More about Hotel Hana Maui
Hotel Hana-Maui fans
by TripAdvisor Member moanaluna
Our first week was at the Four Seasons and the second was at Hotel Hana Maui. We preferred the casual atmosphere in Hana, more of an authentic Hawaiian experience. The food was so-so, but the staff and the setting made up for it. A gorgeous pool and nature paths everywhere were very tantalizing but the real reason we chose Hana was to find peace and quiet and hike. The book Kaui Trailblazer was recommended and we found it added alot of depth to our daily exploits. One week was not enough to see everything. All in all, we will be repeat visitors to this uncommercialized area of the island.
Hotel Hana Maui
by Erin74 about Hotel Hana Maui
If you're looking for a "different "or "off-the-beaten-path" experience on Maui, stay in Hana.
Most tourists only cruise through Hana briefly, as they navigate the popular Road to Hana. But if you choose to actually stay here you'll find that Hana is one of the most authentic Hawaiian experiences you can have. The town is quiet, small and unspoiled by tourism. It's also very isolated from the rest of the island. The beaches here are rocky and feature lava and black sand. It rains much more often here than on the western parts of the island and is lush and green as a result.
If you'd like to stay in Hana, Hotel Hana Maui is definitely the place to be. The hotel has been a landmark in Hana for more than 50 years and is recently restored. Decorated with Hawaiian woods and fabrics, the hotel is warm and welcoming. For the ultimate in luxury, stay in your own private guest house on the hotel's property. If a splurge isn't in the budget, check out the lovely garden rooms within the hotel itself.
The hotel has several restaurants, all with amazing views of the area. There is also a spa on the property where you can be pampered.
Beware!
by TripAdvisor Member OneBabydoll
THIS HOTEL IS NOT FOR EVERYONE and it certainly wasn't for me --maybe not you either. After enjoying the (true) oceanfront luxury of the Whaler in lively but peaceful Kaanapali, we went looking for luxury and spa treatments at Hotel Hana Maui. Unfortunately, past reviews on this site did not communicate how isolated and humid this place is. (ok, duh it's a rain forest I know but Jamaica was too and they have air there). And the two lawyers who own this place sure keep it quiet in their promotions material that Hotel Hana Maui has NO AIR CONDITIONING. You find that out when you get to the room. What's worse, the in-room hype seems to brag about the "rustico" design of the hotel which features ceiling fans that presumably maintain the feel without exposing you to gastly modern horrors of air conditioning (get over yourselves counselors -- we know it's because you are too cheap to install it!). The cool artwork and feel of the place were ruined for me by the choking heat, plus the long, long, long walk to the restaurant (or anywhere else on the 66 acres) which you will probably tackle in a stealth-like downpour.
I'll give them credit for the beautiful rooms (even if my boyfriend thought they were huts rights out of Bridge on the River Kwai), it doesn't matter a bit that you are in a luxury sea ranch cottage with spa. It's too hot to use the spa, the ocean is far away (compared to many of the condos on Kaanapali) and you can't walk to it. And while I am certainly not a party-er in any sense of the word, this place was too dead even for me. At least my musician boyfriend got a song out of it written thanks to complete boredom and misery.
You've read the warnings in all the guide books about the restaurant -- and they are all true. One thing they didn't mention was the possibility of the 3 inch tropical cockroach that ran up my leg and down again during dinner (the waitress was willing to pick it up after we killed it, so I guess the service wasn't all bad). If you long for outdated 80's nouvelle cuisine featuring a tiny $27 tomato as an entree, with very little other selections, and having to nag the server several times to bring you a glass of wine (which by the way never came), you will love the dining at Hotel Hana Maui. We booked three nights and escaped with our lives after 16 hours. My advise? Enjoy the drive to Hana and turn around like everyone else to come back to areas that more closely resemble why you came to Hawaii in the first place.
memorable hotel
by TripAdvisor Member Danchik
Recently my family and i had the pleasure of staying at the hotel hana maui. It was our first stay and we hope to come back soon again. The hotel grounds and the area around it is one of bliss and tranquility. My wife and our children spent 6 days on the property and could have stayed longer. The Hana area is wonderful, not developed in a way that the rest of Maui is, and that affords one to get a closer look at traditional Hawaiian culture. The hotel had a Friday night show showcasing the villagers performing its cultural traditions that was a highlight of our stay.
The main problem is the good but overpriced restaurant for dinner and especially the very small portions being served, a source of complaints shared by many guests during our stay. The other restaurant owned by the hotel, up the road, while cheaper, proved to be of a singlarly poor quality. This is simply unforgivable.
The service ,in terms of housekeeping, is highly erratic- the wet bar was filled only periodically, the amenities were stacked in a similarly erratic manner. The staff, all around ,is genuinely wonderful and friendly.. The spa is great, the golf course always needs trimming, no one appeared to be attending to it.
All in all, a perfect, idyllic stay, that due to certain irregularities and lapses of management just misses the mark- a satisfying four star experience at rates that are the domain of five star hotels. If those lapses are rectified, we will definitely be back and tell all our friends to come.
David Eden
A Tale of Two Hotels
by A TripAdvisor Member
I have travelled with my wife and three daughters. We have been to Hawaii, the Caribbean - including many lovely resorts. We have never experienced a more tranquil, elegant and beautiful setting - the lawn slopes down to the Pacific, the inifinity pool's water/mirror meets the sky - ahhhh, the world is beautiful. Teen age daughters loved it too. The down side of this paradise? The restaurant, which is the only eatery within miles, is fine (overpriced but, goes with the rates) for a night or two, but becomes limited, uncreative and repetitive very quickly. Additionally, despite the small hotel population and few drop ins, the staff was remarkably inflexible seating us the night we did not have a formal reservation.
Staff was friendly and included, much to our delight, many native Hawaiians who are deservedly proud of their beautiful (however wrecked and plundered by us American folk) island. They are not necessarily that prompt or quick about room clean up. A few days, our room was still not cleaned up by 2 or 3 pm.
Summary - if you're looking for tranquility and the ultimate luxury of privacy in a tropical paradise, and you will be tolerant of a bit of bore in the kitchen, the Hotel Hana Maui fits the bill.
Balm for the soul
by A TripAdvisor Member
My husband and I visited this hotel based mostly on the reviews on Tripadvisor. We hoped to find an unhurried, relaxing place with all the luxuries you could want, and we were not disappointed. Far from it – this is definitely one of the nicest resorts we have ever stayed in. But as other reviewers have pointed out, it is not for everyone. If you're looking for nightlife, "excitement," throngs of people, and a vast array of restaurants, this is not it. But if you want a blissful, peaceful, pampered stay, close to nature and the soul of Hawai'i, the Hotel Hana Maui is your ticket. It is pricey, but worth it. The staff is gracious, the cabins are lovely, the ocean mesmerizing. The food at the hotel was excellent during our stay – breakfasts especially are wonderful to linger over and most evenings there is entertainment in the bar (low key and Hawaiian). You can also eat at the Ranch restaurant, an informal place with good, solid food (try the ribs!). There are only two general stores in Hana and a couple of souvenir shops, which makes a refreshing change from the shop-till-you-drop mentality of more popular Hawaiian tourist spots.
We stayed in a sea ranch cottage, which was comfortably decorated in natural colors and kapa prints. The bathroom is superb, with separate shower and soaking tub. There's a wet bar (stocked with juice, water, soda, and fresh coffee every day), and a sitting area inside, and a patio with a built-in hot tub. There's no better way of starting the day than by sipping a glass of juice in the Jacuzzi and then ambling off to breakfast. Ideally, the decks should be more private, but most cabins are far enough apart that you don't really notice the neighbors.
The grounds are well kept and extensive. If you don't want to walk you can always hitch a ride on a resort cart and strike up a conversation with the driver, who is usually a local. If you're there when there are welcome drinks at the plantation house, do make an effort to go – it's a great way of meeting fellow guests and resort staff. The ocean pool is marvelously relaxing – great for a quick swim and a poolside drink or snack. The spa facilities are terrific – you can use them for free, even if you're not having a treatment.
This was our first trip to Maui, and it couldn't have been better. We went on a day trip to the west side (where everyone seems to go), and while the beaches there are beautiful, we prefer the less traveled Hana coast. Can't wait to go again!
Maui honeymoon last stop
by A TripAdvisor Member
We finished our honeymoon here for two nights starting July 6 and it was the most amazing place we have ever stayed at. If you are looking for someplace secluded and very very romantic then this is definitly your place. The Road to Hana was beutiful and made a great day drive on the way to the hotel. Being so far from everything food is limited but we ate dinner every night in the main dining resturant and had some of the best food we have ever had. Staff was so enjoyable and friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. Next time we are in Maui this is the only place we will stay!
Photos
One of the guesthouses and Hotel Hana Maui
road to hana maui
Road to Hana - Maui
The hills above the town of Hana, Maui
Forum Posts
Transportation
by chabab
Are there any shuttle services? Plan to stay at HOTEL HANA MAUI but won't have a car rental.
RE: Transportation
by BlueCollar
That will certainly be a hefty taxi fare - if you can find one to take you. Hana sits on the slow (the speed at which life seems to move there) side of Maui and is still pretty isolated for being part of a major island.
You may want to check with Paragon Air about a flight to Hana's runway (http://www.paragon-air.com/flights_to_hana.htm). I remember seeing some literature about Hotel Hana Maui offering transport from the Hana runway to their property. Other than that all I can offer is a simple "good luck".
RE: RE: Transportation
by Jamesr3939
Pacific Wings Airlines flies into to Hana airport. However, it is expensive at $175 pp RT either from OGG or HNL. That might not be to bad if you could fly into HNL and save some money. I know looking at flights it is cheaper to go into HNL than OGG.
Re: Transportation
by dsunlin
The hotel will probably pick you up. Judging from how much they charge, they should be able to afford a shuttle. First class is first class.
Sign in with Facebook
