Maui Recommendations
 

Going to Maui for a wk in Jan08. Has anybody stayed at the Fairmont in Wailea? Also, what are your "must see's and do's (and don'ts)" - would also appreciate your thoughts on what is overrated as far as sights, restaurants, etc. Have researched a good deal at this point - would appreciate your experiences. Thanks!

I didn't stay at the Fairmont, but did stay at the Marriott just down the road. Wailea is very nice, pretty high end. If you enjoy snorkeling, most boats will take you out on a very nice trip, where first you go to Molokini and snorkel with bunches of other boats, but the snorkeling is fantastic. Then you leave, and go to a private spot to snorkel again. That trip is fantastic and well worth it.

Wailea is a beautiful area and I think you'll enjoy your trip. You'll be close to the Shops at Wailea (high-end mall) so you can spend some time there. Be sure to take to trip to Hana, Black Sand Beach (on your way to Hana), Haleakala crater, Kula (on the way to Haleakala), Tedeschi winery.

And if you're brave, take the unpaved road back from Hana - it's awesome!

I started the thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=736984 and have gotten a lot of good food responses.

I will be at the Fairmont over Halloween so can get back with comments later.

There are a lot of other threads on Maui.

Bike down the volcano (or at least sunrise there).
Stop at Kula Lodge on the way down for a hot breakfast.
Hana is a long windy drive but some say it is worth it. The upaved road back badjuju recommends used to 'void' your rental agreement.
Big Beach (near you in Wailea) is my fav in the world and Little Beach is nextdoor (over the rocks on the west) if you prefer 'natural' sunbathing.

I've gotta put in a plug for Kapalua. This of course depends on your picture of Hawaii. We go to relax and enjoy the water, the weather and the quiet. Being from WI, we have to soak it up. Kapalua has a beautiful view of Molokai and the island around it. It's green, not brown, and very quiet and secluded.

I don't know where things are at with construction, but we were there in June at the height of it, and it didn't bother us at all, staying in an oceanfront bay villa. If you aren't looking for luxury (there are some very nice ones, some are a little older, but still very nice...just not the rooms at the Ritz, but how much time do you sit in your room?), just a nice place to stay and enjoy the water, look to rent directly, and get one that is right on the ocean...we do it every time, and it's been great. You can sit on the lanai for hours with nothing between you and the water (except the rocks).

We've done Turtle Bay, Waikiki, Kaui, and Mauna Lani, but the Kapalua Bay villas are definitely our favorite, and we'd consider going there for an entire trip next time. It's simply beautiful.

I can't speak to the weather in January though...we've done June, and always had good weather...windy (with clouds hanging over the mountains behind you), but no rain, except the very occasional afternoon shower.

Even worse - it's closed due to earthquake damage at Kipahulu. Has been closed for about a year now.

The fairmont is wonderful. All the rooms are suites and extremely comfortable and luxurious. Pools are beautiful. Beach is nice . . . can snorkel off the right. Staff is great. Be sure to take the drive to Hana. Have a great time!

Great, please let me know, thanks!

A few thoughts from a recent trip -

Take advantage of the time change and go up to Haleakala for the sunrise your first morning. I left Ka'anapali at 3am sharp and had plenty of time, even getting to the upper parking lot at the summit before it was full.

Have kids? The Maui Pineapple Plantation Tour was a favorite of ours - be sure to go on an early tour while the workers are still there (they work 3am-noon, or some insane hours like that), and take some home (we took 6:))

Road to Hana, certainly. If the shops's still there, stop at the beginning of the drive and pick up the ride-along CD - it's worth it.

Snorkel at Black Rock - by far the best of the half dozen places we tried - comparable to the famous snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, IMHO.

Stop at Peter Lik's gallery in Lahaina if you're a photography fan - stunning work, but that's a particular passion of mine. What you see on his web site doesn't do it justice.

The Sugar Cane train ride wasn't worth the time/$$$ to us.

Submarine trip - something different and interesting, although a bit pricey (what isn't in Maui?)

Great, thx for the recommendations.

Great, thanks for the recommendations.

Great, pls let me know

Living here! ;) :)

In my opinion, Kaukau lives in the best part of Maui. Lahaina-Kaanapali-Honokowai-Napili-Kapalua - this is a great area to spend time in and around. Lots of first class beaches, great snorkeling (try Honolua bay if the weather/surf permit), restaurants (one of our favorites is Aloha Mixed Plate - inexpensive and tasty - and a $million view - Mala warf and Lanai beyond - plus you can enjoy the music from the Old Lahaina Luau next door). Take the drive around the north end of West Maui and go through Kahakuloa - try Julia's banana bread for sure! Splurge for one dinner at Mama's Fish House. Try the 7-bridges hike. Big Beach (Oneloa) Beach is really one of the world's premier beaches - clear, turquoise water you won't believe - and more sand than the entire Big Island (maybe a bit of an exaggeration). Maui is wonderful during whale season - and West Maui/Kehei is the area to view them. For a good whale watching trip, you can take the Molokai Ferry - see some of Molokai - then take the ferry back in the afternoon/evening and it makes a wonderful day trip with lots of whales on the way over and back.

So is it still true that you can't drive all the way around past Hana on the backside?

I guess I'll be the one person who did not like the trip to Hana. It is one loooong drive (3/3.5 hours each way), particularly for the driver, and the never ending switchbacks are really tiresome and NOT for those with weak stomachs. There are over 600 curves/turns and 54 bridges (one lane, no less!).

By the time we got to Hana, I was so tense from the drive that I did not enjoy it, nor was I at all looking forward to the return trip. And if it is raining sheets of water like when we returned, the drive can be downright perilous.

For some (like myself), a van tour would have been a better option.

I really liked Wailea, as it seemed more remote and quiet. We had a fantastic meal at the Four Seasons overlooking the sunset. (11 years ago, so not sure if it is still a Four Seasons). Maui Pineapple Plantation tour was interesting, and a day in Lahaina is a good bet.

It is pricey there, but one way we saved a little was to stop at the Costco near the airport and stock up on some things, breakfast items mostly, and some adult beverages to enjoy on our balcony overlooking the ocean.

Have a great trip!

another note - I just looked up the Fairmont online and discovered that it is the Fairmont Kea Lani. It was only called the Kea Lani when we were on Maui, and we toured the hotel because it looked so nice.

The hotel was incredible, the pools awesome and a nice beach front. You will love it. :) We vowed that we would stay there if we ever returned.

Roger that. Bridge still impassable at Kipahulu.

Its been a Fairmont for over 7 years and it has a very small but nice beach, but IMO other beaches in Wailea are nicer and all beaches in Hawaii are open to anyone. Take the 0.5 mile Wailea ocean beach walk and check them out.

In winter the sand usually washes away dramatically at the Kea Lani beach leaving a 2-4 ft vertical wall and a very very narrow steep beach ie watch your little tykes carefully. Luckily the nice Wailea sand returns each spring. Good luck.

MisterNice

The earthquake damaged the road around Kipahulu and no cannot drive around the backside from Hana. This was as of June 2007 and with things moving at island time, that road is not fixed yet.

Since you enjoy Peter Lik's work, there's a brand-new Ric Steininger gallery just opened at 815 Front St., Lahaina. Also stunning!

Fairmont Kea Lani - Blood on Spa Sheets, Awful Service
 

Mobs of wild kids, substandard restaurants, blood on the sheets at the spa:

My wife and I had stayed at the Kea Lani previously, in Sep., 2000. We enjoyed our stay very much & decided to book there again. We did not notice that, in that time period, the Kea Lani had changed from a privately-owned & managed hotel to being owned by Fairmont Hotels.

To make a long story very short, the stories from other reviewers about the pool areas are right on. If you travel at anything other than the lowest of the low season, you will encounter literally hundreds of out-of-control kids playing, screaming, crying and generally raising Cain in every way. It is also extremely difficult to find a chair that is anywhere near the pools (i.e. less than 200 yards away).

As to the restaurants, the food at the breakfast restaurant is only one small step better than what you could find at a Shoney's buffet. An interesting note is that what they offer for their breakfast buffet (c. $25) is five steps lower in quality from what is offered on their a la carte breakfast menu (which would cost you close to $35 if you ordered each item you might want for a breakfast comparable in size to the buffet). Mass scrambled eggs on the buffet vs. special egg dishes on the menu. Portuguese sausage (nasty) on the buffet vs. applewood smoked sausage links on the menu. You get the point.

The food at Nick's was excellent, but the service was a crapshoot. One evening we had a server who was very attentive and took great care of us. Two evenings later we had a server who literally came to our table twice in over 2 hours. I spoke with the manager about that experience & he offered us one free dessert for our troubles (?!?). Needless to say, we would have much rather had attentive service than a free slice of cheesecake.

Finally, and most astoundingly, we made reservations at the spa for massages for each of us. At the end of my massage, the therapist opened the door and I see my wife standing there in tears. She says we need to talk & comes into my treatment room. Through sobs & profuse tears, she proceeds to tell me how, halfway through her massage, her therapist asked her if she was bleeding. She stated "no" and informed the therapist that her cycle had been 2 weeks prior. Extensive evaluation by the therapist and my wife of my wife's body revealed not so much as a tiny scrape. The problem is, the sheets on the massage table had blood spots in multiple places. It turns out that the massage therapist had some cuts on her hands & that these were the sources of the blood.

I spoke with hotel management immediately, who stated that they would involve hotel security and inform us how they intended to handle the matter. Hotel security, after extensively questioning us, asked us what we feel would be appropriate resolution. Naturally, we told them that something should be comp'd from our bill, whether room nights or restaurant tabs or whatever. Hotel security felt that was an appropriate request and said they would have to put it to hotel management. We received a letter under our door 2 days later stating that they would be unable to offer us any compensation for this travesty, other than the accommodation (?!?) that they would not charge for the massage received. Other than that, they simply provided us with the name, address and telephone number of Fairmont Hotels' corporate insurance carrier, located in Canada.

When I spoke directly with hotel management about this situation, they were extremely cold and did everything possible to avoid saying almost anything to me, repeatedly telling me that they should not discuss the matter on the advice of their attorneys. When I told them how abundantly displeased we were with their response, especially considering that we did not want to pursue this matter via litigation, but were satisfied to accept some manner of local comping, they simply repeated that they were unable to accommodate us beyond removing the spa charge for the massage, and that we should contact their insurance company if we wanted to pursue a legal claim.

Needless to say, we will never return to the Kea Lani, and will utilize the Four Seasons or the Grand Wailea in the future. Everything we have heard and read about those properties seems to indicate to us that they know how to handle unfortunate circumstances that arise because of their OWN FAULT. Sadly, the Kea Lani has apparently decided that it would rather pursue a cold, hostile, and legalistic approach to problem resolution than simply reaching out to its customers and making right what they made wrong. For $500 per night, you can do much, much better in the way of amenities received and service provided than the Kea Lani.

From the lastest on the "Maui Revealed" blue book updates, it's still closed at mile marker 40 due to danger of rock slides. If anybody in Maui has any updates please let us know. Thanks

Road stay pau. No fixum yet. :(

Kaukau - to get to Hana, would you suggest driving southwest from Lahaina? We thought one day we would drive the road to Hana as far as we could go but still want to see Hana. Or, is there another road we can take off the Hana hwy? Thanks.

Aloha!

The only road to Hana is via the Hana Highway, which begins in Kahului at the intersection of Dairy Road, close to the airport, and heads East to Hana through Paia and Ho'okipa. From Lahaina, one may drive to Kahului either by taking the Honoapiilani Highway through Olawalu and Maalaea to Kahului - the "normal" route: fast and easy - or drive the "back way" through Kapalua, Nakalele and Kahakuloa via the Kuhilani Highway: slow difficult and treacherous, but incredibly scenic. FWIW, the back road on Maui's West side was washed out in Kahakuloa two weeks ago in a Kona storm, and may or may not have re-opened! http://gohawaii.about.com/library/ma...ap_of_maui.htm

Sorry Kaukau - I meant southeast around from Wailea to Hana.

No worries!

There's no shortcut anymore from Wailea: there used to be, but not anymore: the shortcut is gated and locked. You can see it on the map: the small winding road going up Haleakala from Makena to Ulupalakua. http://gohawaii.about.com/library/ma...ap_of_maui.htm But even if you could drive from Makena to Ulupalakua, it wouldnt do you any good, as the road is still closed at Kaupo Gap/Kipahulu. So it's a long drive around Haleakala, clockwise to Hana, from Wailea.: you have to drive to Kahului via the Piilani and Mokulele highways and get on the Hana Highway in Puunene via the old mill road, or in Kahului on Dairy Road.

Great - thanks again for the useful information.

The drive to Hana is well worthwhile, though the passengers should all consider taking dramamine or wearing one of those car sickness prevention bracelets :D

But there is really too much to see in a day, even if you get an early start, plus you really don't want to do the return drive when you are fatigued (or worse at night) so I would strongly recommend a night at one of the overpriced lodgings in Hana.

There are actually a number of decent lodging options available in Hana that are decidedly reasonably priced! Check it out!: http://www.hanamaui.com/lodging.html

There are actually a number of decent lodging options available in Hana that are decidedly reasonably priced! Check it out!: http://www.hanamaui.com/lodging.html

There is a Welcome Back the Whale Cruise on the 29th sponsored by the Pacific Whale Foundation. Should be a blast since the whales have already been spotted back in Maui.

I found the road to Hana to be long. While gorgeous, it is a long haul when you turn around and go back. We took the back road to return (in a minivan, no less) and didn't find it to be difficult or dangerous (a few tight turns, some unpaved sections, potholes). Actually, it is peaceful and quite sedate in sections, and the views are unreal (especially the views of Molokini crater). Add in the significant time savings and fairly linear drive back, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. really, if you aren't in a hurry, it is a nice, slow drive.

We heard rumours in Maui that the road had a bad reputation that was "created"--the landowners alongside it value their privacy, and would rather the hordes going to Hana went back to the resorts the way they came, as opposed to driving on the south shore.

With the road closed, this isn't an option, but if the road opens back up, i'd highly recommend considering it.

Edited to add: According to this website http://www.hawaii-guide.com/index.ph...opens_on_maui/ the road is now open again! Can anyone confirm this?

You did leave out fun. ;)

Maybe you heard my wife yelling at me to:

- pay attention
- stop looking at the scenery
- pay attention
- drive with 2 hands
- pay attention :D


She was a wreck. Good thing I had a small rental; otherwise I might not have passed, or shall I say squeezed by the few oncoming cars. :D
One guy in a 4x4 had to back up for me. :o
As I rounded one turn along the cliff, I was able to look back at 2 'wide' cars that were attempting to pass each other in the opposite direction. One drive got out as he directed the other driver using his hands. I can only imagine the conversation. :D My tightest squeeze was when I had to move my drivers side mirror closer to the car. Good thing those are flexible. :D

We're talking s curves and 5 mph twist and turns. You never know if the oncoming traffic in this single lane road will be making a direct bullseye for you.

The ride was harrowing to say the least. The AAA warns of a single lane for a few miles. Out of all the free maps available on Maui, only one remarked that this road was dangerous.

I'd do the drive again.
I'd do the drive alone. ;)

FYI, there's a great gift shop somewhere along the road. Trust me when I say you can't miss it.
I purchased a tee-shirt that said I survived the drive.

Inexpensive Lodging in Hana
 

Has anyone stayed at the Hale Hana Bay?

http://hanamauitravel.com/halehanabay/index.html

Price and view appear to be a great combination.

Haleakala at sunset is mighty special also. Be sure to watch out for the cows on the road, especially on the way down after dark.