Choosing a hotel is one of the most exciting and most difficult parts of vacation planning. When I started research for a trip to Maui, there were a lot of things to consider. I wanted to explore, but also relax on the beach. I wanted to be nearby things to do, but also wanted an authentic Hawaiian experience. The answer to all of my needs was the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel.
Getting to the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel
The Ka’anapali Beach Hotel is located on the western side of Maui in an area called Ka’anapali. It is about a 45-minute trip from the Maui airport, so I would recommend booking your ride to the other side of the island with a shuttle service. We used Robert’s Hawaii and enjoyed piece of mind that our transportation was taken care of to and from the airport.
The Rooms
HELLO GORGEOUS VIEWS! Our room featured a standard hotel layout with double beds, a seating area, separate sink/tub areas, and lots of storage. The crowning jewel of this room, however, was the balcony. We had a courtyard view but could still see the ocean. Instead of a traditional sliding door, we could open our doors up extra wide to let in the breeze.
On-Property Activities
The on-property activities were a huge part of selecting the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel for our stay. We wanted to relax on the beach, but also have a little adventure and learn something new. We spent a beautiful morning stringing leis together with fresh flowers, toured the local flora and fauna growing in the courtyard, but our favorite activity was taking the wa’a (outrigger canoe) out for a spin. You can register for these activities online which I would highly recommend as they can book up fast!
Food
Hawaiian food is one of my favorite types of cuisine, so I was very excited to try everything on the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel’s menu. The resort’s in-house restaurant, Tiki Terrace, is located right off the lobby with beautiful views of the grounds. There are traditional Hawaiian offerings like Poke and Laulau, but also offers mainland dinner staples like steak and chicken parmesan. We dined here several times for dinner during our stay and the food was delicious, the service impeccable, and the atmosphere was perfect.
On Monday nights the hotel offers a Legends of Ka’anapali Luau dinner show with roasted pig and other Hawaiian cuisines.
There is a poolside bar and grill with classic fare that is perfect if you just want to eat a quick lunch outside before heading out to an activity. You can bring your drinks to the pool, but all beaches in Maui are public, so no alcohol is allowed.
Overall
One of the most special touches of the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel is the Kukui Nut lei that each guest receives upon checkout. Each time you return, the hotel will replace one of your brown beads with a white one for an incredible and personal souvenir.
We had an absolutely incredible time at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel. I usually don’t like to return to hotels I’ve been to before so that I can explore someplace new, but I would definitely stay at the Ka’napali Beach Hotel again (and add white beads to my lei!).
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