pipeslsm

I'm headed to Maui in October and using Marriott points. I defaulted to the Ritz but after making my reservation and checking numerous reviews all over the web it seems that everyone says it's so windy that the pool and beach are unusable much of the time. So I started checking into others and found the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. It seems to be as nice or nicer (especially pool area) and not as many wind complaints. It also costs more points. So is it possible that in this one instance the Marriott is a better choice than the Ritz?

JeremyS1973

No, not possible

You have to factor in all kinds of different..... well factors.

When did the reviewer go. There might be times of the year when Wailea is better than Kapalua, but only a couple of months.

What are the reviewers expectations. A person who stays at Ritz's a lot might be more critical and have higher expectations. What would that frequent Ritz stayer think of the Marriott? I am afraid they'd be disappointed.

By the same token, what is your average Marriott guests expectations? Compared to the Chicago Marriott and Kansas City Marriott and Anaheim Marriott, the Wailea Marriott must seem Ritz like. All reviews at a place like TripAdvisor and similar places show is how well a hotel meets the guests expectations, not an objective rating of a hotel or restaurants. It how places like Olive Garden and PF Chang's can be highly rated on those type sites.

I think there is no comparison between the Ritz and Marriott Wailea. If I was going to winter, I'd look at use my Marriott points at the Marriott in Ka'anapali.

Recreation

Very different resorts. Wailea Marriott is one of the lower end hotels in the middle of the "Beverly Hills" section of Maui. It was bought out by Marriott from the Outrigger chain, and has a different feel (lots of low-rise buildings scattered on a pretty large campus) than other Marriotts. It's ocean front, but not beach front as there is no sandy beach directly in front of the resort. (You can walk to beaches on either side, though). You can stroll to other resorts and restaurants along an ocean front path, but you might end up feeling like you're staying at the Motel 6 in comparison, because the other resorts (Fairmont, Four Seasons, Grand Wailea) are the type that draws wealthy businessmen, not to mention the occasional celebrity.

Kapalua Ritz is a luxurious, self-contained resort off the beaten path. You're secluded enough that you might be tempted to eat most meals on site. You won't get to anyplace, including restaurants and night life, without getting in your car and heading south. Also, it's a 10-15 minute walk to the beach, though the beach itself is fabulous. Kapalua is reportedly windier and rainier than either Ka'anapali or Wailea, though I can't say I've noticed much of a difference when I've gone.

So, I'll throw the question back to you. What appeals to you more? A swanky hotel or a middle-of-the-road hotel in a swanky location?

DJGMaster1

One key point is that you really NEED a car if you're at the Ritz in Kapalua, whereas the Marriott is walking distance to not just beaches and other more upscale hotels, but also an upscale mall (The Shops at Wailea) with several restaurants and a large grocery store as well as many boutique type stores.

Incidentally, October is one time of year where you MIGHT get great weather in Kapalua, or you might get a bunch of rain and wind. You might also get a little bit of rain and wind, but mostly fair weather. Wailea, OTOH is pretty much guaranteed to be dry and sunny.

JeremyS1973

Don't kid yourself, you NEED a car anyplace on Maui.

DJGMaster1

Fair enough, but you could get by for a couple of days without it if you confined yourself to the shopping, dining, beaches and adjacent resorts to the Marriott in Wailea. I personally could not even get by for a half day without one in Kapalua.

jayer

Dated Content Warning--Maui has become my second favorite island.

The Ritz is the Ritz. At the same time it maybe more isolated than you want it to be, and I don't like being a dining captive. People who have been there longer than I was may wish to comment and clarify, but my recollection was the beach was windy and rough and was not considered all that good for water entry, and at times dangerous.

The Marriott is not the plushest of Marriotts at all and I really didn't like the bedding. The beach in front of the Grand (not far and fully walkable) was the best swimming beach I've found in Hawaii. There was a decent small snorkel spot the other direction if the tide was right. There were walking dining options, but you are kind of shoehorned in behind the shopping center. The pools are not massive.

Your Maui or Hawaii previous experience is not stated. If this is your first time to go to Maui and you want a resort hotel I would second the suggestion to go to Kaanapali instead. If you want a more funky Hawaiiana experience I might try Kihea. If it were me I'd go to Poipu on Kauai before it gets paved over any more because its become my dependable escape.

DJGMaster1

If the weather is good in Kapalua, both Kapalua Bay and Napili Bay, which are close to the Ritz, are better than the Ritz' own beach, and easy and well protected for swimming (and Kapalua Bay is also fine for snorkeling from the beach).

GunsOfNavarone

The Ritz is a much nicer property. The challenge with the Ritz is the location. It is super windy, wet and much colder than the Wailea Marriott.

The Wailea Marriott is older, rooms are not so nice. But what the Wailea Marriott offers is the ability to walk to a dozen great restaurants, much drier and warmer weather. We had a oceanfront at the Wailea Marriott. We like to sleep with the patio door open. What we discovered is that people step out on the patio and smoke all hours of the night, and the smoke comes right in your room.

A big plus at the Wailea Marriott is the ability to rent a pool cabana for the day, 100 per day (75 if you are a gold or higher). If we were to return to the Wailea Marriott, we would select the least expensive room, hope for an upgrade, and spend the difference on the cabana. The cabana is inches from the infinity pool and overlooks the pacific. Super nice. Reserve the cabana for the days you are staying at the Wailea Marriott, and pocket the savings for days you are sightseeing.

MattNeedsMiles

I just got back from a USAir mileage run to OGG and while there stayed at the Marriott Wailea. Having stayed there and touring the island a bit, I can see where others are coming from as far as THIS Marriott not living up to the luxury one might expect staying on Maui. On the other hand, with this being my "first time" visiting Maui, I didn't care so much about the accommodations as I did taking in the sights and enjoying the views. I would say my biggest complaint (and perhaps this is the case with any resort property) is the enormous amount of time WASTED upon check in. Granted, I was there for only 28 hours and every minutes counts... but jeez, I waited 30 minutes to check in... late at night!

I did get upgraded to an ocean-facing room which is apparently better than oceanfront. But while clean and satisfactory, the actual room was tired and worn out. Didn't get to take in the pools or beaches as I got up early for the drive to Kapalua to play a round on the Plantation Course (a must for any golfer). In fact It wasn't until I returned from golf (45 minutes prior to check out) when I got to see just how fantastic the view was.