We have reservations for the Kea Lani in April. Has anyone been there recently? Good choice?

I was there in Sept. 2000 and really enjoyed it. The rooms are all suites and are very large and clean. The bathrooms are huge and have nice tubs and showers. I loved the pools and beach area and the grounds are lovely. I would highly recommed dining at Nick's one night, too. The service is excellent and the food was great. Their breakfast buffet is good, too! Enjoy!

Just had co-worker return from there. Hotel was in excellent shape and grounds in beautiful condition. I would skip Nick's, inconsistant. Recommend Roy's and Pacific Cafe in Kehei.

I was there in July 2002 and it was amazing. No complaints. Actually, our photos from there look like postcards - as do a lot of our Hawaii pics.
The adult pool was an awesome touch and the staff were amazing. Room was huge and a pretty big balcony too.
We skipped Nick's b/c it offered a very similar view as from our room.
We had our best dinner on the island at Mama's Fish House in Paia.

I was just there in November. I don't recommend it. The rooms, although large, are very worn and dirty. The first room I was given had a towel on the floor to cover stains between the beds, and slippers to wear to avoid the waxy carpet that had been shampooed a few too many times but was still filthy. When I asked to be moved, the second room had ants which were not taken care of even after my request. The pool staff was rude. The bellman failed to show up when we were trying to check out, even after two calls. I had to walk up to the front desk to find someone. For the price, try the Four Seasons or the Hyatt.

I'm planning on staying 5 nights there in May... for every resort, you are going to find people who love it and people who don't. From everything I have read about the Kea Lani, the majority of the people like it.

I can not believe the people saying to skip Nicks and also saying that the Kea Lani was not up to par. I have traveled a lot and always stay at upscale hotels. The Kea Lani was fabulous last April when I stayed there. Nicks was bar-non the best dinning experience in Maui, and the BEST service I have ever experienced. Mama's Fish House was the place I would skip. Very overrated if you ask me, and very pricey.

It's definitely true that everyone has their own scales by which they judge stuff. Puddy - have a wonderful trip this May - I'm sure you'll love it.
Just wanted to say what I loved about Mama's for anyone considering it.
We made our seating time early enough to watch the sunset from our table next to the window. Definitely request a window table. We started with a complimentary mini-appetizer from the kitchen. We shared an amazing shrimp wonton appetizer after and then each had a different fish entree. We thought it was neat that the menu told you which fisherman caught your fish and where it was caught. Then we had some wonderful chocolate dessert which we shared. The waiter gave us a copy of the menu (which are printed new each day) to take as a souvenier since this was the last dinner of our honeymoon. We were able to get up from our table and walk outside to the water in between courses. The ocean was only a few steps away. Our entire meal, including 2 mixed drinks, 1 bottle of wine, tax, and tip was $180. The most expensive meal of our trip, yes. But we both agreed it was well worth it. Our great waitor and romantic mood definitely helped us to feel that way - but we did.

Nick's is highly acclaimed as a great restaurant on Maui. We just felt that we were staying at the Kea Lani - we should experience some different views at our dinners. And we liked being closer to the ocean than Nick's is. Service and food are supposed to be top notch but it didn't seem to have the romance factor that we looked for. I say "seemed" b/c we didn't actually eat there - so can't say for sure.

Again, it all depends what you're looking for.

The Kea Lani is a fantastic hotel. The service is excellent, the rooms(which are all suites) are excellent, and the beach is excellent. Regardless if you stay there or not, make sure you go to Nick's Fishmarket. It was the best service I have ever experienced in a restaurant. Food was great too. Have a safe trip.

I'll second the others, and no I do not work for Fairmont. We just returned Mar. 11 and have nothing but glowing comments. Small service problems were rectified willingly. This is not a budget hotel and the food prices are over the top, but so is everything else on Maui. Enjoy