Marie

We are going to Hawaii next year, 5 nights on Maui and 3 on Kauai.

Maui is posing a problem, we can't seem to decide which beach, let alone which hotel. The beach itself is very important, must be swimable for bodysurfing. The pool needs to be a good size and nice. We have gone back and forth between the Embassay (heard bad things about the beach having alot of coral)
and the Hyatt and the Sheraton. The Marriott was also a considertion, but heard it had a crowded feel to it.

Kauai we are staying at the Hyatt.

Any firsthand advice or information is greatly appreciated.

Charlie

Hi Marie
Any questions about Maui are taboo on this forum,normally I'd attempt to answer your question but I fear that my village would be plundered by the Maui(Fodor's)Vigilantes.Information on Maui is best sought either on another forum or in a travel book.Good luck !!

Natalie

Marie,
I stayed at the Embassy last April and can tell you that I will never stay there again. When we were in Maui, we experienced most of the resort areas, and I would definitely say that if your number one priority is beaches, stay in Wailea. The beach at the Embassy suites is one of the reasons why I wouldn't stay there again.
One of the main things I learned when I went to Hawaii was always have a plan B.
Inevitably, if you plan to snorkel, the surf will be too rough and you'll end up body surfing - or vice versa.
Have a great time!
Natalie

Paul

I agree that the beaches in Wailea are best. I would strongly recommend the Renaissance Hotel in Wailea but the pool is very small. If the Grand Wailea or Four Seasons is in your budget, they would be a good choice. The beach at the Embassy Suites is not recommended, the Hyatt has a great pool and lousy beach and the Sheraton has one of the best beaches for snorkeling but terrible for body surfing. There was good body surfing in Wailea when I was there in March.

notravel

What's the matter Paul & Natalie, isn't the Embassy Suites on your kickback list? You're trying your hardest to steer people away from it without offering any true reasons.

edie

I was in maui for five days of my honeymoon in october, and we stayed at the ritz carlton in kapalua. it was a beautiful property, generally we were happy with it, but if we ever were to return to maui, we'd stay in wailea. we probably will never go back to maui, b.c if i do make the NY -HI trek, i want to see pearl harbor, return to the big island, and see kuai (sp?). i found maui to be in general very built up and not at all the island paradise i was hoping for. anyway, kaanapali beach looked way too overbuilt for my taste,with all those huge hotels right on top of each other and parking lots all over the place. it reminded me of fort lauderdale along the Galt ocean mile. it stressed me out just looking at it.
but the embassy suites looked even worse. it's surrounded by non-descript condo complexes, just does not look nice. i didn't go on their beach, but have heard it wasn't great.
IMO, if I am hauling my a$$ all the way to hawaii, i want to feel like i am in HI, not get the same atmosphere i could get in florida or carib. for a lot less $$ and time.

annemarie

We went to Maui in July and stayed at both Wailea and Kapalua. Both are gorgeous areas but I would not stay at Kapalua again, although it is worth a visit...too windy and the beach at the Ritz was really rough and open. The Wailea area during that time was quite peaceful and my son did some light bodysurfing there...5 beaches from which to choose. You probably already know that there are no guarantees on water conditions perfect for a specific sport.

cheryl

I just returned from Maui this last week and found it so disapointing I could have cried. Condos upon condos over developed, over packaged, and over exploited. Stay on Kauai the entire trip.

oahulocal

Seems as though Marie would highly benefit from MauiHeidi's advice. Marie, email Heidi at [email protected] She is a travel agent/resident on Maui. She doesn't charge you for the advice that she gives you, and I am sure that she could help you with practically any questions you might have without expecting anything in return.

Don't let the anti-travel agent lunatics on this board stop you from getting free advice. In fact, it will probably eat away at these looneys and make a lot people's day!

Noah

Cheryl,

Where did you stay on Mauai?

Alison

Marie:

My husband and I stayed at the Sheraton two years ago (a few months after it reopened after the huge renovation). It is a very beautiful hotel, with large rooms and nice bathrooms. We enjoyed the pool, but there definitely could have been more shade. The beach in front of the hotel (Black Rock) is very popular with snorkelers and gets a little crowded. We found a beautiful beach on the other side of Black Rock that was always empty. It was very swimable, but I don't remember how the waves were (if there were any). We drove over to the Embassy Suites and didn't like it at all. We didn't really care for its location either, but then again, we are very partial to the Kaanapali area. We have walked around the Hyatt and it is very nice, and many people just rave about it. I have read that the Marriott is undergoing a huge remodeling project this year, including their pool, and it is supposed to be very disruptive to the entire resort. Hopefully this helps.

Max

If you want an alternative to hotels, try the condos in Kahala. Their particularly good if you have 3 or more people. You can save a good deal of money and get a great place with living, kitchen, etc.

If you want to splurge, the Kapalua Villas were great but a little far north.

Patti

Just returned from a week on Maui. We had an oceanfront villa at Kapalua and did lots of exploring. If anyone needs info, email me and I'll be glad to provide.
Had a great time!
Patti in Tulsa

Linz

I stayed at the Hyatt last year in Kannapali and loved it. The pool area is wonderful, narrow strip of beach, but very nice.