Quick Answer: Maui County hotels ran 67.0% occupancy in September 2026, up 7.6 percentage points from September 2025, according to the State of Hawaiสปi DBEDT’s hotel performance report. The average daily rate rose 7.4% to $454.89, and revenue per available room climbed 21.2% to $305.00. Wailea led Maui at 75.1% occupancy.
I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTORยฎ in Kฤซhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and when buyers ask me about resort condos, I start with the visitor numbers. Maui hotel occupancy is one of the first public signals of how the island’s visitor economy is doing each month, and the September 2026 report released this week shows a big year-over-year jump. Here’s what it shows, what it doesn’t, and how I’d use it if you’re looking at a condo in Wailea, Kฤสปanapali or Kฤซhei.
What was Maui hotel occupancy in September 2026?
Maui County hotels were 67.0% occupied in September 2026, compared with about 59.4% a year earlier. Room rates and revenue rose too. Here’s the breakdown from the DBEDT report, which uses STR hotel data:
| Area (September 2026) | Occupancy | Change (pts) | Avg. daily rate | RevPAR | RevPAR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | 69.7% | +0.1 | $324.84 | $226.39 | +3.3% |
| Maui County | 67.0% | +7.6 | $454.89 | $305.00 | +21.2% |
| Wailea | 75.1% | +14.6 | $620.56 | $465.90 | +28.5% |
| Lahaina/Kฤสปanapali/Kapalua | 67.2% | +5.8 | $376.16 | $252.62 | +19.1% |
| Other Maui County | 66.9% | +9.6 | $541.52 | $362.46 | +22.8% |
Source: State of Hawaiสปi DBEDT, September 2026 Hawaiสปi Hotel Performance Report (STR data). Figures as of the report’s release the week of Oct. 19, 2026.
The Star-Advertiser reported the same Maui figures and put Maui’s September hotel room revenue at $123.6 million, up nearly 21%.
Why did Maui hotels do so much better than last September?
Part of the answer is the comparison. September 2025 was a soft month, and hotel industry leaders quoted by the Star-Advertiser cautioned that this fall’s gains are measured against the weakest fall since 2020. Jerry Gibson, president of the Hawaiสปi Hotel Alliance, described a challenging outlook, with operators “chasing for occupancy.”
So I read September as a real improvement, but not proof of a boom. Statewide occupancy was flat at 69.7%, and Kauaสปi fell sharply after Hurricane Lowell, so Maui’s gain stands out against the rest of the state.
How has Maui hotel occupancy done so far in 2026?
Year to date through September, Maui County hotels averaged 69.6% occupancy, up 5.8 points from the same period of 2025, with an average daily rate of $537.71, essentially unchanged. Revenue per available room was up 9.1% to $374.26.
| Year to date (Jan.-Sept. 2026) | Occupancy | Change (pts) | Avg. daily rate | ADR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maui County | 69.6% | +5.8 | $537.71 | 0.0% |
| Wailea | 78.5% | +5.8 | $738.87 | -1.6% |
| Lahaina/Kฤสปanapali/Kapalua | 68.3% | +6.1 | $437.23 | +0.4% |
Source: DBEDT September 2026 Hotel Performance Report.
The pattern is more guests at roughly flat rates. For a condo investor, that’s different from a market where rates are rising fast.
Does hotel occupancy tell me what a Maui vacation rental condo will earn?
No. Hotel data is a useful backdrop, but it doesn’t measure individual vacation rental condos, and it can’t tell you what a specific unit will earn. Condo rental results depend on the building, the unit’s view and condition, the management arrangement, and above all whether the unit can legally be rented short term after Bill 9.
Bill 9 (Ordinance 5909, signed Dec. 15, 2025) phases out vacation rental use in apartment-zoned Minatoya List condos on Jan. 1, 2029, in West Maui and Jan. 1, 2031, elsewhere in Maui County. A hotel-district building and an apartment-district building can sit next to each other with very different futures. I explain the details in my guide to how Bill 9 is reshaping Maui’s condo market.
For condo-specific numbers, the state also publishes a monthly vacation rental report. I walked through the most recent one in my post on Maui vacation rental occupancy in August 2026.
How do resort condo prices compare right now?
Resort-area condo prices are lower than a year ago even as hotel numbers improve. According to the REALTORSยฎ Association of Maui (RAM), January through September 2026:
- Wailea/Mฤkena: 66 condo sales, median $2,085,000 (was $2,500,000)
- Kฤสปanapali: 70 sales, median $1,027,500 (was $1,152,500)
- Kฤซhei: 222 sales, median $596,000 (was $675,000)
- Nฤpili/Kahana/Honokลwai: 106 sales, median $537,500 (was $610,000)
Financing costs are also higher: Freddie Mac’s average 30-year fixed rate was 7.32% on Oct. 22, 2026, compared with 6.19% a year earlier.
My Take: What I’m Telling Resort Condo Buyers and Owners
One thing that surprised me in 2026 is the value I see in condos, specifically hotel-zoned, business-zoned and resort-zoned condos, and I’ve been communicating that to buyers. September’s hotel numbers support the idea that visitors are coming back to Maui, especially to Wailea. Combine that with lower condo medians, and some buyers have more negotiating room than they’ve had in years.
But I’d never buy on one good month. If you’re shopping for a condo with rental income in mind, start with zoning: confirm whether the building is hotel, resort or business zoned, or apartment zoned and on the Minatoya List. Then ask for the unit’s actual rental history, including management fees, the 11% state TAT, Maui County’s TAT and general excise tax. Build your numbers on several months of results, not September alone.
For owners thinking about selling, stronger visitor numbers can help your story with buyers, but pricing still has to reflect today’s comparable sales, which in most resort areas are below last year’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Maui’s hotel occupancy rate in September 2026?
Maui County hotels were 67.0% occupied in September 2026, up 7.6 percentage points from September 2025, per DBEDT.
Which part of Maui had the highest hotel occupancy?
Wailea, at 75.1% in September 2026 and 78.5% year to date through September.
What was the average hotel room rate on Maui in September 2026?
$454.89, up 7.4% from a year earlier. In Wailea, the average daily rate was $620.56.
Does strong hotel occupancy mean my condo can be a vacation rental?
No. Short-term rental use depends on zoning and Bill 9’s phase-out rules for apartment-zoned Minatoya List condos. Check the zoning of the specific building with the County of Maui.
Ask Benjamin
Looking at a resort-area condo and want help sorting the zoning, rental history and recent sales? I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’m happy to walk through the numbers with you. Call or text me at 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.
Sources: State of Hawaiสปi DBEDT, September 2026 Hawaiสปi Hotel Performance Report (STR data); Star-Advertiser (Oct. 20, 2026); REALTORSยฎ Association of Maui, September 2026 market report; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (Oct. 22, 2026); County of Maui (Bill 9 signing, Dec. 15, 2025).
Talk to Benjamin Finnerty, Your Maui REALTOR®
This guide was written by Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with The 808 Team at Keller Williams Realty Maui, based in Kīhei. Whether you’re buying, selling, or planning a move to Maui, I’m happy to answer your questions, no pressure.
📞 Call or text: 808-481-9748
✉️ Email: benjamin@the808team.com
🌐 Website: benjamin.the808team.com
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