Once a members-only Maui getaway for an exclusive Japanese clientele, Hotel Wailea is now a boutique hotel open to anyone seeking a relaxing, intimate retreat.
Located slightly inland in South Maui, the hotel is not directly on the beach — it's about a ten-minute drive — so you won't have the sounds of the ocean rushing outside your lanai. That said, the atmosphere is hardly lacking.
Stretched across 15 acres, Hotel Wailea contains gorgeously manicured grounds recalling the hotel's Japanese past in koi ponds, waterfalls, streams, and private corners for couples to sit and soak in the exotic nature.
Views down to the coastline are splendid from the hotel, where you can see the island of Kahoolawe and the Molokini crater. Facing away from the water, Maui's mountainous interior is spread before you.
Couples will relish in the elegance of Hotel Wailea's grounds. Even more special is the amount of privacy. Unlike some nearby resorts that cover about the same acreage as Hotel Wailea, here a fraction of guest rooms take up the same amount of space — 72 suites at Wailea compared to 300+ rooms at more crowded hotels.
To compensate for the schlep to the beach, the hotel provides a free shuttle service and a designated area marked off for guests. When you're not playing in the sand, lounge on chic outdoor beds by Hotel Wailea's pool area, get pampered in the Japanese-style spa, or dine at their award-winning restaurant.
