Maui magnificence: A review of Kaanapali Alii, a Destination by Hyatt Residence

Booking

Location

The 177-unit Kaanapali Alli is located about a 45-minute drive away from Kahului Airport (OGG) on one of Maui’s most popular beaches, not far from the old whaling port of Lahaina. It’s one of several resorts on famous Kaanapali Beach, a 3-mile stretch of sand on the western coast of the island. The area has drawn tourists since it started being developed in the 1960s, though the Kaanapali Alii didn’t open until the 1980s.

Check-in

Check-in at the Kaanapali Alii is at 4 p.m., so I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived around 2 p.m. and was told that our unit was ready. The process was quick, with the hotel employee taking a credit card and confirming I was in a two-bedroom condo with ocean views.

During check-in, the front desk staff handed me five bracelets, which my brother, his three kids and I were asked to wear throughout our stay to prove residency. I was also given five towel cards so we could have towels to use when at the property’s pools and Kaanapali Beach. With the latter, I was warned that if we lost a card (or a towel), I’d be on the hook for a $25 replacement fee, a policy I find to be a bit strict but not uncommon to come across at resorts in Hawaii.

Once the guest policies were covered, the front desk agent offered to send a bellman to help us unload all our luggage and groceries. Since we had so much stuff, we decided to pass in favor of moving everything we brought ourselves to save some time and keep ourselves organized.

Room

When my brother, his kids and I walked into our assigned condo, we were blown away by what lay inside.

Food and beverage

Unlike traditional resorts where you’ll find one or more restaurants, there are no sit-down dining venues at the Kaanapali Alii. This wasn’t an issue for my family, as we visited a Costco by the island’s airport on our way to the property so we could cook the bulk of our meals in our unit’s well-equipped kitchen.

If you don’t want to worry about buying your own groceries, you can arrange to have the resort stock your unit’s pantry and Sub-Zero fridge for you ahead of time. There’s also a small convenience store on-site, should you want to pick up a couple of items or buy a snack without stepping foot off the property.

A professional grill master at the property can help you make perfectly seasoned meat, too. This complimentary service is available on a first-come, first-served basis from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday through Tuesday.

For those who’d rather avoid having to cook while on vacation, there are several eateries located within walking distance, including the previously mentioned Leilani’s on the Beach and Hula Grill Kaanapali, plus Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman. All three serve casual, family-friendly Hawaiian fare, such as fish tacos, poke bowls and pizza topped with kalua pork and pineapple.

Amenities

Although dining options are limited, there is an array of other amenities at the Kaanapali Alli. However, they’re not quite of the caliber of what a high-end hotel would offer in Hawaii.

Free amenities range from on-site parking (which I always appreciate, as it’s hard to find these days) to Wi-Fi access to complimentary coffee in the mornings in an indoor-outdoor space with TVs and plentiful seating.

There is also a gym, which, I noted, remained empty for the majority of our stay. Located in a building to the right of one of the parking garages, the unstaffed space had modern exercise equipment, including a Star Trac Max Rack weight machine, cardio machines like ellipticals by Matrix, Peloton bikes, free weights and a small studio for yoga.

The resort offers “Rise and Shine” yoga classes three days a week for $25 a person. Group fitness classes, such as circuit training, are also available three days a week for $25 per person. To participate, you’ll need to reserve your spot at the front desk.

If you’d rather break a sweat with outdoor activities, you can head to one of three clay tennis courts. They’re free to use, and guests can borrow tennis rackets and balls for free through the concierge.

Should you prefer to indulge while on vacation, a day spa is also available in the fitness center. I didn’t book a treatment but saw that a number of massages, facials and even waxings were available in individual treatment rooms. A 50-minute massage costs $145, while a 50-minute facial will set you back $160.

Besides the wellness facilities, guests have access to three oceanfront pools: a quiet pool, a kids pool and a curviform main pool with a waterfall. They’re small by Hawaii resort standards and lack any wow factors for families, such as waterslides, but they never got too crowded during our visit. We could always grab enough lounge chairs for our entire group, regardless of when we visited, which is a major plus in Hawaii these days.

A couple of hot tubs were also available and were always empty when we walked by.

At the main pool house, you could rent beach umbrellas and poolside cabanas. Beach umbrellas cost $20 per half day and $40 per full day, while cabana prices range from $45 to $70 per day.

Throughout the pool area, there were stations where you could arrange off-site activities and excursions like whale watching, snorkeling and helicopter rides. These stations were also where you could get fresh towels, though guests are limited to one towel per towel card, which is strictly enforced.

If you know you want to enjoy some activities while on Maui but are not quite sure what you’d like to do, you can visit the concierge office inside the small convenience store. There, you’ll find more information on nearby things to do and can get assistance booking activities. Just be aware that the hours are limited from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Like other resorts in Hawaii, the Kaanapali Alii has beach access. However, it’s far from perfect. We were warned at check-in that parts of the property, including the beach, had washed away during recent storms. While older photos of the beach show a wide stretch of sand, it is currently much smaller.

Nearly all of the beach walk is closed as well due to recent weather events, so while you can still access the beach, you can no longer stroll down the lawn directly to it. This isn’t the resort’s fault by any stretch of the imagination, as neighboring properties also had issues with their beaches when we visited, but you’ll want to keep this in mind so you know what to expect.

Service

Overall, we experienced top-notch service while at the Kaanapali Alii. The front desk staff was friendly, and the fact that they let us check in early was a wonderful surprise. The bellmen were hospitable and quick to offer assistance, too, and calls to the front desk were answered promptly. We also appreciated having access to basic housekeeping every day, as so many resorts have eliminated it altogether due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Still, we did encounter a couple of issues in the room, though they were handled efficiently.

In one of the bathrooms, the hand-held shower head didn’t work and the bidet drain was backed up. Fortunately, a call to maintenance led to the resolution of both issues by the time we returned from a few hours at the beach.

We also had to call maintenance to turn on the televisions since the property directs all guests to do so instead of leaving instructions inside the units. While it was slightly annoying to have to take this extra step so we could occasionally watch a show, it was ultimately a minor inconvenience that didn’t eat up too much of our time.

The friendly woman working at the concierge desk deserves a special mention. She not only helped us book activities, but also personally walked my family and me to the beach to show us how to detour around the closed sidewalks. That was a nice service touch we weren’t expecting.

Checkout was fast and efficient as well, and there were no surprises in the final bill.

While the service wasn’t as hands-on as what you may experience at traditional hotels, it exceeded my expectations for a vacation rental.

Accessibility

Because the units at the Kaanapali Alii have individual owners, there is no legal requirement for rooms to be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, I was told that some rooms have ramps and are therefore wheelchair friendly, though every room has at least two steps.

The property itself isn’t ideal for wheelchairs, as the irregular pavement and closed walkways would make it tough for those in wheelchairs to get around. The hallways were wide, though, and the elevator could accommodate guests in wheelchairs.

Additionally, there were chair lifts for the pools and hot tubs.

Overall impression

The Kaanapali Alii has everything you could want in a vacation rental home … well, aside from a bargain-basement price. The one- and two-bedroom condos provide ample space to stretch out, plus some top-notch features like fully equipped kitchens and comfortably furnished lanais. Having complimentary parking and easy access to various shops and restaurants are highlights, too.

Because each unit is individually owned, the exact interior design, layout and condition of each space will vary from condo to condo. If you don’t mind this lack of consistency, though, odds are you’ll enjoy staying here, so long as beach erosion isn’t a deal breaker.