Maui - Kaanapali or Wailea
 

Help, my husband and I are going to Hawaii (5 nights Oahu, 3 nights Kauai ) and 8 nights in Maui,
we currently have the Grand Wailea booked, but the more research I do, the more I am thinking that Kaanapali is a better location,
we are spoiled when it comes to resorts, so we want a 4 or 5 star hotel definitely, .. but, we live in NY and are not going all the way to Hawaii just for a great resort. we want to get the Most "flavor of Hawaii" while we are there. (I can go have dinner at the 4 seasons here in NYC....)

I know if we stay in teh Kaanapali area we can walk to Whalers village and have shuttle service to the Lahaina town.

if we stay in Wailea, where can we walk to? and is there any transportation to authentic Hawaii towns ??? or is it all real upscale shopping ...etc..?

basically, we want "real Hawaii" and convenience (we do not like getting in a car and driving 45 minutes avery time we want to go somewhere - if the resort can transport us conveniently...all the better) but we also want LUXURY.....

please help, i wish there was a real luxury resort in Kaanaplai..
or ... am I missing something..?
is wailea area just as good?????

thank you, we leave in 7 weeks and I dont have concrete plans..

or...what abotu Kapalua...?

I personally would not use "real Hawaii" and Ka`anapali in the same sentence. Ka`anapali is a planned resort community that was built around a mass of hotels, one after another lining the beach. It is more of a generic resort beach area, and Lahaina town is one long strip of shops selling aloha shirts and refrigerator magnets.

In Wailea you can walk to the Shops at Wailea and there are shuttles to the shopping areas, but no matter where you stay if you wnat to experience Maui, you will have to drive. I have had friends stay at the Four Seasons without renting a car. They had they 4S arrange excursions for them and even had a driver take them to Hana.

We normally stay in the Wailea area because of the weather and the resorts in that location. We have also stayed in Kannapali. Even though you can have dinner at the NY Four Seasons, it will not compare to the FS in Wailea. I believe that there is a FS in the Kaanapali area as well, but am not sure. From Wailea, the drive into Lahaina is about 35 minutes, but it is mostly scenic. I really prefer to be away from Lahaina myself. There are a few great restaurants, but it is very touristy. In Maui, you normally do have to drive most places. We get our walking in by taking some great hikes on the island. Check out the book "Maui Revealed" (2nd edition). It is packed with information.

The Four Seasons is in Wailea. There are no luxury hotels in Ka'anapali, a string of highrises, though some good ones. Both areas are planned communities, though Wailea was planned better. Whaler's Village is a mall. Lahaina is a former whaling town, now t-shirts, tatoos, kitsch, food emporiums, bars-nothing upscale.
Kapalua has the Ritz Carlton, though nothing else. You could walk to the golf course or beach, if you're in good shape. You'll need to drive to see "real" Hawaiian towns.

I agree with the above posters. What do you think of when you think of "real Hawaii"? Beaches? Wailea's got them. Palm Trees? Everywhere. Lush rainforests, waterfalls, cliffs, natural pools? The road to Hana and Iao Nat'l Park...but you can't stay anywhere near those two places in a 5 star. Cute little towns with surfers walking down the street? Paia'--but no resorts. Giant high-rise hotels in a row, souvenir shops, crowded pools? Then Kaanapali is your place.

So, as you can see, my suggestion is stay in Wailea--at the GW or FS. You can enjoy the pools, beaches, and nice shops in that area, then drive to the rest of "real Hawaii."

There is one 5 star accomodation in the "real" Hawaii on Muai--Hotel Hana-Maui. I suggest a spa package in a sea cottage with a private hot tub. Ah. Now that is Hawaii.

wow, now i am beginning to see things more clearly!
thank you all so much, as all of you pretty much agreed...

I think we will keep our Grand Wailea reservation and drive to some awesome waterfalls...any suggestions there??

thank you!

I love this board, I came hear to ask the very same question and thanks to lasjas I already had my answer. I am planning our 25th anniversary trip and it will be 1st time to Maui. Sounds like Wailea is just what we want. I enjoy going for a ride everyday between beach time and dinner so that isn't a problem. Thanks lasjas, please give us a trip report when you get back! I will be there in the end of September so you can give me the latest!

If you like pools stick with Grand Wailea, which in addition to awesome pools also has a synthetic waterfall that incredibly enough, some tour companies utilize to promote their waterfall tours!
:S-
In my opinion the most impressive waterfalls on Maui are seen by helicopter, if you are OK with the risk and $). Otherwise plenty of smaller but beautiful waterfalls can be enjoyed while driving on "The Road to Hana".

Audio CD's/casette Tours are widely available on Maui for exploring the Road to Hana as well as numerous tour books (e.g. Maui Revealed) will help you explore waterfalls and more.
Enjoy your stay in ((R))Paradise!

What do you mean by "authentic Hawaiian towns'. All the towns in Hawaii are authentic Hawaiian towns just as all the towns in New York are authentic New York towns. If you mean the Hawaii of 1920 it doesn't exist anymore. If you don't want anything "touristy" don't go to Hawaii. There are tourists everywhere and everything is aimed at separating them from their dollars.

Rusty really hit the nail on the head. If you actually discover an authentic Hawaiian experience, you may also find some native Hawaiians who would be unhappy to see you -- and rightly so, I'm afraid. You'd probably also have to travel through time.

Wailea is definitely a great choice, though. And I found the Hana Highway really delivered on my vision of paradise (if you mean natural when you say authentic). Just don't forget to respect the land and its people.

The tourist is an amazing breed, especially the Hawaiian variety. They constantly rave on about not wanting anything "touristy" but then they proceed to revel in things like completely bogus "luaus" and "authentic Hawaiian towns" like Lahaina. Amazing! Give me an authentic bar on an authentic beach and an authentic beer and I am happy!

I too am amused by tourists who profess to want to avoid "touristy" things and places. Many of those places and activities are popular with tourists because they've got something to offer, such as a unique, historic or dramatic view.
Nevertheless, there are numerous enclaves on Maui and throughout Hawaii that seem untouched by tourism, and where things are done the traditional way. Just can't see them from a barstool at the beach. Not that there's anything wrong with remaining stationary while the world whirls around you.

GOOD ONE, Hmmm !!!! There ARE people on this forum with a sense of humour afterall!!

One more comment about the Grand Wailea vs. Four Seasons. If you are going without kids, you may want to reconsider and book at the FS. The GW pools are fun, but there are a ton of kids and the pool areas get extremely crowded (they do have an adults only pool, but that gets really crowded too). My husband and I still joke about the lounge availability at the GW and the fact that you have to get up early, high tail it down to the pool just to get a lounge in a decent spot. Also, the rooms are on the smallest side and some are a hike from the pool area (if you get one of these, I would call the front desk and ask for a better location. One time it took us 15 minutes just to get to our room from the pool...what a hike!) The FS are bigger than average. Without kids, the FS is a better bet. Maui Revealed chose the FS as their 1st pick. Either way though, I am sure that you will have fun!

Well it is probably too late (I have spent the last month in Hawaii at various islands), I thought I would chime in just in case you can still wiggle around your reservations.

First, I agree with most of the posters about Kaanapali (avoid it) and only go into Lahaina if you are going to one of the two nice luaus, arts/crafts shopping, or catching a boat. Hotel Hana Maui would be a good choice as would the Ritz at Kapalua. It just seems to me that the "Hawaiians" generally stayed at the lusher, windier and, yes, rainier parts of the islands versus the Arizona area of Maui. I just left Kapalua and it rained everyday just like everyone told me it would - - it just so happened that the rain started at 10 PM everyday like clockwork. Kapalua was fine and beautiful and is closer to the Hana Maui experience while still closer to other things. Hey, to each his own. Personally, I would stay at any of the resorts mentioned and would probably be happy.

Having said that, you would probably be very happy at the Fairmont or the Four Seasons.

One last note. If you can, I would switch the nights stayed between Oahu and Kauai unless you are visiting family or going to do both the North Shore of Oahu and the Waikiki/Pearl Harbor sights. We did 7 nights on Oahu and 4 nights on Kauai and the only thing I would differently would be to reduce my nights on Oahu to 5 nights and lengthen my time on Kauai to 6 plus nights. Food for thought. Enjoy the trip. Either way it will be heaven.

Definitely stay in Wailea, and not Kaanapali! We stayed at the Fairmont though, and I thought it was just the right size. The Grand Wailea seemed too BIG, and the Four Seasons seemed too small.

I'm sure you'll be happy wherever you stay at in Wailea though. It's so beautiful there.

thanks for your input!
actually, we have decided to stay in Wailea, at the Grand Wailea, but in the Napua Tower ( club level) so we'll have better service.

our itinerary has gotten a little nuts, we are staying 4 nights Oahu, 3 nights Kauai, 3 nights Hotel Hana Maui, ad 6 nights Grand Wailea..
we jsyt cant bring ourselves to cut anyting out!

Both Wailea and Kaanapali are very much planned resorts, no real Hawaii at either one. Wailea seems to have better weather, but I also like Kaanapali because I like looking across to Lanai and right to Molokai. (I lived on Oahu at the time and was hungry to see other islands!)

My only recommendation is to go to Old Lahaina Luau, regardless of where you stay. It was the best of the 10 or so I've been to.