Maui Magic
OWNERS
Maria and Tony Crossley of Corte Madera
LOCATION
Wailea Beach, Maui
SET TING
An oceanfront penthouse at the 11-acre pri-
vate resort Wailea Beach Villas overlooking a
crescent beach of golden sand
DISTANCE FROM MARIN
5 hours by plane
LAYOU T
2,500-square-foot three-bedroom, three-bath
with wraparound lanai
WHY HERE In 2001, the Crossley family decided to forgo their annual tradition of
a chilly Christmas in England and headed to Maui, unsure if they would like warm
weather over the holidays. “It ended up being the best thing ever,” Maria says with a
laugh. After falling in love with the area and staying at Grand Wailea for several years,
they bought a Wailea Beach Villas penthouse unit next door, based on a drawing. Maria,
her husband, Tony, and their two kids have been enjoying the beach, scuba diving, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, biking and hiking lifestyle on Maui ever since.
DESIGN “What sold us was the fact it was a corner unit with a large wraparound lanai
with amazing views of the ocean and Haleakala,” Maria says. “I still gasp when I enter
the front door and see the ocean view beyond the living area. We love the open contemporary design and high ceilings. The floor-to-ceiling windows slide back into the wall on
either side, creating a beautiful open space. It’s really light and bright.”
DETAILS Maria, who owned the English sweater retail shop The Clever Shepherd in San
Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square for many years, took on the challenge of interior design,
shipping high-end contemporary furniture from McGuire and other showrooms in
San Francisco. “Beautiful finishes include solid mahogany doors, travertine floors in
the common area, granite in bathrooms and kitchen, and top-notch kitchen appliances
from brands like Thermador, Bosch and Gaggenau and two Subzero refrigerators.”
FAVORITE ELEMENTS “The property has an adult pool right on the oceanfront, so you
can sit and read and watch the whales and people come and go,” Maria says. “Also, you
can walk to everything — beaches, restaurants, shopping; sometimes we go for days
without ever getting in a car.”
ADDED BONUS The purchase of their penthouse included membership to the Grand
Wailea Resort and use of the pool facilities, gym and spa. And since the property is in the
Destination Residences Hawaii rental pool, they can rent it out when they are not using it.
PERFECT DAY “What’s nice about Wailea is the coastal path,” Maria says. “We sometimes joke, ‘Are we going to go left or right today?’ We wander down for breakfast at 5
Palms or head to Secret Beach. We kayak and paddleboard right out front of our place, as
the beach is really safe, with no strong undertow. We like to go to Andaz for appetizers
and cocktails at sunset, Monkey Pod for mango mai tais and Spago at the Four Seasons
for dinner. That’s the beauty of it. It’s all right there.”
