Royal Treatment: Perfect Day at Hotel Wailea

Ready to spend a day in a posh seaside enclave? Here’s your itinerary.

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Story by Lehia Apana

Whether you’re a jet-setting traveler or an islander celebrating a milestone, here’s how to explore Maui’s most posh seaside enclave in style.

7 a.m.  Hotel Wailea is decidedly one of a kind. Maui’s sole adults-only resort is also the only hotel in Hawai‘i to gain membership in the prestigious Relais & Château, an association of exceptional hotels around the globe. And while most Wailea resorts hug the coastline, Hotel Wailea’s fifteen-acre property sits literally above the rest, high on a slope overlooking the Pacific. Spend the night and awake to sweeping ocean views and a bevy of indulgent possibilities. Tip: Shop for fresh produce and locally crafted food items at Island Gourmet Market in The Shops at Wailea nearby. Hotel Wailea’s well-stocked kitchenettes make it easy to prepare a light breakfast. Not into the DIY thing? Room service, please! 555 Kaukahi St., Wailea; 874-0500; HotelWailea.com

aerial yoga wailea

8 a.m.  The million-dollar view at Hotel Wailea’s wellness studio is reason enough to get out of bed and into your activewear. Find your flow at a traditional yoga class, or elevate your session with an aerial version.

10:30 a.m.  Ready to explore Wailea? Hop inside one of the hotel’s Tesla vehicles and be chauffeured in style. Meet a Hotel Wailea beach valet who will get you set with beach chairs, umbrellas, and other amenities along Wailea Beach. Active types can choose from a medley of watersports gear, including paddleboards and kayaks.      

A serpentine beachfront path leads past Wailea’s major hotels, which makes exploring the area a breeze. For lunch, visit the oceanfront Four Seasons Resort Maui’s Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante and fuel up on a gourmet poke bowl or a stone-baked pizza topped with Hamakua Mushrooms and truffles. Fashionistas will find high style tucked inside resort boutiques, including Cabana and 22 Knots at Four Seasons, Na Hoku at Grand Wailea, and Le Surf at Fairmont Kea Lani. Of course, no luxury itinerary is complete without a visit to a spa—and Wailea has some of the finest on Maui. (See our spa story on page 41 for ideas.) When you’re ready, call for your Tesla shuttle, return to Hotel Wailea and prepare for the day’s grand finale.

Hotel Wailea interactive cooking

5 p.m.  Slip into an apron and imagine you’re the next Top Chef at the Flavors of Hawai‘i hands-on experience at Hotel Wailea. Chef Krista Garcia leads an intimate group through a multicourse dinner, sharing cooking tips and culinary anecdotes along the way. Wine pairings, plus ingredients such as fresh-caught kampachi, local venison, and edible flowers plucked straight from Chef Garcia’s garden elevate the evening.

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