Makai Ocean City MD Vacation Rentals
Bayfront efficiency and 2-bedroom condos at 42nd Street, built around a year-round indoor heated pool, sauna, fitness room, and billiards room — up to 7 guests per unit. Central Reservations runs its rental office right in the building, and the Convention Center is just a block away.
Quick Overview
Makai is a 96-unit bayfront condo building at 42nd Street, built in 2007 and rising seven stories — big enough to book multiple units for group events, but small enough to still feel personal rather than like a hotel. Units are offered in efficiencies and 2 bedrooms, and fit up to 7 guests, suited to smaller families and couples, especially those in town for the dance and cheer competitions held next door at the Convention Center.
Makai was originally built as a hotel, and the lobby still shows it — a lounge, an atrium-style indoor pool that opens to the air in summer, a fitness center with a sauna, and a billiards room. Units run wider than the typical narrow OC condo, sitting on just one side of the building, so you're either bayfront with a direct water view or on the ""oceanside"" with a partial ocean glimpse from the higher floors. Outside, a bayfront sundeck fronts the building, Dough Roller and Rita's are next door, and the Convention Center is a block south. Central Reservations runs its office right in the lobby, so check-in is a quick trip downstairs. Parking runs one space for efficiencies, two for 2-bedroom units.
Available Vacation Rentals at Makai
Below are the individual Makai units Central Reservations currently manages, ranging from efficiencies to 2-bedroom condos with room for up to 7 guests. Compare bayfront or oceanside position, and floor, to find the unit that fits your stay.
Makai Amenities and Features
About the Building
Makai sits on the Isle of Wight Bay at 42nd Street, and its hotel-building bones still show in the best way — a real lobby lounge, a tropical-style atrium pool that opens to the sky each summer, and public spaces that feel more resort than condo building. That history is also why the units are shaped differently than most of OC's condo stock: wider, and set along just one side of the building instead of stretching front to back.
Makai's real draw isn't just the water — it's what's a block away. OC's Convention Center hosts dance and cheer competitions throughout the year, and families who'd otherwise be stuck in a cramped hotel room end up here instead, with the space of a real condo, a management team down in the lobby, and all the amenities a hotel would offer anyway. It's a building built around convenience for people who are in town to compete, not just to relax.
Unit Features
- Bay & Ocean Views
- In-Unit Washers & Dryers
Building Amenities
- Year-Round Indoor Pool
- Fitness Center
- Bayfront Sundeck
- Billiards Room
- Sauna
Access & Security
- Office On-Site
- Secure Lobby
Where Is Makai in Ocean City?
Makai sits at 42nd Street in Midtown Ocean City, right next to the Convention Center and close enough to reach downtown's Boardwalk energy, North OC's quieter stretch, or Fenwick Island in about the same drive. The Route 90 bridge is about 1.5 miles out, with weekend checkout traffic the main thing to plan around.
Is Makai Right for You?
Makai Is Best For
- Families in town for Convention Center competitions who want real space instead of a cramped hotel room.
- Couples who want resort-style amenities — indoor pool, sauna, fitness center — without paying oceanfront prices.
- Guests who want an on-site rental office and a quick, easy check-in.
- Anyone who wants sunset views over the bay, right from a shared sundeck.
- Budget-conscious travelers looking at the efficiency units.
May Not Be the Best Fit If
- Anyone traveling with a pet — Makai doesn't allow them.
- Guests who want to walk straight to the beach — it's across Coastal Highway and another block from there.
- Larger groups needing more than 2 bedrooms — Makai only offers efficiencies and 2-bedroom units
- Anyone hoping to swim, fish, or dock a boat on the bay side — it's protected marshland, not open water.
- Guests who want an outdoor pool — Makai's is indoor, though it opens to the air each summer.
Our Local Insights on Makai
Booking Timing
Efficiencies at Makai book a median of 31 days out in peak season, 101 off-season; 2-bedroom units run roughly double that — 73 days out in peak season, 113 off-season. The off-season pattern tracks with the Convention Center's competition schedule, since those trips get planned months ahead.
View Orientation
Bayfront units sit on the west side of the building, overlooking the bay directly — guests sometimes call this the building's "back." The east side, or "front," gets partial ocean views on some units, though not all, as lower floors generally don't have much of a view either way.
Rainy Day Advantage
The indoor pool is the move on a rainy day, as long as there's no thunder — local law closes pools during lightning. The billiards room downstairs is a good spot to meet other guests, or head to Seacrets' distillery tour on 49th Street to get out for a bit, while still staying in.
Location Tip
The marshland at the base of Makai isn't open water, but it brings its own reward — herons, egrets, blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, and clapper rails all show up along the edge, wildlife you don't get much chance to see elsewhere in Ocean City.
Makai vs Nearby Ocean City Buildings
How Makai compares to other popular oceanfront buildings in Ocean City, MD.
| Feature | Makai | Thunder Island | Tritons Trumpet | Wight Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Mid-Town | — | — | — |
| Beach Access | Bayside | — | — | — |
| Indoor Pool | Yes | — | — | — |
| Outdoor Pool | No | — | — | — |
| Fitness Center | Yes | — | — | — |
| Pet Friendly | No | — | — | — |
| Parking | 1-2 Parking spaces | — | — | — |
| Typical Bedrooms | Efficiency + 2 BR | — | — | — |
| On-Site Rental Office | Yes | — | — | — |
Explore more: Thunder Island Vacation Rentals · Tritons Trumpet Vacation Rentals · Wight Bay Vacation Rentals
Own a Condo at Makai?
Central Reservations has managed rentals at Makai for 12 years and keeps a rental office directly on site. Central's involvement goes back even further — owner Grant Fritschle was part of Makai's transition from hotel to condominium, and the company has been part of the building since day one.
If you are considering professional rental management for your Makai unit, or if you want to compare how your unit is performing relative to similar units in the building, our team can provide a confidential performance review.
Makai Vacation Rental FAQs
Is Makai direct bayfront?
Yes, Makai sits directly on the bay at 42nd Street.
Does Makai have a pool?
Yes — Makai has an indoor heated pool open year-round that converts to an open-air pool each summer.
How far is Makai from the Boardwalk?
Makai is about 3.5 miles from the Boardwalk's Inlet parking lot — a quick trip by car or bus, not a walk.
Are there bus stops near Makai?
Yes — there's a northbound stop directly across the street and a southbound stop right nearby at 43rd Street.
Can I bring my boat to Makai?
No. Makai sits on protected marsh waters, so there's no boating, swimming, or fishing access from the property.
Nearby Buildings in Ocean City
Thunder Island Vacation Rentals Tritons Trumpet Vacation Rentals Wight Bay Vacation RentalsThis page was last reviewed and updated on by the Central Reservations management team. Information is believed to be accurate but should be confirmed at the time of booking.