I think maybe the difference of opinions here about Hawaii luxury resorts vs Mexico could be narrowed down to whether one is simply comparing the product (the resort itself) or the destination overall. For those travelers who check into a resort and don't leave much or at all, the resort is everything. And for that traveler, based on my experiences in Mexico & Hawaii (as well as Asia) Hawaii has a tough time competing. The hard product of the room, private pools, villas, etc, either does not compete in terms of size/quality or is significantly more expensive. Yes, I know there are exceptions (FS Lanai is spectacular and I love Hana even if it is not 5 star) but I think as a general statement it holds water. That said, while I love Mexico's beach resorts, Hawaii wins hands down for someone who loves to explore the destination (hidden beaches, waterfalls, hiking, etc.).

Getting back to the original question at hand here, the FS Lanai is a lovely resort. I think it is important note that the building design with wings perpendicular to others may have other rooms looking nearly directly into yours. I prefer the buildings closest to the beach to avoid this awkward situation. I did not find the destination of Lanai particularly compelling. The town is cute for a hour or two. The jeep trip to the beach on the other side of the island found us surrounded by mountains of plastic rubbish (not paradise). The snorkeling trip was not great with minimal coral and fish. Molokini snorkeling off Maui is much better. FS Lanai as a resort is great. As a destination not so much.

Hana is magical for me. It has always been. From the first time I was there as a college student staying in the crusty cabins at Wainapanapa State Park to staying in a friends studio and several times at the Hotel Hana Maui. The reality is that it is wet here and even in the dry season expect some rain. And because of the weather and relative isolation, the hotel has struggled. I have not stayed at the hotel in recent years, but the cottages overlooking the ocean were wonderful. If you go expect low key quiet solitude. Dining options are limited and while everything was nice when I was last there it is not a five star experience. That said, many of the employees have been there forever and could not be nicer or more genuine. There are many hidden beaches and waterfalls in this area as well has a huge heiau (when we were there one had to book a private tour) totally worth seeking out. The day visitor will miss out on much of this. Hana's magic shines especially before and after the crush of day tourists going to see the so called "sacred" falls.

The big island is a favorite too but largely for relaxing rather than touring. The FS Hualalai can be totally over run with kids (avoid spring break, christmas and much of the summer). I love the large rooms here with the out door showers. The last couple of times we were assigned a room right next to the adult pool. It became our private pool for late night dips. The lack of a beach is a disappointment. For that go to the hidden beach a couple of miles up the coast (towards Kona). A beautiful gem.

Alternatively, if you're a beach afficianodo (as am I), the Mauna Kea hotel is amazing. No, the hotel is not five star. It's a marriott. But the rooms in the original buidling with huge lanai's were made for relaxing and enjoying the view over the most amazing beach on the island. The water (when I was there) was swimming pool clear and the bay was just as calm. No one is going to offer to clean your sunglasses or offer you an evian spritz as you lounge on the beach, but the location is stunning. If you need pampering do a few days here and a few days at the FS.

I really appreciated both of these posts. Part of why I'm often out of step in this forum is that there are some frequent participants that seem to require absolutely "perfect" experiences/accommodations every single time they travel, no matter what. It's all brittle, no flex.

My wife and I simply don't adhere to that. We quite enjoy staying high end (Four Seasons, St Regis, etc) when it makes sense, but for example when going to the Big Island of Hawaii, where I don't love the hotel setup, we are quite comfortable going with a great AirBnB. I love to cook so I go buy groceries, great wine, etc. and we eat a wonderful meal on a lanai that is about 10 yards from the ocean. It's not the Four Seasons, but it's a wonderful experience. There is room for both paths in our travel life...

It seems in this forum the reaction of a subset (please read that again, I said a subset) of participants is, "I'd NEVER stay at an AirBnB!" then followed shortly by, "What's an AirBnB?"

So I'll soften my previous position, Hawaii can be a wonderful place to visit if you approach it with the right expectations, but if you are the type of luxury traveler that has a long, exacting list of very specific, non-negotiable and brittle "requirements" my sense is you are likely to be disappointed and will then come back to complain about it on FT should you decide to go. But hey, what do I know, I only lived there for close to five years...

Regards

Hana Maui update
 

My brother and sister-in-law just returned from a week at Hana Maui. My brother described the experience as "death by a 1000 cuts." They have been there many times over the years and were looking forward to some well-deserved R&R.
The weather was unbearably hot (no ac bhrubin. Fans in rooms.
Chaise lounges were hard, no cushions and very uncomfortable. When my SIL complained, a staff member brought her two comforters to lay back on.
They did not feel like getting dressed and going in to restaurant for lunch, so ordered room service by pool. $80 lunch was a sandwich and a salad and delivered to them in a brown paper bag and the contents were packed in styrofoam and accompanied with plastic cutlery. My relatives complained and ultimately got a proper table set up and server explained that they really have eliminated room service .Very few guests at hotel.
They have stayed in every luxury hotel in the islands and knew that Hana Maui was not going to deliver the quintessential luxury experience, but they did not want a scene and just wanted to relax. Both were recovering from serious illnesses. They were so disappointed in the downward trajectory of the service.

Yikes @obscure2k! That sounds dreadful. Our stay was in Nov almost 15 years ago. Things certainly have gone downhill with Travaasa.

(Of course, I'd never risk a no-aircon hotel in summer. Yikes again.)

Just terrible. It sounds like the property sank to the Hawaii luxury bottom.

We're ready to travel. We'll have both Covid jabs yet this month. The world is not open to us but Hawaii is. Where should we stay on the Big Island?

Congrats!

The FS Hualalai isn't new to this forum but the recent renovation has been well received.
Had 3 sets of clients visit post renovation and all shared positive feedback. The new pool at King's Pond is just a great addition.
Con remains that the beach is not swimming friendly. But the daily sunbathing sea turtles makes up for a bit of it :)

Have seen many visit the new Mauna Lani and like it. But FS Hualalai seems more special to me.
When I visited Hualalai, I really liked it but thought the rooms were beyond ready for a renovation. Now that's come true, plan to return for a visit this year.

Anyone been since it's changed to Hyatt Destination Hotels?

platbrownguy reviewed it in the Hyatt forum. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyat...l#post32996970 He reports that Jon Benson has been brought in from the Park Hyatt Washington DC to see the property thru the two year conversion to the Alila.