary utensils needed for cooking a meal.
The beach was not well kept and only contained a few chairs and loungers, most not in very good shape. Not sure what happened to the white sand beach I read about in other reviews, but the beach we experienced was dirty and rocky. Water shoes are pretty much a necessity both on the beach and in the water.
The one saving grace of this property was the fantastic view we had from our unit.

We were in room 102. It was horrible. Just horrible. We are shocked that Worldmark allows its owners to occupy this unit.
The only good thing about this Worldmark resort is the view, but we didn’t even have that. On the first floor, this is a side facing unit with a sliver of an ocean view. We accept that the building does not have air conditioning. However in room 102, the entrance is next to the main hallway, giving all the building’s occupants the pleasure of gazing into your unit when the door is open. And you have to keep the door open, because there’s no air conditioning. Adding insult to injury, while other one-​bedrooms in the building have an Oceanview, room 102’s bedroom view is of the same loud hallway, again allowing people to look in on their way to the pool. As a result, the room is very noisy. And you have absolutely no privacy.
The building itself looks like a prison or other institution with ugly metal doors. The water in the bathroom sink smells like sewage; it was disgusting! The doors to our Murphy bed were broken and supposedly had been ordered for repair. Each time I tried to call the front desk I got a recording. Good thing we did not have an emergency or I would have been stuck. The sliding glass door and screen was perpetually stuck. The lounge chairs facing the water were dilapidated, dirty, and uncomfortable. Really Worldmark?
We have been owners for more than 15 years and this is by far the worst Worldmark resort we have ever stayed at. The only nice things: you walk out of your unit onto the beach; pool was nice and clean; pretty plants and foliage. Otherwise, skip this Worldmark unless you are prepared to stay in a Motel 6 type room or you plan to never be in your unit except to sleep.
Every day during our weeklong stay we ask to be transferred to a newly vacant one bedroom. It was that bad.
It’s sad to say that we DREADING returning back to the unit after a day in beautiful Maui. Worldmark owners expect better. And this unit is far below what is in anyway acceptable. Just horrible.

I’m glad I read about the fire prior to coming here — it was less of a shock to see the state of the building, but I will admit, it was still kind of a shock. There is absolutely no ill effect to the condos, but it is quite a sore sight with plywood essentially covering half of the building.
Our unit itself (#607) was very well appointed — I would give it 4 stars. Beachfront views that absolutely cannot be beat, and overall comfortable accommodations. The Murphy bed was a quaint touch in the studio unit we rented. Cute, updated kitchen and bathroom. The rest of the condo was a tad outdated, but was clean and very comfortable.
They were doing quite a bit of work to the lanai’s during the week of our stay (May 12−19^th). It was quite loud, making relaxing around the condo to be impossible. Luckily, we are more ‘out-​and-​about’ type people, but it was quite noisy when we encountered it. The ropes from the rigging were also hanging down the entire time, obstructing the view slightly… But the view is still very impressive!
One thing we really enjoyed was the use of the BBQ area. We grilled a couple of meals on their very nice grills, and even utilized the little herb garden they have growing alongside that area. Very cute touch.
The beach in front of Valley Isle wasn’t my favorite. It is peaceful, and less crowded than other beaches, but there is a lot of coral/​rocks in the water. I wouldn’t call it an ideal swimming beach. It’s pretty to lay out on – just be aware that it is, in my experience, windier and rainier than other areas of Maui.
Overall, if you’re looking for somewhere with curb appeal, with resort amenities, I’d continue looking. If you’re after a view on a relative budget, I’d consider it after the loud lanai work is complete.

Soooo Relaxing!

**Disclaimer — I have not stayed at this property and only have toured the site**
So the first impression you get when you pull up to the front entrance, is not a great one. The facility at first glance seems a bit dilapidated and in all honesty, a bit creepy. The architecture of the building along with all of the concrete makes the place look like a scene from a sci-​fi/​horror film. As soon as you enter the property and make your way towards the back, you will feel much better. As far as views from the resort go, this is one of the most spectacular. You are literally steps away from the beach. If you are lucky if you score one of the units facing the beach, and even luckier if it is the ground floor unit, where the walk from the living room to the beach is probably 100 ft.
The décor inside the units appeared to be what you would get at a standard Holiday Inn. Nothing fancy, just liveable. But like the other Worldmark location on Maui, I found the facility very «un-​resort» like. It is more of an ideal setting for someone who has a day long activity planned and wants a place to retire to recover for the next day. Fully equipped kitchens mean lower cost of dining out and thus more money for value-​added activities. If you are looking for a posh resort where you will be pampered and able to drink colorful tropical cocktails with umbrellas, this is not the place for you. If you are the type to ask yourself why you blew so much money on a hotel room, you hardly ever got to see and deplore overpriced mediocre food, then this might be the place for you. After all, you can make mediocre food in your own kitchen at much lower prices.
There is a local farmer’s market nearby and the Feast at Lele luau in Old Lahaina is a must try.
To be quite honest, I would not pay full rate to stay here or at any other Worldmark property on Maui. For the same dollar value, you could probably get a much better resort. But if you are already a member and looking for places that your points will take you, then this is the better of the two on the island.

The comfortable suites and killer beachfront location outweigh any negatives for the World Mark Valley Isle. No A/​C wasn’t an issue for us, but we’re from San Francisco, where we also don’t have A/​C. I mean, seriously, it’s Maui — does it ever get hotter than 85 degrees?
The semi-​private beach was a huge plus for us. It was nice to not feel crowded, or have to stake a claim on your sandy real estate, and just be able to relax and enjoy the lovely scenery. The en suite furnishings were spacious, clean and comfortable, if not new and updated. I especially appreciated being able to do laundry in the suite, instead of coming home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes.
If you’re seeking a posh resort with all of the services and amenities, this is not the timeshare company for you. As a general rule, World Mark caters to enabling family vacations in terrific locations, and Valley Isle hits the Mark.

This isn’t a very new resort, and I could understand feeling unsatisfied about the grounds, which are ugly and dilapidated… if I could understand why anyone would want to spend any time on them in the first place! I spent all my time either in the unit, or out on the island exploring. I didn’t come to Maui to gaze upon well-​painted buildings or manicured lawns.
The inside of the unit was typical Worldmark quality, minus climate control. The units do, however, have plenty of ceiling fans, big sliding glass doors onto the balconies and security screen doors on the main units to allow you to maintain a constant cross-​breeze. It got a little uncomfortably warm at around 11am, but that was the latest we were ever in the unit. The best thing about our unit by far was the view. Even though it was obstructed (I believe all Worldmark units have obstructed ocean views, but I could be wrong), it was beautiful (see photos). The second-​best thing about the unit was the proximity to the semi-​private beach — basically, it’s a few quick steps through a courtyard. No streets to cross, and no large groups of people crowding the sand — just the occasional couple walking hand-​in-​hand. The Kihei property came with A/​C, but had no view, had a street to cross, and had a public beach full of people. I prefer Lahaina to Kihei, hands down.
The location was fantastic. So much to do in the area. Drive up the coast to get to Kapalua Bay Beach and Nakalele Blowhole for some outdoor adventure. Drive down to get to Lahaina’s famous Front Street for shopping/​dining/​shopping/​strolling/​shopping.
I thought the front desk staff were excellent. They put all the arrival names on a welcome board in front of the desk, they always greeted us when we walked by, they advised us on how the airport would handle our lost luggage (gah), they gave us extra spice packets (even though I don’t believe they directly handle Worldmark housekeeping), etc. I was very satisfied with their assistance. They were also there until 9pm every night.
I guess it depends on what kind of traveler you are. If you like sitting around on the grounds of a posh resort… well, I’d argue that perhaps Worldmark on the whole isn’t the best company for that. But they do consistently give you a very standard unit in a location on the edge of the action, which is exactly what I found at Valley Isle.

First let me state that my family and I have stayed at several World Mark resorts and a few in Hawaii (Kauai and Kihei). All of them were great and we are use to staying at timeshares.
Structure and site
Upon our arrival we found out the front desk was closed. It is closed daily from 12:00 — 1:00 for lunch and is only open from 8am-​5pm daily. We attempted to call the phone number that was provided to use by Trendwest but no one answered the phone. So we had to wait in the parking lot for 50 minutes. While we were waiting we ran into another guest and he mentioned that he has arrived at night and no one would answer the after hours number.
The building is designed to look like a prison or local housing project; cement building with black iron gates. It is very unattractive but what plant life they had was well groomed.
Inside the Valley Isle resort is a local gym where anyone can work out. It also has an old sign posted on the glass windows which states «Kahana Grill». I asked the front desk what type of food the Kahana grill served. I was informed that the grill is no longer there and that the new owner had not taken down the sign… that’s false advertisement.
On Saturday April 18^th 2009 we attempted to empty the garbage cans before we left but the garbage shoot was locked. I guess the garbage is closed on the weekend?
The lounge chairs that are available for guests to use are in very poor condition and should be replaced.
Our room 503
Bathrooms
There is absolutely no ventilation whatsoever in either of the bathrooms. They become very steamy and you must open a door while taking a shower to even breathe.
The towels are very small and rough, the type you would find at a cheap motel.
The water in both showers takes 5 minutes to warm up.
The closet in the main bathroom became jammed several times and needs to be replaced.
Bedrooms
Both bedrooms including the Murphy bed are very uncomfortable. The bed in the master bedroom sinks into the middle.
The smaller bedroom is a wind tunnel. The windows rattled every single night and when you opened the window everything blew.
Kitchen and dining area
All of the knives were dull and we had a very difficult time cutting anything
The front room television has a limited amount of channels yet the bedroom has a lot more.
The décor is very outdated and some of the chairs were broken.
The sliding glass door in the front room was very heavy and needed to be greased. It took two adults to open and close this door.
Yes, the view is awesome and it’s beachfront property. It’s away from all of the major hotels and the area is pretty quiet. The shops across the street were great; food and snorkel gear.
We loved the island of Maui but will NEVER stay at the Valley Isle resort again. I am astonished that the Worldmark resort would be affiliated with this type of establishment. I have always felt that Worldmark was like staying at a self contained resort. But our recent stay had us feeling like we were staying at a Motel 6 or Super 8 motel.