Ho'olei at Grand Wailea

I will begin by saying we returned to Ho'Olei at Grand Wailea because we had such a wonderful experience there previously. This visit was very disappointing and we would likely look at the other options in Wailea before booking Ho'olei at the Grand Wailea again. The condo we had was unsatisfactory because: - Carpets were very stained and dirty. Honestly, if we had arrived earlier in the day I would have refused to stay in the unit because of this, but it was after midnight with kids. - A condo that in theory could sleep up to 8 people had a three seater couch inside. - Patio chairs for the indoor counter seating. The chairs were very heavy and also did not fit under the counter so if you sat there it would be at an awkward distance. - Patio furniture (seated a maximum of 4 people) was stained and uncomfortable. -Dishwasher that ran but had missing racks, a hole, and didn't actually clean dishes. -Sink in the powder room drained very slowly -Toilet in the main bedroom ran for a really long time and made lots of noise for at least 45 minutes after a flush. - Shower glass in one bathroom was very cloudy/dirty like the glass is never actually cleaned. We did not go on vacation to cook. However, when you have little kids it is sometimes faster/easier and less of a headache to just make noodles for them. The pots and pans in the condo belonged in the garbage, not the drawer they were in such poor condition. We did let the hotel know about our disappointment when were there. They did offer to credit us one night. However, it felt like we got a cheap AirBnB but were paying Grand Wailea prices, not great and certainly very disappointing. Service at Ho'olei and the Grand Wailea was generally good, with the exception being the "grab and go" restaurant Loulu. It was such a frustrating experience going there as service was so bad. We went a few times during our stay but would advise you to avoid if possible. At the Grand Wailea the poolside food/drink service was ok. The activity desk at the pool (where you got the bracelets and towels) was always great, and the staff there were helpful and very kind. After we had checked out we received a message saying that they couldn't find the garage door opener - we had left it on the counter next to the washer dryer, just inside the garage in the bag they had originally provided to us. This was frustrating as it wasn't hidden and was provided back to them as they had provided to us. I guess it was better than them charging us for something that was there, but would have preferred they actually look around before contacting us. Finally, we had to contact the hotel to request a copy of our bill as they never sent it. Overall I would say the service level at Ho'Olei at the Grand Wailea has noticeably declined. Reading through the reviews our experience is clearly not unique and the GW seems in no rush to remedy any of the issues so it may be best to avoid Ho'Olei until they do something!

My review is long overdue but I spent a lot of time looking at reviews of Ho'Olei before booking, so wanted to offer my 2 cents. My biggest hesitation when looking at the property was the price - we paid about $25k for 7 nights during spring break 2023. Granted this is a prime time to go, and they charge accordingly, but expectations are sky high when you're paying this much. Pros: - Plenty of space for our party - my family of 4 (with 2 small children) plus 3 grandparents. 5 adults and 2 kids total. We had a nice 3 bedroom setup. - Beautiful views from the top row villas - Our villa was nicely appointed with relatively modern finishes - Housekeeping was good / fine but I didn't find it to be anything special like you might get at a premium resort hotel. - Access to the GW amenities was very nice to have, but again this is where the value is questionable. My 3 year old loved the slides + kid friendly pools, and the beach/chair service is a plus (though they don't have full food/beverage service on the beach as its technically a public beach). But are the rooms worth more than double to access the GW amenities? Not sure. - The smaller pool and fitness center at the villas itself was nice and quiet, but again not 5 star resort nice. - There is a shuttle that can take you from the villas down to the main hotel, and to other areas within Wailea. A nice to have, but it felt silly taking it down to the main hotel, especially with all our kid/beach gear with us. We took it back up the hill a few times with older grandparents. Cons: - While we had a lovely view from the top row villas, it was a LONG walk to get from our door to the GW pools. And walking downhill there is much easier than walking back uphill. Just didn't feel like we were actually at a resort because we couldn't pop into our room to get things or put the baby down for a nap. We had to really plan out the days, it felt like when we left the villa we were going on an excursion for the day. - No food options / service up at the villas. Which meant walking down the the main GW buildings or driving elsewhere to get food. Net-net it was a nice experience and probably a once in a lifetime trip solely due to the cost (and necessity of bring both sets of grandparents). You're paying for the space, and in some regards paying for access to the GW amenities, which are nice but it doesn't feel like part of your resort. For our next Maui trip we just went with our family of 4 and stayed at the Fairmont - you could probably get 3 1-bedroom suites for less than the cost of Ho'Olei and you're right in the main building area, overlooking the pool with quick access to all the resort amenities. GW might have marginally better amenities in terms of the slides and activities for kids, and the full kitchens in the villas can be nice if you use them, but the resort / hotel offerings are comparable. Just giving my honest review that Ho'Olei is nice but I really struggle with the value you get for the price paid. Probably would continue to explore other options in the future.

Space to relax, views to capture, and memories to make. Private, quiet, yet easily accessible, our stay began with a warm, personable welcome to our villa. With a private garage connected to our spacious nearly 4,000 sq. ft. two-story villa, complete with its own entrance, it was the perfect retreat from the first day to the last. Whether cooking or grilling ourselves, dining at Grand Wailea’s restaurants, or exploring nearby options, delicious local meals were always just minutes away. We enjoyed the private pool for the Villas, along with access to the resort’s many pools, the spa, and a variety of activities and beach. After a full day, it was wonderful knowing we could return to the space and privacy of our villa each night. Service was just a text away, though we only needed extra towels – everything else was perfectly prepared for our stay and room service helped along the way. The Living Room, Dining Area, Kitchen, and Balcony with expansive views served as the heart of our time together, where family and friends gathered before retreating to our comfortable bedrooms. We will absolutely return. This experience has set the bar higher than ever for future vacations.

Our family of six stayed here 7 nights and were pleased. The unit had top end finishes and appliances. Daily touch up housekeeping was included. The concierge was terrific as was the shuttle service with an Uber type app. We also found the onsite pool to be good with two hot tubs. For late departures they have a shower and changing room. The GW facilities were fully available. A good spot for families.

We stayed at three villas during our trip around the island. Ho’olei is not the most expensive, not the closest to the ocean front, but the staff service would make us come back again and again. The hard product is still a well deserving 5 star resort, but the service is well beyond expected. Staff will send personalized text messages days prior to arrival to arrange for our children’s birthdays, our nanny’s accommodations, and dinner reservations. On arrival, staff addressed my children in surnames and treated them with the upmost respect. Property offers designated pool for villa guests, shuttle services to the main resort/pool/luau. The front office even delivered printouts to my teenager working on his homework when the villa printer ran out of paper. This is the case where service speaks for its brand, and makes up for the “slightly” further away location, being about 10min walk to the oceanfront.