Hyatt Regency Maui vs Westin Kaanapali
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Hyatt Regency Maui vs Westin Kaanapali
Hello Fodorites!
Thanks for the wealth of info all of you have provided already. I am booking a 1 wk trip to Maui for 4 (me, DH, Mom-in-law and dad-in-law). I have done some search on the forum for the "Hyatt Regency Maui" and the "Westin Kaanapali Ocean Villas" (not the Westin Maui) and have found some information. But I am looking to choose between these two hotels and am wondering if any of you have any preferences/info to share???
A beach/swimming pool is not that important to us. We are looking for a 4/4.5 Star hotel that is close to dining/shopping, etc and has nice rooms. Perhaps some nice restaurant/lounges within the hotel as well.
Thanks, in advance, for your help!
Have a great day
Thanks for the wealth of info all of you have provided already. I am booking a 1 wk trip to Maui for 4 (me, DH, Mom-in-law and dad-in-law). I have done some search on the forum for the "Hyatt Regency Maui" and the "Westin Kaanapali Ocean Villas" (not the Westin Maui) and have found some information. But I am looking to choose between these two hotels and am wondering if any of you have any preferences/info to share???
A beach/swimming pool is not that important to us. We are looking for a 4/4.5 Star hotel that is close to dining/shopping, etc and has nice rooms. Perhaps some nice restaurant/lounges within the hotel as well.
Thanks, in advance, for your help!
Have a great day
#2
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Hi Manisha:
Was there end of May did not stay at either hotel (was at Westin Maui) for your request I think the Hyatt would be a better choice is closer than the Villas and plenty of restaurants/shopping a short walk away at the Whaler's village (probably about a 10 min. walk) I walked around the Hyatt for a star gazing show they have there (highly recommended) and the property is beautiful with some beautiful art work. Hope this helps, have a great vacation.
Gina
Was there end of May did not stay at either hotel (was at Westin Maui) for your request I think the Hyatt would be a better choice is closer than the Villas and plenty of restaurants/shopping a short walk away at the Whaler's village (probably about a 10 min. walk) I walked around the Hyatt for a star gazing show they have there (highly recommended) and the property is beautiful with some beautiful art work. Hope this helps, have a great vacation.
Gina
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We haven't stayed at either resort, but have eaten dinner several times at the Westin Kaanapali. It is a very pretty resort. Nice spa and restaurants. The hotel lobby is very nice and they are on a great piece of beach. They have a large pool...but it does stay busy. I would have no reservations staying there.
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"Westin Kaanapali Ocean Villas" are condo/timeshares, it is not a hotel. There is only 1 small outdoor restaurant and limited services as far as lobby, lounge etc. Based on what you are looking for, do NOT stay at Ocean Villas. It is a good distance to Whalers Village. You can take the Westin Shuttle to go to restaurants, lounges etc at Westin Maui [and walk to Whalers] but you cannot use Westin pools. You can use their beach. We stayed at Westin Maui and it was nice but didn't like resort fee and parking charge.
We went to the luau at the Hyatt Regency and the hotel was lovely. Beautiful lobby, lounges etc. Way more 4/4.5 star hotel. IT is a bit of a walk to Whaler's Village but can be done. I would definitely pick Hyatt.
Hope this helps..
Debi
We went to the luau at the Hyatt Regency and the hotel was lovely. Beautiful lobby, lounges etc. Way more 4/4.5 star hotel. IT is a bit of a walk to Whaler's Village but can be done. I would definitely pick Hyatt.
Hope this helps..
Debi
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The Kaanapali is beautiful and more off the beaten path. The pool and beach are beautiful, and if you are golfers that's probably where you want to be. As other posters have said, beyond the resort there isn't a whole lot *right there* - just a great sushi restaurant and a couple shops. I'd say it is about a 20-30 minute drive to the Hyatt area.
The Hyatt is with a string of other resorts with the outdoor mall in the middle. It isn't what I would call a "strip" though - everything is classy, cute and well maintained.
Don't forget to do a night on the other other side of the island in the little fishing town. The name is escaping me, but I still regret not making it over there.
The Hyatt is with a string of other resorts with the outdoor mall in the middle. It isn't what I would call a "strip" though - everything is classy, cute and well maintained.
Don't forget to do a night on the other other side of the island in the little fishing town. The name is escaping me, but I still regret not making it over there.
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Stayed at the Hyatt Maui. The quality of the rooms is dependent on your point of view I suppose. Some people think that they are dated. Some think they are authentic. We didn't mind them. Had a large bathroom and walk in closet. Was fairly large in size.
The location is great in that you are on the "Beach Walk" and can walk to the Whalers Village, which has shops/restaurants and you are a mile or so from downtown Lahaina which is a neat, albeit touristy town, with some great shopping/restaurants. Is nice to park and walk at night.
The hotel itself has some nice restaurants as well. The Swan Terrace is especially great for breakfast. There are a couple of more on the property as well. We ate in one other of those and it was very nice. Great ambiance and hubby had some of the best Mahi he's ever had.
Hope this helps.
The location is great in that you are on the "Beach Walk" and can walk to the Whalers Village, which has shops/restaurants and you are a mile or so from downtown Lahaina which is a neat, albeit touristy town, with some great shopping/restaurants. Is nice to park and walk at night.
The hotel itself has some nice restaurants as well. The Swan Terrace is especially great for breakfast. There are a couple of more on the property as well. We ate in one other of those and it was very nice. Great ambiance and hubby had some of the best Mahi he's ever had.
Hope this helps.
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Mahalo, everyone, for your thoughts and suggestions. It sounds like the Hyatt Maui might be the right place for us.
golpher, I was not looking at Westin maui for two reasons:
1. Had initially thought that they were the only ones that charge daily resort fees even if you don't use their resort. But now I've found out that HR Maui charges this too.
2. Since we are a family of 4, we would need either two rooms or a big suite. The Westin Kaanapali was attractive because the suite there is very nice and quite reasonable for the price. The HR Maui was attractive even though 2 rooms are expy, because I had just heard so much about it that it seemed like it would be worth the money. I will check out the Westin Maui as well. I think they might be a little less $$ than the HR Maui. HR Maui just looks really nice in the pics as well.
Wherever we stay, I will post back with a report and thoughts.
Thank you!
golpher, I was not looking at Westin maui for two reasons:
1. Had initially thought that they were the only ones that charge daily resort fees even if you don't use their resort. But now I've found out that HR Maui charges this too.
2. Since we are a family of 4, we would need either two rooms or a big suite. The Westin Kaanapali was attractive because the suite there is very nice and quite reasonable for the price. The HR Maui was attractive even though 2 rooms are expy, because I had just heard so much about it that it seemed like it would be worth the money. I will check out the Westin Maui as well. I think they might be a little less $$ than the HR Maui. HR Maui just looks really nice in the pics as well.
Wherever we stay, I will post back with a report and thoughts.
Thank you!
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So, ever-so-helpful Fodorites, my next question becomes "Hyatt Regency Maui vs Westin Maui". What do you think?
Sorry to be a pest but the TripAdvisor reviews are pretty much the same amongst these two.
Thanks again!
#11
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Westin. It has a better location on the beach. Request rooms in the newer tower, they are larger and have an angled view of the ocean which makes it nice in the afternoon,as the sun is not shining full-on into the room.
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I'd go with Hyatt. I prefer the location--at the end of the "strip." The beach isn't the widest in front of the Hyatt but it's a very short walk to a better strip of sand. Westin feels crammed in the middle to me.
#13
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I second the Westin, I did not have a problem and as stated location is great!
was there end of May for 5 nights (don't think it could deteriorate that much in 1 1/2 month. The food at the hotel was really good too.
was there end of May for 5 nights (don't think it could deteriorate that much in 1 1/2 month. The food at the hotel was really good too.
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From my trip report of October 2007 [They were in process of redoing rooms, so they should be nicer now].
Maui – Westin Resort on Ka'anapali Beach
We had been referred by someone who owns a villa there and got a package with a great price and $75 gift certificate. We could use the gift certificate at checkout which was good. We charged lunch and breakfasts and then used the certificates that way. If you use them in restaurant or store, they do not give change. So you either end up losing some value or spending more if the bill is higher than the $25 and $50 certificate. The room was supposed to be a standard non –view room. When we checked in I asked if there were any complimentary upgrades available. They gave us an Oceanside room with 2 double beds on the second floor. The other room had a king, but I was happy to have an Oceanside room. Truth is, it really wouldn’t have matter much, as we were hardly in room. But I think overlooking the parking lot on that low of a floor would have been not so good.
The room was okay, a bit tired and worn. They were in the process of redoing all of the rooms. While were there, they were changing mattresses, furniture, carpets, putting in flat screen tv’s -- so all of the rooms should be really nice in short order. The bed was very comfortable and had 2 white down quilts on it!! Sure didn’t need 1 let alone 2! There was a mini-fridge, coffee maker, in room safe and the bathroom amenities were their own brand and quite nice. They had a lighted makeup mirror which was nice to have.
We got leis when we checked in, and cold towels and chilled fruit laced water was in the lobby every afternoon. That was a great treat after being out in the sun each day.
The grounds are really nice with lots of pools, including an "adult only" one. There are parrots by the patio and a waterfall you can walk under. All pools but one close at sunset.
The beach is really nice, but you have to pay to get an umbrella, chairs etc.
The hotel is centrally located to the area.
I think most of the things mentioned in report are still true. The resort fee may have increased. The fee is paid per room, not per group, so if you have 2 rooms, you pay resort fees on each room I believe.
The Ocean Villas have advantages that condos have but are not hotels.
Debi
Our biggest complaint [and we knew this ahead of time] was the $18.50 daily resort fee. [2 bottles of water a day, workout room, a paper shopping bag, internet access w/ your own computer, self parking]. It really doesn’t give you much, you have no choice and you still had to pay to rent chairs and/or umbrellas on the beach! And they make a big deal of stay at one and play at all of their resorts on Ka'anapali, but the have recently changed that policy to exclude the pools! You can use the beach, ride the shuttle, eat and sign in restaurants, but no pool use except where you are staying.
There was self park or valet. The self park was small and was often full at night, so then you could use the valet park with no charge except tipping.
Maui – Westin Resort on Ka'anapali Beach
We had been referred by someone who owns a villa there and got a package with a great price and $75 gift certificate. We could use the gift certificate at checkout which was good. We charged lunch and breakfasts and then used the certificates that way. If you use them in restaurant or store, they do not give change. So you either end up losing some value or spending more if the bill is higher than the $25 and $50 certificate. The room was supposed to be a standard non –view room. When we checked in I asked if there were any complimentary upgrades available. They gave us an Oceanside room with 2 double beds on the second floor. The other room had a king, but I was happy to have an Oceanside room. Truth is, it really wouldn’t have matter much, as we were hardly in room. But I think overlooking the parking lot on that low of a floor would have been not so good.
The room was okay, a bit tired and worn. They were in the process of redoing all of the rooms. While were there, they were changing mattresses, furniture, carpets, putting in flat screen tv’s -- so all of the rooms should be really nice in short order. The bed was very comfortable and had 2 white down quilts on it!! Sure didn’t need 1 let alone 2! There was a mini-fridge, coffee maker, in room safe and the bathroom amenities were their own brand and quite nice. They had a lighted makeup mirror which was nice to have.
We got leis when we checked in, and cold towels and chilled fruit laced water was in the lobby every afternoon. That was a great treat after being out in the sun each day.
The grounds are really nice with lots of pools, including an "adult only" one. There are parrots by the patio and a waterfall you can walk under. All pools but one close at sunset.
The beach is really nice, but you have to pay to get an umbrella, chairs etc.
The hotel is centrally located to the area.
I think most of the things mentioned in report are still true. The resort fee may have increased. The fee is paid per room, not per group, so if you have 2 rooms, you pay resort fees on each room I believe.
The Ocean Villas have advantages that condos have but are not hotels.
Debi
Our biggest complaint [and we knew this ahead of time] was the $18.50 daily resort fee. [2 bottles of water a day, workout room, a paper shopping bag, internet access w/ your own computer, self parking]. It really doesn’t give you much, you have no choice and you still had to pay to rent chairs and/or umbrellas on the beach! And they make a big deal of stay at one and play at all of their resorts on Ka'anapali, but the have recently changed that policy to exclude the pools! You can use the beach, ride the shuttle, eat and sign in restaurants, but no pool use except where you are staying.
There was self park or valet. The self park was small and was often full at night, so then you could use the valet park with no charge except tipping.
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I've stayed at they Hyatt. It is very impressive but the beach fronting they hyatt is rocky and not very swimmable. When we go again, we will stay at the Sheraton!! The Sheraton is great, snorkeling right there at Black Rock, and awesome beach! It's also an easy walk to Whalers.