96753 Travel Guide
Andaz Hotels / Wailea Hotels / Maui Hotels / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
Andaz Wailea Blesses The Ground They're About to Andazzle
Fa la la la, we've got some concrete proof that the Andaz Hotel brand is coming to paradise aka Wailea, Maui, thanks to this traditional Hawaiian Blessing ceremony photo op from Wednesday. And there's another little surprise in our hotel news stocking as the Andaz Wailea Resort and Residences will open in the Spring of 2013, not 2014 as we first heard.
The hotel will have 255-rooms, 35 suites and 19 villas located along Mokapu Beach which is a little bit further north from the Grand Wailea-Four Seasons-Marriott hotel cluster that most people frequent in Wailea.
Hotel Restaurants / Hawaii Hotels / Waldorf-Astoria Collection / Hotel Chefs / → All Tags
Somewhere Between Japan and California, You'll Find Amasia
Japanese-born chef Alan Wong has spent years building a legacy as one of the most talented and innovative chefs in Hawaii. His Oahu restaurant, Alan Wong's, was ranked twice by Gourmet magazine as one of the top ten best restaurants in America. Now, the master will be turning his attention to the Grand Wailea Resort for a new "Asian street food"-inspired upscale restaurant—to be named, awesomely, Amasia.
The name refers to the possible future merging of the Asian and North American continents. Which is actually fitting for Wong's style, which likes to borrow a little from both cultures. Wong recently entered into an agreement with Grand Wailea to take over their Japanese kaiseki restaurant Kincha, which closed in 2009. Currently undergoing a $2 million renovation, and with Wong's team set to arrive in January to start experimenting in the kitchen, the restaurant will re-open as Amasia in February.
Hotel Spas / Maui Hotels / Hotel Massages / → All Tags
Get a 20-Handed 'Hula Wave' at the Grand Wailea
We thought the unsettling news about NASA's rogue satellite might be cause for a quick spa getaway to Maui—you know, to ease your mind. After all, if you're going to be pummeled by a 6.5 ton defunct spacecraft, you might as well be enjoying your last few moments in style. Even if your pampering session becomes a twenty-man operation.
It turns out that the Spa Grande at Grand Wailea Resort is experimenting with a "20 Hands Duo Massage," meaning (you guessed it) a two-and-a-half hour massage treatment for couples by ten people, twenty hands, and 100 fingers. We're not sure if this should be considered relaxing or merciless, but we're curious nonetheless.
Hotels Doing Good / Waldorf-Astoria Hotels / Maui Hotels / Hawaii Hotels / → All Tags
This Hotel GM Shaved His Head for Charity, What Has Yours Done?
While some people raise money with bikini car washes, like Octomom and some fame-hungry celebrity mistresses, Grand Wailea's Managing Director Matt Bailey really gave something of himself for charity—his hair.
To inspire the Maui resort workers to donate money to the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, which aids Hawaii nonprofits, he vowed in the beginning of the year to shave his hair if they hit a fund-raising goal of $32,000. Not only did they raise the money, they exceeded it, with donations totaling $50,000—the most raised in the state.
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Hotels / Sexy Hotels / Island Hotels / Waldorf-Astoria Hotels / Maui Hotels / Hawaii Hotels / Hotel News / Irina Shayk / → All Tags
Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition Models Shacked Up at Maui's Grand Wailea
The Grand Wailea Resort in Maui is having quite the turbulent February. First, it filed bankruptcy and was bought by new owners, despite its almost $2 billion in debts, and then it was featured in the movie Just Go With It. There's even a contest open now to win a good vacation stay at the resort as a tie-in with the movie.
Finally, the Grand Wailea is again the center of attention, as today it was announced that it was the temporary Hawaii home of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue's bevy of models, stylists and photographers when they stayed in Maui to shoot the 2011 issue, hitting newsstands today. We've visited the Grand Wailea before and found it a bit too family-oriented for our luxury tropical relaxation tastes, but all those models and famous photogs could've shifted the balance for at least a weekend.
Insane Hotel Packages / Tennis Hotels / Four Seasons Hotels / Hotel Fitness / Maui Hotels / → All Tags
Learn From the Pros at The Four Seasons Maui's Fantasy Tennis Camp
Need an excuse for a vacation some place warm but don't want to feel like a slacker? If you've got a spare few grand, why not hit up the Wailea Fantasy Tennis Camp at the Four Seasons Maui?
The four-day tennis bootcamp will give guests/students the chance to train with pros including Tom Gullikson, Lindsay Davenport, Michael Russell and Corina Morariu--and then forget everything they learned at the end-of-camp Awards Luau.
Hotel of The Week / Four Season Hotels / Britney Spears / Hotel Pools / Hawaii Hotels / Maui Hotels / Wellness Retreats / Hotel Packages / → All Tags
Four Seasons Maui Gets Dissed by Brit, Offers Spa and Tennis Programs
In our new "Hotel of the Week" feature, we look at a property that everyone is talking about and give you the lowdown of what's going on at the hot spot hotel.
This week, we're seeing a lot of buzz on the hotel page for Four Seasons Maui, so we decided to take a look at what’s happening at the property.
Hotel Closings / Hotel Woes / Maui Hotels / Hotel Foreclosures / → All Tags
Maui Owie: The Maui Prince to Close Next Month
The first Hawaiian hotel casualty of the recession has been claimed--The Maui Prince Hotel and Makena Golf Course will close on September 16, according to news reports. The hotel's management company, Prince Resorts Hawaii, was forced to close the hotel after the owners defaulted on a mortgage of $192.5 million. And it wasn't just the mortgage the owners couldn't keep up with--they couldn't keep up with their end of the operation contract either.
So while a hotel in foreclosure usually doesn't affect the guest experience during their stay, once the hotel owners are unable to meet the demands of their contract with the hotel management company, then things really start to go south.
Snapshot / Hotel Pools / Maui Hotels / Four Seasons Hotels / Waldorf-Astoria Collection / → All Tags
Start Your Vacation By Waiting in a Line at the Grand Wailea Resort
Last month, we told you that the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa in Wailea, Maui might have the coolest pool amenities (little grottos, a kiddie pool with a beach, waterslides galore) but that the place was too crowded with children for anyone to truly enjoy.
Well, we thought you might like some photographic evidence of just how crowded the pool scene is: here's a snapshot of the line for beach cabanas that we snapped last Friday.
Guests (only hotel guests are allowed access to the resort) must wait in this line before obtaining one of the beach cabanas. As usual with pool chairs and the like, the early bird gets the coveted seat on the beach and by early bird we mean folks who rise before 7:30am.
Also, a quick word about those cabanas--they look ratty and old. We stayed at this resort back in 1996 and we're pretty sure those are the same cabanas in use then. Not surprisingly, the GWR is a part of the Waldorf-Astoria Collection, whose resort properties continue to disappoint with their old, run-down facilities.
Family-Friendly Hotels / Hawaii Hotels / Hotel Pools / → All Tags
Is the Grand Wailea Resort Like Las Vegas, But for Kids?
Upon hearing that Grand Wailea Resort just threw down $50M for upgrades and renovations, we wanted to give the property a quick before and after look-see while recently in Maui – especially since we were shacked up right next door at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.
We should have heeded our gut instinct to steer clear after watching a bajillion screaming kids bouncing and jumping off an oversized inflatable slide in the water directly in front of Grand Wailea Resort. Ick. We asked around and this air-filled atrocity doesn’t actually belong to Grand Wailea Resort; it’s simply a noisy eye sore that disturbs the hotel’s waterfront views. The kids l-o-v-e it.
Hawaii Hotels / Fairmont Hotels / Hotel Bars / Hotel Cocktails / Maui Hotels / → All Tags
We Go Cuckoo for Pupus at The Fairmont Kea Lani’s New Luana Lounge
Our most memorable childhood meals were bite sized delights served on a beverage napkin with frilly toothpicks, so it’s no wonder we swoon for the pupu. These island-style hors d’oeuvres are a staple of Hawaiian luaus and happy hours, every bit as much as the Mai Tai, Piña Colada, Blue Hawaii, and Lava Flow.
The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui celebrates the pupu at its new Luana Lounge. (“Luana” is the Hawaiian word meaning to be at leisure, enjoy pleasant surroundings, to live in comfort and ease.) The new lobby bar features a new theme, new menu, new bar, new décor and new furnishings that create a more authentically local ambiance. We love all the new updates, none of which distract from the stunning, colorful South Shore sunsets.
Hotel Pools / Hawaii Hotels / Maui Hotels / Four Season Hotels / Hotel Construction / → All Tags
Coming Soon: The Most Scenic Place to Take a Dip in Wailea
We just spent a ridiculously relaxing week on Maui but we were able to do some hotel snooping while we there. We have oodles to report on the Hawaii hotel scene, but at this very moment, we’re most excited about the July 10th debut of Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea’s new infinity-edged swimming pool.
When we site inspected the hard hat area hole in the ground this past weekend, it looked like it had a ways to go, but Director of Marketing, Mark Simon told us that after several deadline extensions, what’s being dubbed as the "Serenity Pool" would finally be ready for hotel guests right after the 4th of July holiday weekend.
We sure hope so, because the weather was beyond perfect while we were there (as if there’s really ever a bad time to go to Hawaii weather-wise), and we’d hate to see summer vacationers miss out on what’s going to be a truly spectacular, upscale, kid-free pool experience.
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