Hotel Wailea, a Relais & Châteaux Hotel

Hotel Wailea, a Relais & Châteaux hotel, offers an adults only, luscious and luxurious escape in the foothills of Maui, Hawaii

When Ted stayed at Hotel Wailea during a New Year’s Eve holiday vacation, he texted me and said: “You’d love it here.”

So, when it came to planning a trip to Hawaii to celebrate a milestone birthday, I immediately centered my hotel search around comparing prices in Wailea, Maui.

After comparing prices with various properties along the main strip of Wailea, I quickly saw that Hotel Wailea – for the relaxed refinement, no children under 18 policy and luxury we wanted – was the right hotel to book.

Location

Hotel Wailea is a relatively short 30 – 45 minutes Uber ride from the Maui Airport. Once we arrived on the property, we were ushered through the hotel gates and to the valet for drop off.  Immediately, I was pleased with my choice of property.

It was luscious, and the right balance of being large enough to feel intimate during the stay.  The tropical trees and lush landscape framed the spacious grounds into a picturesque postcard for my eyes.

The other people that we past by were friendly without being overbearing. It’s like we all had the unspoken rule of acknowledging our existence in the shared space – while giving each other space as well.

For communal enjoyment, Hotel Wailea has a pool, a pool bar, a hot tub and a fitness + yoga room.

Stay

After our early morning flight, it was was a relief that check in was smooth and truly pleasant. We were given leis – with mine smelling of gardenias and Hawaiian magic. We were then led to our room, via a golf cart.

Upon our guided introduction to our room, all I could say was wow. I was extremely pleased. It had all the appointments that I expect for the level of the hotel in the Relais & Châteaux class of properties.

The set up of the room was similar to our stay at Nayara Tented Camp in Costa Rica.

The space was grand, with a  kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom and spacious patio. The basket of snacks was offered to us with unlimited refills. Fresh sparkling and still water was refreshed in the room. The refrigerator drawer held a complimentary selection of beverages for enjoyment.

Outstanding  Serenity and Privacy

As I drank my morning coffee from the Nespresso machine one morning, a lovely cacophony of bird calls greeted me during sunrise on the balcony. I took true pleasure in photographing the birds, as they fluttered around the trees. It was peaceful and deeply fulfilling.

It was a pleasure to see a limited amount of people while I relaxed on my patio. It gave a sense that everyone was on their own path of relaxation and enjoyment of the island.

Getting around central Wailea from Hotel Wailea was easy. It was a pleasure being chauffeured around central Wailea via the hotel’s beautiful Land Rover Defenders. For destinations outside of the central radius, it was easy to order Lyfts and Ubers.

Hotel Wailea does not have direct beach access. However, the beach is a short shuttle drive away. We were dropped off the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea to access the Wailea Beach.

Service

Now, I will also point out two points of service excellence that I experienced during my stay at Hotel Wailea. Few stays at hotels are flawless. However, it’s what a hotel staff does during points of challenge that make it stand out – or flounder like a dead fish.

The Restaurant 

I will say that food at The Restaurant is delicious. Especially, the KONA MAINE LOBSTER (Parmesan Cream, Miso, Chives, Leeks, Preserved Lemon). Plus, the view from The Restaurant, even at night,  is a true chef’s kiss work of art.

However, a restaurant cannot rely on a menu alone. Service must also be exemplarily.

Now, our situation was an extraordinary conflux of a perfect storm of bullshit. But, I was able to communicate with the hotel to find a suitable resolution –  without excessive back and forth.

The Beach

Additionally, when we found ourselves wandering Wailea Beach, looking for the expected Hotel Wailea service of beach chair and umbrella set up that Ted previously raved to me about, we were at a loss. I found myself placing a call to the front desk for clarification. I was told they had stopped providing the service months prior.

After a brief hold, was then told that the hotel had arranged for us to have complimentary rentals with Aqualani Rentals, in front of the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria property down from the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

Overall

If you’re looking for a property that is away from the main area, offers well-manicured and beautiful grounds with complimentary in room snacks, a Nespresso machine, still and sparkling waters and gorgeous views, Hotel Wailea is perfect. I loved the relaxed refinement, attention to detail and the feeling of being taken care of.

Now, you do pay a $40 resort fee. When I asked about the fee, I was told it was for the shuttle service and the yoga. Which, if you go to yoga on Saturday, you still need to pay an additional fee. So, I choose to acknowledge that the resort fee is simply a way for the hotel to adjust for inflation, as a catch all.

Overall, the Hotel Wailea is a property that truly makes you feel that you are in your own luxurious private oasis on Maui.

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