BadgerRedd

We are trying to plan our 25th anniversary "getaway" and we need some help in picking a very nice hotel, that isn't taken over by families(ie: lots of kids) with a nice beach & pool area, close to some good restaurants, and offers some watersports. The main idea is to relax in the sun, with a couple of drinks, and celebrate our time together. Also, since we have 2 kids in college, we're hoping that such a resort exists, without forcing us to eat Mac & Cheese the rest of the year(ha ha) We have been told that the Napili Kai Beach Resort would be a good choice, anybody have an idea/opinion on that or any other resort? We plan on going in mid-May 2007. Thanks for your help !!

OldSouthernBelle

I think that's a good idea. It has a very nice snorkel/swim beach and is not 'unreasonable' expense.

LoveItaly

Hi Badger Redd, family members just came back some weeks ago from Maui. They stayed at the Sheraton. They were there before school vacation started so there was not a flood of children. They loved the Sheraton so much they are returning in January. I have no idea of the cost versus the napili Kai Beach Resort however.

dusty56438

Here are some sites that might help you plan your trip:

www.mauihawaii.org Great site of Maui Jon

www.visitmaui.com Free brochure

www.gohawaii.com Free brochure

www.alternative-hawaii.com Good narrative driving tours w/photos.

www.hawaiiweb.com

www.driveguidemagazines.com Good maps & restaurant guide

www.thisweek.com This Week on Maui XXX

www.spotlighthawaii.com Maui Gold XXX

www.101thingstodo.com 101 Things to do on Maui XXX

XXX - These also have free hard copy brochures that you can pick up at airport baggage area & other places on Maui. Lots of info for things to see & do. Lots of ads & coupons for attraction, shopping & dining

Attractions/activities/tours. You can look at thes site to see what is available & the approximate costs. Many of these you can do on your own much cheaper:

www.hawaiifun.org

www.hawaiiactivities.com

Buy a copy of 'Maui Revealed' for lots of info.

Bikom

We love Napili Kai, but its not really a "resort-type" property, its more of an old-fashioned hotel, I think. the beach is one of the best in Maui, but they have only a couple of very small pools. The Sea Lodge is a nice place to eat, and the Gazebo (which is on one of the neighboring places) is a first rate breakfast place, with long lines. They have a nice putting green, and one and two bedroom units, and the prices are very reasonable, usually. We love it, but am not sure its what you have in mind. In Wailea, the Grand Wailea would probably have a lot of families and since you mentioned price, the Four Seasons is probably too expensive. Have you checked the rates you could get at the Westin or the Hyatt, or Sheraton? I think they're all in Ka'anapali, more resorty, great pool areas, and good beach. Now that i think about it, you could also check the Ritz Carlton, which is in Kapalua, near Napili Kai, if you could get a decent rate, I've heard its a great property, with a nice pool, and a romantic place, without too many kids. You might be alright in mid-May anyway. Have a great anniversary!

Bikom

One other thing, (sorry),but do you have any interest in the Big Island? Our absolute favorite place is the Hapuna Prince Hotel, which has one of the best beaches in all of Hawaii, a great infinity type pool area, AND they have a deal where your second room is 50 percent off, which might be great for your college age kids. For a place to relax by the pool/beach and have a drink, i can't think of a better place.It also has the Volcano National Park, which is terrific. Hapuna has a sister property next door called the Mauna Kea, which is older, but a nice place. Rates in May, especially with the discount, should be very reasonable.

CaliNurse

Hi BadgerRedd. I also answered on Carib forum. As said there, I don't think Napili Kai is what you're envisioning as being perfect for your anniversary.

Have you definitely decided on Maui? There are some other Maui choices given here that are great. Given what you wrote on the Carib forum, you still might want to consider an AI in Playa del Carmen, or maybe a small villa on St John--May is "low " season there and you might spend less than on a hotel room.
It would also help Fodor Folks' responses if you gave a general idea of how much you want to spend per night.
I've been to some gorgeous resorts. don't have lots of money, and don't eat mac and cheese--in other words, what you want exists and is affordable.
Best wishes and happy planning!

BadgerRedd

The reason we chose Maui was because of our past trip to Hawaii(Oahu/Maui 7 days on each island, 20 years ago) We know if we went to Sandals Royal Bahamian, as "signature guests" the price would be under $4500.00 including airfare at Sandals "top rated" resort. So we're using that as a "starting price". Our 3 previous Sandals trips have been very nice but we wanted to see how Maui compares in price/accomodations. Thanks to everyone for your help !!

sherrie

If Maui is your choice, I have two recommendations. We've sayed at the Kea Lani and it is very nice. The accommodations are all suites. If you travel in May or September, October, the prices are lower and there are far fewer children around. It's a very nice resort with lovely pools and a lovely beach. My other recommendation is not a resort. The Kaanapali Alii is a terrific condo choice. If you reserve a "premier" room they have been updated to include granite countertops and top of the line appliances. You can reserve a two bedroom and your young adults can have their own space. We loved it there, having just visited in June. The beach is terrific and its location can't be beat, with Whalers Village just a short walk away. If you think about the Big Island, I can also recommend that Hapuna Beach Prince, it was lovely also and very quiet. Would make for a great place to spend quality time together on such a wonderful occasion. Good luck with your choice.

BadgerRedd

A couple of things I should clarify, 1) We plan on celebrating our 25th anniversary WITHOUT our kids along.(If my wife has to be "with me" for a week, she's going to want to be "under the influence", not something the kids should see.) 2) We have just started looking into vacation spots and we started with areas/chains(Sandals) we have enjoyed. 3) For my own personal reasons I'd rather not stay at a place in Mexico. Again, thanks for all the tips/advice in helping us with our plans!!

Bikom

Hi again, I didn't get that you weren't bringing your children, so you have no need for half price rooms. I bet you can get a fair price at many nice resorts in Maui for mid-May in your price range (4500) You could probably get a package deal through a web site like Expedia or Costco or something like that at a number of nice places. Sherrie mentioned Kea Lani, which looks like a beautiful place, and there is also the Fairmont Orchid which i didn't mention yesterday. Maui is certainly pricey (once you book your flight, we can start talking restaurants, lol), but I feel it is such a magical place, and for a 25th anniversary, certainly worth it. I hope you can get the right price. Good luck.

sunshine

We'll be celebrating our 25th anniversary on Maui this Dec. I can't wait to get there!!!!

TravelTess

Kea Lani, Kea Lani, Kea Lani. Did I say Kea Lani? Perfect for you...all suites, a resort on the beach with everything you desire and not overrun by too many people and kids. http://www.fairmont.com/kealani/

We just got back from Maui and visit frequently. We know the island very well. More questions? Please feel free to post.

BadgerRedd

Okay, I looked at the comments by people who stayed at Kea Lani recently and ratings of 1 for service, value etc., have me puzzled. Has the property changed ownership/managers? Under renovation? With so many people recommending this property, it's hard to focus entirely on 1 place with the latest reviews being so poor. Can anybody clarify what happened? Thanks

sherrie

We were at the Kea Lani about 4 years ago, sorry I can be more "recent" with my comments. The staff were o.k., not exceptional, but that didn't bother me too much. The room was great and the beach was great and the pool was great, so that offset any minor thoughts about the service of the staff. The housekeeping staff was great also, our only issues were with the front desk and concierge. Front desk was less than accommodating when we needed a late checkout (we ended up getting a room for a day at the Renaissance because of a late flight) and the concierge could have been more forthcoming with "expert" suggesetions, but it was no biggie. We had a great time. All that said, if I were to go back to Maui anytime soon, I would opt for the Kaanapali Alii condo that we just left. The area was better for us, and the convenience of having such a large condo couldn't be beat. JMHO. If you want resort services, you can use those at the surrounding hotels. I posted a few photos of our condo at the Alii on Tripadvisor if you check out their hotel reviews, you can take a peak.

kamahinaohoku

I have not stayed at the Napili Kai Beach Resort, but I did live on the other side of the beach from it. I've eaten at their restaurant a few times (very good) and did some business with the hotel. It's a family owned resort (163 rooms), and I remember distinctly that the people who stayed there would come back year after year (which says something). While not a 5 star hotel, this is definitely an excellent experience. It is definitely not close to a Sandals type experience, if that's what you're looking for (I've been to 4 of them, and I like them, so this is not a dis, just an observation.) But, Napili Kai has a tradition of Hawaiian hospitality that can't be beat. Please remember that the rooms have ceiling fans (no a/c) if that's important to you.

The Kea Lani is a completely different experience; it's a much larger resort, great grounds, with good amenities. I haven't seen it recently, so I'm not much help on that.

Hope this helps.

TravelTess

Sherrie - he said he wanted peace, remember? There's not much of that at Kaanapali - it's a zoo. So much traffic and congestion. We went up there, twice, during our trip this month and couldn't wait to get back to Wailea.

Badger, another nice hotel that is very quiet is the Prince in Makena. Have you checked it out? By the way, I mentioned Kea Lani because it looked as if you originally said you were going to take the kids.

A friend of mine has a wonderful website to check out: http://www.mauihawaii.org/

Is Napili Kai air conditioned? I thought I read somewhere that it wasn't or many of the units are not.

Ag3046

I'm a huge fan of the Maui Prince in Makena, too. Very restful. The best beach on Maui, and the only hotel on it. Great snorkeling, great sunsets. The pool is just, meh. The Sunday brunch is incredible. I find the hotel to be very very relaxing and secluded. The hotel is substantially less expensive than the Wailea hotels. If you want a getaway, I would head to the Maui Prince and never even consider the noise, congestion, and over-hyped bustle of Kaanapali.

sherrie

The Kaanapali area may be a bit congested, but the Alii was not. It was quite peaceful and when we wanted a little more excitement, we just hopped on the walkway and made our way to Whalers Village on foot. For us it was great, maybe not for everyone.

kamahinaohoku

TravelTess - Napili is located about a 10-15 minute drive north of Ka'anapali, and is in a much quieter neighborhood. That being said, they'd still have to deal with the traffic to get there.

I mentioned that the units have ceiling fans (no a/c) in my message (directly above yours). Though as close to the ocean as they are, with the cross breezes, it shouldn't be a problem.