We're looking for a Hawaiian resort for a small family reunion in August 2004. We want a place with a good snorkeling beach right at the hotel. Good food, a nice pool area, tennis, and some level of luxury are other priorities. We want tranquillity, not crowds and frenetic activity. But we don't want our extended family going crazy with boredom either. Any suggestions? I've stayed at the Mauna Lani and loved it, but was thinking of trying somewhere new. We are considering Manele Bay, but now I'm concerned it is TOO quiet there and that the service may be disappointing. So I'd love some new ideas!

Hi! Here's my list!

The Sheraton on Maui's Ka'anapali Beach (Black Rock is right there for snorkeling). This is a beautiful hotel with a very nice pool area. I'd suggest this one highly since it sounds like it has everything you want. The kids will love the pool and the beach, and the Whaler's Village shopping center is a short walk down the beach path. I am not sure what the tennis facilities are at this hotel but I am almost positive you can get court time somewhere in Ka'anapali.

Maui's Napili Kai is an older hotel and not as "luxe" as some of the others, but it's on a lovely beach and good for snorkeling.

The Four Seasons on the Big Island (expensive but gorgeous!)--it has its own snorkeling lagoon stocked with fish and rays.

In Kauai, you only have a short drive from either the Princeville or the Hyatt for good snorkeling. (Tunnels and Ke'e Beach on the north shore, Poipu Beach on the south.) The kids will love the Hyatt...it's got a great pool area. The actual beach that the Hyatt is on is a little rough for swimming, but Poipu Beach is wonderful.

Would second the above listed recommendations and add Wailea resorts on Maui (e.g. Grand Wailea, 4S, Renaissance Wailea, Marriott), and expand the potential resorts to consider along the Kohala coast (e.g. Outrigger Waikoloa Beach Marriott etc).

To snorkel at Black Rock you can stay at several places along Kaanapali as the beach walk is pretty easy to walk to from hotels to Black Rock. The closest of course is the Sheraton. Besides the Sheraton there is the Westin and the Marriott Ocean Club Resort. The Hyatt is the furthest away.

Ulua Beach has terrific snorkeling and is within easy walking distance from Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort. You can see the beach and the beach facilities in this photo. The beach is in the lower right hand corner. http://www.wizardpub.com/maui/mrrenaissance.html

Kapalua Bay Hotel, Maui

*beautiful crescent shaped beach, protected by lava rock on both sides, with good snorkeling
*delicious breakfast buffet, good poolside lunch (only had the pupus) and wonderful food and incredible sunset views for dinner at The Bay Club. Sansei Sushi is right next door. The Ritz has more dining options and Roys is a short drive.
* very tranquil, no crowds
* plenty of activities for kids and adults in the Kapalua community

www.kapaluabayhotel.com
www.kapaluamaui.com

aloha!

There is very good snorkeling at Ulua/Mokapu in Wailea, Maui near the Outrigger, though it can be crowded after 8:00 a.m. You might look further south at the Maui Prince for a combination of very good snorkeling at Maluaka and seclusion. It's isolated, though not nearly as secluded as Manele Bay, Lanai. There is very good snorkeling all along the south Maui coast near Wailea, from the northern end of Keawakapu beach south,and, some of the beaches are near deserted. Wailea has all kinds of excellent restaurants and levels of luxury in accomodations, running from expensive to enormously so. Also, if you stray from your hotel beach, by car, get good directions. Some beach entrances are extremely difficult to find and worth the hunt.

Not trying to be argumentative because I almost typed that Ulua was next to the Outrigger but I really do think that Ulua/Mokapu is next to the Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort. I recall parking in the lot that is right up against the fence that protects the Renaissance and walking down to the little green patch that houses the showers and bathroom seen in this photo: http://www.wizardpub.com/maui/mrrenaissance.html

OHANA Keauhou Beach Resort in South Kona on the BI: this hotel is not in the luxury range, but is comfortable, has good restaurants within a couple of miles, and has the best snorkeling beach we went to on the BI, Kahalu'u Beach Park. We saw huge numbers of fish, and several sea turtles (one of which decided to swim between my son and husband when they were standing about a foot or two apart, thus scaring the daylights out of my son). The beach there is not good for sunning, because it is small and the sand is coarse. It's nice for swimming, because it's protected by a breakwater. I think the hotel also has tennis courts. I could easily see getting together with family for a few days there. It has a relaxed atmosphere.

We also stayed at the Waikola Marriott (Outrigger), and still ended up driving back into Kona a couple of times because Kahalu'u Beach Park was so much better than Waikoloa for snorkeling. The beach at the Mariott is nice if you want a stretch of beach for sunning and swimming, but disappointing in terms of seeing fish, turtles, etc.

Suzie:
You are correct about the location of Ulua. Sad to say, we were there snorkeling fewer than 3 weeks ago (very good variety of fish in water 3-5 feet deep) and ran the beachside path almost daily. There is no beach directly in front of the Outrigger.

Hey hmmmm, I assume by "sad" you mean that you are sad that you are not still there snorkeling.

Thought that Snorkeling at Ulua was far superior to both Black Rock and Molokini. Was too rough to snorkel at Le Parouse (sp?)