This was our fourth stay at Aston Ka'anapali Shores since 1992. Each time has been enjoyable. We like the quietness of the property and The Beach House is an excellent, open-air restaurant.
Service is above board and check in was quick (we did get in at 9:30 pm). We reserved a studio and were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded for free to a one-bedroom. The room had a partial ocean view and did not face the courtyard, which was good because we didn't have to hear the birds going crazy in both the morning and evening. Having a full kitchen enabled us to save money by eating two meals a day in the room, enabling us to go out for a nice dinner.
There are two pools and spas - we preferred the more quieter garden pool. The grounds are well maintained with a large grassy area to sunbathe.
The Ka'anapali Beach Walk is a new addition since our last visit in 2007 - now you can walk on a boardwalk all the way to Black Rock and Ka'anapali proper. Unfortunately, you can't access it directly from the property, you have to go out to the street and access it from a park two driveways down. A minor inconvenience, but it was good for walking and running.
We ate early dinner twice from the cafe menu at the Beach House. The food was excellent and less expensive than the regular dinner menu.
The only thing I would consider a complaint was the musty smell coming from the AC unit. The filter was replaced on our second day (we didn't even call to have it changed) and that helped. We kept the sliding doors open (they did squeak a lot) all the time and the smell was no longer an issue.
A final kudos to the front desk staff. On 12-10-12, I was trying to print our boarding passes, but the hotel's computer room internet was down. I went to the front desk and the young lady was most helpful and printed the boarding passes for me. I wish I could remember her name - she was working the terminal closest to the front wall around 8 pm.
Aston Ka'anapali Shores is an older complex and doesn't have the bells and whistles of the newer resorts down the street, but it is an excellent property and a good value for those on a budget.