Grand Wailea and Wailea Beach - Maui

Located 17 miles south of Kahului Airport, 27 miles southeast of Lahaina, on Wailea's famous stretch of sand, next to the more extravagant Grand Wailea Resort, this is the livelier sister of the Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai. Michael Dell (Dell Computers) owns them both, and though they sit at opposite sides of the social scale, they both provide unerring service, world-class dining and gracious accommodations with extraordinary amenities that put them at the top of their class, that is to say, "world class."

Unlike many hotels of this ilk, care is taken very seriously. Grand Wailea offers a choice of six restaurants and a selection of distinctive cuisines. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a is an exotic oceanside restaurant where you can eat great seafood and enjoy a spectacular Hawaiian sunset. The Grand Wailea Resort offers 780 guest rooms with private balconies and sitting areas. Rooms include fully stocked minibars.

The Resort does not confirm reservations to the individual in writing. Rooms can be found at all five resorts for $300 to $400 a night. Some guests do nothing but relax at the resorts all day, which makes their stay relatively affordable because they have few other expenses for entertainment aside from food.

Golf courses, spas, shopping, restaurants, and all the wonders of this tropical paradise surround Wailea Beach Villas. Crescent-shaped and protected on each end by black lava points, the waters of Wailea Beach are exceptionally calm, with light waves that are perfect for swimming and snorkeling (and gentle enough for children). A nearby paved boardwalk offers a lovely stroll, and restrooms and showers are available. This strand was considered part of Wailea Beach by old-timers and never was given a Hawaiian name. Horses and cattle sauntered down the mountain from Ulupalakua Ranch to drink from the natural spring that emerged from the sand near the rocks.

This means that many of the most expensive resorts are in this area, and that includes the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa (part of the Waldorf Astoria family), which stakes out the primo beach location at Wailea Beach. This resort is shaped something like a crab or octopus - check out the aerial video. Wailea Beach is a large, wide, crescent, graced with lovely fine, golden sand. The beach is protected at both ends by large, black lava points, making the calm waters ideal for swimming.

If you're OK eating at hotel restaurants, there are plenty of places both at the hotel and in walking distance. Otherwise you'll need a car for eating out. You can stay either in a resort condominium with all the resort features like a pool and BBQ or you can stay at a luxury resort hotel with all the services you might expect.

The sprawling Grand Wailea Resort is known for its long arcade of shops and galleries tailored to hefty pocketbooks. However, gift items in all price ranges can be found at Lahaina Printsellers (for old maps and prints), Dolphin Galleries. We made our reservation about 10 months prior to checking in to the Grand Wailea. When we made our reservation, we specifically requested a king room. If you are expecting glamor, plush accommodation and a setting that you will not want to leave consider the Grand Wailea in south Maui. Lush grounds, fantastic facilities.