I previously posted under "Maui Hotel Dilemna." My problem is I'm trying to add 1 night to my honeymoon package booked at the Hyatt in the Terrace view room, but that room category is sold out. So I either have to upgrade to Golf/Mtn View ($1,000 more), add 1 night in the upgraded room (would have to switch hotel rooms our last day), or switch to another hotel. Availability permitting, the travel agent quoted Four Seasons at $400 less than the Hyatt upgraded room. How do these 2 hotels compare. I would also be giving up the free buffet breakfast at the Hyatt. Please help!!

They are both beautiful properties. The setting at the Four Seasons(Wailea) does it a lot more justice than the setting at the Hyatt. The Kanapaali area is wall to wall hotels interspersed with shops, restaurants, etc. You need to know that the beach here is not consistent...there will be areas where there is coral, etc. and some areas of the sand are not that wide. The Wailea has 3 crescent beaches that are very swimmable unless the flag is up, but that can happen at any ocean resort in Hawaii. You have the Kea Lani on one side and the Grand Wailea on the other. All properties are connected by a walkay as in Kanapaali. I would definitely go for the Four Seasons over the Hyatt. Hop into a book store and do some reading on both properties. Info to back up my opinion...Conde Nast Travel magazine annually puts out a rating and the FS is always about 89% and the Hyatt an 80%. Zagat always puts the FS above the Hyatt as well. Gourmet, a couple years ago, put both in the top 10, but the FS over the Hyatt. You need to know(or probably already do) the the rates at the FS include the use of cabanas which is not the choice anywhere else(usually 75.00 aday), parking, fitness centre use, snorkelling equipment use daily, tennis. The Four Seasons has a fabulous breakfast buffet as well but I am not sure I would want to spend my every day at the beach after eating so much. It is so easy to pick up a lite bite at any of the restaurants and the Kea Lani has a takeout coffee place where you can get yummy pastries, sandwiches, etc. There have been a ton of postings on this questions...hope you have down a search already. Varying viewpoints but that is what this website is all about. A lot of agents don't know a lot about Wailea...that is what I discovered because many hadn't been there, so you won't get that push from an agent. They think Waikiki...Oahu and Kanapaali...Maui. Favourite property of Sharon Stone, Stallone and Schwarzenneger so can't be all that bad!!

Sorry,,,5 not 3 crescent beaches.

there really is no comparison. the four seasons is just a fabulous hotel. far above the hyatt in terms of location, service and atmosphere. same too for wailea. i recently learned that wailea and kaanapali both have the same beach area, but kaanapali has twice the number of hotel rooms (see www.mauinews.com archives for february), therefore, the beach experience is far better at wailea. as for picking up a quick breakfast, along the beach walk either the renaissance or outrigger has a stand where one can inexpensively purchase coffee or treats. finally, check fodor's recommended list; you will see that it clearly recommends the four seasons over the hyatt.

There is no comparison between the Four Seasons and the Hyatt. Not that the Hyatt isn't a nice hotel. But the Four Seasons is in another league on many different levels.

Here is a differing opinion. My wife and daughter (10 months old at the time) and I stayed at both hotels last year during our Maui trip and while we really liked both, we preferred the Hyatt -- the property itself was more "hawaiian" and the beach was just fine. We also liked that there was a lot of variety in restaurants, shopping etc. within walking distance. We felt the 4 seasons was a bit too stuffy for our taste and not very hawaiian in the rooms, or the resort itself. Seemed like a four seasons in any city for hte most part until you got down to the beach. And while the beach was very nice, it was also not so convenient. You had to walk down a lot of steps to get to it and we found ourselves spending less time at the beach and more at the pool...which was less impressive than the Hyatt. Geez now that I read this it seems that we hated the four seasons....which we didn't...we just preferred the hyatt. By the way, look up Ludi in the poolside grill/restaurant at the hyatt. She was wonderful and took great care of us durng the lunch hour. Happy Honeymoon. Maui is our favorite place on earth.

Lisa,
My husband and I agree with BMW. Both hotels are lovely, however the Four Seasons is fabulous! The service, ambiance and the extra touches put it far ahead of the Hyatt. The marble bathrooms alone are magnificent! Believe me, one night in the Four Seasons and you'll be sorry you didn't stay there for the entire trip.
Good Luck.