To celebrate our 10th anniversary, how could we not choose Maui? Known as the “Valley Isle,” Maui is a tropical paradise, dotted with quaint towns, artist communities and local favorites. Although it is the second largest Hawaiian island, you can feel the Ohana spirit (family) everywhere you turn — and romance is at every turn.
Napili Kai Beach Resort’s romantic Sea House Restaurant overlooks Napili Bay.
Our itinerary reflected that with hotel accommodations in 4 Maui hotels, 2 nights each: Napili Kai Beach Resort, Westin Maui, Travaasa Hana, and Fairmont Kea Lani. Each Maui hotel was different allowing us to experience different areas of the island.
Secluded Napili Kai Beach Resort
When we landed in Maui, our first stop was Napili Kai Beach Resort, a deluxe hotel on 10 beachfront acres on Napili Bay in West Maui. After a long flight, we rented a car for the 60 minute drive passed 36 scenic miles. We arrived late afternoon, ready for some down time. From the open-air lobby, with an entrance tucked between thick tropical foliage, to the 11 low-rise plantation-style bungalows, it didn’t feel cooki-cutter, resort; it felt Hawaiian. Of the resort’s 163 hotel rooms, most include kitchen facilities, including ours. We loved our oceanfront one-bedroom studio – and wow, the view!
Our romantic, oceanfront, studio accommodations at Napili Kai Beach Resort
This was the perfect start to our Maui romantic experience as Napili Kai Beach Resort is off-the-beaten path, with one of the most beautiful swimmable beaches on the island. The on-site Sea House Restaurant is one of Maui’s only true beachfront restaurants, and several times we walked the oceanfront sidewalk to enjoy breakfast and dinner at the Sea House Restaurant. Romantic packages are available.
Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka’anapali
It was a short 15 minute drive to the Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka’Anapali, an oceanfront paradise on the famous Ka’anapali Beach. If you’ve stayed at a Westin, you’ve come to expect luxurious accommodations, and our tower room luxurious and beautiful with contemporary furnishings and décor, as well as the melt-into-sleep Heavenly Beds.
While the accommodations lacked a bit of local Hawaiian flare, the resort grounds more than made up for with its 87,000 square foot pool. Stairs brought you through tropical garden areas into the 5 pool area, including an adult only pool deck, Jacuzzi, two water slides, and swim through grotto to twin waterfalls, and a hidden waterpool.
Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka’Anapali, an 12-acre oceanfront paradise on the famous Ka’anapali Beach
I would’ve loved to have a swim up bar near the adult deck, but the poolside service was quick and the bar was close. The pool was overlooking Ka’anapali Beach, which was a minute from your pool. We jogged (really walked…) the beachfront sidewalk each morning.
Plenty of on-site and nearby dining options, and we often stopped at the Relish Burger Bistro. The bartenders were friendly and offered plenty of local advice including the option to catch the free shuttle to nearby Lahina, which we did twice.
Travaasa Hana
Our third romantic hotel was an over-the-top experience! First you have to get there by driving the 42-mile road to Hana, a road carved into the side of the island with breathtaking oceanfront scenery. Don’t let the mileage fool you, as the Road to Hana, twists and turns, with many one-lane bridges and awe-inspiring waterfalls around every corner. It will take you several hours to drive Route 36, becoming 360.
My fellow Hotel-Scoop-er Nancy Brown will agree – Travaasa Hana is an experience no one should miss. Whether you are traveling with family or looking for romance, Travaasa Hana has accommodations to fit your needs. My husband I didn’t want to leave our little retreat, a sea cottage facing the ocean, with plenty of elbow room, and a balcony overlooking the Pacific. Since Hana is a small town, there is limited dining, but this Maui resort offers dining options on-site.
A pool with a View, Travaasa Hana sea cottages in Maui.
Travaasa Hana offers plenty of activities including horseback riding, pools, tennis, yoga, and more. Many of these are complimentary daily activities, while others like horseback riding are additional cost.
Fairmont Kea Lani Maui
Our last stop for Maui romance was in Wailea at the Fairmont Kea Lani. This suite and villa oceanfront resort in Hawaii spans a 22-acre tropical landscape. I’m a huge fan of Fairmont hotels, the 450-room Fairmont Kea Lani made me fall in love again.
The courtyard of our Fairmont Kea Lani villa
How could I not with my upgrade to a 2-bedroom ocean front villa? But more than that, this Fairmont gets two-thumbs up for stand out service by all staff, from the bellboy who hung our clothes (mine on one side; his on the other); tasty dinner options at reservations at Ko and Nick’s Fish Market — and accommodating our late arrival when we were enjoying the sunset – and I could go on and on.
Click here to read my Hotel-Scoop review on my experience at the Fairmont Kea Lani and book a stay here.
After our 10 day romantic Maui experience, we couldn’t imagine spending anywhere else for our anniversary.
Look for these amazing Maui hotels and other properties at HotelsCombined.
Accommodations courtesy of Maui Visitors Bureau. Photos courtesy of above Maui resorts and Diana Rowe.
Aloha and congratulations on your 10 year anniversary. I love all of these hotels. Maui is a wonderfully romantic island for any type of celebration.