Kacee

I suspect they view demand as inelastic. Several recent stories in the bay area media about the wealthy escaping to Maui, Punta Mita, etc.

Rates at the (Marriott) Wailea Beach Resort are very similar, which seems insane.

josephstern

Well, these properties all have a lot of bills to pay, and customers may be so desperate to get away to safe destinations, as you suggest, that they can pull this off.

Mad4Miles

Currently here, would estimate 30-40% occupancy. Believe there is significant demand for the ocean view suites, otherwise there's plenty of rooms available.

josephstern

I just noticed that for tonight, at least, a pool side suite costs more than an Andaz suite. Is that typically the case? I've never had a pool side suite but I don't think I'd want one due to the lack of privacy. They also look pretty dark when I'm at the adult pool. Finally, the description says "Private Lanai and stunning views" - could they possibly have stunning views?

spgplat21

Yes, the pool side suites are typically ~$50-100 more than the Andaz Suite, but sometimes they are the same price. Comparing them to the Andaz Suite, I would say the pool side suites have equally poor views and slightly less privacy just because people can literally swim up to your patio from the other pool side suites, although I don't think we saw one person in that pool during a 5-night stay.

The space is great if you need it and the rooms are very nice, but both rooms are pretty terrible from a view and privacy perspective. I will still use a suite upgrade when available and hope for an upgrade to a partial or ocean view suite, but the one time we went without children we asked to downgrade from the Andaz Suite to an ocean view room. And you're correct that the pool side suites are very dark, especially the two towards the back.

canyonleo

I thought Andaz Suite was the ground floor north-facing (adult pool facing) dark suites (with pools), and Pool Side Suites were ground floor south-facing (terraced pools) that have some views and great walk-out access to the property (but at some compromise to privacy). I say that because TSUs are booked into those north-facing suites, and TSUs are (default) booked into Andaz Suites not Pool Side Suites.
No?

canyonleo

Just my taste, but I would never be happy in a north-facing adult pool and spa side dark ground floor suite (what I've been told is an Andaz Suite, where TSUs are initially placed... and would always downgrade to a full ocean view non-suite if allowed to. But then, I'm a view over space type.

josephstern

Could be. I guess I should be happy then, because I guess I've always been upgraded to at least a partial ocean view suite in that case. I didn't realize the Andaz suites were technically those that I had thought were pool suites. Frankly, that does make good sense price-wise and TSU-wise, but the naming is not clear since the Andaz suites literally open to a pool. You can get out of the pool right onto your lanai.

spgplat21

I'm pretty sure it's the opposite now, where TSUs only book into the south-facing suites (Andaz Suites) on the ground floor although a common "upgrade" is to the north-facing Pool Side Suites across the hall. If you look at the description and pictures of the pool side suite, you can definitely see the little connected pool next to the adult pool.

I think 2nd and maybe 3rd floor are the partial view suites and above that is ocean view.

kthpence

Staying here in mid-May, have visited before for drinks at the pool bar (we usually stay at the Marriott or GW on points) but booked a paid rate for 7 nights for us and our parents. We're booking through our TA, who's providing Prive benefits & booked into an ocean view king. Couple questions:

• Overall, which would you prefer to stay at - Marriott Wailea or Andaz?
• Is service above Grand Wailea (not a high bar) and Marriott Wailea?
• Chances at least one of our rooms are upgraded to a suite as Explorist/Prive upgrade?
• Are there adjoining rooms at this hotel?

Looking forward to finally staying here after coming for drinks for years - we always have a great time at the pool bar (granted the food there has been pretty bad tbh), and the vibe has always seemed much more our style than Marriott, GW and even 4S. We aren't too concerned about info related to food - we usually eat off property. Looking forward to trying breakfast though & see that has a huge proposition benefit vs Marriott and GW who provide lousy breakfasts for their top tiers.

coleslaw

Chances of this as an Explorist are low. The Prive upgrade is room-to-room or suite-to-suite but not room-to-suite.

As a Globalist you’d have a chance. But as ever, if you really want a suite you need to book into a suite.

But 🤞🏻 you get lucky

ABG

Connecting / Adjoining Rooms

• Resort View King to Resort View Queen/Queen
• Partial Ocean View King to Partial Ocean View Queen/Queen
• Ocean View King to Ocean View Queen/Queen
• Partial Ocean View Suite to Partial Ocean View King
• Full Ocean View Suite to Full Ocean View King

Impossible to predict up tick in business between now and May.... a room to suite upgrade isn't easy at this hotel for sure

spgplat21

Marriott Wailea is a solid property and the rooms and pool are super close to the ocean, but I don't think it compares to the Andaz overall. The rooms aren't nearly as nice, the pools always felt a little small and crowded. I also didn't like the beach setup. Things may have changed, but back then there wasn't any chair service on the smaller quieter beach to the north of the property and the Marriott just had a small number of chairs on one corner of Wailea beach right next to the Grand Wailea chairs.

I don't require a ton of service, but in my limited experience I thought the Andaz and Marriott were both more than adequate making dinner reservations, confirming car service and golf pickups, etc. The Grand Wailea is one of my least favorite properties in the world, and I am still shocked people spend so much money to stay there. We only stayed 2 nights, but it was like Disneyland and a cruise ship company developed a luxury resort. It was too huge, too crowded and way too $$$. I have some good friends that absolutely love it, so YMMV, but I will not ever return.

Your chances of an upgrade to a suite are very low without offering to pay additional $$. I guess anything is possible, but I would have 0 expectations of an upgrade to a suite.

Yes, there are connecting rooms, but I can't remember what categories or how many. I inquired about connecting rooms on one of our first stays at the property, and I want to say they offered a paid upgrade to a premier suite with a connecting bedroom, but the upgrade charge was so high, we just kept the separate rooms.

canyonleo

Marriott has no beach, only rocks. Ulua Beach (a very nice beach) is in front of the adjacent Elua Village property... Andaz has Mokapu Beach immediately in front of Andaz. Both the reefs directly in front of both properties are awesome.

kthpence

Gotcha - I'll have to confirm with my TA if she's booking us via Virtuoso or Prive, which I'm not entirely sure that matters as far as room to room vs suite to suite upgrades. Honestly we're quite happy with a true ocean view room, so we booked into that category and figured we may have a chance booking through our TA for the upgrade.