Rooms at Grand Wailea?
 

My husband and I are leaving for Maui next week and staying at the Grand Wailea. I have read lately that the rooms there are badly in need of updating. Has anyone been there recently that can tell me if they have been re-done? I heard that they did some re-modeling but didn't know if that meant the rooms. Thanks!

Hi shelia, <BR> <BR>I am going at the end of June. Did you get a response from anyone? I can't decide whether we should stay at GW or four Seasons. We have 2 kids 10 and 13.

I stayed at the Grand Wailea for a week in April of this year. We were in the Molikini wing in the terrace room class on the 6th floor. Our room was very nice. No complaints.

Sheila (and Karol) - <BR> <BR>I just posted a review of the Grand Wailea on this website (check the Rants & Raves for this hotel). I just came back from a stay there. I was very disappointed in our room. I felt like I was paying too much for nothing special. It was a "rip-off" issue, really. Had I been paying a lot less, say $250/night, I would not have been so unhappy with the place. However, for $500/night, I expected a lot more. Also, I had just come from the Kahala Mandarin Oriental in Honolulu which has wonderful rooms and service. The Grand Wailea paled in comparison. Perhaps if you're staying only at the Grand Wailea, you won't get the same "let down" effect. <BR> <BR>Our room definitely had not been re-done. We had a garden view room in the Chapel wing. Perhaps other rooms have been re-done. You may want to call and ask. I think the Napua tower rooms are nicer than the regular rooms, but also much more expensive. <BR> <BR>I wondered whether I was being overly nit-picky about the Grand Wailea. My friend's mother thinks it's the ultimate place to stay. However, my boyfriend (who is less nit-picky about hotels than me) said, "Is this it?" when we first walked into our room. <BR> <BR>On the other hand, Karol, your children will love the resort's pools and slides. We LOVED the big slide (and we're 30-somethings) and could have spent an entire afternoon going down it (unfortunately, we didn't try the slides until 2 hrs before check-out). We would consider returning to the Grand Wailea solely b/c of the big slide. Probably not, though, all things considered.

I believe they are refurbishing all rooms as an ongoing project. We stayed in room 8083 the first time we went and were blown away. That was 2 years ago though. I've stayed there a dozen times since then and not yet been disappointed. (How much time do you spend in the room anyway??)

But Judy, as nice as the Kahala is, wasn't it MORE of a letdown because the Grand is a much larger and opulent property than the Kahala?!? (Although I DO much prefer the BEACH in front of the Kahala!)

Hi, <BR> <BR>Thanks for your response. I am seriously thinking about splitting the time between GW and FS because my deal at the FS is better. I figure 3 nights FS and 2 nights GW. the kids can use the GW pool for 3 days and then we can chill one day at FS and go on the road to Hana. Thh FS comes with breakfast, car, tennis, snorkle. Gw room is it. Everything else has a cost. What do you think? We are also spending 5 nights at Hyatt Kauia, and 3nights Hilton wikola BI. Thanks for your help

Stephen - I guess it's a matter of priorities. The room is the most important aspect of my hotel experience. Yes, the GW's grounds were a lot more lavish and opulent (felt like Las Vegas), but it was a drag to be surrounded by all that opulence and then have to go into my shabby and musty room. Actually, the GW wasn't that bad, but like I said early, I felt ripped off. I don't mind paying a lot of $$ for a place if it's worth it, but I didn't think the GW was worth the money we paid (although the slides were a lot of fun). The Kahala is a lot smaller, but it met all my requirements (beautiful room, fitness center, great beach, friendly and attentive service) and seemed like a better deal. <BR> <BR>Karol - splitting time between the GW and FS sounds like a great idea. I've heard so many raves about the FS. It's pricey, but it sounds like they give you so much more for your $$. I'm definitely staying there next time. You'll have to tell us about your impressions when you come back!

The Kea Lani is also quite nice and it is an all suite hotel. You get what you pay for. Nice pools, slide and beaautiful property. Heard good things about four seasons. Next time we go can't decided whether to go back to Kea Lani cause we loved it or try Four Seasons because I heard good things about it.

We just returned yesterday from Hawaii! We stayed half the time at the Hyatt in Kaui and the other half at The Grand Wailea in Maui. I was very impressed with the Grand Wailea! I thought our room was gorgeous and well worth the money. I reserved a mountain view room for $310. When we arrived they had upgraded us (wihtout me asking) to a gardenview room. Our room was located in the chapel wing and we were looking at the ocean, not the garden! I thought our room was very nice! It was not musty and I loved the bathroom! The pools were great! We stayed at the Hibiscus pool every day, but then used the slides at the other pool. This hotel is big and probably more like a hotel in Vegas. The Four Seasons has a more Hawaiian feel like the Hyatt in Kaui. Your kids would definitely love the Grand Wailea.

Judy -- Are you going to post a trip report on the Kahala as well?!?

Kara, <BR>Was your room redone in the chapel wing?What doyout hink about splitting 3 days GW 3 nights FS? This way we can use the GW pool for 3 days and have the better rooms to sleep at FS for 3 of the 5 ngihts? I fugure the day we change hotels we can take a road trip to Hana. Opinion? Thanks <BR>

Believe me, Karol, once you're at the Grand you will NOT want to leave at all!! So just stay put and enjoy all the opulence surrounding you. The rooms/bathrooms are larger than standard (600 sq. ft.) and are quite nice, indeed!

I'm not sure if our room had been redone or not. I never saw any of the other rooms. I think splitting between the two hotels is a fine idea, but I would go the the Four Seasons first. Your children will go into a major depression if you leave the Grand Wailea to go to the Four Seasons. Honestly, we didn't spend a lot of time in our room. It seems to me that everything in Hawaii starts early. (Maybe because of your body adjusting to the time difference.) We were usually at the pool by 8:30am along with many others. Believe me I tried sleeping in longer than 7:30am, but my body would not let me! In turn, we were usually in bed by 9:30pm. Snorkling, swimming, and spending all day in the sun takes a lot out of you!

Hi, <BR> <BR>Thanks for all the replies. Maybe we should just stay put and stay at GW.

I just returned from my honeymoon in Maui. Definitely stay at the Four Seasons. It's the best hotel!! Honestly. We're already planning a return trip. <BR>We went next store to the Grand Wailea and we weren't impressed. We didn't see the rooms but the grounds weren't that impressive just "Grand" and in your face type of stuff. <BR>The four seasons offers pampering at its best without making you feel crowded. <BR>Again, go to the Four Seasons. You won't be disappointed.

Ray, you just contradicted yourself by what you said about the Grand Wailea. You said the grounds were unimpressive, yet GRAND and "in your face." That's quite a strange remark considering that the grounds ARE certainly GRAND and quite REMARKABLE as well!!

Don <BR> <BR>I think he meant that the GRAND's grounds are glitzy in a Disney or Las Vegas kind of way...over blown and over the top...Grand, but not stylish or classy, just obviously expensive. If people love Las Vegas then they will love GW...if they want something more elegant and understated, the 4S or Kea Lani will be more suitable...

Hi, <BR> <BR>Because of the kid factor I think we will just stay at GW. I would love to go to the FS but we need to think about the kids and honestly even the FS when I spoke to them said that GW pools was wonderful for the kids. They were very honest. When we go back alone with my husband we will definately stay at FS.

The Grand Wailea IS stylish and classy, very much so. If you want to compare it to the Bellagio or Venetian in Vegas, that's fine, but certainly NOT any of those other CHEESY type hotels! Karol, please post a trip report upon your return!