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Trip report - Maui

Hi, my husband and I just got back from our trip to Maui and had a wonderful time. We stayed at the Hyatt in Kaanapali and it was a fabulous hotel and location. We're glad we were close enough to Lahaina to do some shopping and dining, and were also glad we chose the Hyatt over the Ritz in Kapalua -- we drove to Kapalua a couple of times and it was drizzling when we got there and a few times over the couple of hours we were on the beach. The beach there, however, was great. We liked it better than the small strip next to the Hyatt and we also checked out Black Rock by the Sheraton. We rented a cabana at Black Rock and it sucked because the rental desk took it back at 5 pm. For those wondering about the construction at the Hyatt, it was no problem. Not noisy at all and you hardly realize part of the pool is closed. The road to Hana was probably my favorite part of the trip. We left the hotel at 8 am and there was not much traffic the entire way. October is such a great time to go -- it was not packed at all! We took our time going to Hana and stopped at a few falls, ponds, and lookouts mentioned in Maui Revealed (that was a great book. It came in handy because, to our surprise, there are no signs along the way that tell you when there's a waterfall. If you don't know where to go, you have to pick a spot where there are a lot of cars parked and wonder what they're looking at). On the way back we were a little tired of the winding road, though. We drove to Haleakala and I was getting sick of the winding roads again, not to mention I'm prone to altitude sickness. Despite that, when we got to the summit, it was quite impressive. Allow about 3 hours to get to the top. The weather was chilly, mainly because of the wind. Daytime temps were in the low-60s. I'm glad we didn't do the downhill bike ride. Seeing the route they take made us realize it's really a long trip, and we were happy pulling over at view points just riding in a car. Also, as stated in MR, if you don't have cloud cover for the morning excursion on those bike tours, the sunrise isn't that great. The accomodations at the Hyatt were nice and the staff was friendly. In fact, ALL the Hawaiians we dealt with were VERY warm and friendly. Definitely eat at the Swan Court restaurant for dinner. The food was excellent (macadamia nut crusted lobster tempura) and the restaurant was just very relaxing. We were also provided a daily buffet breakfast which was very good. The fresh fruit is so sweet. We also ate at Roy's, where my husband had moi fish. He said it was the best fish he ever ate. The service was very good, too. Whaler's Village was a nice place to shop. It was obviously smaller than going around Lahaina, but if you're just looking for typical souvenirs, you want to avoid the crowds, and you don't want to drive that far from the hotel, this would be ideal. Overall, Maui was glorious :)

I too stayed at the Hyatt in Maui a few years ago. I love it! I think its one of my favorite spots in the whole world. How long are they doing construction. Maybe it would be a great time to visit. Prices may be cheaper due to the revamp!

I'm not sure how much longer the construction will be. I think it's through December.

OK, "abc" based on all the recent bickering, if you liked Kaanapali you must be under 35 years old. Popular opinion seems to hold that young people like Kaanapali and people over 35 like Wailea better. So....what year were you born?

I am 53 and I much prefer Kaanapali over Wailea. Why stay in Wailea with the "old folks" who just want peace and quiet when you can be in Kaanapali where the action is !! I am far from ready for the quiet life of Wailea.

Abc, Thank you for the report! Please tell me why you chose Hyatt over Ritz? Would you still chose Hyatt over Sheraton? Did you stay at the Terrace room at Hyatt? Does Sheraton has nicer beach & ground then Hyatt? Any info you can share would be great between Hyatt, Sheraton & Ritz. Thank you.

Sandi - My husband's boss used to live on Maui and based on his tips, we thought it would be too rainy at this time of year to stay in Kapalua. Also, the Hyatt was a bit closer to the main town of Lahaina. It was more of a decision between the locations of the hotels vs. the actual hotel/accomodations. If you're considering the Ritz, I'm sure it is still a fabulous place to stay. We've stayed at other Ritz resorts before and the staff treats you like royalty. I can't tell you about the rooms at the Sheraton. We only saw the beach near the hotel. From what I've heard, it's comparable to the Hyatt. The beach itself is bigger and the water is calmer than over at the Hyatt. The only thing we didn't like was the cabana rental hours, but if you just lay on the sand, there's nothing wrong with it there. The grounds of both the Sheraton and Hyatt were beautiful. We didn't see much of the Ritz grounds, but from what I know, it doesn't have as much of a "Hawaiian" or tropical feel compared to other hotels. Also, the Ritz is NOT right on the beach. We had a partial ocean view at the Hyatt, which we loved because we had some views of the West Maui mountains plus the ocean. Hope that helps!

Oh, and would I choose the Hyatt over the Sheraton again? I guess it depends on if I could get a better deal at the Sheraton. We were very happy with the Hyatt, so we'd stay there again. No complaints, so why fix something that's not broken, right?

Abc, Thank you so much again, Since we only have 5 nights/6 days in Maui, planning to stat at Ritz 6/03, what would you recommend for us to see & do? Thank you. AWould you advise us to stay at Ritz in June or do you think we should stay somewhere else, because of the weather in Kapalua & so on?

I just got back from the Ritz in early October. I had a wonderful time and will go back. I went the last week in September and the first in October. It did not rain once in Kapalua. The wind was mild. To choose between Hyatt and Ritz? Hmmm. The Hyatt is on "hotel row" so you have more of a congested feeling. Ritz is much more quiet and secluded. The beach is better at the Hyatt. Golf is MUCH better at the Ritz. No traffic problems at the Ritz. Better upscale restaurants in Ritz area than Hyatt area. Hyatt is closer to Lahina (but by about 7 minutes by car--is 7 extra minutes that important to some people??). I think kids would enjoy the Hyatt more. I loved the Ritz and will go back.

Hi Bob, Thank you for your comments. DId you get to see the Ritz fitness center? Is there a walking path to the Kapalua hotel beach area from Ritz? Which restaurants would you recommend for us to eat at?

Uhh Sandi, that's Bobo not Bob! The fitness center at the Ritz is nice but not especially large. There are maybe 4 or 5 treadmills and the same number of ellipiticals/bikes. Staff is friendly and helpful. There is NOT an additional charge for the fitness center like in some hotels but there is a daily resort fee of about $10 in addition to room fee. There was not a path to the beach in front of Kapalua Bay Hotel. If you walked on the road-paved not well traveled-it is about 3/4 mile. There is a free shuttle bus that will take you from the Ritz to the Kapalua Bay Hotel (and beach) and back however. The beach at KBH has been supposedly ranked in the top 10 in the world. It is especially nice for snorkeling. Many fine upscale restaurants in Kapalua--San Sei (Japanese), Banyan Tree, Plantation House (unbelievable views). KBH is supposed to have a great restaurant but didn't go there. Definitely rent a car as wonderful restaurants can be found everywhere--a few other favorites-Kula Lodge for breakfast, I'O, Pacific'O, Mama's Fish House and when you need a great burger, Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahina. Shopping is better in Kaanapali and even more so in Wailea. Some funky shopping in Makawo. BTW Ritz is ocean front but not as close to the beach as most other ocean front hotels--it is a short walk or a golf cart shuttle ride. The Ritz is more elegant than glitzy. Great morning buffet that you can get included in room rate. Hope this helps!

Hi again Sandi - We liked the Hyatt very much, but if you like the Ritz, I'm sure it's also a very nice place. It just depends what type of hotel you want and where you prefer to stay (closer to town vs. a little more secluded). As for activities I would recommend for your stay ... what are you interested in? Snorkeling, swimming, hiking, sightseeing? BTW, make sure to get a copy of the book Maui Revealed. It's excellent.

We are an early 30's, professional, very active couple who enjoys the upscale elegance of the resorts of Wailea. Yes, Lahaina and the hotels to the north add some excitement, but it was much more delightful to hang out with a much different class of people in Wailea.