randys1

thanks, hope the area wasnt hurt by the tsunami...

bdraco

I hear there is no damage. I can confirm tomorrow.

tjbrooks

Weston Kaanapali Villas Twitter feed said all HI Starwood properties unaffected.

milemonkey

Just got back from a week at the Westin resort. Kaanapali was unaffected by tsnunami. My wife, however, stayed up all night watching the ocean for some reason.

bdraco

Confirmed, no damage at the Westin Maui.

WineAGcom

Currently staying at the Westin Maui. Thanks to all of the latest feedback, I expected nothing upon check-in... and it's exactly what I got. As a Platinum member, received a room in the older building, facing the parking lot on the 5th floor. No problem... booked on points, hotel is full, so expected as much. Actually, the room is ok... smallish, small bathroom. Features I like are the comfy beds/linens, flat screen tv, a small fridge for my supply of Perrier, and a real coffee maker for the Starbucks beans I brought for the java I like to brew rediculously strong. Shure there are some stains on the carpets in the hall...and their are dips in the carpeting in my room (I hate that)... but I'm in Maui, right?

Basically, this hotel relies on it's amazing location on one of the world's great beaches, and pretty good lobby and common areas... which keeps it full. As far as service goes, expect NONE and you won't be dissapointed. If you come with the right attitude you'll be fine. There are many employees who are very nice, cordial and provide good service...and just as many who are inexperienced and lame. I checked in on the late side... about 9pm, and was offered a Platinum amenity... points, $5 f&b credit (can you believe that... so tempting) or a movie... I chose the points. The resort fee is $25 daily. To complement Gold and Platinum members, there is a list of benefits they give you on checkin... not very useful.

The food is fair. Drinks are ok. Wasn't offered a shell necklace on check-in (like a lei greeting)... came to find out the guy who handles that leaves at 7pm, so checkin after that and you don't get that Hawaiian greeting... only found out about it the next day when I happened to see other people getting them when they checked in. In talking to other guests at the pool of the past few days, seems like many change rooms. I guess the philosophy of the hotel is try to give the guest the bare minimum... and then make it right for those that complain. Nice.

Last night had an incident that seems true to form. I called Guest Services around 1pm to arrange for daily turndown services at 7pm... and request 2 robes (or course both are only available upon request). Robes never came so had to call back... finally arrived. Returned to the hotel after dinner, around 9pm... no turndown. All of the towels from pre-dinner showering after a day at the beach still on the bathroom floor. I called down and Guest Services said they didn't have the request in my file... asked if I wanted it now. I said sure, as I needed fresh towels for the morning. Here's the kicker... she said that they could bring some towels, but advised that even if they did do turndown they don't bring new towels! I asked what does "turndown" mean... she advised they just turn down the bed. WHAT? Could this place be any lamer? I asked that they add "replace my towels" to my 7pm turndown each night... I told her that most guests would expect that. That's when she started to give me some lip that I was wrong, and turndown shouldn't provide new towels... and asked me if I wanted to speak to a manager. I was so amused that I said sure. The manager appologized for missing the 7pm turndown and for the attitude of the agent, and then admitted she had no idea what was provided when they do turndown at the hotel and would look into it.

It's sort of fun staying here... great weather, great beach... in a backdrop of a hotel that is operating in their own little world of what they think is the way to run a business... with seemingly no understanding of the hospitality industry. Very frustrating... if they had the RIGHT attitude this could be a really amazing place. Now its a place where management feels they should give the minimum... and just replace the guests that would never come back with newbies that seem to line up to stay here.

So, since I came expecting no service and no extras... I'm doing ok.

randys1

Interesting review, thanks for takin the time to do it...

I am seriously considering Grand Wailea due to their water slide, and having stayed at the Westin I know about limited service, etc.

They may just not get my business after all, I just wish I knew GW wouldnt be a mistake as i have to accept the lowest level room to spend the same money

WineAGcom

Can't help with Wailea. With an 8 year old I'm drawn to all the activities and the great beach at Ka'anapali. Yesterday he took surfing lessons, today whale watching with his mom. W/O kids I'd consider Wailea.

Weather Report: Been great weather here past 5 days... I know they had a lot of rain during the previous weeks.

McFlyPHL

Check SPG.com for your dates. I can almost guarantee you this hotel is not full. They're full of it. If you can book at better room than garden view, raise hell. They deserve it.

thebutlerdidit

We just finished a stay at both Westin and GW properties! And enjoyed both. Were booked on points at both, and were upgraded to nice ocean view rooms at both. If you have status with Hilton you should have a great shot at an upgrade at GW.

WestLA-FF

I completely agree with most of what you have written. The place does have some issues, which I attribute to the huge volume of visitors with less-than-sky-high rates. It's a very expensive place to operate, and they don't get the nightly rates that the Hyatt Regency, Four Seasons or GW get, so service and maintenance suffers.
A few years ago, we were fortunate to be on the positive side of a 3-night points/free-room stay, with an upgrade to a 3-room ocean-adjacent and facing suite, so so have wonderful memories of the place. The pool chair shortage is a problem, but dealable.

On the issue of towels, I sorta take the resort's view. The west side of the island is a relative desert, getting only about 12 inches of rain a year. So they try to conserve water however they can. Replacing towels at night isn't automatic, but they will do it for whoever requests it. Heck, we've stayed at the villas up the street for a week, and only had them change shower towels a couple of time during that week. But we don't do the beach much, so don't have to worry about sand.

controller1

At the Villas, you also have a washer & dryer with about two loads of soap so you could wash your own towels if you wished.

youngda5

My wife and I stayed there recently. It was our third and last stay. Will not return. Knowing it was buys season I booked a premium ocean view room (some additional statements about panoramic view of the two islands, best view in the hotel, etc...) and paid a premium rate (no points used). Even as a long time SPG platinum guest (since the programs inception) I did not expect an upgrade. Just the room we requested. Upon check-in we found ourselves in a room that was dirty, on a lower floor, and the "panoramic"view out the patio was the tower on the other side. If you stood on the patio and leaned out and looked to the right you sort of had the view the described. Found GM and registered my complaint. Informed that technically this room met their criteria but it wasn't one of the best. My response was a paid a premium rate to get a premium room and, as a long time SPG platinum member, they should have done that. He stated there would be a full suite available in the morning and he would us to that for the rest of the stay. Checked w/ front desk in the a.m. and was told we were fine. They would call us when it was ready. About 2 hours later we get a call at the pool telling the suite was no longer available but they would be moving us to another room that was one of the better views in the category we originally requested (imagine that, they gave us the room we paid for). Now on the third day, we ran in yet another issue. Went back to the room from the pool to grab something and the door wouldn't open. After two trips up and down recoding the keys and me telling them it wasn't an issue with the keys, the door lock was simply dead, I finally got maintenance to come up with me and they determined the door lock mechanism was indeed dead. Next we wait for security for an hour to come up with the tools required to get the room open and repair the door. 3 days, 3 major hassles while trying to take a relaxing vacation. Throw in what I consider to be a generally dirty and worn out property and we won't be returning.

randys1

thanks youndga5, i think i will cancel my resv and move to Grand Wailea...

bocastephen

I think you are due a hefty sack of SPG points from this property - at the very least to cover the door lock fiasco.

I would write a letter to the GM explaining your situation (although I believe the staff lurk here anyway) and requesting appropriate compensation - should be in the neighborhood of 20k points at a minimum.

Your post already cost the property a paid booking - they really need to get their act together.