Visit Hawaii: Kaanapali Beach Hotel

1. Location

Kaanapali Beach Hotel occupies one of the best spots in Kaanapali, fronting a beautiful stretch of golden-sand beach with warm and usually calm waters. It is next to the Black Rock, a great place for snorkeling with clear sapphire-blue water, and lots of fish and sea turtles around. At sunset, a native Hawaiian lights the torches and then dives off from the Black Rock into the ocean. During winter months (Dec-Apr), you can see a lot of whales from the beach.

4 low-rise wings at Kaanapali Beach Resort border a fabulous stretch of beach next to a huge grassy lawn a whale-shaped pool. The inner garden area is surrounded by dozens of coconut and banana trees, with bunches of coconuts and bananas hanging from them.

When you first step into the lobby, it may remind you of a "Brady Bunch" episode - it is not fancy but charming and laid-back. Kaanapali Beach Hotel is the kind of place where you can find your own corner in the 10 acres of lush foliage to take a nap, read a book, watch the moon rise, or listen to the surf crash onto the beach.

A 5-min walk away is the Whaler's Village where you will find many good restaurants, upscale shops, and unique Hawaiian craft stores. Lahaina, the main town on Maui, is about 10-15 min drive.

2. Rooms

Kaanapali Beach Resort has 4 wings named after Hawaiian islands. Maui, Lanai and Kauai wings are 6-story buildings with elevators. 2 floors in each building are designated non-smoking. The fourth wing, Molokai, is a non-smoking 3-story building (no elevator). Rooms in Molokai building have showers only (not bathtubs). If you prefer to stay in a specific building, please let us know at the time of booking, and we'll request it for you.

Spacious rooms are simply decorated in wicker and rattan, with Hawaiian-style bedspreads. Each room has a balcony with small table and 2 chairs. Bathroom has a full-sized bathtub and shower.

You will love the turn-down service with fresh orchids placed on your pillow, along with two chocolates or yummy macadamia nut cookies for the nightcap.

You can choose from 4 different room categories:
Garden View - face tropical gardens and lawn. Located in Kauai and Molokai Wings.
Partial Ocean View - have limited view of the ocean front lanai. Located in all 4 Wings.
Ocean View - you can see the ocean front inside the room. Located in Maui, Lanai and Kauai Wings.
Ocean Front - these rooms are so close to the water that the views are simply breathtaking. Located in Kauai and Molokai Wings.

Each room features:

425 sq ft
Beds: 1 king + single daybed or 2 doubles
Air-conditioning
Private lanai with table and 2 chairs
Color cable TV with pay-per-view movies
Mini-refrigerator
Coffee maker
Iron and board
Hair dryer
Shower and bathtub (exc Molokai Wing - shower only, no bathtub)
In-room safe

Outstanding Service
What makes Kaanapali Beach Hotel really different from all other hotels in Hawaii is its staff. They bring the irresistible old-fashion Aloha spirit to the hotel. They are so genuinely friendly and helpful, that you will remember them for a long time after your stay.

Every afternoon, the hotel employees will sing to you in the courtyard, under the old banyan trees. It sounds absolutely lovely. On your last night, you will be invited to the farewell ceremony where a staff member thanks you for staying with them, sings a traditional "good-bye" song, and wraps a special kukui nut lei around your neck. You can take it home and keep if for years, remembering your vacation at the Kaanapali Beach Resort.

3. Restaurants

1) Kaanapali Mixed Plate - Every day the Chef feature a uniquely themed all-you-can-eat buffet with a mix of local and international ethnic foods. This place has earned many awards for its cuisine and decor.

2) Tiki Terrace Restaurant - This is a comfortable, laid-back place to hang out after a busy day. You will enjoy true Hawaii-style dining - open air, featuring fresh island fish and seafood, as well as juicy stakes and huli huli (rotisserie) suckling pig. Children 5 & under eat free with paying adult.

In the evening, come here for a wonderful free Hula Show with its fascinating rhythms, beauty and grace. After the show, dance under swaying palms to the beat of swinging island music. This restaurant has won the prestigious Kahili Award from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau in recognition of sharing the culture and history of the Hawaiians wit visitors.

3) Tiki Grill & Bar - Have a burger on the beach, or a cool Caesar salad in the tropical gardens. Salads and sandwiches are crisp and fresh, perfect for an afternoon at the pool. They also have some great exotic cocktails, including the Lava Flow, a refreshing non-alcoholic smoothie blended from freshly picked local fruit. Pina coladas are fantastic but pricey. If you come here in the evening, you will have a great view of the nightly Hula Show.

4) Sunday Champagne Brunch - A favorite among locals and visitors alike, the brunch features traditional items and Hawaiian specialties, desserts, free-flowing champagne and Hawaiian entertainment.

5) Aloha Annie's Welcome Breakfast - When you check in, you will receive an invitation to the Welcome Breakfast on your first morning. You'll enjoy a complete buffet breakfast with Kona coffee, fresh island fruit and Hawaiian specialties, meet the hotel staff, listen to a special performance by the hotel's employee choir, and get some useful ideas about activities you can do on Maui. It is fun and informative.

4. Things to do

Kaanapali Beach Hotel is different from other hotels on Maui in how it enhances your vacation with many authentic Hawaiian activities, such as lei making, pineapple cutting demonstrations and hula lessons.

Hula
Take a hula lesson, and you will learn the popular "Hukilau" (group net fishing) dance and song. Aspiring dancers can also learn to fashion their own ti leaf hula skirts. Or watch live hula performance each evening at the Tiki Terrace where Tiki torches and Hawaiian music create a festive atmosphere.
Lei Making
For most people, a fragrant flower lei is the essence of Hawaii, a unique way to share Love and Aloha. Sit down on the lawn in the shade of a towering palm tree and learning how to string the exotic and colorful flowers while listening to a Hawaiian story-teller.
Lau Printing
You will see many lauhala mats, Hawaii's traditional floor coverings, in the hotel. They won't make you a full-size mat, but you can learn how to weave the leaves of the Hala (Screw Pine) into a cute bookmark.
Golf
Two Kaanapali Golf Courses are right across the street from the hotel. The Tournament North Course is the most challenging. It winds from the resort to the foothills, with a spectacular par 4 at the beach. You'll need that low draw to keep the ball down in the tradewinds. The Resort South Course, originally an "Executive" layout is less difficult, but no less scenic. Either one is a winner!
Water Sports
Maui is known as the island with most water sports. Most of them are available right on Kaanapali Beach in front of the hotel. You can experience the power and rush of a jet ski, relax to the sound of waves gently lapping your kayak, dive to see the coral reef, or feel the wind push you in a sleek wailing yacht. Dinner cruise is a popular activity, when you can enjoy the sunset and moonrise accompanied by a tropical cocktail and tasty hors d'oeuvres.
Snorkeling
This is Maui's most popular water activity. You can snorkel just as you step out of the room, and see rays, turtles, and a rainbow of fish. One of Maui's premier snorkeling spots, Black Rock, is a 5-min walk. If you've never tried snorkeling before, you can start out with a quick lesson from a certified instructor in the hotel's pool.
Surfing
This water sport is uniquely Hawaiian. There are many professional surfing schools on the island that specialize in introducing newcomers to the sport. They will have you standing up on a nice large board, riding a waver into the beach, by the end of your first day. Or, if surfboarding seems a little too daunting, you can also try your hand, and fins, at body surfing. Generally practiced in the gentler "shore break", body surfing is very instinctive, and if you can swim, you'll enjoy it tremendously.
Sport Fishing
Hawaii is famous for its big-game fishing. Half- and full-day chapters are available, with experienced captains and crews who have world-record catches of blue marlin, ahi (tuna), ono (wahoo), jack and other game fish behind their belts. Prime fishing often occurs within shouting distance of the shoreline, because deep water is just a short way offshore and the currents wrap around the island tightly.
Activities for Children
Kaanapali Beach Resort is right on the beach where the entire family can swim, build sandcastles, skim board, and boogie board. Snorkeling or SCUBA (to SCUBA dive you have to be at least 12 years old), cliff diving, whale watching (December to May), parasailing (June-November), and all kinds of ocean activities are a must.
The hotel has a special program for children 12 years and younger called "Aloha Passport for Kids." It's fun and free. Kids and parents can check-in at Guest Services to sign up. Children 6-12 years old can experience 12 destinations, and 3-5 year-olds have an eight-destination passport with activities that are geared toward the younger child.
At each destination, their passport is stamped with a Hawaiian word and the child receives a gift to play with while staying at the hotel and as a memento of their visit. The destinations include Hawaiian activities like hula lessons, lauhala weaving, or flower lei making. The hotel shops and restaurants are also passport locations. Infants to 2 year-olds receive a passport card with their personalized Hawaiian name and a baby bucket full of goodies.