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Jess Moss Travel

kaanapali-beach-maui

From: Jess Moss
To: Friend asking which hotel to stay at on his honeymoon on Maui & the Big Island
Date: June 19, 2017

Subject: Re: Places to Stay on Maui


Asking about these hotels:

  • Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club – Molokai, Maui & Lanai Towers
  • The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali
  • Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa
  • Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

Those are all good!

For the first three, Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, honestly I doubt there’s much difference between them since they’re all on the same beachfront and look like pretty similar hotels. There’s a beach path that connects all of them so you can walk between them all. The Westin is a bit closer to Whaler’s Village, a little shopping center, but again, I think they’re all pretty comparable.

 
I haven’t seen the Andaz but I’ve heard good things – it’s newer than the others.
 
Overall Kaanapali (where the first three are) is going to be a bit more happening than Wailea. I think of Wailea as being a little older and more upscale. Both are little beach communities, but I think Kaanapali has more going on, and it’s easier to reach Lahaina. That might be me though, I’ve always gravitated toward staying in West Maui vs the South Shore.
 
Also, both are pretty resort-heavy areas. That means there will be plenty to do but it won’t feel as secluded/private. If you want a bit of privacy I’d recommend looking at Travaasa Hana for 1 night. It’s an all-inclusive on the other side of the island, so you drive the famous Road to Hana to get there, and then rather than turning around and coming back in a day, you spend the night in a little cottage and make your way back the next day.
 
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