We got to Hawaii all the time... mostly Oahu & the Big Island.

We have just changed our reservation to go to Maui (thanks continental) and return from HNL. Our original plans had us in Waikiki for 7 days & the Big Island for 5 before going back to Waikiki for a couple of days. We were splurging on the Four Seasons Hualalai, but it's going to have to wait for our next trip. With the advent of COs service to Maui we figured we'd go again. It's been over 10 years sinced we'd been.

Now, where the heck do we stay? We will be arriving in early November and would like to use this time for a little quiet & sightseeing. Generally, I lounge around for a couple of days before starting to run. I've done searches and am totally confused about where to stay.

Do we stay in Kaanapali Beach? Wailea? Kapalua? We would like to be able to go to Lahaina in the evening and wouldn't mind a short drive - we're from NJ - anything under 30 minutes is short .

Is the 4 seasons in Maui worth it? Too far? How about the Ritz? The Sheraton looked nice all those years ago, but we couldn't afford it. What about one of the Marriotts? The Westin? HELP

BTW - we don't have any status with any chain except for Hilton.

We'd rather not be in a disneyland type environment (we don't like the Hilton Wailkoloa) and would prefer not too many kids around. But, I don't think there would be too many around in early Nov. anyway.

As you can notice, I'm REALLY confused.

Any and all advise is appreciated!

Mary

Hello Mary2E,

I hope I can help you here. If you go in November I feel that the weather up in Kapalua might be a bit iffy. We have been there in November and it was raint and windy. usually it's windy up there anyway, but the wind can get brutal that time of year.

If you want to be close to Lahaina then the Four Seasons might be out of the question. Wailea is quite far from Lahaina. I don't know what type of budget, if at all you are looking at, but you can join Starwood (spg.com) and get 35% on Hawaii hotels right off the bat. It would seem that the Sheraton would be quieter than the Westin for you if you choose to stay in Kaanapali. Kaanapali is busier than the other area's, but it's closest to Lahaina.

If you don't mind the drive then the Four Seasons in Wailea might be your best bet for real quiet. The Kea Lani is more family oriented being an all suite hotel. The Grand Wailea truly is Disney Land.

I wish I could help you more. You can log onto sheraton-hawaii.com and look at the live web cams to see the Sheraton and the Westin properties. Click on live web cams up in the left hand corner. You might also want to check out the Hyatt. The grounds are expansive, but again, it is very kid friendly with the large pool area. It always feels very peaceful over at the Hyatt when we walk their grounds.

Oh no Mary, no Hualalai?

The Four Seasons Maui is pretty nice too though. But it is a fair drive to Lahaina.

Wailea is a good choice for that time of year. The wettest time we ever spent in Hawaii was a week at Kapalua. And when it wasn't raining it was windy.

Don't stay at the Grand Wailea if you're trying to avoid children.

Thanks for all of your replies. I forgot about the Hyatt. I'll take a look at that.

The Sheraton is SOLD OUT (!?!>?!?) for our dates. The Grand Wailea wasn't considered for the Disney factor (& we go to disneyworld 2x per year).

Zippyh - we bagged Hualalai because of timing issues. I had to move the week, move the airline tickets & got overwhelmed at having to replan everything. So, we were able to get FF seats to Maui & said why not. So, we're saving the FS for next trip.

I'm thinking the Westin might be nice...

Still taking suggestions.....

Mary

Aloha!

Did you take a look at the Maui Prince? Far from Ka'anapali, I know, but that could be a good thing.

There are a lot of posts in FT Miles - Marriott on the Ren. Wailea and the other Marriott properties.

The Westin is nice - I like the new tower.

BTW, There was a good thread on this board a few months ago for Maui.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/000277.html

[edited to add link]

[This message has been edited by FlyinHawaiian (edited 08-11-2003).]

Hi Mary2e!

*Warning this is an extremely long post*

Glad Continental got you fixed up on those tickets with a direct to Kahului -- IMHO, and I live on O'ahu, Maui is a far much nicer and more attractive island than O'ahu. It's been getting a little more touristy over the past couple of years and the addition of a Home Depot and other monster chain stores has made Kahului into a mini-Honolulu less the high-rises, but the Southern coastline has kept its pristine charm.

Early November shouldn't be a problem with weather. Won't be too hot or too cold -- however, there might be an occasional sprinkle or two. What you actually might see happen is it be very clear in the mornings and then cloudy at night when all the clouds begin to gather around Haleakala. Last I went to Maui back in November and this past June, it was beautiful.

I've included TripAdvisor links for every hotel listed below:

The Wailea coastline is, IMHO your best bet, especially if you don't want anything too touristy. The Maui Prince ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ) (located in Makena) is the most furthest out on the Wailea coastline. It's somewhat isolated, but has great rooms and a nice golf course to go with that. It's somewhat dry out here however, especially during the summer, don't know much about November.

Next on the list is the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ). I must say that this is really a nice resort. It's very plush and IMHO is a five star, although some might disagree with me. It's located right next to the Four Seasons Wailea ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ), which is another great hotel. I think these two are the best on the Wailea coastline, especially if you're trying to avoid children.

Also on the Wailea coastline are the Renaissance Wailea, the Outrigger Wailea and the Wailea Elua. All three are lesser hotels when compared to the ones above and given your selections below, I'm thinking these wouldn't be good choices.

If we move over to the Ka'anapali/Lahaina side of Maui there are other great choices as well; however, it's been my experience that Ka'anapali has a lot more children, and although you wouldn't mind a 30 minute drive, it still might be a hassle to drive all the way into town, etc. On the plus side, there's a lot more to do in Kana'apali/Lahaina than there is in Wailea and the drive out is beautiful (it's like driving out to Sea Life Park on O'ahu taking the Haunama Bay route).

Out in Ka'anapali we first have the Hyatt Regency Maui ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ), which if my memory serves me correctly, had a peacock or some bird prominently displayed in the lobby. I've found this Hyatt to have more children in it for some reasons, but that may just have been a coincidence. The rooms are great here and the service is as well. It's what you'd expect out of a great Hyatt hotel.

Next is the Maui Marriott. Never stayed in this one and can't find the TripAdvisor link.

The Westin Maui ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ), as you know, is another great hotel. However, it's been my experience as well as a few people's TripAdvisor's reviews that the rooms are a bit smaller than the other hotels. The beach, as with most hotels here in Ka'anapali is great!

... and finally in Ka'anapali is the Sheraton Maui ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ). Now come to think of it, it might have been this one with the bird in it. Regardless, the Sheraton Maui is another great resort. We stayed here last Novemeber and enjoyed it fully! Rooms were nice and plush and service was excellent.

Of course there are many more hotels in Ka'anapali but being short on time with a doctor's appoint. in a few minutes, the last resort to cover is the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ui_Hawaii.html ), which is a resort that I've stayed at twice. Although pretty far around the island, I think it's a nice hotel that doesn't really live up to Ritz-Carlton standards. It's extremely nice and plush inside, but I think the service is a bit slower than what you'd expect from a grade A hotel. Don't get me wrong, it's in an extremely nice neighborhood, but it's one of the farthest hotels from Kahului Airport (OGG), which makes it a hassle to get to. I feel it's a bit more catered towards business folks who need to get business done (in the middle of nowhere). One of the great things about the Ritz was it's close proximity to Honolua Bay. Since you'll be going to Maui in November, if the waves are up, take a stop at Honolua Bay and see the monster waves (not to forget Jaws).

Well, gotta run! If I think of anything else I'll be sure to edit this post. Hope this helps!

Let us know where you decide! Also try www.biddingfortravel.com to help you with www.priceline.com if you really don't have a preference or can't make up your mind -- just pick an area and name your price. We've gotten some pretty good deals out of it and it's give us an extremely diverse background in Maui hotels.

ALOHA

We stayed at the Ritz in July some years back. Weather was nice and breezy there when ultra-hot at the Sheraton. Very nice property for pool people with few kids but weather might be too windy in November. There's a wonderful restaurant a bit north of there - Plantation House, I think it's called.

If you don't like the Waikoloa the Westin is probably not a good choice. The Hyatt is very nice.

Our son and his bride just got back from 2 weeks in Hawaii for their honeymoon. We gave them a week at the HWV, they spend two nights at the Volcano House, went to Maui and spent two days at Hana, and then six days at the Kanapalli Beach (sp?) Hotel. I think they enjoyed the KBH as much as any of the hotels. Past posts have indicated that the KBH is very warm, and the most Hawaiian. From what they said, I think it is true. The prices were fairly reasonable too.

Wherever you go, I hope you enjoy. We will be back in four more years!


DD

We just stayed at the Four Seasons Maui for our honeymoon in July and although the hotel is gorgeous, there are far too many people in a crowded and small pool area. Contrary to what others have stated, I strongly disagree (at least in the month of July) that the Four Seasons Maui is a place to avoid kids (I can send pictures to prove it!)... there were screaming kids everywhere... you could avoid them by sitting by the pool, but you have to wake up at 7am to reserve your chairs... The beach is equally crowded and shared with the Grand Wailea. There were cell phones everywhere, and you should also know that it is quite dressy for a resort.

If you want quiet in Maui, I'd go to the Ritz, Prince Maui, or Kapalua Bay. Wailea is basically a resort town and although quieter than Kaanapali, it does not compare with the quiet you get on Kauai or the Big Island. BTW - we were originally supposed to stay 6 nights at the Four Seasons. We checked out and flew back to the Big Island to stay at the Mauna Lani which was paradise.

[This message has been edited by YYZ (edited 08-12-2003).]

Wow Slippahs... thanks. I'm usually pretty good with Oahu and so-so with the Big Island. This is a big help. Thanks for the effort.

But, I haven't the chance to look today, that pesky worm is causing me all kinds of grief. So, thank you so much & I will get back to you tomorrow. Promise.

Mary

First of all, many congratulations on your wedding.

We've tossed th FS Maui idea. We're still holding our Hualalai reservations, but I'm about to cancel them. I think we'll save our FS $$$ for that hotel.

I'm hoping that November is slow season & Maui won't be loaded with kids. I'm leaning toward Kaanapali and my husband wants Wailea, thinking it may be quieter.

So, as soon as I can, I will do more research.

Thanks for your note!

Mary

Are you Mary from Mousesavers? If so, I'm glad I can return the favor of information sharing. Your site is wonderful. We leave next month for WDW! If not, forgive this sidebar. ;-)

"I'm hoping that November is slow season & Maui won't be loaded with kids. I'm leaning toward Kaanapali and my husband wants Wailea, thinking it may be quieter."


We stayed at Kapalua Bay (Starwood resort) last Sept for our honeymoon. It was VERY quiet and peaceful. I only recall seeing children twice (at the pool) during our entire 6 night stay. The resort is showing a little age, but I would not hesitate to stay there in the future. Kapalua Bay is excellent for snorkling and the beach wasn't nearly as crowded as the beaches in Kaanapali and Wailea.

Many say the weather in Kapalua isn't as favorable (more rain) as Kaanapali or Wailea, but we didn't have any rain.

Kapalua is about a 30 minute drive to Lahaina, and 20 minute drive to Kaanapali. Not much in Kapalua, but you're only about 10 minutes from Napili/Kahana where there is a strip mall and a couple restaurants (inluding Roy's - very good!). We also ate at Maui Tacos in Napili a few times for a quick, inexpensive, and tasty meal.

Obviously, I'm not a local, but I recall Nov/Dec being whale watching season, when they are all around the islands.

Have a great time. I can't wait to go back!

hockeystl

What status are you with Hilton? If you are Gold you can get it comped to Hyatt Diamond and then if you want to Sheraton Platinum. If you do that and decide to stay at the Westin, Sheraton, or Hyatt you will have elite status with your stay.

BTW i reccommend the Hyatt.

November and December might be a bit early for whale watching. Late January to early April is peak season, as I recall...

It actually depends on the year -- some years it's December to March and others it's January to April. Those wishy-washy whales are the ones who actually determine the season