My husband and I are planning a nice weeklong stay in Maui in December. Please tell me the best hotel (with the nicest rooms, best beach, near bars/restaurants, best value for $$$) for a young couple looking to get away from the inevitably bitter cold of the midwest. Price not the main consideration--we want to have a great place to stay. Thank you!

We just got back from 10 days. Kaanapali beach area has walk to many different restaurants, shopping and nice beaches you can snorkel on. Choices of hotels in order: Hyatt, Marriott, Westin (Sheraton looked too prissy/quiet). Best buy: Kaanapali Beach Hotel. The other areas are too far from the action for us. Lahaina dining and shopping is just 5-10 minutes away from Kaanapali.

Kaanapali is the place to stay. I am a meeting planner and have had the opportunity to tour the entire island and stay at numerous resorts. The other areas of the island are very quite. Kannapali is the best mix of quite and things to do. I have been lucky enough to stay at all of the hotels in Kaanapali and they all have their good qualities. My preferences in order are 1) Hyatt 2)Westin 3) Sheraton 4) Marriott. The Marriott recently under went a renovation, but it is still not up to par with the Hyatt. The Hyatt has the best pool area and is at the end of the beach, so it offers a bit more privacy then the others. Westins is right next to Whalers Village,so it is close to shopping and dining. The Sheraton is very quite and upscale. The pool is simple, yet nice. If you are looking for romance then the Sheraton is the place to be.

I have stayed at he Hyatt in Kaanapali 2 times and had a blast both times. Loved that it was so close to restaurants at Whalers Village and a short trip to Lahaina for day excursions or dining. Kaanapali is a great area to stay in for a young couple.

You guys told me just what I wanted to know! One more question: since the Hyatt offers several different types of rooms--golf view, ocean front, partial ocean, terrace--any thoughts on whether the choice makes a real difference? I know a full-on ocean view is nice, but are the terrace rooms really that much worse?

The first time we had a view of the bushes which I believe was a terrace room. Didn't care. Was lower level. Probably could've asked to be upgraded, didn't.
Second time, same rate, awesome view of ocean, pool, Swan court and grounds. Can't explain why it was different. Didn't matter. Had a blast both times. Second time we were in the section on the right if looking at the hotel from the ocean. I imagine that the room on the other side of the hall would have had mountain and ocean because of the angle of the hotel and of the shore. Can't be sure.

Since it is at the end of the hotels, don't think there is a bad view. When you check in, you can ask to be near the pool (Napili Tower), or the other tower is closer to the Spa and Beach facilities. All rooms are easy to get to.

Go to the Hyatt if you're young and looking for proximity to nightlife and such.
But the Hyatt isn't nearly as nice as the Four Seasons and the area in Kaanapali is more touristy feeling than Wailea. wailea is definitely quieter. That's what some people like about it.
And Kaanapali's beach is definitely not one of the better beaches in the islands.

I'm surprised that everyone is pushing the Hyatt. From what I hear, the rooms there are not as nice as the rooms at the Four Seasons, Grand Wailea, and Kealani. The main benefit to staying at the Hyatt would be its proximity to Lahaina where a number of restaurants and bars are. I guess you have to decide on which is your priority -- nicest rooms or proximity to bars/restaurants. If you want the nicest rooms, stay at the Four Seasons or Kealani. If you want proximity to Lahaina, stay at the Hyatt.

There is no such thing as the "best" hotel. Best for what? Price, value, location, rooms, service, romance, privacy.....? No one can answer this without knowing what you might be looking for, or would think of the "best".

I recently lived on Maui for four years and am now living on Kauai. The Ritz-Carlton is wonderful and the food is delicious, it's past Kaanapali. In the winter months Wailea, on the South shore is dryer and sunny and the ocean is calm if you love to swim. I'd recommend an ocean front room at the Four Seasons (some of the other rooms have awful views) or the Maui Prince which is on a beautiful Wailea beach and the hotel is quieter altho not as fancy. The Palms, a condo is also beautiful in Wailea. I used to live in Wisconsin so I vaguely remember bitter cold...actually for us locals, winter weather here is not our favorite time, esp Dec to April it can be rainy and stormy...but certainly better than bitter cold! Let us know what you decide. Aloha

I was just in Hawaii over a week ago for the first time and I would say not to stay in Kaanapali. You may as well go to Disney Land in Florida. It is more like Florida than Hawaii. It is extremely generic and commerical. It is close to Lahaina but Lahaina is really nothing but a commercial strip of restraunts and run down houses just on the other side of the strip. The only redeeming value of Lahaina is the small historic whaling harbor and the art galleries. We stayed for a few nights in Lahaina at the Plantation Inn, which is a wonder B&B type hotel. The rooms and pool are beautiful. If you want a big resort I would suggest staying in Wailea. The Renaissance is the best value there using the Entertainment Card. You can get an ocean view room for $200/night. It is a very romantic hotel. The other resorts (Grand Wailea, Four Seasons etc.) are beautiful but way overcrowded and overpriced. The beaches are good at any of the resorts in Wailea. I hope you have fun!

I've been to both the Hyatt and Four Seasons, and the Four Seasons excels in posh accomodations, service and comfort. Made me want to travel around the world to visit all their hotels.

We stayed at the Grand Wailea. Next door was the Four Seasons. Michael Dell was at the Four Seasons. They are both gorgeous.

We stayed at the Grand Wailea, but after a tour of the FOur Seasons (with treadmills overlooking the water), I would NEVER stay anywhere else on Maui!

I have stayed at the Hyatt, the Ritz Carlton and the Renaissance. I thought that the Renaissance in Wailea was the best value by far. Shari, if you do a search in the forum, you can find a great number of people who share this view. The Hyatt is the last place I would stay on a short list. I prefer the Sheraton is you want to stay in Kaanapoli. The Ritz is very nice but probably too isolated for you.

My husband and I stayed in Wailea area. It was nice and yes a little quiet but you can Drive to Lahaina or Kanapalli. It is a pretty drive. We stayed at te Kea Lani and loved it. It is an all suite hotel and you get alot for your money. Heard Four Seasons is nice but disappointed at the posts that there is very few rooms with views. Even though you are out of the room alot we like a view. At Kea Lani we had dinner delivered to our room and ate on the lanai overlooking the water. Very romantic. Good luck

If you like understated elegance and incredible service, stay at the Four Seasons. Nice rooms, lovely beach, terrific food. We stayed there last fall. I would never stay anywhere else on Maui.

Thanks for all the input! I booked the Hyatt--not just because of all your comments, but also because I got a better rate than the nearby Marriott, Westin, & Sheraton. I realize that Kaanapali may be more touristy, but since it is our first time there, we really are tourists. The Four Seasons sounds fabulous, though!

Just in case anyone else is needing advice on the matter, here is my two cents. I stayed at the Kea Lani 10 months ago for my honeymoon and the Four Seasons last weekend for work. Although the Four Seasons was beautiful, classy, and all of the things that have been said here, I consider the Kea Lani a better "value." The rooms are bigger, the grounds are more spacious (more pools, more lounging areas), and the food and drinks are not so outrageously expensive. Don't get me wrong, I loved the 4 Seasons on the company dime, but I don't think I would have enjoyed paying $8 a drink and $60 for a small breakfast (for two) out of my own pocket. So, if you have money to burn, the Four Seasons is the best, but if you want value, I'd go elsewhere!