penny

Any preferences??!!?? I'm going at the beginning of august. I've read the Kapalua is run down looking?? Is it "run-down" like The Royal Hawaiian on Oahu which is sort of a elegant run down that still looks good. And, is the Sheraton Maui anything like the SHeraton Waikiki, meaning "motel-ish"? Thanks for any advice!

Laura

Penny
Kapalua Bay is a lovely resort. It is very quiet up in Kapalua and the rooms are not run down at all. It is a resort where there are hardly any children. It is not far from Lahaina but not in the hussle and bustle of Kaanapali. The Sheraton is right on Kaanapali Beach. That section of the beach is very nice but we did not like the rooms. One would never know that they had been re-done in the past five years. They were very dark and dank. Just remember that Starwood has the worst reputation for service. Don't expect much out of them. Their prices are so high for the rooms you get. We liked Kapalua much better. Do you like a busy atmosphere or do you like a quieter atmosphere? If you have children with you then go to the Sheraton.

max

The Sheraton Maui is very different from the Sheraton Waikiki. The Maui is a low rise with large, lovely grounds, and it is located on a wonderful section of beach with great snorkeling. It is also convenient to shopping and good restaurants. When we stayed there, our room was nice, but that was five years ago.

sn

Kapalua Bay is one of the nicest hotels in the country--it's understated and elegant and sits on the best beach in Maui. There's no comparing these two properties.

Jason

Kapalua is a fine low key older resort on Maui. It is not, however, one of the top 100 hotels/resorts in the US. It is not in the top 10 in Hawaii either.
But it is a good value and if quiet environment and beautiful surroundings are priorities, KB offers more than most other Maui resorts in these areas.

sn

Not in the Top 100 hotels in the US? That's completely wrong. Obviously a matter of personal preference, but it's part of The Luxury Collection chain which alone probably places it in the Top 100. Having been many times and stayed in variety of places in Maui, I'd say Kapalua Bay Hotel is the fourth best hotel on Maui:

1. Ritz or FS
2. Ritz or FS
3. Hotel Hana Maui
4. Kapalua Bay

You can keep your Grand Wailea--too busy and Vegas like for me.

HELLO

I would choose the Kea Lani over Kapalua Bay any day. The service is much better. Kapalua has that old Hawaii feeling to it but the Kea Lani is more upscale and ten times better service.

sue

Kapalua bay is a Conde Nast Gold List resort!!

Jason

Kapalua is not one of the top 100 hotels in the US or in the top 10 in Hawaii.
In Hawaii, the top 14 are:
FS Big Island
FS Maui
Mandarin Oriental
Halekulani
Lodge at Koele
Manele Bay
Hyatt Kauai
Princeville Resort
Kea Lani
Ritz
Grand Wailea
Orchid BI
Mauna Kea
Mauna Lani

Kapalua Bay is not in the top 15.

******For the record, the CN Gold List 2002 did NOT rate KB in the main list. It was included in the honorable mention category.
If you read the data, you'll find that the poll lists KB as the 24th best hotel JUST IN HAWAII.

If you do a quick check you'll find that KB rates somewhere around the 180th best hotel in the country on that list.

Terry

I loved the Kapalua Bay Hotel and the beach WAS rated #1 a few years ago. The snorkeling off the beach is very lovely and smooth. I would much prefer to stay there than in Kannapali. Also we walked over to the beach at the Ritz and the waves were wayyy too rough for us. The Kapalua Plantation Golf Course IS ranked amongst the best in Hawaii. The KPH was NOT run down and the staff was excellent!

Kat

Stayed at the Kapalua Bay Hotel and went for a luau at the Sheraton a year ago.

Our room at the Kapalua was an ocean-view room with a balcony. However it did feel rather run-down - absolutely NOT in the elegant way. The door to the room had a feel of that of an old factory. The linens were worn and stained. The "highlight" of the room is the bathroom though, which is quite modern and clean and have 2 sides - one for him and one for her.

The hotel was under renovation then. Our "ocean view" room has a view of the ocean PLUS a bunch of those mobile bathrooms. Completely disgusting. We complained and the front desk said all they had left that didn't face the construction was a garden view room. No apologies or whatsoever. I mean, they should have given us some warnings before we check in, if not an upgrade.

However, the pool area and the beach are quite nice. And I also agree that it's much quieter than the Sheraton, which in essense is a family place.

By the way, the chubby guy at the Sheraton luau was really funny. But the other shows are so-so.

Terry

Wow. Sorry to hear you didn't like Kapalua but I just came from there and had a totally different experience. We stayed in the Lanai wing and had a ocean view room on the 4th floor and it was outstanding. There might have been construction there at one time but there wasn't any when we went two weeks ago. We didn't see any portable bathrooms. The door of the room were big huge double doors (at least in our wing) and our balcony partially overlooked the ocean and pool. I didn't notice the linens being dirty but the bathrooms were quite nice and very accommodating. Admittedly I didn't critique the rooms because with that beach and pool area I was not in the room too much. However, the area overall was very quiet. The beach was very beautiful and snorkeling gear made available at the beach. We snorkeled off the beach and that was very beautiful. They had a peninsula that you can walk out to and get a really nice view of the islands of Molokai and Lanai. They also have a beach side masseuse that looks really nice.

I did not like Kannapali Bay because it looked like too many people in too small a space. At Kapalua you get the feeling that you are alone because it is more for couples and it is much quieter.

Terry

Wow. Sorry to hear you didn't like Kapalua but I just came from there and had a totally different experience. We stayed in the Lanai wing and had a ocean view room on the 4th floor and it was outstanding. There might have been construction there at one time but there wasn't any when we went two weeks ago. We didn't see any portable bathrooms. The door of the room were big huge double doors (at least in our wing) and our balcony partially overlooked the ocean and pool. I didn't notice the linens being dirty but the bathrooms were quite nice and very accommodating. Admittedly I didn't critique the rooms because with that beach and pool area I was not in the room too much. However, the area overall was very quiet. The beach was very beautiful and snorkeling gear made available at the beach. We snorkeled off the beach and that was very beautiful. They had a peninsula that you can walk out to and get a really nice view of the islands of Molokai and Lanai. They also have a beach side masseuse that looks really nice.

I did not like Kannapali Bay because it looked like too many people in too small a space. At Kapalua you get the feeling that you are alone because it is more for couples and it is much quieter.