Which is the best hotel in Maui? Four Seasons Maui Vs. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort?
The good news is that we have stayed at both of these hotels, and I have outlined the pros and cons of each hotel below. If you don’t have time to read this article in detail, the Four Seasons Maui is the best hotel, far better than the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, in our opinion. It is more glamorous and more beautifully decorated. It even smells better due to the deliciously scented extravagant flower arrangements dotted all over the hotel. The bar is brilliant, and the restaurants are amazing.
For me, the only feature that the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, has over the Four Seasons is the most exciting pool. The Four Seasons wins in almost every aspect, plus Four Seasons doesn’t charge a resort fee.
You may still choose to stay at the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, based on price, or you may choose to stay on Hilton points. If you do, you must walk up that idyllic beachside pathway to the Four Seasons next door and spend at least one evening in the bar and restaurant at the Four Seasons.
1. Best Beach: Four Seasons Maui Vs. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
The Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, shares the same beach area as Four Seasons Maui at Wailea (pictured above). The hotels are more or less next door to each other, with Four Seasons sitting on the sand to the edge of the cove and Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in the middle.
The grounds of the Four Seasons lead directly down to an expansive patch of managed beach, complete with Four Seasons beach loungers. The walk from your room to the beach is pretty close, and the patch of beach is picture-perfect.
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, also has its own patch of loungers. The service of the loungers tends to be the best, but as they both share the same stretch of beach, there is very little to choose between the beaches of these hotels. They are both fabulous and both the best!
Review: Four Seasons Maui
We have reviewed the best Four Seasons hotels in Hawaii, which includes the stunning Four Seasons Maui in the most exclusive resort on Maui, Wailea. Four Seasons Maui is the most resort-based Four Seasons hotel on the Hawaiian Islands, in the exclusive resort area of Wailea. I reviewed the best way to get deals and special offers at Four Seasons Maui. The key is to book your next Four Seasons stay via our luxury travel concierge, as we can give you free loyalty-style benefits, room upgrades, and perks while matching the rates on the Four Seasons Maui website.
2. Best Pool
Four Seasons Maui has a wonderful garden that stretches down to the beach. The hotel is built in a U shape around numerous pools and fountains, framed by the beautiful Wailea Bay. The pools are beautiful; some are for kids and adults, and the stunning infinity with a bar is for adults only.
We used the loungers on the beach and around the pools (spritzer anyone? don’t mind if I do) as well as the free snorkeling equipment. I did notice that although the feel around the pool was very casual, the men, in particular, were wearing a lot of Rolex watches. This is the place to be seen!
There are actually three separate pool areas at Four Seasons. The resort’s central pool is called the fountain pool because of a giant picturesque fountain that emerges from the heated waters of the pool. The pool, which has two whirlpools at both ends, is surrounded by plenty of cabanas. This pool area is very popular with kids and opens up a more tranquil lawn with plenty of loungers overlooking the beach.
The waterfall pool is a free-form lagoon-style pool that is located next to the fountain pool and draws its inspiration from the ponds of Maui. Two parts of the waterfall pool are linked together with a short slide. This pool mainly attracts families with younger children, and parents can relax in one of the cabanas while keeping an eye out for their kids. Food and drinks are also available at the poolside, both here and around the fountain pool.
The fountain pool and waterfall pool can be very crowded during the school holidays, so for adults, there is a third pool area, the serenity pool. This pool is located one level above the other two pools at the resort’s southernmost edge and has two hot tubes and four bubble loungers on its side. The infinity pool offers panoramic views of the ocean and beach and plays underwater music.
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, offers a brilliant adventure pool ideal for teenage kids. This tropical paradise, surrounded by green foliage and fake rocks, offers sedate water slides, long, wiggly flumes, and waterfalls. It is easily the best pool for families with kids in Maui. if you are traveling with kids, it’s also worth considering the Wailea Beach Marriott, which offers a smaller pool with a tropical island theme and water slides.
What Is The Best Four Seasons Hotel In Hawaii?
Four Seasons has four hotels in Hawaii: Four Seasons Hualalai (on Big Island), Four Seasons Lanai, Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, and the Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina, which is the newest of the four. They are all gorgeous, and they are all pretty expensive. They all feature in our picks of the best Four Seasons hotels in the world. Four Seasons is a particularly outstanding hotel brand, and Four Seasons hotels are usually the best option in any resort area. My reviews of the Four Seasons hotels in Hawaii can be found below.
3. Best Style
Four Seasons Maui at Wailea offers the epitome of luxury and elegance. It’s a fun resort and is popular with A-List Hollywood celebrities. It’s the best hotel as an overall package. This does not mean it can’t be beaten in some aspects, but overall, if your budget will stretch, this is the resort to pick.
The grounds are stunning at Four Seasons and highly styled. The overall feel of Four Seasons Maui reminds me of a beautifully decorated and perfectly formed creamy wedding cake with a frothy fountain in the center, all framed by palm trees.
The Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, is also wonderful but not as perfectly finished as Four Seasons Maui, so we think Four Seasons Maui is the best.
4. Best Bar
Four Seasons Maui is one of the best Four Seasons hotels in Hawaii and is situated in the exclusive resort area of Wailea. This has to be one of the most wonderful venues to enjoy fine dining al fresco under tropical palms or to sip on a beer or a glass of wine with wasabi nuts as the sun sets.
The Four Seasons sunset bar, which I so dearly love as the sun goes down, overlooks the grounds, and you can watch the day’s activities being cleared up, and the evening is set up over a relaxing beer and listening to a tinkling piano. Sometimes, Hula girls dance here, too. It offers one of my favorite views from any bar in the world. In my opinion, this bar area at Four Seasons Maui is the best on the island.
5. Best Rooms
The rooms at Four Seasons Maui are situated in a U-shaped, low-rise building, all with a large Lanai angled towards the sea (except for the mountain view rooms). While you can’t actually see the sea from the garden view rooms, as they are at the base of the U, all rooms are a good size (600 ft²) with the signature Four Seasons bathroom along with the large balcony.
The rooms at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, start at 640 ft², so they are a good size, but the finish is not as perfect as those at the Four Seasons. The resort feels huge, and rooms can be quite a distance from the ocean. We prefer the feel of the rooms at Four Seasons Maui.
6. Club Lounge
One particularly attractive feature of the Four Seasons property is that guests who book into a Club room or Club suite enjoy complimentary access to the hotel’s exclusive Club Floor Lounge. The ‘hotel within the hotel,’ Club Floor, has its own concierge team solely dedicated to the 26 rooms and suites on the top level. Here, guests enjoy complimentary all-day refreshments, a full-service bar, and other appealing extras. Once you have entered the Club Lounge, everything is free, which can actually bring down the cost of your vacation.
Club floors often offer the best possible deal because, although the initial price is higher, you do not need to pay resort rates for food and drinks, which can save you hundreds of dollars every day.
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, offers Napua Club Rooms and Suites, an exclusive space on the gated upper floors. These private havens are complemented by the world-class amenities and services of the Napua Lounge, including a personal concierge and three times daily food and beverage service. The private Napua Lounge offers three gourmet dining options daily. In addition, guests can enjoy a rotating lineup of special experiences in the lounge, including a chef’s station and live entertainment.
We prefer the exclusivity of the Four Seasons Maui club lounge, but if you decide that Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, is the best hotel for you, the Napua Club Rooms and Suites do feel much more exclusive than the rest of the hotel and are worth splurging on.
Review: Club Lounge At Four Seasons Maui
Four Seasons Maui is one of the best luxury hotels in Maui and has one of the best club lounges in Hawaii. This beachfront hotel has lawns running down to the sand, stunning restaurants, including Spago, Maui by Wolfgang Puck, and a wonderful restaurant on the grounds where you can eat under the stars. If you book a club-level room, you can access the club lounge at Four Seasons Maui. These rooms are on the eighth floor, and when you book these rooms, you get a private key that will enable you to access the elusive club lounge.
7. Location
These hotels are next door to each other. They both have a great location.
9. Grounds
Both grounds are large and lovely. We have no preference between these grounds. Four Seasons grounds are more perfectly finished. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort grounds, are more like a tropical paradise.
8. Hotel Size
The size of the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, is a major differentiator between these hotels. With 780 guest rooms, the Waldorf is a huge hotel, and it feels it. Four Seasons Maui is half the size with 383 rooms. While neither is boutique, the Four Seasons feels more exclusive. It’s easier to get lost at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.
9. Grounds
Both grounds are large and lovely. We have no preference between these grounds. Four Seasons grounds are more perfectly finished. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort grounds, are more tropical paradise themed.
10. Resort Fee
Four Seasons Maui does not charge a resort fee, unlike some other nickel-and-diming resorts across these islands. It is the only hotel on Maui that does not charge a resort fee. Yet, it still offers a bunch of complimentary extras, such as the use of cabanas, resort car service (to golf, tennis, shopping, and dining in the Wailea area), free sunscreen, introductory fitness classes, free of snorkel equipment for the first hour, free introductory daily scuba lessons, and Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling excursions.
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, charges a resort fee like most of the hotels in Hawaii.
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