Have Kids, go to Kaanapali Beach
 

My family and I have been to Maui four times. We ususally stay in the Wailea area. It's nice and we always enjoyed ourselves. But this time we decided to stay at the Westin at Kaanapali Beach. Wow, we didn't know what we were missing, especially if you have kids. The pools were great, service was good, and the prices were half of what we were used to paying in Wailea. Yes, Wailea is nice, but kids don't appreciate that kind of thing. They want pools, slides, food, and other kids to play with. Kaanapali has that in abundance. It's also just 5 minutes of Lahaina which my kids loved. They shopped and toured the streets for hours.<BR><BR>Oh well, for what it's worth, I would recommend a hotel like the Westin or Sheraton on Kaanapali Beach if you are traveling with kids. <BR><BR>Have fun. Aloha!

Thanks for the tip. We're bringing our kids there for the first time this Feb and were kind of wondering what beach we'd hit....

I stayed at the Hyatt at Kaanapali Beach, right next to the Westin, on a business trip. The beach itself, at least near the Hyatt property, was a little rough -- it had a strong undertow, and there were rocks nearby. It didn't seem like it would be safe for a small child; the beach was largely uninhabited there. Was the beach calmer at the Westin property?

Hi Madolyn. I might be able to help with that one. Yes, the beach at the Westin all the way down to the Sheraton is fairly calm. There are exceptions to that depending on weather as with any beach. The Hyatt sits on a point and therefore the seas are rougher. But I don't think any beach is safe for a small child without their parent.<BR><BR>In fact, the Sheraton sits on Black Rock, which is one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui. The waters are calm, fish are great, and they have cliff dives there at night.

Just stayed at the Westin and there were a TON of kids. Nice for the kids, but I was on my honeymoon. They'll love it. Get a high floor ocean room, well worth it for the sunsets.

Beth<BR>How was the Westin? Did you get good service? Were you able to get a pool chair? Was Kaanapali in general very busy? We were there last year and it was totally crazy. Just seeing if it has changed at all. Thanks.

Yes Beth, it was a little crazy, but that's what my kids liked. My husband and I were able to relax at the adult only pool and our kids loved the other 4 pools. They had other kids to play with. I don't think it was that much crazier than the Grand Wailea, but the kids liked it a lot more. Pool chairs were no problem.

Mary, we stayed at the Westin three years ago and loved it. This time we are triing the Kea Lani Resort. Is that where you stayed? If so, did your kids like it there? How does the pool and beach compare to the Westin? We thought the Wailea area was suppose to be nicer. I loved Kaanapali Beach. I hope we are not making a mistake by staying in Wailea. We have three kids ranging in age from 9 to 13.

I agree. My kids loved the Kaanapali beach area. There are other kids to play with and plenty to keep them busy while mom and dad relax. My kids were bored in Wailea.

Is it really less expensive in Kaanapali?