Spring Break to Maui: The Grand Wailea

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook or Twitter!

Emily:  Daraius surprised me with a stay at the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort.  I had never stayed in a Waldorf Astoria hotel (part of the Hilton chain), and was looking forward to our visit to see what the fuss was about! Daraius:  The Rough Guide says that “…minimalism is a dirty word” at the Grand Wailea.   And, boy, were they correct!
The Grand Wailea
Poolside at The Grand Wailea
Trip Report Index:

The Grand Wailea

Emily:  We pulled up to the entrance, and the staff took our luggage and parked our car.  Valet parking is mandatory and expensive at $30 per day.  Daraius couldn’t find any cheaper parking by the hotel, so we paid the valet fee.  But we didn’t have to pay the $25 resort fee since we booked the hotel using points and free night certificates from the Citi Hilton Reserve card.
The Grand Wailea
Grand Wailea Entrance

The building was painted in bright white and peach.

The Grand Wailea
Peach and White Grand Wailea

As you drove up, there was a waterfall with pretty flowers.

The Grand Wailea
The Waterfall

There was a very large lobby and in the center was a bar.

image006
Grand Wailea Resort Lobby

The hotel is very large and has several restaurants, a spa, seven pools, and more. I liked how it was not very crowded and quiet.

The Grand Wailea
Resort’s Interior

The open lobby and bar made the hotel look even larger.

The Grand Wailea
Open Lobby and Bar

There was even a painted ceiling in the bar and lots of sculpture, graphics, murals and artifacts everywhere.

The Grand Wailea
Artwork and Bar

We took a few pictures and then walked around the hotel.

The Grand Wailea
Picture Time!

There was an ornate bar.

The Grand Wailea
The Botero Bar

I loved how well-kept everything was.

The Grand Wailea
Beautiful Garden

There was a sculpture of Three Male Hula dancers.

The Grand Wailea
Daraius in Front of Three Male Hula Dancers

The hotel was as beautiful outside.

The Grand Wailea
Outside View

There were lots of palm trees and paths.

The Grand Wailea
Palm Trees and Marble Paths

I loved the little white canopies.  They were so pretty!

The Grand Wailea
White Canopies

There’s also a reflecting pool which is a great place to take a picture.

The Grand Wailea
Reflecting Pool
 
The Grand Wailea
The Reflecting Pool

To the right of the reflecting pool is a small chapel.

The Grand Wailea
Small Chapel

We went inside to see the stained glass.

The Grand Wailea
Chapel’s Front View

The chapel was open so we peaked inside.

The Grand Wailea
Stained Glass Interiors

Outside were the Nai’aKauhulu (Gathering of Dolphins) sculpture.

The Grand Wailea
Dancing Dolphins

The beach is also right by the hotel, providing an excellent view of the Pacific Ocean.

The Grand Wailea
By The Beach

There were lots of lounge chairs to enjoy the view.

The Grand Wailea
Lounge Chairs

The pool area, Wailea Canyon, includes everything from slides, jungle pools with a rope swing, waterfalls, caves, a sand beach, Jacuzzis, a swim-up bar, and a water elevator.

The pools are some of the best I have seen at a resort!  There are nine pools on six different levels.  The pools are connected by a river that carries swimmers along whitewater rapids and gentle currents.

The Grand Wailea
One of the Many Pools

The connecting river made the pools seems like one giant pool.

The Grand Wailea
River Connecting the Pools

There was an adults-only pool…

The Grand Wailea
Adults-only Pool
…a kids’ play area pool…
The Grand Wailea
Kids’ Play Area Pool
…a scuba dive training pool…
The Grand Wailea
Scuba Dive Training Pool
…a volleyball pool…
The Grand Wailea
Volleyball Pool
…a pool with a water elevator…
The Grand Wailea
Water Elevator
…a pool with a waterfall…
The Grand Wailea
Pool with Waterfall
…a kids’ pool with sand, to imitate a beach…
The Grand Wailea
Sand Beach Kiddie Pool
…a general pool…
The Grand Wailea
General Pool

There were more pools than we had time to try!

The Grand Wailea
A Pool a Day Keeps Daraius Happy
…a snake pool…
The Grand Wailea
Snake Pool
…pools with waterslides…
The Grand Wailea
Waterslides
…a pool with a bar…
The Grand Wailea
Pool with Bar
The Grand Wailea
Grotto Bar
..more snake pools and passageways…
The Grand Wailea
Snake Pools and Passageway
…and a bar/restaurant.
The Grand Wailea
Resort’s Bar and Restaurant

There was even a koi pond.

The Grand Wailea
Koi Pond

There was a concrete pathway which connected the Grand Wailea to the other hotels and condos in the area.

The Grand Wailea
Pathway
 

Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)

Join the Discussion!

Comments are closed.