Fairmont Kea Lani Maui

This was my 5th stay at the Fairmont Kea Lani going back to before the remodel and I think it will probably be our last. The positives: The property is still stunning and the rooms are clean and well kept. The cleaners do an amazing job and the room was like new every day even though our two kids destroyed it with food and sand daily. Even making the pull out couch daily. The food and drinks at Pilina were great as usual. My wife had one of the best sushi rolls outside of Tokyo there on NYE. The hostess sat our family with two young kids at the best spot for sunset which was amazing where other places would relegate us to the back area. There are lots of fun activities to choose from for different age groups from making leis to fire dancers to crab hunting. Where things seem to have gone downhill: I am an Accor Diamond member, have stayed here 5 years in a row, have arranged special occasions with them, and this stay I felt like a second rate guest on multiple occasions. Starting at check in, when I pulled up the valet attendant didn't greet me like they have in the past with a warm welcome, usually already knowing who I am and an army of people to help. Instead I was rudely told my wife had to check in while I self-parked even though there was no back up of cars at drop off. There was no acknowledgement of us returning and we we were handed the same necklaces and kids coloring books that haven't changed in 3 years. I got upgraded to a Deluxe Ocean suite from regular ocean view, but it was maybe the worst of that rate. It was the corner unit and the next door room looks directly into our bedroom and shower and you can basically walk onto their balcony. I would have asked to move if it wasn't for my kids needing to settle in and my wife hating conflict. We had to keep the drapes closed the whole time which is kind of the point of ocean view because there is no privacy, especially if you are both on your balconies. In the room there was the same prepackaged gummies that we do not care for as a welcome gift that they again haven't updated in several years and no welcome letter or any other welcoming gift. In almost every other Fairmont in the world I stay, I receive a personal note and sometimes a welcome gift beyond the off the shelf options. In the past they have left stuffed animals for our kids, fruit and chocolates, amenities especially for kids, etc. I went down to the store after getting settled in and saw our luggage just sitting while valets mingled where we left it and it took a good 20 minutes to be brought up. I went to bed that night saying how something feels off this year. We spent every morning at the beach and it was a terrible experience. The chairs open at 8am, but by 7:30 people are lined up to save seats. The first day we got lucky and got front row when we went down a little after 8am, but it became very clear that if you aren't shoving $50 dollar bills in their pockets you shouldn't expect much service. They have a new sign that there are no holds on chairs, but it is not at all enforced. Single people were reserving 10 chairs at 8am and not returning until 10 or 11am while people with full families like my own couldn't even get the crew to put towels on our chairs. Pics attached. I saw a guy walk up, completely skip the line, slip some cash, and got seats immediately in front. Another couple of guys got into yelling match about another incident when a guy in a MAGA style Patriot hat walked past everyone grabbed his own towels and sat on their chairs they waited for and the staff did nothing and let him take them. Staff openly talked about which people tipped best and ignored and were rude to the rest. On top of it all, the beach was filthy every morning with empty glasses from the bar and trash strewn everywhere. At the pool the person running the slide made my son cry because he wanted to wear his goggles, but they have a rule that you can't for some reason. He didn't understand because we saw other kids doing it but he got the one person that was harsh about it. He didn't go down a single time again because they embarrassed him in front of everyone, which might have made me the most upset because in past years he spent hours going down and we talked about it for months leading up to it. Staff at the pool were openly berating other guests and how much they disliked them. One woman was lamenting over how a group didn't get their food for an hour and half and were upset, but that it was their fault for not telling her. I could go on with minor quibbles, but those were the big failures. They seemed to have had a big shift in attitude and the clientele demographics was definitely a part of that. I don't know if it's because all they seem to care about now is instagram influencers promoting their new property, fed up or reduced staff, but the reality is unless you have followers you can bring, or greasing palms, they don't care about your loyalty.

We stayed four nights in a pool-side suite which came with a walk-out patio door to a table and four chairs, two lounge chairs (no umbrella), and a nice chair and footstool for reading/relaxing. It looked like our 108 suite plus two others had a ocean view, but the other pool-side suites would have more a view of the pool. The suite's lounge chairs had a cushion that was thinner than the pool-side lounge chairs which was green and quite plush. The suite has two double beds, large bathroom with separate tub and double sink plus a nice laundry basket for dirty towels and a wooden rack for hanging a wet bathing suit. The living area has a large sectional couch, TV, table and chairs for dining, and the coffee/microwave area. Tea kettle, microwave, and refrigerator, and a Nespresso Vertuo coffee maker. The white stainless steel Fairmont Kea Lani water bottles are the nicest water bottles we have ever had - keeping water cold, lift up straw and a white ring for carrying. Water stations in the hotel and by the pool. At the pool is reef-safe suntan and after sun lotion in SPF 30 and 50 that you can use. There are nice white covers for the lounge chairs and plenty of towels. There is a smaller, colder adult lap pool and hot tub (hot) and good size family pools with a slide and less hot hot tub. One of the special things about the Fairmont is the Hawaiian cultural center (Hale Kukuna) in the lobby, with lovely artifacts showcasing some of the culture and books you can read, and the cultural activities: Hula, ukelele, lei making (we made a ti leaf bracelet), and language classes. Ke'ala is a hula dancer who has performed around the world for many years and truly exemplifies the aloha spirit. I loved her hula, lei making, and ukulele classes. One of my favorite memories is the ukulele class where Ke'ala and Kapono were playing along with me and singing a beautiful song about Haleakala. Ho'ohu is another lovely teacher who I enjoyed meeting and talking with in her hula class. Tips: - The outrigger canoe excursion can get booked up, so make reservations with the Concierge even before you arrive. Ours got cancelled due to the waves and unfortunately, it was full for the subsequent days. - Parking is free. I saw a Fairmont van at the other hotel we stayed at, so I think there is a service to take you to another restaurant within a certain distance. - Shops at Wailea (also restaurants and a good gourmet/grab and go or on-demand food market - Island Gourmet Markets (love the Chicken Teriyaki)). Need to drive or see if the van will take you or about a mile away. - You will need to scan the QR code to see the list of activities - cultural, exercise and water activities. Note that the hula and ukulele classes did not show up on the Android/iPhone version, but did show up in the tablet and possibly the computer version. Suggest you go to the Concierge to have them print you a schedule of the activities for when you are there, so you can see all of them. - There is a lovely path connecting the hotels and along the cliff-side with stunning views of the ocean. Suggestions for improvement: - Fix the Android/iPhone version of the activity schedule so that the hula, ukulele classes show up consistently. Suggest ensuring the classes show up under "culture" option and "all" activity option since currently they are not showing up on the phone version. - A paper copy of the week's activities would be appreciated and easier than navigating several screens and clicks on the phone to try and see activities. Mention the walkway next to beach and the Fairmont van transportation would be nice. At the next hotel we stayed at, we got a nice sheet with the week's schedule, daily activities, and special cultural activities along with additional extra cost, special activities. - Consider having some activities in the evening after dinner. I was torn between enjoying the sun/pool/ocean and going to a class. - Add some additional hula and lei/weaving classes for people who are staying a week so different things are learned. We totally loved our stay at the Fairmont and look forward to coming back.

We recently stayed at Fairmont Kea Lani again and as always it was absolutely amazing. From staff to location and the beautiful property our stay was perfect! Tara at the front desk super friendly and welcoming! So great to see the same smiley faces like Tara and Luz. Thank you all for making our stay so special! We can’t wait to be back!

We enjoyed an excellent week with extended family in a three bedroom villa at the Kea Lani. The suite-only hotel is very family oriented. Our villa was lovely, nicely furnished, ocean views from all three bedrooms, and very quiet. Note that while the kitchen is generally well-stocked, it does not include an oven. The laundry facilities and private patio with plunge pool were great amenities (as is proximity to the beach and the pool). There is very good snorkeling right off the beach. The fitness center is reasonably well equipped (especially with aerobic equipment) but is on the small side for a hotel this size and could use more and a greater variety of weight machines. That said, it was fairly empty of people both times I was in there. My wife had a massage at the spa and noted that the spa is not as elaborate as the spas in some of the other hotels in Wailea (e.g. no saunas or whirlpool baths). The staff, from valet parking to housekeeping, were uniformly friendly, helpful and service-oriented. The waterslide in the pool is a popular kid amenity. There is a separate adult-only pool, which is more serene than the main pool and not crowded (I suspect because the hotel attracts mostly families with kids). Kids under 5 eat free in the restaurants, which is a great amenity. The beach is lovely and relatively private. We visited during a holiday week and the hotel never felt excessively crowded. The hotel facilities and grounds are attractive and well maintained. The hotel offers complimentary daily activities for guests, including yoga. I would definitely classify the Kea Lani as a deluxe resort property and note that it caters to families with kids.

Took my mom for her monumental birthday. Just Mom and son. We had the most wonderful time. From our arrival experience, each meal. Every single member of staff was special in their own way. We had the breakfast every day. What a spread. I have to say a special thank you to Venus who served us breakfast. One of the mornings I wasn’t feeling so well. I asked her if she had a diet sprite. She told me not to worry about it and she’d find me one. She did within a few minutes. After that breakfast the following two morning although she wasn’t our server she stopped by and said hi to me by name with a Sprite Zero. This small touch meant the world to me. Venus is smiling every minute and truly cares about the guests. Thank you Fairmont for making our stay so wonderful.