The 13 best hotels in Maui

To experience authentic Hawaiian accommodation and hospitality, look no further than Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, with its views of the West Maui Mountains and immediate access to the soft sand at the famed Ka’anapali Beach. Dubbed ‘Hawaii’s Most Hawaiian Hotel’, KBH preserves and shares Hawaiian culture through complimentary on-site ʻōlelo (language) lessons, ukulele demonstrations, traditional décor, and so much more. Its beachfront restaurant Huihui integrates traditional cuisine with a modern flavor and is the perfect spot to gather with friends. There are also firepits overlooking the sea. Sitting there with a tropical cocktail, there's your holiday, people. 

Based in the historic town of Lāhainā, the Plantation Inn is in a prime location for experiencing this hip town’s food and drink scene. Value-packed accommodations offer a quieter approach to island life, with just 14 guestrooms and 4 suites, and a private inner courtyard with a pool and jacuzzi surrounded by lush Hawaiian vegetation. Traditional décor and furnishings immerse guests in island heritage, as does the included breakfast of fresh fruits, local coffee, and savory entrees. 

One of the best – and easiest – snorkel destinations on the island is right in front of Sheraton Maui Resort. Guests can simply walk into the shallow surf and begin seeing vibrant tropical fish and sea turtles. Alongside this is the famous Black Rock, where nightly cliff diving ceremonies are performed by tiki light, while daytime hours offer a stream of brave visitors trying out a cannonball (yeah, that kind of cannonball). The resort offers beachside s’mores kits to enjoy around the firepit, while daylight should be spent lazing about the massive lagoon-style pool. Then admire oceanfront views from your guestroom before enjoying dinner under the stars. 

Located on a private section of Wailea Beach, these tropical-styled two-to-five-bedroom villas come complete with modern kitchens, flatscreen TVs, and your own BBQ so you can grill while you lounge on the terrace. Kids and adults can enjoy the pools, with a family-friendly pool featuring waterfalls, and an adults-only infinity pool for downtime with drinks. Just 15 minutes from Kihei, Wailea Beach Villas is perfectly situated to explore the less touristy parts of the island.

If you’re looking to check out and completely dedicate yourself to authentic island life, you can’t do much better than the Hana-Maui Resort. This award-winning hotel of spacious rustic-chic cottages in the secluded eastern tip of Hana sits perched amid rolling grass fields and towering cliffs studded with palm trees, giving the sort of remote Maui experience that’s far removed from the rest of its tourist hubs. Want to see the best of Maui’s natural beauty? This resort is conveniently close to some of the island’s most famous wonders, such as Wailua Falls and the seven sacred pools cascade of waterfalls. Activities here include horse riding, bamboo pole fishing, and more. You won't be short on things to do, though that being said, you'd be forgiven for simply soaking up the sunshine. 

The Kea Lani boasts the title of being the only all-suite and villa luxury beachfront resort in Maui. So, if lapping up some elegance is what you’re after, this is where to come. Compared to other hotels on the island, the Kea Lani is pretty design-focused, featuring spacious, family-friendly suites and two and three-bedroom villas with full kitchens, courtyards, and private plunge pools, all done in an understated Hawaiian aesthetic of muted whites and earth tones. There’s a 24-hour gym if that’s how you roll. Plus outdoor pools and a massive waterslide.

Set along famous Ka’anapali Beach, Hyatt Regency checks off all the ingredients of an indulgent Hawaiian getaway; expansive pools, immediate beach access, an onsite luau, and a palate-pleasing variety of eateries day and night. You’ll also find a few surprises here, including resident penguins (yup!), a grotto bar set in a cave surrounded by waterfalls, and a rooftop astronomy program. Plus, every single guestroom has a private lanai for enjoying magnificent views. You can also grab a champagne brunch here, which is exactly how you should spend a holiday.  

This five-star hotel perched on Kapalua bay boasts 24 acres and 60 one-to-three-bedroom luxury suites, making it one of the more intimate luxury hotels on the island. With three restaurants and bars (including a private dining room on the edge of a cliff) and a full-service spa with highly personalizable treatments featuring luxury Swiss skincare products, the Montage’s Kapalua enclave covers your resort bases without making you feel like you’re staying at just another cookie-cutter luxury chain outpost.

On a prime site along Maui’s Wailea Beach, the Four Seasons is the place to head for the truly activity-packed holiday. Experiences on offer include swimming in lava caves, dining out on an organic farm, horse riding, and photography workshops led by famed snapper Daniel Sullivan. You might almost be too busy exploring to notice how beautifully light and airy your high-ceiling suite overlooking the ocean is. At the hotel, which in point of fact, you'd have every right to never want to leave, there are three swimming pools and three restaurants. Visitors are a mere mile away from the prime retail destination: The Shops. The hotel is also a two-minute drive from Wailea Golf Club. Go to both. Live your best life.  

One cascading outdoor infinity pool is pretty special. But four is… well, it’s what you’ll find at this fantastic beachfront hotel in Wailea. Along with the pools (one of which is reserved just for adults), visitors can also enjoy some of the island’s best restaurants, including Ka’ana Kitchen and Morimoto Maui. There is also a heavenly spa. Set on 15 beachfront acres, this luxury property offers direct access to Mokapu Beach, an onsite luau, and amenities like private hiking tours. Frankly, it is a wonderful place to stay. If you decide to coop up in your room, you can enjoy the balcony and complimentary non-alcoholic drinks. If you want some activities, kayak and surfing lessons are available on-site. 

Home to famed Hawaiian chef Roy Yamaguchi’s restaurant Humble Market Kitchin, and one of the best luaus on this side of the island, the Wailea Beach Marriot’s luxurious beachfront location is an ideal base for immersion in the Wailea Beach scene. There’s great snorkeling at neighboring Ulua Beach, while the resort itself has three distinct pool areas, including an adventure pool with four waterslides. There are also golf courses, nature paths, and many more activities right on the doorstep along with retail galore at The Shops.

Located in Kapalua on the quieter side of the island, the Ritz-Carlton is all about understated elegance. Home to six restaurants, a private beach, a locally-inspired spa, and two of Maui’s most exclusive and renowned golf courses, the Ritz-Carlton is the sort of hotel that you never actually need to leave - unless you want to. Pro tip: no stay is complete without a fancy brunch (and a few guava mimosas) at the Plantation House, the golf course’s clubhouse restaurant. There are body treatments, facials, two tennis courts, a fitness center, and many other activities. If you do leave, there are plenty of nearby beaches, shopping resorts, and more. 

If you’re the sort of person who defines a Maui vacation as a whole lot of pool time, then the Grand Wailea is the hotel for you. Following a $4 million overhaul, the hotel boasts everything from a scuba pool to a Tarzan rope swing to a lava tube slide with a 360-degree exterior loop and LED-colored light bands. Add in the fact that it’s just installed the world’s first water elevator, and you’ve got yourself a water baby’s dream. If you prefer dry land, you can enjoy the spa, three golf courses, yoga lessons, and so much more.