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Maui vacation in May w/ 2 yo
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Anonymous
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I've search the archives already so I'm looking for more recent advice on a family vacation w/ a 2.5 yo DS. There are several upscale hotels like Ritz, Grand Wailea, and Hyatt with kids programs but my DS is too young for these programs.
Given all these choices are $$$, which one would you recommend? I've also seen the reviews of these hotels on Expedia and can't really determine how good there were for a kid-friendly vacation other than the food was expensive. I've read that Grand Wailea has a water park which seems "too hectic" for us since my DS doesn't swim yet. It was featured on Jon & Kate plus 8 on TLC. Should I look for a vacation condo instead? Also, any recommendations on how to deal with the time difference and jet lag for a toddler? |
Anonymous
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Of the three hawaiian island (Big Island, Kauai, Maui) we visited in three consecutive years, Maui was the most expensive and with more traffic in Lahaina...at least for us. But there are great ecotours, like the ones from Pacific Whale Foundation.
In terms of hotels, I'd suggest trying Outrigger if you want to save some $$$$. The rooms are more like efficiencies and small condos. We had a small kitchen, a table with 4 chairs and a balcony with partial ocean view. Many times we enjoyed having breakfast and dinner in our room and saving some $$. We didn't have kids, so I can't give you any recommendations regarding the jet lag for a toddler. |
Anonymous
| I like Maui because of all the condo options. It is much better when you have children (and less expensive!). It is nice having a kitchen, washer/dryer, living room, etc. |
Anonymous
| I haven't vacationed with a toddler yet, so I can't weigh in on condo vs. hotel (although when I do start travelling with mine, I think I will opt for a condo), but I can say that if you're going to stay at a hotel, give the Grand Wailea a shot. We stayed there on our honeymoon - we were there in May, and I wouldn't say the pool area was too hectic (most schools weren't out yet). Seemed like a great place for kids, whether they swim or not. Also, I think the best area to stay in Maui is Wailea - the weather is better and there is less traffic. Other hotel options in Wailea include the Four Seasons and the Fairmont. The Fairmont is all-suites, so that might be another good place to be with a toddler. |
Anonymous
| check tripadvisor.com for reviews - much more extensive than what you'll find on Expedia. |
Anonymous
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OP: I'll definitely look at the reviews under Trip Advisor. May is off-season so I'm hoping that will help with crowds. My main issue is spending the first 2 days dealing with a cranky, jet-lagged toddler. We are planning 7 nights right now.
Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Did you look at the Four Seasons Maui? It's expensive but they have an excellent program for kids that is free for hotel guests and it's a wonderful hotel. They sometimes offer a night free, you might want to check on that. |
Anonymous
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I've stayed at the Maui Ritz with a toddler and had a great time. My toddler was too young for the kids program also, but we still got to do some of the activities, such as the afternoon kids movie (you just have to accompany your toddler - rather than being able to drop him off). We booked a ground floor room that faces the pool/garden. It was great to just be able to open the balcony door and walk right out onto the garden and pool. This was great for making short and frequent trips to the pool.
The jet-lag was a little brutal. On the first morning in Maui, my toddler was up at 4am and crashed before dinner time. But after a few days, things were back to normal. I'd also look into some condos in Maui. It's helpful to have a kitchen (for milk and stuff) when traveling with a toddler and also nice to have other rooms that you can be in (when toddler wakes up early to goes to bed very early). |
Anonymous
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I think with a 2 year old, you may be better off looking for condo/home vacation rentals (many have pools). As you mentioned, the big advantage of the big hotels (apart from how nice they are) is the Kids Clubs, which a 2 year old is too young for. They may have recommended babysitters as well, but you will pay a small fortune for them.
Otherwise, I think a vacation condo offers a lot of benefits - separate room for toddler for naps, better dining options (when my DS was 2 he would never stay seated making restaurants a complete nightmare, more space, etc.). |
Anonymous
| My family regularly vacationed in Hawaii until about 3 years ago (my parents, brother and me). We always stayed in a condo complex in Wailea, Wailea Elua. We rented through Destination Resorts. It is on the same beach as the Grand Wailea, Four Seasons and Kea Lani. Obviously the amenities are lacking compared to those places, but I expect the condos are a LOT cheaper, there is a pool and you have access to the great beach walk. |
cassiea
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| We just stayed at the Sheraton in Maui. It is a pretty good hotel without the exceptionally high prices and is on one of the better beaches in the area. It has several different pool areas, no craziness of swim up bars, but they do have service around the pools and several restaurants. The food was good. It's also nice in that the buildings were not that tall like a lot of the megaplex feeling ones around. Three buildings 6 stories high, so they also had nice grounds. They have a shuttle to Lahaina about 5 minutes away (restaurants and such), and it's pretty easy to get other places from there as well. I'd recommend it as a nice hotel where you can probably get a decent rate if you shop around. |