One of the best settings in Hawaii. A sensational sunset ceremony. And a major anniversary.
The 23-acre Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa was one of the first resorts on West Maui, and has evolved into one of the top hotels in the state. This year marks its 60th anniversary, the property having opened Jan. 23, 1963.
The hotel completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of its lobby in 2020. Guests now enjoy a new lobby bar and café, lounge, and reception area in an open-air setting that brings the ocean air and outdoors in with an expansive lanai and viewing deck, offering panoramic views of iconic Ka’anapali Beach. The new lobby bar/lounge is called Sandbar, and offers good food and outstanding drinks. It’s the only hotel lobby bar in Ka’anapali, I was told.
It’s a wide-open affair with a nice breeze wafting through and the smell of tropical flowers in the air. It’s a great spot to watch the nightly torch-lighting and the ceremonial cliff dive into the Pacific Ocean (see below).
The Sandbar lobby bar at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Photo Courtesy Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
We enjoyed excellent Mai Tai’s at the Sandbar, as well as beef sliders and exceptional “three-way” fish: Mahi-Mahi Cevice, Ahi Poke and Mahi-Mahi Poisson Cru, a Tahitian delicacy with coconut milk that was simply divine.
Another great sunset spot is the Cliff Diver Grill, which is just inches from the beach and adjacent to the hotel’s massive, free-form pool. There was a hula dancer just before sunset, and they can set you up with a S’mores making kit for the evening. We enjoyed nice local beers, quesadillas and fish tacos on the night we visited.
The hotel also has an attractive, ground-floor restaurant called Coral Reef, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There’s also a Teppan-yaki restaurant, a Starbucks for morning coffee and a shave ice stand with 30 flavours of icy treats, as well as pineapple Dole whip.
Drinks at the Sandbar lobby bar at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Photo courtesy Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
The Mai Tai bar offers up tasty tropical drinks, and the hotel also can arrange a private, waterfront dinner for you and your special someone.
Eighty three per cent of the resort’s rooms offer views of the ocean and neighboring islands, Molokai and Lana’i, with terrific sunsets.
We had a fine room (6-323) in the Moana wing, high on top of Ka’anapali’s famous Black Rock (known in Hawai’ian as Pu’u Keka’a_.
The room had a large, tiled entry way and lots of storage space, as well as a good-sized marble bathroom with a powerful shower. We also had a kettle, coffee maker, mini-fridge and a microwave, which was very handy.
We also had a small sofa, new lighting fixtures, and a big-screen TV. The room was done in neutral tones, with splashes of bright blue and green.
An oceanfront room in the Moana wing at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Photo courtesy Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
The bed was super comfortable, and there were tons of easy-to-reach plugs and outlets for our phones and other devices. I work most days on the road, so a nice, big desk was a welcome feature.
We had a large balcony overlooking the ocean and north Ka’anapali Beach, with two chairs and a table; an ideal spot for our morning coffee and for watching the sun dip into the ocean.
The free-form pool has a deep area for swimming, and then a long, winding section that’s like a lazy river without the current, mostly four or five-feet deep. It’s surrounded by large rocks, small waterfalls and colourful flowers, including wild red ginger and purple bougainvillea. There are plenty of places to grab a chaise lounge in the sun or the shade, with lovely beach or pool views.
Part of the swimming pool at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The Spa at Black Rock is a renowned spa for a couples or individual massage. They also do authentic luau’s on the resort’s expansive lawn, just steps from the beach.
Black Rock (Pu’u Keka’a) is famous for its calm waters for snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding. I spotted dozens of fish just a few feet from shore when we visited last month, including the state’s famous humuhumunukunukuapuaa. I’ve spotted turtles alongside Black Rock several times during previous visits.
The nightly Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa cliff dive is a real treat. Photo courtesy Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
Legend says the last chief of Maui, Kahekili, proved his spiritual strength by leaping from sacred Pu’u Keka’a into the Pacific. A young cliff diver recreates the feat every night, leaving a trail of glowing tiki torches atop the rock as he heads out to the diving spot. He offers his torch to the ocean, casts his flower lei into the sea, and dives into the rolling surf below.
Some 10,000+ humpback whales (“kohola” in Hawaiian) migrate to Maui’s warm waters each winter, making the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa a prime location for whale watching.
The new Kohola in Ka’anapali package is available for booking now with travel between Dec. 15, 2022 – April 15, 2023. A portion of proceeds from every package booked benefits Whale Trust to support marine research and education programs around Maui and throughout the Pacific Ocean. Daily rate starts at $859 USD. (rate code YX1).
The Kohola in Kaanapali package includes Moana Oceanfront accommodations for two along with:
• Welcome amenity with cooler & snacks, two beach towels and Raw Elements reef safe sunscreen
• Binoculars and bubbles delivered to your room – choice of four sparkling waters or seltzers, and binoculars for use throughout your stay to enjoy whale watching from your guest room lanai
• Two Moana yoga mats for use throughout your stay
• Two signed keepsake books, “Among Giants: A Life with Whales” and “Humpbacks: Unveiling the Mysteries,” written and photographed by co-founders of Whale Trust, the Maui-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to conduct, support, and promote scientific research on whales and the marine environment.
