Thanks for the opinions - yeah, I've heard both -- that Lahaina is fun for kids - and we have kids, but that Wailea has all the same things to do, but is a bit quieter.

I don't have points to use, so this will be a points earning trip. I'm thinking if I'm going to shell out $500 a night for a hotel, I'd much rather do it at the Marriott, since the rooms were recently re-done, and I'm not a huge fan of paying big bucks to stay in an outdated room. But, the Westin provides free parking and seems like there's more to do at the resort for the kids, and nearby activities for them.

I've thought about the Residence Inn, but IMO it defeats the whole purpose of going to Hawaii if you're not going to stay at a resort on/near the beach. Plus, the RI has higher rates than the Wailea Marriott for my dates!

As it stands right now, I've booked a room at the Marriott because they don't require a deposit. We'll likely wait until closer to our departure date (March 19) to make our final decision. The best deal make likely win in the end, since being Canadian means we pay about a 35% markup on that $500 a night...yikes!