The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui in Kihei, HI

We come here every year and the stay is consistent and always pleasant. The must be doing something right because we see a lot of the same staff every year (especially the valet staff which is always friendly and efficient!! ). Pools and beach are wonderful. They have chairs on the grass as well which are really nice if you don’t want the hubbub of the pool. Breakfast buffet is amazing (a bit pricey but this is Wailea…). You can linger over coffee or mimosas and we enjoy it every time. Ko restaurant is one of our favorites in the world (see separate review). Sushi restaurant (lobby area) is amazing and with live music at night it is a great experience. One recommendation I would make is to put soft cushions on the pool chairs at the adult pool. They have some on the other chairs( like one the lawn) so having the same ones at the adult pool would be a nice touch:)

I am an Accor Diamond member, have stayed here 5 years in a row, have arranged special occasions with Fairmont Kea Lani and while we had a mostly great time as usual, there were some systemic issues that after discussing with management I am hopeful will be addressed to reflect the five star property that it is. The positives: The property is still stunning and the rooms are clean and well kept. The cleaners do an amazing job and the room was like new every day even though our two kids destroyed it with food and sand daily. Even making the pull out couch daily. The food and drinks at Pilina were great as usual. My wife had one of the best sushi rolls outside of Tokyo there on NYE. The hostess sat our family with two young kids at the best spot for sunset which was amazing where other places would relegate us to the back area. There are lots of fun activities to choose from for different age groups from making leis to fire dancers to crab hunting. Feedback: The amenities could use a refresh. The same necklaces and welcome gifts etc. haven't changed in several years which for returning guests can feel stale. Pool and beach staff were openly frustrated at guests, which frankly so was I, but there was some unprofessional behaviour from employees that I am hopeful will addressed by management after feedback. They need to address chair holding with a solution that works for everyone. Maybe it's just at the holidays when large groups take over the resort, but you can't allow a single person to reserve 10 chairs. Everyone lies and says they'll be "down shortly, just grabbing breakfast" and then don't come for hours. If anything it's lost revenue for people that want to spend. I would recommend something like 2 chairs per person present. I know this has become systemic across resorts, but since they can't control entitled disrespectful guests with a sign, adjustments need to be made. Hopeful to return again for the holidays!

We stayed four nights in a pool-side suite which came with a walk-out patio door to a table and four chairs, two lounge chairs (no umbrella), and a nice chair and footstool for reading/relaxing. It looked like our 108 suite plus two others had a ocean view, but the other pool-side suites would have more a view of the pool. The suite's lounge chairs had a cushion that was thinner than the pool-side lounge chairs which was green and quite plush. The suite has two double beds, large bathroom with separate tub and double sink plus a nice laundry basket for dirty towels and a wooden rack for hanging a wet bathing suit. The living area has a large sectional couch, TV, table and chairs for dining, and the coffee/microwave area. Tea kettle, microwave, and refrigerator, and a Nespresso Vertuo coffee maker. The white stainless steel Fairmont Kea Lani water bottles are the nicest water bottles we have ever had - keeping water cold, lift up straw and a white ring for carrying. Water stations in the hotel and by the pool. At the pool is reef-safe suntan and after sun lotion in SPF 30 and 50 that you can use. There are nice white covers for the lounge chairs and plenty of towels. There is a smaller, colder adult lap pool and hot tub (hot) and good size family pools with a slide and less hot hot tub. One of the special things about the Fairmont is the Hawaiian cultural center (Hale Kukuna) in the lobby, with lovely artifacts showcasing some of the culture and books you can read, and the cultural activities: Hula, ukelele, lei making (we made a ti leaf bracelet), and language classes. Ke'ala is a hula dancer who has performed around the world for many years and truly exemplifies the aloha spirit. I loved her hula, lei making, and ukulele classes. One of my favorite memories is the ukulele class where Ke'ala and Kapono were playing along with me and singing a beautiful song about Haleakala. Ho'ohu is another lovely teacher who I enjoyed meeting and talking with in her hula class. Tips: - The outrigger canoe excursion can get booked up, so make reservations with the Concierge even before you arrive. Ours got cancelled due to the waves and unfortunately, it was full for the subsequent days. - Parking is free. I saw a Fairmont van at the other hotel we stayed at, so I think there is a service to take you to another restaurant within a certain distance. - Shops at Wailea (also restaurants and a good gourmet/grab and go or on-demand food market - Island Gourmet Markets (love the Chicken Teriyaki)). Need to drive or see if the van will take you or about a mile away. - You will need to scan the QR code to see the list of activities - cultural, exercise and water activities. Note that the hula and ukulele classes did not show up on the Android/iPhone version, but did show up in the tablet and possibly the computer version. Suggest you go to the Concierge to have them print you a schedule of the activities for when you are there, so you can see all of them. - There is a lovely path connecting the hotels and along the cliff-side with stunning views of the ocean. Suggestions for improvement: - Fix the Android/iPhone version of the activity schedule so that the hula, ukulele classes show up consistently. Suggest ensuring the classes show up under "culture" option and "all" activity option since currently they are not showing up on the phone version. - A paper copy of the week's activities would be appreciated and easier than navigating several screens and clicks on the phone to try and see activities. Mention the walkway next to beach and the Fairmont van transportation would be nice. At the next hotel we stayed at, we got a nice sheet with the week's schedule, daily activities, and special cultural activities along with additional extra cost, special activities. - Consider having some activities in the evening after dinner. I was torn between enjoying the sun/pool/ocean and going to a class. - Add some additional hula and lei/weaving classes for people who are staying a week so different things are learned. We totally loved our stay at the Fairmont and look forward to coming back.

We recently stayed at Fairmont Kea Lani again and as always it was absolutely amazing. From staff to location and the beautiful property our stay was perfect! Tara at the front desk super friendly and welcoming! So great to see the same smiley faces like Tara and Luz. Thank you all for making our stay so special! We can’t wait to be back!

We enjoyed an excellent week with extended family in a three bedroom villa at the Kea Lani. The suite-only hotel is very family oriented. Our villa was lovely, nicely furnished, ocean views from all three bedrooms, and very quiet. Note that while the kitchen is generally well-stocked, it does not include an oven. The laundry facilities and private patio with plunge pool were great amenities (as is proximity to the beach and the pool). There is very good snorkeling right off the beach. The fitness center is reasonably well equipped (especially with aerobic equipment) but is on the small side for a hotel this size and could use more and a greater variety of weight machines. That said, it was fairly empty of people both times I was in there. My wife had a massage at the spa and noted that the spa is not as elaborate as the spas in some of the other hotels in Wailea (e.g. no saunas or whirlpool baths). The staff, from valet parking to housekeeping, were uniformly friendly, helpful and service-oriented. The waterslide in the pool is a popular kid amenity. There is a separate adult-only pool, which is more serene than the main pool and not crowded (I suspect because the hotel attracts mostly families with kids). Kids under 5 eat free in the restaurants, which is a great amenity. The beach is lovely and relatively private. We visited during a holiday week and the hotel never felt excessively crowded. The hotel facilities and grounds are attractive and well maintained. The hotel offers complimentary daily activities for guests, including yoga. I would definitely classify the Kea Lani as a deluxe resort property and note that it caters to families with kids.