Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa

By Susan Brand, about.com

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in a Nutshell:
The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa stands on the most dramatic point of Ka’anapali Beach, where the beach’s Black Rock promontory meets the ocean.

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Built on Ka’anapali Beach in the sixties, the greatly expanded sprawling property maintains a low-key, beachy vibe and feels private and roomy, even at full capacity. 

One need only inhale to partake of nature's coconut aromatherapy here on the broadest beach on Maui. Lush green lawns and a snaking, lagoon-style pool are all that lie between the buildings and the sand. There’s an activity for everyone, with water sports, terrific dining, and easy access to other pleasures of the island.

Guest Rooms at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa:
The property is massive, yet still feels intimate and comfortable.  There are 508 rooms, including one presidential suite, 11 luxury suites, 12 junior suites and 20 ohana family suites, located in six distinct towers.  Room sizes vary, but each has a private lanai, and 83% of the hotel’s rooms and suites face the ocean.

Décor and design are intended to blend with the natural environs. Pleasant and comfortable guest rooms boast warm, Hawaiian colors, with natural hued walls and floors and dark wood furnishings.  Upholstery and pillows accent in warm tropical blues and oranges. Traditional Hawaiian artwork adorns the walls, but the focus is on the stellar view of the beach and lovely grounds from the lanai. 

Dining at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa:
Black Rock Steak & Seafood serves all-American fare with elements of Pacific Rim cuisine. Sit on teak furniture lit by candlelight. The fresh Hawaiian catch of the day can be cooked grilled or sautéed with a choice of four preparations; Hong Kong Style incorporates Hamakua mushroom, scallions, soy sauce and sizzling ginger oil;  Kamuela tomato vinaigrette includes Maui onion, basil, garlic, avocado and balsamic vinegar reduction.  

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For a special meal, request a romantic Dinner Under the Stars on the private Black Rock Lawn. A personal butler serves the multi-course dinner under a breathtaking Ka’anapali sunset.  At sundown, tiki torches add  romantic lighting. This treat can accommodate two to four guests, who meet in advance with the culinary team and choose the menu.

Two poolside spots with beach views, The Cliff Dive Bar and Mai Tai Bar, located at opposite ends of the winding, lagoon-style pool, offer refreshments and beverages throughout the day.  The Cliff Dive’s grilled mahi mahi tacos are a standout.

Each Monday and Wednesday, the Ka’anapali Sunset Luau sets out an all-you-can-eat beachfront buffet, where diners experience the music, dance and history of the islands.

Destination Weddings and Honeymoons at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa:
The 23-acre resort contains six wedding and vow renewal venues on its lawns, each a verdant carpet made more vibrant by the contrasting blue sky and sea. 

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Maui County laws restrict use of Ka’anapali Beach for commercial activity, so a ceremony on the sand is not possible.  However, splendid ocean views from lawn and clifftop locations create magnificent backdrops.

Several wedding packages are offered.  The Ali’i wedding allows for 35 guests on the pinnacle of Black Rock Cliff on the Ali’i Lawn.  The couple then spends their wedding night in the resort’s presidential suite, which has a bathtub for two. The most intimate location at the resort is Ka’anapali Point  directly above Black Rock, which also accommodates 35 guests.  This private spot hosts some of the island’s most captivating sunsets.  

The Remember Maui package allows couples to choose from four lawn locations, ranging in capacity for 75 guests at Black Rock Lawn to 300 at The Ocean Lawn, Ka’anapali’s largest oceanfront function space. The Moana Lawn & Lounge offers an indoor/outdoor alternative for up to 100 guests.

The honeymoon package includes a junior suite, daily breakfast for two and a resort credit. The anniversary package includes a private Dinner Under the Stars and a Black Rock Lawn vow renewal ceremony.

Activities at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa:
The Ka’anapali Beach oceanfront of the resort is a doorway to Black Rock, a veritable underwater natural amusement park.  Snorkelers can commune with the endangered honu, Hawaiian green sea turtles who can weigh as much as 500 pounds and be as long as five feet, as well as an array of tropical fish.

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Surfers do their thing a bit down the beach. In front of the resort, paddleboarding is prevalent, and for the more adventurous, scuba diving with a certified guide is thrilling.  Or you can try your hand at SNUBA, an introductory form of diving, where divers breathe through long hoses from tanks on rafts, instead of having tanks strapped to their backs.

For R&R between activities, or if you just want to chill out and observe, private beach cabanas are available for rental. The 142-foot-long lagoon style pool has floating beanbags for lounging, poolside massage cabanas and two bars with TVs and wi-fi.

Each evening’s sunset brings a reenactment of a traditional cliff dive ceremony, which dates back to Hawaiian royalty. Guests watch a warrior trace the ancient path across Ka’anapali Beach, lighting tiki torches along his way. He offers his torch, a flower lei and a blessing, just before he dives from the cliff into the ocean.

Less dramatic but more participatory activities include tennis, with night lighting, golf at the Ka’anapali golf course and a visit to the fitness center.

The Spa at Black Rock is centrally located in the sprawling resort.  Treatment rooms include indoor/outdoor lanais for singles and couples and private poolside cabanas. Lomi lomi and hot stone massages are popular treatments.

Nearby Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa:
Climb aboard a luxury catamaran for the Teralani Dinner Sunset Sail.  A shin-deep wade to the boat’s ladder is all the effort required to behold a Maui sunset aboard a luxury catamaran. 

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During winter months (December through April), guests can take a catamaran ride right from the beach to the Maui Nui Basin and take in views of humpback whales frolicking in their birthing and mating grounds.

A private complimentary shuttle takes guests to both Lahaina and Whalers Village.

The town of Lahaina is filled with art galleries, shops and restaurants.  Once a whaling village, Herman Mellville was a visitor and may have had his Moby Dick inspiration here.

A short walk down the beach brings shoppers to Whalers Village, where Louis Vuitton, Sephora, Coach, Crocs and Tommy Bahama are among the more than 90 stores in this beachside center.

If a day trip is on your agenda, take a drive on the Hana Highway. This narrow, winding tropical road on the east side of Maui reveals spectacular waterfalls, the rugged Hana shoreline and some of Maui’s best beaches.

Drawbacks at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa:
It takes awhile to figure out how to navigate between areas. Floor numbers on the same level are inconsistent between the six buildings. It’s a bit daunting at first. 

Since the place is so sprawling, it’s important to know if you want to be in a building close to the center, where the action is right outside, or in one farther away, where it’s more private, but requires a hike to the main areas.

All rooms are equipped with wi-fi, but it is not complimentary and is included in a separate daily resort fee, which also covers self-parking, local calls and shuttle service.

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa Vibe:
This resort is so vast that no one encroaches on anyone else’s peaceful enjoyment. Romantic couples of all ages stroll the beach that seemingly goes on forever and meander through the grounds, hardly aware of the families and children also occupying the surroundings.

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa Info & Reservations

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
2605 Ka’anapali Parkway

Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761

Phone: 808-661-0031

Official Hotel Website