Tim McInerney

My wife to be and I are planning a honeymoon in Maui in August. We have reservations at the Ritz in Kapalua already, but have heard great things about both the Grand Wailea and the Four Seasons.

Can anyone who has been to these hotels make a recommendation or comparison? The Ritz is slightly cheaper than the other two, but the Grand Wailea and Four Seasons seems like a more luxurious local. I also heard it was slightly cooler in Kapalua.

Any help would be most appreciated!

Tim

Anne

Hi. We stayed at the Ritz and it is beautiful. I would really recommend it, but yes it is cooler and very, very windy. The beach there is sometimes tricky. But the beach at the Kapalua next door is terrific! Wailea is a classy area . That is where the Grand Wailea and the Four Seasons are located. For a honeymoon, I would be tempted to do the Four Seasons, as it has received wonderful ratings in the Conde Nast magazines. My brother in law stayed there and loved it. The Grand Wailea is gorgeous but I think the pool area may be too family oriented? That whole area is connected by a walkway, so even if you stay at the Four Seasons you can walk to any of the other hotels at night and dine. There are about 6 terrric hotels in a row with great restaurants. One thought might be to stay a the Ritz for 3 nights and at Wailea the rest of the time. Feel free to email me for more info as I am a travel nut and can recommend restaurants in that area. Annemarie

Tim McInerney

Annemarie,

Thanks for the input! I have been leaning towards the Four Seasons for a while now.
Stay at the Four Seasons, use the spa at the Grand Wailea, etc.

Although, in August cooler Kapalua might be more comfortable.

Kat

In Maui, the Four Seasons is half the size of the Ritz which means all that glorious Four Seasons service is lavished on fewer guests. I prefer sharing my luxury with fewer folk; others like a crowd, depends on your preferences. By the way, the
Four Seasons on Maui is one the few Four Seasons hotels to offer a 'club level' and it is marvelous (very pricey, very posh).

bob orchant

Have been to the Grand Wailea twice and it's probably as close to heaven as I'll get while I still have a pulse!!It is simply exquisite, the grounds are breathtaking, the rooms are large and delightful and the service is absolutely first class. Go and enjoy!!

Tim McInerney

Well, it looks like it's down to the Grand Wailea or the Four Seasons.

Anyone (Bob?) been to both?

Thanks in advance,

Tim

Susan

We are going back to the Grand Wailea to celebrate our fifth anniversary. We spent our honeymoon there and hated to leave! It was fabulous. We did go over to The Four Seasons for lunch. It is lovely too- but not as plush on the grounds. It is more understated elegance. We loved swimming in the pool with waterfalls and lagoons at night. The restaurants were just great- we are going back in August and can't wait!

Krista Katona

Anne,
I read your message, and my fiance and I are going to Maui for the first time in September/October for our honeymoon. We're staying at the Embassy Suites. Any thoughts? Also, if you could forward that list of restaurants, I'd really appreciate it from a seasoned Maui veteran like yourself.
Thanks in advance.
--K

Rebecca Corvese

Have you heard of the Kea Lani Hotel? My husband and I stayed there last year and absolutely loved it. The rooms are all suites, the grounds are incredible, and even on the beach the employees run after you to give you first class service. PLUS - there is a free limosine service available everyday to take you within a limited mileage around Maui. Every night we went to dinner in the limo. It was great. Talk about being treated like royalty. Also, a lot of stars stay at the Kea Lani because it is so nice. Not that this is important, but it says a little bit about the quality of the hotel. Incredible. You might want to consider it.

nuala

It depends on what you want. Personally I found the Grand Wailea just too big and a little noisy for a romantic vacation. Indeed, it is beautiful, but I thought the Four Seasons had superior service and a more understated elegance, and the kind of special attention you deserve on a honeymoon. Kea Lani I also liked and thought was a good value. How about the Hotel Hana--I think that's a really special place, away from the madding crowd.

Tim

My wife and just got back from the Ritz last night - I really recommend it with some caveats of course.

First, the Ritz lies in Kapalua which, as mentioned above, gets more rain and wind than Wailea. Since we went in the drier part of the year, we didn't mind much at all (although it was pretty gusty at times).

Second, If you wish to really explore the island like we tried to do (i.e. hiking in the Iao valley, biking in the upcountry, touring the local towns, visiting the old churches in the midle of nowhere), you may like Wailea over Kapalua for the shorter drives (although it may be a difference of 20 miles or so).

Third, if you have kids and the $, go to the Grand Wailia - it looked like a pretty spectacular place for families.

What we did enjoy about the Ritz and Kapalua was the privacy and the beaches/snokeling. I believe the summer months favor the northern beaches for snorkeling. Also it didn't appear that Wailea had a whole lot of dining options (and Lahaina/Kaanipali is a pretty long drive from Wailea). I think what sold us most on the Ritz was the price, which was considerably less than the other two hotels.

One last note - If you want some real privacy, head to Hana or some other option off the coast.

Tim