The Andaz Maui at Wailea is the kind of hotel that appears on every "best in Hawaii" list — and for the most part, it earns that placement. But lists rarely tell you what the pool crowd is like at 2pm on a Saturday, whether the breakfast is worth $45 per person, or exactly how a Category 6 World of Hyatt redemption stacks up against the cash rate. That's what this review is for.
We stayed for four nights in an Ocean View King room, experienced every pool, ate at both restaurants, participated in three on-site activities, and tested the points math thoroughly. Here's everything.
The Quick Verdict
The Andaz Maui is genuinely exceptional — restrained luxury that doesn't announce itself, a beach position that outperforms its price tier, and a points redemption that represents some of the best value in the World of Hyatt program. The food is better than expected for a resort this size. The pools are better than the photos suggest. The room design is beautiful.
The downsides are real but manageable: the Bumbye Pool gets crowded and loud by midday, the resort fee adds meaningful cost to cash bookings, and the Ka'ana Kitchen breakfast — while excellent — is expensive enough to notice. Plan around the crowding, use your loyalty status to mitigate the fees, and the experience is close to flawless.
Location: 3550 Wailea Alanui Dr, Wailea, Maui · Chain: Andaz (World of Hyatt) · Category: Category 6 (22,000–27,000 points/night) · Cash rate: $700–$1,200+/night · Resort fee: ~$55/night · Rooms: 297 · Pools: 3 · Restaurants: 2 (Ka'ana Kitchen, Morimoto Maui) · Beach: Direct access to Mokapu Beach
Location and Getting There
Wailea is Maui's luxury resort corridor — planned, manicured, and positioned on the island's sunny south shore where rainfall is minimal and the Pacific is typically calmer and clearer than the west side. The Andaz sits at the northern end of the Wailea resort strip, directly on Mokapu Beach, with the Four Seasons immediately to its south.
The location matters more than the address suggests. Mokapu Beach is one of Wailea's quieter stretches — partially because it fronts two of the area's more upscale properties rather than the larger resort hotels further down the strip. The snorkeling directly off the beach is excellent, with healthy coral and regular sea turtle sightings most mornings.
Getting there: Kahului Airport (OGG) is approximately 35–40 minutes by car depending on traffic. The Andaz operates a complimentary airport car service — a proper town car or SUV, not a shuttle — for guests who request it in advance. This is one of the more genuinely useful hotel perks on the property. Request it at booking confirmation through the hotel directly; it's not always prominently advertised. Uber and Lyft also serve the route at roughly $45–65 each way.
The complimentary car service has limited availability and books out, particularly during peak season. Email the hotel directly at least 72 hours before arrival to confirm. It's a meaningful upgrade over arriving by rideshare after a long flight.
Check-In Experience
The Andaz brand built its identity around the idea of doing away with the traditional hotel check-in desk — and the Maui property executes this well. Arrival is in an open-air lobby that flows directly toward the ocean, and you're greeted with a welcome drink before anything administrative happens. Staff are warm without being performative about it.
Our room wasn't ready at the 3pm standard check-in (we arrived at 2:30pm), but the team proactively texted when it was available and offered full pool and beach access in the meantime — exactly the right call. Andaz Globalist and Explorist members get confirmed room upgrades (our guide on how to negotiate a hotel upgrade at check-in covers how to maximize this even at base tier), and even at standard tier, the room assignment conversation was genuine rather than scripted.
One note: check-in can be slower than expected during peak arrivals (4–6pm on Fridays and Saturdays when flights from the mainland arrive). If possible, time your arrival for late morning or early evening to avoid the rush.
The Rooms
We stayed in an Ocean View King — approximately 530 square feet with a private lanai overlooking Mokapu Beach and the neighboring islands of Lāna'i and Kahoʻolawe on the horizon. The design leans into natural textures throughout: lava rock accents, reclaimed wood, and linen in muted earth tones that feel specific to Hawaii rather than generically tropical.
The lanai is genuinely usable — deep enough for two chairs and a small table, positioned to catch both morning sun and afternoon shade. We had coffee out there every morning before the beach filled up, which is the kind of detail that turns a good hotel stay into a memorable one.
In-room amenities worth noting:
- Nespresso machine with locally sourced coffee pods
- Malin+Goetz bath products (genuinely good, not the generic hotel soap situation)
- Complimentary minibar stocked with water, soft drinks, and snacks — refreshed daily
- Bose Bluetooth speaker
- Private lanai on all ocean-facing rooms
- Rain shower with a separate soaking tub in the suite categories
- 65-inch TV (rarely used, frankly)
- Fast, reliable WiFi — no additional charge
What the room is not: enormous. At 530 square feet it's comfortable and well-designed but not expansive. The suite categories (starting at Ocean Suite, around 900 sq ft) add meaningful space if that matters to your stay. The standard rooms are fine for couples who plan to spend most of their time outside the room — which at Andaz Maui, you will.
The Pools
Three pools, three distinct personalities. This is one of the most underappreciated aspects of the property.
Bumbye Pool is the main pool — a large, social infinity-edge pool with the best sunset views on the property. Poolside service is attentive, the bar does excellent tropical cocktails, and the energy is lively. It's also the busiest pool, particularly between 11am and 3pm when it can feel genuinely crowded. Chairs fill up by 9am on peak days — send someone down early if you want a prime spot.
Mokapu Pool is the family-oriented option — slightly removed from the main pool area, calmer, and where you'll find the kids' activities. Families cluster here naturally, which keeps the Bumbye Pool somewhat quieter for adults. Well-designed separation.
Elua Pool is the adults-only option and the most beautiful of the three — two long, reflective lap-style pools set lower on the property with views directly over the beach and ocean. Quieter, more serene, and where you should spend your mornings if peace is the priority. Cabana rentals are available and worth it for a full day if the budget permits.
Food and Drink
This is where the Andaz Maui genuinely surprises — the food is significantly better than most resort hotels manage.
Ka'ana Kitchen is the flagship restaurant and the hub of the resort's food experience. Breakfast is an interactive concept — chefs cook at various stations around the open kitchen and the selection rotates daily, with an emphasis on local sourcing from Upcountry Maui farms. Eggs cooked to order, fresh fish, Hawaiian staples like loco moco and fresh poi alongside more continental options. The quality is excellent. The price — approximately $45 per person — reflects it. Whether that's worth it depends entirely on your food priorities, but it's genuinely one of the better hotel breakfasts in Hawaii.
Dinner at Ka'ana Kitchen is more refined. The menu changes seasonally and leans into whatever is coming from their farm and fishing relationships. The fish preparations are consistently the highlight. Reservations recommended for dinner, particularly during peak season.
Morimoto Maui operates on the beach level and is the dinner destination on the property. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto's outpost here has been running since the hotel opened and remains excellent — Japanese-Hawaiian fusion that takes the concept seriously rather than coasting on the chef's name. The omakase experience is extraordinary if budget allows; the à la carte menu delivers nearly as well at a more approachable price point. The beachside setting at sunset is one of the most romantic dinner settings on the island.
Reservations at Morimoto Maui are essential and should be made 3–4 weeks in advance during peak season. The bar here — particularly at sunset hour — is worth a visit even without dinner.
The Pool Bars at both Bumbye and Elua serve throughout the day. The cocktails are well-made and priced as you'd expect at a luxury resort ($18–24 range). The food menu covers salads, light bites, and the kind of elevated poolside fare that makes a long pool day genuinely satisfying.
On-Site Experiences
This is where the Andaz Maui distinguishes itself from properties that simply provide a room and a pool. The activities program is thoughtful and genuinely integrated into the Hawaiian cultural experience rather than feeling like an afterthought.
Outrigger Canoe Tours are offered most mornings directly from the beach. A traditional Hawaiian outrigger canoe, guided by staff who explain the cultural significance of the vessels and the paddling traditions. It's an experience that feels specific to place — not something you could get at a generic resort. Complimentary for guests; book through the concierge upon arrival.
Snorkeling directly off Mokapu Beach is excellent without any tour involvement — just fins and a mask, available to borrow from the beach attendants. Sea turtles are a regular morning presence. The reef directly off the beach isn't the most dramatic on Maui but it's accessible and reliably populated with marine life. For the full snorkeling experience, book a Molokini Crater boat tour through the concierge — Trilogy and Pride of Maui both operate from nearby Mā'alaea Harbor.
The Andaz Luau is held weekly on the beachside lawn and is one of the better luaus on Maui — which is a competitive category. Traditional Hawaiian food, live music, hula performances, and a fire knife dance. More intimate than the large commercial luaus in west Maui, and the food quality is meaningfully higher given the kitchen behind it. Tickets should be reserved in advance through the hotel; it sells out during peak season.
Daily Cultural Activities are offered throughout the week — lei making, Hawaiian quilting, ukulele lessons, outrigger canoe paddling clinics, and cooking demonstrations with the Ka'ana Kitchen chefs. The schedule changes seasonally; ask the concierge for the current week's programming on arrival. Most are complimentary and run 45–60 minutes.
The Spa at Andaz Maui is a full-service spa with an emphasis on Hawaiian healing traditions — lomi lomi massage, volcanic stone treatments, and local botanical ingredients. The facilities (steam room, thermal pools, relaxation areas) are excellent even without a treatment. Book treatments at least 48 hours in advance.
Fitness Center is open 24 hours, well-equipped, and rarely crowded before 7am — which is when you'll want to use it given the early mornings that Maui naturally produces through jet lag.
The Surrounding Area
The Andaz sits at the north end of the Wailea resort strip, which gives it access to everything the area offers without being directly in the busiest section.
The Wailea Beach Walk — a paved coastal path connecting the Wailea resort properties — runs directly past the property and is excellent for morning and evening walks. The entire strip takes about 45 minutes to walk end to end.
Nearby resorts worth exploring: The Four Seasons Maui is immediately to the south and has a bar (Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante) worth visiting for sunset cocktails even as a non-guest. The Grand Wailea is a 10-minute walk and its extraordinary pool complex — nine interconnected pools — is worth seeing.
Wailea restaurants beyond the resort: Lineage (Chef Sheldon Simeon's modern Hawaiian, 5 minutes away) is essential. Monkeypod Kitchen in Wailea Gateway Center does excellent happy hour cocktails and locally sourced food. Kō Restaurant at the Fairmont Kea Lani is one of Maui's finest dining experiences and worth the 10-minute drive south.
Kīhei — a 10-minute drive north — offers more casual and local dining options at significantly lower prices. This is where you go for plate lunch, shave ice, and the kind of restaurants that locals actually eat at. Having a rental car opens all of this up; the resort's complimentary bike rental is also useful for the Wailea Beach Walk and surrounding paths.
The Road to Hana begins in Kahului, roughly 35 minutes away — a full-day excursion that pairs beautifully with an Andaz stay. See our complete Road to Hana guide for everything you need to know before you go.
Haleakalā National Park — the dormant volcano whose summit sits above the clouds at 10,023 feet — is approximately 1.5 hours from Wailea. The sunrise experience from the summit is one of the great natural spectacles in the Pacific. Requires advance reservation through recreation.gov. See our Complete Maui Travel Guide for the full breakdown of island-wide activities.
Points Value Breakdown
This is where the Andaz Maui becomes genuinely compelling for the points-savvy traveler.
The property sits at Category 6 in the World of Hyatt program, which means:
- Standard rate: 22,000 points/night
- Peak rate: 27,000 points/night
- Off-peak rate: 17,000 points/night
| Scenario | Points Cost | Cash Equivalent | CPP Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-peak standard room | 17,000/night | $750–$850/night | ~4.4–5.0¢ |
| Standard rate, standard room | 22,000/night | $800–$1,000/night | ~3.6–4.5¢ |
| Peak rate, standard room | 27,000/night | $1,000–$1,200/night | ~3.7–4.4¢ |
| 5-night stay (4th night free) | 88,000 total | $4,000–$5,000 cash | ~4.5–5.7¢ |
At the standard rate of 22,000 points/night against cash rates of $800–$1,000, you're consistently getting 3.6–4.5 cents per point — more than double the 1.7¢ minimum target value for Hyatt points and among the highest CPP redemptions available anywhere in the program.
The fifth-night-free benefit amplifies this further. A five-night stay costs 88,000 points (4 nights × 22,000) — the fifth night is complimentary. Against a $4,000–$5,000 cash equivalent, that's approaching 5¢ per point on the overall stay.
How to earn the points: The most efficient path is through Chase Ultimate Rewards — specifically the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve — which transfer to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. A 60,000–80,000 point sign-up bonus covers 2–3 nights at standard rates. See our complete World of Hyatt program guide for the full earning and redemption strategy, and our Chase Ultimate Rewards guide for how to maximize your earning rate.
Elite status benefits here: Explorist members get confirmed room upgrades at booking (standard suites when available). Globalist members get confirmed suite upgrades, complimentary breakfast (saving ~$45/person/day — meaningful over a 5-night stay), and guaranteed late checkout. The breakfast benefit alone at Globalist status saves $450+ on a five-night couples trip.
Pros and Cons
- ✓ Exceptional points value — consistently 3.5–5¢ per point
- ✓ Three distinct pools for different moods and group types
- ✓ Direct beach access on one of Wailea's best stretches
- ✓ Morimoto Maui is a genuine destination restaurant
- ✓ Excellent cultural activities program — outrigger, luau, daily workshops
- ✓ Complimentary car service from the airport
- ✓ Complimentary minibar restocked daily
- ✓ Design feels authentically Hawaiian rather than generically tropical
- ✗ Resort fee (~$55/night) adds meaningful cost to cash bookings
- ✗ Bumbye Pool crowded and loud on peak days — chairs gone by 9am
- ✗ Ka'ana Kitchen breakfast expensive at $45/person
- ✗ Standard rooms are comfortable but not large
- ✗ Morimoto Maui reservations required weeks in advance
- ✗ Parking fee adds $35–45/night for guests with rental cars
- ✗ Peak season rates make cash booking difficult to justify vs. points
Who Should Stay Here
Perfect for:
- Points travelers with a Hyatt balance or Chase UR points — this is one of the best redemptions in the entire World of Hyatt program. If you have 88,000 points available, a five-night stay here on points beats almost any other use of that balance.
- Honeymooners and couples — the combination of Elua Pool, Morimoto Maui at sunset, and the overall design sensibility makes this one of the most romantic resorts in Hawaii.
- Travelers who want cultural depth alongside luxury — the outrigger tours, luau, and daily activities add genuine substance to what could otherwise be a passive beach vacation.
- Foodies — two genuinely excellent restaurants on property, with Wailea's broader dining scene a short walk or drive away.
Might prefer elsewhere:
- Families with young children — the Hyatt Regency Maui in Kāʻanapali has a better kids' program (Drummond's Camp) and more family-oriented pool energy. The Grand Wailea's elaborate pool complex also edges out the Andaz for families.
- Budget-conscious travelers — even on points this is a Category 6 property. If your points balance is limited, Category 3–4 properties elsewhere will stretch further.
- Travelers who prioritize room size — if a large suite is central to your stay, the Four Seasons next door or the Fairmont Kea Lani's all-suite format may be a better fit.
Our Rating
The Andaz Maui at Wailea sits in a rare category: a luxury resort that actually delivers on its reputation while simultaneously offering some of the best points redemption value of any hotel in Hawaii. Whether you're paying cash or burning a Hyatt balance, the experience justifies the investment.
For the full picture of planning a Maui trip around this property — what to do, where else to eat, and how to structure the rest of your itinerary — see our Complete Maui Travel Guide and our Road to Hana guide. And if you're new to the World of Hyatt program, our full program breakdown covers everything you need to know to earn the points for a stay like this.
Editorial Disclosure: This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reflects the author's honest research, experience, and editorial judgment. AI-assisted content on The Global Edit is always reviewed, edited, and approved by our editorial team before publication. We maintain full editorial independence — no hotel, brand, or advertiser has paid for or influenced this content.