I disagree with several things with @Kacee. But I do agree with him this time.

I just returned from a long Maui trip. I've lived at Wailea RC, Kaanapali Alii, HR Maui and Hana-Maui. I had the opportunities to stay at Marriott Wailea (same 50,000 FNs) and Andaz Maui (at 5,000 points more). But I passed on both of them.

As for your Andaz's BEST:

1. Mokapu and Ulua beaches are good. But Kaanapali Beach, Big Beach and Makena Beach are much better. There is no comparison
2. If you say the reef near Andaz and Marriott is one of Maui's VERY BEST, then where you put the reefs at Hana and Lava Fields? Again, there is no comparison. That reef is really nothing.
3. I do not know why someone would say Andaz lawn is one of Maui's VERY BEST. I've done the board walks along entire Wailea and Kannapali a couple of times. All the lawns are great. I hardly notice the lawn at Andaz.

I'm not a Andaz Maui hater or lover. But I just do not see Andaz offers anything special among all the hotels in Maui. I certainly see Andaz offers a more reclusive resort setting with most guests at pool side and consume a lot of drinks and relax. A lot of the residence properties are even more reclusive and still offer comparable amenities. The most reclusive resort is probably Ritz Carlton Kapalua.

Personally I think Wailea is more a resort type of setting with folks spending most time at resorts. Kaanapali is more active and there are a lot of more things to do. Sure there are tourist traps in Lahaina. But Kaanapali has better beach and better boardwalk, Whaler Village shopping center, a lot more restaurants and live entertainments. Lahaina is very convenient than the Wailea shopping center.

I, for one, am glad many don't prefer the Andaz. It's hard enough to get points rooms there. If others want to go to the HR, fantastic! One argument in favor of the HR that I haven't seen: you're much closer to Star Noodle.

I'd also note that it's very rare to have this argument in the small footprint world of Hyatt. We're lucky to have multiple properties that FTers love on Maui.

When I booked our Maui trip, I checked Andaz many times to see if I can book a couple nights there with points. But nothing was available. Then I called them to see what the Globalist benefits are.

We stayed at Wailea area first. So I spent the extra time to check out Andaz during my boardwalk. I just did not see anything special. So when Andaz point booking was available during my stay, I did not bother to switch from HR to Andaz. We all like the beach, boardwalk, restaurants and live entertainment better. The Black Rock is special too.

I keep telling people. Some people TRAVEL and some people VACATION. Some do in the middle. I'm more in the middle type. I like to stay at different places and keep the trip active. Not the type of person who wants to stay at pool most of the time at the resort.

I would not say people argue about them. Folks just have their own preferences and their own travel styles.

I would certainly like to try out Andaz Maui next time we go to Maui again. Assume it is available. I'm not going to pay $1,400 for a standard room and have limited opportunity for suite upgrade.

1. Of course Big (and Little) are nicer beaches, so is Slaughter and Po'oalenalena, but there's no chain properties on them. Some like a big scene (DigMe), some like it smaller (Mokapu).
2. Hana and Lava fields are interesting for sure, but they are not year-round (or everyday) accessible given sea conditions. I've seen very rare life in Maui, and it seems everything I've ever seen I've also seen at Ulua - dolphin pods coming into the reef (last October very rare), two foot long jellyfish, juvenile frogfish, leaf and devil scorpion fish, every type of nudi I've ever seen in Maui, tiger sharks, harlequin shrimp with starfish, more than a half-dozen species of eel - all at Ulua.
3. Have you done the lawn with toddlers? Andaz is better than the non-lawn at HR, and unlike others in Wailea it's a 25 step walk to the sand/water. The one at 5 Palms is nice too, but that's Kihei, not as peaceful.

Just my take.

Wonder why you not comparing Wailea area with Kaanapali area with the beach(es)? There are tons of nice hotels and RC or condos there.

Also, I never want to pay Andaz for having nice lawn for others to step on.... We played spike ball on a lawn where we do not know whom it belongs to. No one cares.

> Wonder why you not comparing Wailea area with Kaanapali area with the beach(es)?
We are, DigMe = Kaanapali Beach, the one that has only high rises and has no open space (not the north one running from Black Rock to Old Airport Beach / Honokowai).
I was offering up property lawns, the ones steps from your hotel room, for example the kind that Wailea Marriott or most any Kaanapali high rise don't even have.

I used to be the Lahaina to Kappalua (that includes Kaanapali) type, liked it more than Wailea.
Now I'm the Wailea down to Makena type, like it more than Kaanapali.
Just putting out the info for others to benefit from.

Anyone can just bring up Google map to see the beaches in Kaanapali and Wailea areas. Just no comparison in terms of sand quality, beach length and width. It is hard to say the magnitude of the waves. If you want to compare the reef, Wailea reefs near Marriott can't compare to the Black Rock.

As to the lawn, it plays no role as either pro or con.

Do not get me wrong. I like both Wailea and Kaanapali areas. I just think Andaz is over hyped and over priced too. It is also not friendly with room availability and booking.

i don’t do factory resorts. ick.

last night i miraculously stumbled upon a 3n award availability for later this month. Cant wait!

Yes very true - we have stayed a lot at the Four Seasons Maui and their rates have increased well above the normal Hawaii premium - they have however just refurbished their rooms so increases were to be expected. The Wailea Beach Marriott was also refurbished to be more like the Andaz and again their rates have increased more than one the normal Hawaii premium. The Grand Wailea also seems to have put their rates up and is planning further expansion.
I searched prices for the same 5 night 2022 low season stay at the main Wailea Beach hotels for a basic room and then a room which would equate to the Andaz deluxe Ocean Suite and these are the results.
- Grand Wailea $1,268 per night for a Basic room, $2,193 for an Ali Suite (owned by BRE Hotels who also own Ritz Carlton Kapulua)
- Wailea Beach Marriott $1,298 for a basic room , $2,868 for an Oceanfront Executive Suite. (owned by Sunstone Hotels)
- Four Seasons $1,475 for a basic room, $4,045 for an Ocean View Executive Suite (owned by MSD Capital who also own Four Seasons Hualalai)
- Fairmont Kea Lani $1,255 for a basic room and $2,139 for a Signature Ocean View Suite. (Owned by Host Hotels who also own Andaz Maui and Hyatt Regency Maui)
- Andaz $1,222 for a basic room and $4,247 for an Andaz Deluxe Ocean Suite ( owned by Host Hotels who also own Fairmont Key Lani and Hyatt Regency Maui)

The figures speak for themselves, in particular the nightly rate for the Andaz Deluxe Ocean View Suite looks too expensive for what you get. It should be priced in the range of $2,100 to $2,800 per night. They also illustrate that there is very much a Wailea premium price which is way above any other areas on Maui. Host Hotels (the REIT spun out of Marriott) owns a large block of rooms and together with Marriott International which owns RI Wailea and the new AC in Wailea their pricing will be able to move the market in Wailea) The concentration of hotel ownership and a large percentage of the resort rooms in the Wailea beach area into 2/3 large hotel groups (Host/Marriott and BRE) does not auger well for price competition.

Nice summary there.

I can't really speak to the other hotels, but for the Andaz, I'm always surprised by the huge premium to get from one suite category to the next. The jump up is much larger often than to get from a room to a suite in the first place.

Here is what I see with the accommodations in Wailea area.

The "resort" properties all have huge premium there. The major chain properties include Four Seasons, Fairmont, Grand Wailea Waldorf, Marriott and Andaz. As the only resort property for both Marriott and Hyatt, both Marriott Wailea and Andaz Wailea are huge popular with loyalty members. This creates the demand vs supply imbalance.

For cash booking, there are other minor chain or independent resort properties. I do not know so much about them. But they do exist.

Also, Hyatt has several Destination properties in Wailea area. I believe they are all in the 25,000 rate category. They are good alternatives. But there are length stay requirement. Also a long locking (cancellation) policy.

The Kaanapali area is in similar situation though with different hotel mix. It is more active life style vs the more laid-back (resort) style in Wailea.

For those HGP players that want to use points in Wailea, and that like a condo non-property experience, Makena Surf is GREAT. Elua Village (land adjacent/south of Andaz) is super nice for fans of Ulua/Mokapu/Wailea Beaches.

They are quite good about opening award inventory for short notice stays lately.

Ah good to know, maybe I'll get lucky and another night will open up so I can extend my stay. Must be a lot of cancellations lately, I noticed the price went from $1700+ to $1000+ overnight.