Kaanapali Beach Resort has long been a favorite destination for travelers planning a trip to West Maui. Nearly a dozen hotels and resorts line the sand, and there isn’t a bad choice among them. Set on 40 oceanfront acres, it doesn’t take long after checking in to the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa to realize you’re in for a unique vacation in Hawaii.
With 810 rooms, the resort is huge. Give yourself at least a day to learn your way around. And if you have to walk through the lobby, give yourself extra time to get to wherever you are headed because the lobby is also home to a waddle of African penguins. Yes. Penguins in Hawaii. Daily presentations educate guests about what’s being done to save the critically endangered seabirds.
Accommodations
I stayed in a room on the 18th floor. Overlooking the pool and ocean, the view was the star of the show here. It would be a stellar spot to be during whale season (mid-December through mid-April) when migrating humpbacks arrive and the ocean turns into what’s often referred to as “whale soup.”
A neutral color palette and subtle design touches gave the room a subtle Hawaiian feel. Thoughtful touches, such as under-the-bed and bathroom motion sensor lighting, and ample under-bed storage for luggage didn’t go unnoticed.
Along with a small refrigerator, the room was stocked with a Keurig coffee machine, an electric kettle, and reusable water bottles.
- Get a Car Rental
- Buy Travel Insurance
Public Spaces and Facilities
The resort is designed to keep you happily entertained. I’m a beach girl, but I have to admit one of my favorite things to do during my stay was to hang out in the lobby watching the resort’s resident African penguins.
The pool area covers half an acre and boasts a dedicated kids (keiki) area, a rope bridge, and a 150-foot waterslide. There’s a 24-hour fitness center, three tennis and pickleball courts, and a basketball court. I didn’t get to experience it, but Spa Soleil is Maui’s only oceanfront full-service spa and salon.
The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa offers complimentary cultural opportunities, including kukui nut bracelet-making, hula lessons, ukulele lessons, and lei-making. Guided stargazing is offered for an additional fee.
Dining Options
With a half-dozen restaurants and eateries, there’s no reason to go hungry during your stay. Japengo serves modern Pacific Rim cuisine for dinner nightly. Along with a rainbow of sushi rolls, the menu features pork belly bao buns, fried rice, seafood curry, and garlic fried noodles. The menu at Son’z Steakhouse features an assortment of beef, including filet mignon, ribeye, Wagyu New York Strip, and more. Bacon lovers will want to try The Wedge salad with Romaine, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese, and green onions.
Advertised as Maui’s longest-running show, the on-site Drums of the Pacific Luau has been entertaining visitors for nearly 40 years. Dinner, served buffet style, might include taro rolls with lilikoi butter, poke, Kalua pork, and poi.
For something more casual, there’s Poolside Umalu and Honolulu Coffee.
More dining options can be found at Whaler’s Village. No rental car required. Whaler’s Village is an easy 10-minute or so walk along the beach.
Good to Know
It’s just over 28 miles to Kahului Airport.
There are 27 ADA rooms, spread across a variety of room categories, adapted for guests with mobility disabilities. Assistive listening devices are available on request for guests with hearing disabilities.
Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa start at $599. Be sure to budget for the $49 daily resort fee. It includes services and amenities such as reusable water bottles, welcome lei, and daily yoga and fitness classes.
Check rates for Hyatt Regency Maui online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort is pet-friendly. There is a $150 charge per stay up to six nights. Dogs must weigh 50 pounds or less; service dogs are excluded.
I’m lucky enough to travel to Maui frequently. Some of my other favorite hotels include: The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, and the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
If you’ve been hesitating about planning a trip to Maui after the 2023 wildfire that devastated Lahaina, recovery efforts are ongoing, and there’s a great deal of construction underway. Things are moving forward. But those businesses that survived the firestorm need customers to stay in business. There are stretches of Lahaina town that remain open to residents only. Please be respectful; there’s plenty of signage that makes it clear where visitors are welcome and where they are not.
Review and photos by San Francisco Bay Area travel writer and television correspondent Dana Rebmann. Her stay was organized by Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
