Aloha, Bruce here from Hawaii-Aloha.Com. I am a travel agent who specializes in helping folks plan their Hawaii Vacations. I contribute to Hawaiirama by doing hotel reviews and this week I am reviewing the Wailea Marriott Resort and Spa on Maui. As Alex (our humble moderator) will be the first to tell you, we have a lot of hotels here in Hawaii that were built in the 70s. These hotels are essentially boxes stacked on boxes and architectural boring. It's a sin that is becoming less forgivable as resorts worldwide become more interesting and compete with Hawaii. Many of these properties, including the Wailea Marriott have been “renovated” over and and over again. Some of them just do soft renovations (replacing carpet wallpaper and furniture) and others gut the rooms completely and build new lobby facades.

The Wailea Marriott recent multi-million dollar renovation took the gutting approach and I think they got it right by redefining spaces. The lobby is beautiful, still open air and large, they did a nice job of restoring all of the square columns, flooring and the sitting areas which are nicely defined. The folks who own MALA, a great oceanfront restaurant in Lahaina built a beautiful restaurant just off the lobby with a great menu you of fresh food, including vegan dishes. There is also the addition of a new lobby bar/lounge which opens in the evening making the lobby are a nice usable public space.

I love the furniture and wood grains used in the hotel rooms. They avoid the minimalist look which so many hotels have adopted. They went with nice Koa wood trim in the halls and the Koa doors mixed with powder blue and earth tones in the carpet gives the hallways a bright Hawaiiana feel. While still boxy, they did everything possible to improve the space. One of the best things they did in the rooms was to remove the carpet (except in the suite bedrooms) and replaced it with tiles. The chairs and couches (convertible and open up to a bed) are made of Rattan like material with the light blue upholstery. They removed the old kitchenette like counters in the bathroom area and replaced them with wood credenzas with a sink, they have huge soaking bathtubs finished with travertine marble and tile. The oceanfront rooms we saw actually have a lot of roof line exposed, so it loses it’s beauty. Be careful if you get that category! I actually liked the oceanvew rooms we saw much better .While the Wailea Marriott is located on the ocean, it doesn’t have it’s own beach, that explains why a lot of the renovation centered around the new Serenity pool and Mandara Spa where you can receive everything from Body scrubs to manicure/pedicures. This pool is just amazing, and creates a unique outdoor atmosphere. With floating cabanas and cascading waterfalls off the pool, it’s perfect for relaxing and after spending time here, you lose the need to be right on the beach. The Spa is equally impressive with huge ceilings and many massage rooms including a oceanfront couples massage room, complete with its own whirlpool tub and bathroom facility. Their fitness room is state of the art, with elliptical and free weights and is open 24 hours. Giving a whole new meaning to the typical renovation we see a lot here in Hawaii, I think the Marriott has done the most they could with this resort making it a great value and a nice alternative to the pricey hotels which surround the property.
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I give the Wailea Marriott 4 Shakas

A hui hou,

Bruce

—Bruce F., 01/20/08