teadrinker

Looking for a place to stay 5 or more nights in Maui mid January, two of us.

One of us has never been to Hawaii.

Which hotel would you choose for romance, ease of enjoyment, not a lot of "extra" fees.

We aren't sure if being "on the beach" is important or not in Maui.

We hope to tour the whole island.

Is 5 nights enough?

Thank you

teadrinker

PS We enjoy going out to dinner - we're "foodies"… and so that's another factor in choosing where to stay.
Where would we want to be staying in order to be able to get to a lot of restaurants easily (we'll have a car)
Being January, we read that it's best to stay southwest on Maui….
thanks again!

sf7307

I haven't been there myself but friends have told me that the restaurant at the Fairmn t in Wailea is so good they ate there more than once. I've also read good things about the restaurant in the Andaz. (and you can't go wrong with breakfast at Kihei Kaffe).

teadrinker

sf7307, thank you very much for your help. Have you ever been to the Big Island?
Now I am wondering whether we should choose the Big Island over Maui. Perhaps there are more restaurants, more things to see and do, and maybe even the weather would be better on the western side of the Big Island in mid January?

fishee

We were in Maui for 11 nights in mid-Dec and we were cold as we didn't pack appropriately (highs in the 70s and rainy.)

The food on Maui is quite good and from what I experienced, better than the food scene on the Big Island (for both high-end as well as casual spots by young chefs like Tin Roof and Star Noodle) although we did no fine dining on the Big Island as we were away from resort areas. On Maui, we went to Ko, Merriman's in Kapalua, Plantation House, and my sis went to Mama's Fish House. Monkeypod kitchen (casual) was also excellent as was another more casual spot in Wailea, Matteos. They were all good except for Plantation House which was pretty standard country club fare and totally unexceptional meals (except perhaps for the price which was $420 for 2 adults, 2 toddlers). Ka'ana Kitchen at the Andaz has a very good rep and is known to be one of the best menus in Maui but we had to cancel our res last minute.

You can easily go from one restaurant to another among all the Wailea resorts. (We were staying at the Fairmont).

We went to the Big Island for Christmas 2015 and we had good weather but that is probably not an indicator of reliable expectations. We happened to fly into Maui this Christmas during an unusually big storm and were a bit unlucky with weather.

fishee

Oh, Andaz prob has much fewer families with children since Grand Wailea has a huge water park-type feature on the grounds. If you want to avoid families with young toddlers (older kids are in school by mid-Jan), I'd def choose Andaz.

travelgourmet

Just a point of clarification (I'm following because I have the same question, not personal experience): Hotel Wailea is not the same as Grand Wailea and is adults only.

teadrinker

I really appreciate the restaurant recommendations for Maui! It surprises me that there are better restaurants on Maui than the Big Island as well.
So, what is it Hotel Wailea or Grand Wailea that is adults only? I think that is the one I'd chose at this point, if not the Fairmont.
Do you think one of the Waileas or the Fairmont is the nicer of the two, or would you say they are comparable?
Which one is in closer proximity to most restaurants?

Two other questions: How many nights to stay in Maui if we chose to also do the Big Island? (how many nights on each)

and

We already booked a flight from San Fran to Oahu, and have accommodations there. Which island, Maui or Big Island, is best to fly out of when we are done with Hawaii?

Thank you!

travelgourmet

Hotel Wailea is adults only - it bills itself as the only adults only hotel on Maui. Grand Wailea is a mega resort (luxury, though) that definitely welcomes kids, even boasting water slides and the like. FWIW, my understanding is that Hotel Wailea guests have charging privileges at the Grand Wailea beach club as it is not beachfront.

Again, I have no experience with Maui (so can't offer any recommendations), I am just looking at options myself and sharing what I have come across.

teadrinker

Thank you for this clarification, travelgourmet! Lots of options and decisions to be made but well worth it in the end!

fishee

Thanks for catching that, travelgourmet! The Fairmont and Grand Wailea are huge impersonal resorts with an aesthetic that feels overdone and tired at the same time. The Andaz looked nice and there was a nice waterfront walking path along the cliffs and beaches that you can easily access from any of the big 4 beachside resorts (but you certainly won't be the only ones on the path.)

Like TG notes, Hotel Wailea isn't a beachfront property so if waterfront access is important to you, that's a factor. But it looks like a much more intimate and understated hotel than the big resorts that line the water (Fairmont, Grand Wailea, Marriott, Andaz). I assume that the Hotel Wailea has a driver that would drop you off at dinner (Ko and Nick's in Fairmont, Ka'ana Kitchen at Andaz, etc.). In general, Wailea was boring for me but maybe we stayed too long (5 nights) or we aren't resort people. It seemed that most of the oceanfront views are not particularly close to the water since in most rooms, you'll overlook the pool, etc. I like ocean views where there are no structures in front of me.

teadrinker

this is going to be a hard one for us, but we'll decide!
Thanks so much.

teadrinker

Hello, just wanted to let you know that we chose the Andaz because of the water factor and the walking path - we hope to use that path for our daily exercise and it just was compelling to us, the hotel.
So, we'll see.
Looking forward to it. I hope to post a little trip report once we're back.
Thank you very much.

sf7307

The Andaz is beautiful, inside and out (the common areas at least, I haven't seen the rooms). The pool in particular is great.

ChiSue

With only five nights...IMO the most romantic and upscale hotel in Hawaii is the Four Seasons Hualalai on Big Island of Hawaii. Take a helicopter over Volcanoes National Park out of KOA; you don't have time to go and stay there.

Four Seasons has also recently opened a hotel in Ko Olina on Oahu's west side -- rave reviews.

portobelloB

I know you’ve made these plans last minute so I think you made a good choice. We have visited all the islands and Maui and Kauai are our favorites.
IMO, I would stay longer than 5 nights if you can.

Your hotel is right on the coastal walking path that weaves through five beaches and other Wailea resorts (Grand Wailea, Four Seasons and Fairmont). This walking path goes along the resorts and the beaches and you can walk all the way over to Polo beach on one end. (about 2 1/2 miles walk one way)

Going the opposite direction from Andaz you can walk over to Mana Kai Resort, Kamaole beaches 1, 2, 3 for a different view.

We have seen whales, sea turtles and once saw a manta ray jumped out of the water (rare sighting) on this daily walk for us when we have been here in January and February.

Restaurants to consider: Sorrento's on the Beach, Five Palms, Duo, Ferraro’s Ristorante, Spagos, Nick’s Fishmarket and Longhi’s. These are all easy access for you in Wailea.

I’ve found the Maui Swap Meet (near airport) a fun way to find inexpensive souvenirs and produce (go early in the morning before it get hot) if you are here during a Saturday.

Haleakala, Lahaina, Pa’ia and Makawao are good places to visit. Mama’s Fish House is near Pa’ia and you should make reservations.

We usually stay over in Hana for a couple of nights before arriving in Wailea but people do make a drive over for just a day. It’s just a very long drive for the driver so if you really want to see Hana I would recommend staying here overnight or taking a tour bus and let someone else do the driving so both of you can really enjoy the fabulous views.

Have a great time in paradise.

tifa2276

My DH and I stayed at the Andaz the year it opened (2013) and it is gorgeous. Multiple infinity pools, modern concept, beach-front. You can read about it here on my blog:
http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?page_id=545

We ate at Kaana Kitchen for breakfast buffet and it is very expensive but the food was great. If you can get a deal that includes the breakfast that would probably be the best deal. Morimoto wasn't open yet when we went but a friend of mine went last year and said it was great.

Hotel Wailea also looks amazing and I would stay there too, considering I have stayed at many places on Maui and want to try different places all the time. I definitely prefer Wailea over Kaanapali in terms of convenience, and I just like the upscale but sprawling neighborhood. We usually do a split stay and spend a few nights in Wailea and then on West Maui just to mix it up. It's not a must do, but just because we like to.

Kihei Caffe is actually our favorite spot for breakfast. Da Kitchen has great local flavors for cheap. Star Noodle and Monkeypod Kitchen are great moderate meals. For a splurge meal, we enjoyed Merriman's and Mama's Fish House. Get a reservation early to enjoy the views before sunset. I thought Maui had more places to eat than the Big Island...more selection and variety. Although everything we ate on the Big Island was great. I think the Roy's in Waikoloa is better than the Roy's on Oahu which is what everyone raves about. We also enjoyed the kona coffee plantations on the Big Island which is something very unique.

On Maui we did the Road to Hana on a previous trip. We really enjoyed it and I would do it again. We visited both sunrise and sunset at Haleakala, both are amazing, but note if you go for sunset you're driving down in the dark.

I love visiting upcountry maui and we always stop at the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm, just so pretty. For some nighttime fun, there are bars and restaurants in Kihei but Lahaina was where all the action was at. It is not that convenient from Wailea though.

Have a great time! You'll love the Andaz!