The Westin Kaanapali - Maui, Hawaii
Written: May 28 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The magnificent pools, good service, great location
Cons: The parking lot is too full and spaces are too small for a mini van!
The Bottom Line: A great place for families because of the pools, but would make a terrific romantic getaway.
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| hikini's Full Review: Hotel Giorgione |
The second place we stayed on Maui in April was at the Westin Maui right on Kaanapali Beach. Kaanapali is on the west side of Maui, just north of Lahaina a couple of miles.
Driving onto the grounds of the Westin, you enter a long large circular driveway lined with palms, plumeria trees, and flowering shrubs of all kinds. When you enter the lobby you are greeted by the sounds of a crashing waterfall. Straight ahead is a waterfall cascading into a large pond that has live flamingos and swans. There is a round marble table with a huge bouquet of flowers, fresh daily of course!
Right away you know you have entered an area of high class living. The check-in area was just to the right of the waterfall area, and the help was very friendly. Everyone dressed in their Aloha wear, tacky though it may be! (I have nothing whatsoever against Aloha wear; I just feel that it could be in better taste sometimes!)
We were checked in very quickly and went up to the room. It was a very nice room, however small. There were 2 queen beds and the beds themselves were beautiful. Higher than your usual bed, and cushy as can be. The Westin advertises that they use only Heavenly Beds, spending at least $1,000.00 per bed. The other furniture in the room was a combination TV hutch and closet, and a writing desk with a chair. The furniture was a dark wood, with a Polynesian accent. Classy for sure.
The room was separated from the dressing area by a faux (I think) marble counter and a white column. Very tastefully done. There was a snack box, but beware; each item removed would cost between $1.00 and $5.00! (Cheaper to buy your M & M's at the ABC store for 40-50 cents!) There is a coffee maker and packets of Kona coffee.
The bathroom had a nice tub and shower; the shower has 2 shower heads. For better water coverage of course.
There was a drop down ironing board in the bathroom as well.
The hallways are very nicely decorated. Not loud colors but soft and inviting.
There are several restaurants around the grounds. We ate at only one of them so I can only tell you about that one. It was the Ono Grill which is beside one of the 5 pools. We ate there for supper one evening and it was very nice. Expensive but real nice. Complete with live music, which was too loud. The food was good, but not great. What made the meal so enjoyable was the setting. You are on the grounds of the hotel, yet you are surrounded by palms and flowers and of course the sounds of the waterfalls are really nice.
The pools are the big thing at this hotel. There are 5 pools total. One is for adults only. The other 4 pools are for all guests. 2 pools join together on one side and 2 join together on the other side. All of the pools have waterfalls in them. The pools are done in a lagoon type setting, with lounge chairs set all around all of the pools. There are waiters who come around regularly to see if you'd like anything. Drinks or popcorn, nachos, whatever.
There is a large waterslide and a small waterslide. You climb up a set of stairs and then walk into the 'waiting' area for the large slide. There is an attendant who watches to make sure the person who has gone down has cleared the pool area down below before he/she gives the next person the go ahead. The slide curves and turns downward and then you are unceremoniously dumped into the pool below. It takes an average of 12 seconds for each person to come down. Children and adults enjoy this slide, and can go down it as many times as you like. (As long as you are wearing a wrist band given out in the towel cabana.)
In between two of the pools, you go under a waterfall and enter an area like a cave. In the middle of this cave is a hidden hot tub. If you bypass the hot tub you go under another waterfall and come out in another pool. I have to say this is the nicest set of pools I have ever seen. 87,000 square feet of pool space! They were really a work of art and it was easy to see they take great measures in keeping the pools clean and in the best condition possible. With all of the plants around, leaves and blooms would fall into the pools quite often. Hotel personell were often seen with snorkels on, cleaning things out of the pool. What a job, eh?!
The Westin sits right on Kaanapali Beach and from the hotel grounds you can step onto the beachwalk which goes along Kaanapali Beach for approximately 1-2 miles. You can walk next door to the Whaler's Village where you will find more restaurants and shopping of all kinds. From Gucci to the ABC stores we all love.
The hotel has a few stores of it's own. There are some clothing stores, a jewelry store and a 'convenience store'.
The staff was very knowledgeable about things to see and do on the island. They were more than happy to stop and answer any questions you might have.
The hotel grounds and pools were a big hit. The rooms themselves could have been bigger, but they were very nicely decorated.
I don't know the room rate because we had a package deal that we had made before leaving Seattle. For 5 days in the hotel, plus a rental car for 5 days it was $600.00. (We stayed in other places too and paid for several more days for the rental car.)
All in all, a good experience.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
hikini
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: Seattle, WA
Reviews written: 218
Trusted by: 207 members
About Me:
Taking a long sabbatical.
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