The Westin Maui Resort and Spa is the type of resort that you don't want to leave. The sprawling resort fronts Kaanapali Beach and features six pools, including an adults-only pool and kids' activity pools. It also has restaurants, a grab-and-go marketplace, a spa and a newly opened arcade and entertainment center.
I checked into my room in the Hokupaa Tower, which was part of a $120 million renovation in 2021, and immediately feel a sense of calm. The modern room is inviting and uses light tones of white, brown, tan and gray that gives it a clean, natural feel. There's a large, white, pillowy-soft bed in the middle of the room, and next to it is a long sofa and table that is perfect for dining in or working on a laptop.
The Lanai at Hokupaa is an exclusive lounge for guests staying in the Hokupaa Tower. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Westin Maui Resort and Spa
The balcony's bright-blue ocean view is a central feature, and it's where my eye keeps turning. I step out onto the balcony to see the beach and different pools below, mapping out with my eye which ones I want to head to first.
A stay at Westin Maui's Hokupaa Tower includes access to an exclusive lounge called The Lanai at Hokupaa. It serves a complimentary breakfast and evening pupu. Though it's the middle of the day, I take the elevator down to the second floor and take a walk past the Westin's fitness center to a nondescript door that is the entrance to The Lanai, and I'm able to use my room key to get inside.
There are six pools to choose from at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa, and they’re designed so that some feel like hidden oases. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Westin Maui Resort and Spa
The large space is open-air and features different sections. It feels part restaurant and part lounge, with small infinity pools, daybeds and a bar. Morning and evening are, I assume, its busiest times, so I enjoy the quiet time to wander around. I find it's a nice hideaway for a quiet conversation or meal. I take it all in then grab a complimentary granola bar and water before heading to the pools. There is plenty of sun left, and I want to take advantage of the rays. I've reserved a cabana.
The pools are not too crowded, and my cabana is next to a pool I share with only a handful of other people. The cabana has a table and couch, TV and refrigerator with cold water, and I enjoy the solitude, reading a book and taking dips in the pool.
The Westin Maui’s Hokupaa Tower features questrooms with views of the ocean and exclusive access to the Lanai lounge. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Westin Maui Resort and Spa
While Maui trips can be filled with packed itineraries of long days outside of the resort, a vacation isn't a vacation unless there's time to relax -- and the Westin Maui makes it effortless to do so with so many comforting spaces.