Don’t worry guys, my full week two Maui review will be on the blog tomorrow! Make sure you are caught up and have read my WEEK ONE recap before then!
I wanted to go ahead and start the week off with this review since the beginning of our second week here in Maui started at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.
Let me start by saying the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is now Troy’s favorite hotel EVER! That is saying a lot! We both loved it so much and honestly don’t have a single complaint.
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Itinerary:
Checking in
*taken from the top of the lobby looking out
We checked in super early (around 10 am) and our room wasn’t ready yet. They gave us a key to the locker room to change into our suits and they stored our bags for us. They also gave us two free drink cards so that we could enjoy a drink by the pool while we waited for our room! We were so impressed by the customer service.
The valet team always asked us if we needed water for our trip or if we needed any directions. The best valet service we have ever experienced.
Cabana Life
*drinking a Hibiscus Margarita in the cabana
We rented a cabana by the pool for BOTH days during our stay. Each cabana rental comes with a flat screen tv, a bottle of champagne, a fruit plate, a snack tray, a fridge stocked with water and soda, and your very own attendant! I would definitely recommend renting one if you can. They are super popular during the busy months so book ahead!
You can also order whatever you want off the menu at an additional charge. All of the drinks were great and the spicy tuna sandwich was amazing! It was nice to have a place to escape when we wanted to eat and when we needed some time away from the sun.
If you also want to lay out in the sun you have two cushioned chairs in front of your cabana you can use or you can have the attendant set you up somewhere else!
Dinner
*my dress for dinner at Banyan Tree
After we got cleaned up we had dinner at The Banyan Tree. No words. One of the best meals we have every had. The head chef, Alvin Savella, brought us a curated selection of his favorite items from the menu. That basically means we tried everythingggg!
Some of our favorites:
ALL OF THE COCKTAILS
App: Crispy 5-Spiced Duck Buns (a serious explosion of flavors in your mouth!)
Entree: Kona Lobster Carbonara (squid ink pasta?? sign me up!)
Dessert: Forbidden Fruit Salad (an array of fruits with a scoop of Dragon Fruit gelato! It was magical!)
The Room
*photo taken from the Ritz-Carlton website
Our room came with a full kitchen (which is so great for long trips), a pull out sofa bed, an amazing ocean view, and a bed you literally sink in to. We never wanted to leave!
Sometimes hotels in tropical destinations are stuffy and humid and everything has a wet feel to it. Our room at the Ritz was SO CLEAN, CRISP, and it just felt great to be in there.
You can book your room HERE.
Spa Treatments
*photo taken from the Ritz-Carlton website
Troy and I got a couples massage the next morning. It was magical. We were in a cozy room and the windows were open so we could feel the breeze. It felt like we were right on the beach. The entire room smelled like coconuts (because that is the scent we picked for our oils!)
When we left they gave us a card with a Hawaiian word on it and they taught us how to say it! So cute!
I have heard so many great things about their facials as well, so Troy and I are talking about booking another appointment there to try one out! Any reason to be back at the hotel!
When you get a spa treatment at the Ritz-Carlton you get access to the pool and all of the restaurants for the day. You also get to use the amenities in the actual spa. I spent hours reading in the stone room. It is a room surrounded by stone with a Jacuzzi tub in it. It felt amazing in there! It was so peaceful and I loved the sound of the jets from the hot tub bouncing off the stones. Seriously so relaxing!
They also have a steam room (that smelled like mint leaves- Troy was so obsessed) and a sauna.
Definitely book a treatment at this spa no matter where you are staying in Maui!
Lunch
*eating at the Burger Shack
After the spa we got dressed and headed down to the Burger Shack! It is a little burger and shake shack down on the ocean! You can sit outside and watch the waves crash onto the shore. Such a great view!
The burgers were amazing and the shakes were to die for! We would probably be there every day if we had stayed at the Ritz longer!
Beach
We then spent a couple of hours down by the beach before heading back to our cabana by the pool. The waves are great on this side of Maui so you will see a lot of kids and adults boogie boarding. You can also walk a little further down the beach and watch some surfing!
The Ritz-Carlton provides beach chairs that you can use on the beach or on a lawn overlooking the beach!
Whale Watching
Troy and I came back to the hotel a week later to do a whale watching excursion through Ritz-Carlton! You will be able to book this too if you are a guest at the hotel. See a short whale clip that I took HERE.
It was a quick three hour excursion. We took a van to a harbor about twenty minutes away and jumped on a fishing boat. I loved that there were only 12 guests, one captain, and one marine biologist. It made it so much more intimate.
The boat was super rocky, so make sure to take a couple dramamine the night before and then at least one an hour before you get on the boat!
It was easy to get around on the boat and the visibility for whales was amazing. The biologist even let us hear the sound that the male whales make under water (it sounds like they are singing a song! Well, technically they actually are!)
I definitely recommend you do this excursion. They are available Wed-Friday at 11am!
Other Activities
There is so much more that the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua offers that I didn’t mention here. Make sure to check everything HERE! So many more fun activities for you and the family to choose from.
If we come back to Maui we are definitely staying at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. We highly suggest it for your stay as well! It is so perfect for a romantic getaway, honeymoon, or trip with the family!
Have any questions or personal experiences with this particular Ritz-Carlton? Please leave a comment below!
xox Amanda
Comments
I’m there right now. I agree it’s quite comfy and the facilities are top notch and cool as a cucumber in the hot summer humidity. However the rooms don’t have a “full” kitchen as there are no ovens in the suites. Also, you fail to mention that the Cabana is an additional $750 a day and all drinks start at $16 for cocktails. It is absolute luxury but it costs a pretty penny. If you rent a car it’s an additional mandatory $30/day valet fee and daily you have to pay a $35 resort fee to access WiFi and the gym. The hotel is fantastic, but they piece meal you to death on charges that frankly, I find should be included in the $400-650 a night room cost. Beautiful, but petty on their fees and hidden costs.
So thankful I found you on instagram when I did! We are booked for this ritz for 4th of July and I had recently read some not so great reviews of the hotel on Facebook that had me second guessing our decision. Thank you for sharing your experience!!
Whaaaat? Don’t listen to those reviews! We have stayed at 5-6 hotels now in HI and Ritz Kapalua is hands down the best so far!! It is amazing!! So excited for you guys!
xox Amanda