going to honeymoon in maui and oahu...staying at the hilton hawaiian village and not really sure where to stay in maui..if you could stay at any hotel in maui which hotel and why? Thanks in advance!

All things equal:
1. 4S
2. Kea Lani
3. Kapalua Bay Hotel
4. Ritz
5. Hyatt

Kapalua Bay Hotel - location and beach
Hotel Hana Maui - seclusion and romance
Maui Prince - location and value

Four Seasons for best combination of service, beach, room quality, food quality, weather and location away from Kaanapali.
Ritz Carlton second for room quality, service and beautiful location, but be prepared for the wind and weather which can change quite a bit from day to day.
Kea Lani third for laid back atmosphere, location and access to other nice resorts close by.

Ideal HM stay on Maui...

4$ 1st 3-4 nights
Hotel Hana Maui 1 night
Ritz last 3-4 nights

Most elegant way to cover the island IMO.

Kapalua Bay Hotel - it's the only place we've stayed. We absolutely adored the place and wanted for nothing more. Gorgeous setting, understated elegance, old-hawaiian feel, great beach, beautiful views, peaceful, and full of charm.

I've stayed at the Four Seasons and the Ritz but my heart still belongs at Maui's Grand Wailea Resort and Spa. I've been there with several celebrity friends and my memories make me giddy. I think their grounds, pools (one just for adults) and their beach are among the best you can find. They also have a world-class art collection. Food and service were DIVINE. This place is truly paradise.

Kea Lani, without hesitation.

Oh, the Four Seasons without a doubt for a honeymoon. We stayed at the Grand Wailea for our honeymoon, and while it was definitely a fun experience, we really wished we were at 4S next door. Grand Wailea was too crowded, huge, and impersonal; we did not get great service.

If you like pools, you should check out Grand Wailea Resort, at least for a day.

JohnD and NYCFoodSnob-
Thank you for the positive comments about the Grand Wailea! After careful research and long thought, I booked this resort for my upcoming trip to Maui in June. It seems to be one of the all-time favorite places for posters to trash - usually ones who haven't even stayed there. Who wants to be spritzed by Evian water when they could be whooshing down a waterslide?! Seriously, I know that everyone has individual tastes and I would rather stay ANYWHERE on Maui than be here at work right now.

I thought the same thing when I booked my honeymoon there--"why is everyone trashing the Grand Wailea?!" Again, don't get me wrong, we had a lot of fun at the pools and at the spa...but the place does suffer from not-so-great service (probably due to the fact that it's so enormous). We had just come from the wonderful Mauna Lani on the Big Island, which had superior service, so maybe we were oversensitive to the impersonal factor. I'm only pointing this out because we were SO disappointed that we did not book the Four Seasons, which looked far more in line with the Mauna Lani's philosophy. I don't want other honeymooners seeking a certain type of hotel to be disappointed . I think the Grand Wailea is a fantastic choice if you have kids or are on a "fun filled" vacation. Honeymooners--might want something more romantic.

Hi crazy! I am one of those people who trash GW since I stayed there. Due to a dispute, I booked 5 nights at GW 3 nights in Hana and then 5nights 4S. My husband has never questioned my travel plans again. As stated by others, if your children dictate your choices, it is a wonderful disney/hawaii destination. You will have a wonderful time crazy, the grounds are amazing. For me it just doesnt' cut the tariff/service standard. Happy7 congrats and a wonderful choice for honeymoon. I agree with Kapalua, 4S, Kea Lani...my new love is Aloha Pualani, although may not be the best choice for a first timer/honeymooner. It is our favorite. Good luck and you really cannot go wrong. I prefer Kapalua, and Wailea as I love to visit Kaanapali, but it is too congested for me, perhaps not for you. Have fun researching!

Mahalo crazy4HI, we visited the GW at the end of October presumably low season, and I only recall about a dozen kids hanging around the rapids section of the pool. I would guess the resort was about 1/3 capacity which probably made it very easy for them to upgrade our room 4 levels (from terrace to deluxe ocean front). I look forward to you sharing here how your experience is in June.

Gellers and gypielou,
I've been waiting for someone to call me crazy! You're right. - I'm in that small children/Disney phase of my life. I have followed both of your posts in the past and appreciate your efforts to help those with special circumstances (like honeymooners) make good choices. Someday when I have no waterslide enthusiasts to consider, I'd like to look into renting a secluded beach house and dumping the resort scene altogether!

The Hotel Hana Maui. They have some wonderful honeymoon packages. It is the most romantic place I have ever stayed and Hamoa beach is my favorite beach in the world. I will gladly drive all the way to Hana just to spend the day on Hamoa.

No question, hands down, THE FOUR SEASONS at WAILEA. nothing beats a four seasons for service, food, atmosphere, etc..

The Grand Wailea next door has too many kids!

What, not one property in Kaanapali mentioned ??

I've stayed in both Kaanapali and Wailea and liked Wailea better ...however the Hyatt and the Sheraton in Kaanapali are both very nice!

The Four Seasons, without hesitation. The best of everything can be found there.