Our family had a wonderful time at the Star Lookout! The view of both sides of Maui from the deck were breathtaking and the property was beautiful. The house is eclectic and very cozy. The host was very good and communicated quickly and clearly. Thank you for a wonderful stay.
We had an amazing stay in upcountry Maui. The cottage was super clean, well-stocked and exactly as described. We loved the location, a very peaceful, rural countryside vibe. Loved the cats, we could see deer, sheep and of course chickens! If you want a quiet peaceful stay away from the crowds I would highly recommend.
We really enjoyed our stay here in Kula. The cottage was absolutely perfect with stunning views of the ocean and mountains. Thanks again to the host Zsuzsanna for welcoming us and making our stay very comfortable. Hope to see you again sometime soon
An amazing home with spectacular views ( & cats & sheep)
Star Lookout is located in upland Maui - the cottage has spectacular views of both east and west maui and amazing views of the night sky - so wonderful we deliberately got up in the middle of the night to see it
I cannot say enough good things about this place. The pictures seem almost too good to be true online, but then when you get here, you realize that the pictures cannot capture the beauty. Loved it.
Nice place with good location. However, my son missed his morning coffee since there was none. In the bathroom, there was only a bar soap. For the price paid, would expect some standard amenities. We would have liked if Rayâs Cat gave us some space and privacy to enjoy the patio for our prayer and breakfast.
We have stayed here many times and each time is perfect. Tranquil, restful and stunning with dramatic cloud displays and grazing deer putting on a show for us. When I am tired and worn out I plan to return here and if that's not possible, I will return here in my mind. Thank you for sharing this special spot with us.
This is a very comfortable small house in a unique and different location at 3,000 feet elevation overlooking Maalea Bay, on a country road. Great views and lots of privacy and peace and quiet.
There are no words that can truly express the views from this lovely cottage. You can see both sides of the valley and the west Maui mountains. And the stars at night are spectacular.
The owners and the caretakers are very friendly and accommodating. This is a wonderful place to stay. We are ready for our next visit.
This was such a wonderful getaway. We were in Maui for work but stayed extra days to enjoy the island. We spent some time on the coast, and then came to this gem in upcountry. It was a whole other world. Spending time on the deck or in the star bed with the breeze blowing was so relaxing, and we loved star gazing at night from the hot tub. It's also close to a great winery and the lavender farm. The friendly neighborhood kitties were a bonus. :-) We would love to stay here again!!!
In researching Maui before this visit (our first), we were surprised and intrigued to read about the upcountry region on the flanks of Haleakala. We hoped staying here would give us a flavor of the area. It was even better than we had hoped! A wonderful small cottage with a glorious view. The caretaker was very helpful, not only about the cottage itself but also with advice about shopping etc. (The cottage is fairly isolated, although shopping is not far if you know where to go.) We would definitely want to come back here on any future visit to Maui.
Stayed with my wife and two kids age 10 and 11. The location is really amazing and very quite. We did day trips all over the island and returned to our quiet cottage every night. (we appreciated the seclusion due to the current covid situation). My daughter enjoyed the loft bed and playing with the two friendly cats. everything was perfect from checkin to check out and Janice was easy to get in touch with if we had any questions. Be sure to check out Kula Bistro if you are looking to eat out. (BYOW)
We have been to Maui many times and never stayed upcountry until now. This hidden gem was the perfect place to end our vacation and spend some quiet peaceful time reflecting and taking in the magnificent views. The property was amazing! The fresh fruit was the icing on the cake. I canât say enough good things about our experience. We will definitely be back, and we have large aspirations of retiring in a place exactly like this. We were blessed to have this opportunity as a family to stay there. The kids had space to run and play and that was important too. We all loved it!!!
Havenât slept this good in weeks! With storybook charm The Star Lookout was everything we hoped for. Upcountry Maui neighborhood is super-quiet; a few horses along the road, grazing cows in the fields nearby and an occasional deer were a welcome change from crowded beach-side resorts.
Porch surrounding cottage has great views and deck furniture was really comfortable for relaxing after a bike ride or hike. Queen bed in main cottage is raised to meet base of slider windows both behind and beside the bed. Luxury linens and down comforter were a great first impression but the real kicker is the star-filled sky view above island lights below and the cool breeze caressing you throughout the night. Heaven on earth!!!
Cottage was super-clean, well-stocked with amenities, has beautiful wood floors, granite countertops, modern bathrooms, flat screen TV and cozy furniture with fun decorative pillows and unique art on the walls. Felt more like a home than a rental. Will definitely be going back.
Our third visit to The Star Lookout, and nothing has changed one bit really since our last trip in 2019. Seeing Ray once again was absolutely priceless, and hanging-out with Gin & Tonic (the cats) was perfect for us, as we have a pair just like them at home. Talk about "all the comforts" of home, we love those cats. The Star Lookout is the place to admire God's Art Gallery, both day and night. I am still honored to have contributed photos to the website of the night sky. This trip the clouds were playing and we shot day/night 4k timelapse and counted over 100 deer running in the wild. Janice, you really are a blessing to all of us who have experienced this place. Mahalo nui loa for sharing this amazing house with those of us who are able to stay here even for one night. There is no other place on Maui like this, but no kinder hosts and caretakers either. We sure love you people, and the house. I am already planning for next summer. Aloha, and fo shua, a hui ho!
H&S
Our stay here in Kula was a D R E A M . The view is encapsulating at every second of the day, and absolutely never gets old. We enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub, and loved the view from the bed. The little kitchen were perfect, but the deck was where we spent the majority of our time. We made good friends with their cats, Gin and Tonic, and enjoyed watching Lenny and Squiggy and the herds of Axis in the fields ( thank you for providing binochulars!) The sunsets were incredible, and we even ventured out to grab some pizza at Marlow in Makawao and ended up grabbing a beer at Mahalo Aleworks next door, because they had live music going, and it turned out they were partnered, so we could eat the pizza inside! As an East Coaster/ Self-Proclaimed New Haven Pizza Elistist, I really enjoyed the white mushroom pizza, and the sour beers at Mahalo were a delight!
This was the absolute highlight of our trip. We loved every second here. We got in our car at 10:59am on the day of our checkout and literally shed a tear, because we didnt want to leave. We can't wait to come back one day. Thank you so much for the opportunity to experience this absolute piece of Heaven. Mahalo. Dee & Kris
I stayed here a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed myself. So I returned to have an even better time than my last visit.
As soon as I stepped out of my car, there was a noticeable peacefulness that just enveloped me. The garden is beautifully maintained. There are fruit trees with yummy tangerines.
The view from the deck is absolutely breathtaking. The skyline is constantly changing. The view at sunset is absolutely breathtaking. The deck offers privacy. I had most meals here while I admired the view.
The inside of the cottage is kept sparkling clean. The fridge was spacious enough for all of my groceries from Mana. The kitchen had everything I needed to cook simple meals.
One of my favorite parts of the cottage is the bed that has an amazing view of the skyline. I can also view the sheep. The bed is super comfortable and the sheets were very nice quality.
The bathroom has lots of natural light. The shower is beautiful.
One of the biggest reasons for returning to this property is to see the cows and sheep. They are peaceful to be around. The walk on the road is special too.
The property manager is friendly and pleasant. Janice was very responsive as well.
Thank you for allowing me to stay at this very special place, Janice!
We were at the Star Lookout in July, but I've delayed in writing this review because I wanted to take the time to fully acknowledge the level of quality, care and kindness provided in every aspect of our booking and stay.
We have been to Hawaii many times, on five different islands, and nothing has compared to this stay - not even our prior visit to Maui. The online photos and description of Star Lookout are very accurate, and the experience is as described by many other guests: beautiful, relaxing, private, inspirational, comfortable.
My interactions with the owner were so kind - she was always available to answer any question about the property or share any knowledge about the area. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel welcome by the caretaker Ray. He met us and personally showed us everything, and made it very clear he would be happy to assist us should the need arise. (Talking to him about his life's work was inspirational - full of great purpose.)
We live in a hot and parched region on the mainland, and being in upcountry Maui, twice we had a short rain that was a welcome refreshment! The environment was sunny but always cooler than the regions below us. I was not expecting to enjoy gentle wildlife all around us in the adjacent fields. You can see that the view is unparalleled, both day and night; and we found this location to be very, very convenient to travel around the mountain, over to Hanna, up to Lahaina where we took a ferry to Lanai (not worth the trip if there are swells in the ocean that block snorkeling visibility), and down to Wailea-Makena. We accessed all these areas easily and quickly from the Star Lookout. Groceries, attractions, dining were all within a short distance - and great coffee/pastries within walking distance!
I'd be amiss if I did not comment that we found the bed comfortable, the bathroom well-appointed and fresh-feeling, and the kitchen had everything we needed and more. There are decks all around, plenty of outdoor seating, and a living room with flat screen TV.
I hope we have the good fortune to visit this gem again, and I want to express our gratitude one more time to the owners and caretakers - you have creative and caring hearts. We felt like family in your home! Thank you.
Outstanding property, outstanding host! Every bit of this sweet cottage made us feel at home and welcomed. The little details (like books and games and binoculars) and our feline visitors (shout out to Gin and Tawny) made this unforgettable. It's so peaceful and quiet and you can see straws for miles, not to mention the gorgeous Maui coastline. Loved the sheep and sightings of deer, birds and chickens. Apparently the road is one of the best in Maui for walking/running, you get the coast on one side and sweeping views of the emerald, undulating hills on the other. Waling distance to an adorable coffee shop. We love this place! Mahalo Janice, Ray and Barbara.
Janice Tower has owned The Star Lookout for over 24 years. She is an avid cyclist. You can find her riding up, down and around Maui with the Upcountry Cyclists.
The Star Lookout offers the visitor peace, tranquility and an opportunity to commune quietly with nature. There's nothing like sitting out on the deck overlooking the north and south shores of Maui, listening to the birds and contemplating the curvature of the Earth.