The Best Luxury Hotels in Maui, Hawaii

Utterly romantic and a stone-cold stunner of a property, the Hotel Wailea knows how to make its guests feel extra special. From the Mercedes-Benz limo that shuttles you to and from the beach club to the one-bedroom suites decorated with wicker chairs and Hawaiian ohia-wood furniture and the private chef menu at the Treehouse – it ticks all the boxes for a coupled-up break for two. And did we mention it’s adults-only?

As with all Andaz’s properties, the design brief is all about clean lines and a monochromatic palette with eye-catching amenities like the four-tier ocean-facing pool. Located on pristine Mokapu Beach, the resort’s backdrop of sparkling azure-toned sea and tropical flora makes it a honeymooner’s hideaway. Inside, the rooms, suites and villas maximize the ocean or garden views: you might find the bed in the center of the room, or an oversized love seat positioned beside the sliding balcony doors. Of the dining concepts, make a beeline for Morimoto Maui for a taste of Japanese fusion cuisine washed down with rounds of cocktails or aged sakes.

Sun-seekers will relish the opportunity to spend a few days just steps from crescent-shaped Polo Beach – one of the more private beaches on Maui. Switch between lazing on the fine peachy sand and lounging beside the pool (there are three, including one with a water slide and another with a swim-up bar). Or, simply spend the day at the ultra-pampering Willow Stream Spa. At night, the hotel’s open-air restaurant Kō serves creative Hawaiian cuisine, and there’s fresh-caught lobster at Nick’s Fishmarket. Sleep off the inevitable food coma in the comfort of your oversized bed before waking up to do it all over again.

Staying at any Four Seasons presents a travel Catch-22. Do you luxuriate in comfort – think 600sqft (56sqm) rooms in bright, cream hues and sizable, furnished lanais (verandas) – or venture outside and explore? At Four Seasons Resort Maui, you can do both, without having to travel too far. Positioned directly on the tawny sands of Wailea Beach, staff happily lay out chaise lounges and cabanas so you can snorkel and whale-watch in supreme comfort. When you tire of the beach, retreat to the adults-only Serenity Pool overlooking Ma’alaea Bay and complete the experience with a poolside massage and/or a round of sunset drinks.

Everything is bigger, and well, grander at the Grand Wailea Maui. The nine different pools with water slides, grottos, fountains and a water elevator are reason enough to book a stay there. Need more? The 40-room spa has an all-out hydrotherapy circuit that combines Roman, Japanese and Swiss therapeutic practices. There’s no shortage of resort swag elsewhere: from a cave-like swim-up bar, a weekly luau show, daily yoga and snorkel lessons and, especially for adults, the iconic mosaic-tiled Hibiscus Pool that looks like something out of an F Scott Fitzgerald novel.

Located on 16 acres (6ha) of Ka’anapali Beach, the contemporary-style Westin Nanea Ocean Villas is the most relaxing of the four Westin properties on Maui. There are 390 villas, each equipped with a full kitchen, an L-shaped couch, in-unit laundry and Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed. While the beach out front isn’t the widest, there’s plenty of space poolside, and on rainy days, hit up Nanea, the cultural center, to learn more about Hawaiian traditions and culture, beyond merely drinking tropical cocktails.

If only for a week, treat yourself to a stay at this luxe condo property. Here two- and three-bedroom villas start from a dinky-only-by-Kardashian-standard 3,200sqft (300sqm), with expansive views of the Pacific, a garage and access to all the amenities at the Grand Wailea. Staying here offers privacy (and a level of quiet) that other resorts aren’t privy to. The decor differs throughout the rooms, but a well-heeled aesthetic weaves through them all. Sliding walls help create that all-important indoor/outdoor island vibe, and there’s a pool with waterfalls and hot tubs to relax in for all, plus adjoining Grand Wailea’s nine pools and water slides are a short walk/golf-cart ride away.

There’s no shortage of distractions at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa on Ka’anapali Beach. From the nightly cliff-dive ceremony to the massive lazy-river pool and choice of five restaurants, everyone can have their Hawaiian fill. All rooms come with the expected mod-cons, while the grounds sport charming local touches, like a traditional canoe and drums. Its location, 10 minutes’ walk from Whalers Village, offers convenience and access to Black Rock Beach, known for its snorkeling and turtle sightings.

Located on the quieter, south end of Kaanapali Beach is the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. One of the first full-amenity resorts in Maui, it’s since been refurbished with open closets, glass details and cool wall art. It’s well worth upgrading to an ocean-facing suite, so you fall asleep to the sound of the waves. Frolic in the freeform Lahaina pool or brave the 150-foot lava-tube water slide in the Napili pool. Come nightfall, dine at any of the five restaurants (especially Japengo for its Pacific Rim cuisine) or simply enjoy being right on the doorstep of Maui’s finest stretch of beach.