Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

I am shocked this is a Waldorf property. You are treated like a number here plain and simple. They do not care about you unless you are quadruple status or have been coming back for years. 1) they nickel and dimed you for everything. I went to ask where if I could sit at a beach chair (as they had umbrellas)…it was 120 for the day. - family of five told me they only received two waters for their family of five and would be charged for the other three. The room slept 5…. There are so many cabanas sitting empty while not enough beach chairs. 2) insufficient umbrellas - in the adult pool area there were not even close to the right number of umbrellas. The hotel said it was weather related (however there were some that wet there). One guest mentioned it’s been like that for years now and she brings her own chair shade every year that has a clip attachment (that is not normal…) 3) zip tied chairs…enough said (and I don’t want to hear it’s due to the weather/wind…I was there during the end of a hurricane/tropical storm. It was fine. They just want everyone to buy cabana spaces. 4) valet/bellhop - 80 dollars a day for valet and one didn’t hand us the keys until we tipped him. We waited 20+ minutes for our car each night and said we had to give the ticket in person. We found out there is a number to call but they don’t like Giving it out to everyone. Did not ask us if we wanted help when we arrived at the hotel…but there was a bellhop holding a sand castle mold for a family (just standing there) 5) check in - they stated our room would not be ready until check in time (understand we arrived at 10 and check in was 4 pm) and we would get a text saying it was ready. At 330 I decide to walk by the desk and just see if our room is ready. “Yes it’s been ready”. We did not get the text. How were they to know. Minimal (but again for the price) - they have an amazing bath but no soap, bubble bath or salts. I went to the spa and bought salts for it. Need to keep up with the cleanliness of pool bathroom. Positive - grounds were beautiful. Workout class on beach was great! Bed / pillows comfy. Slides were fun (even as an adult). Restaurant staff (for multiple restaurants) very nice. My bf went here with his family many years ago but it seems to have gone downhill.

We have stayed at every major resort in Wailea except the Four Seasons, so we came to the Grand Wailea with a pretty good basis for comparison. Unfortunately, this was by far our least favorite experience. For what we paid, I genuinely felt like we were staying at a 3-star resort rather than a 5-star property. We traveled with our 7- and 4-year-old, and to be fair, they absolutely loved the pool and had a great time swimming. The pool itself is beautiful and there is a lot for kids to enjoy. Our issue was everything surrounding the pool. The pool situation was probably the biggest disappointment. You essentially have to wake up early and “fight” for a chair. By 8:00 AM, the vast majority of chairs are already taken, and there is a noticeable lack of umbrellas and shaded seating. I honestly cannot understand how a resort of this size and price point doesn't have enough chairs and shaded areas for its guests. The resort does attempt to monitor chair reservations, but the system was poorly enforced and didn't seem to work particularly well. Our room was also very far from the pool. It took us approximately 15 minutes to walk there, which was especially inconvenient with young children. We are Hilton Gold members, and despite our status, we were very disappointed with the lack of recognition. We did not receive an upgrade, welcome drink, or welcome lei. I don't expect special treatment every time we stay somewhere, but at a resort positioning itself as a luxury 5-star property, the overall lack of recognition was surprising. By comparison, Andaz provides a welcome drink and sunglasses for the kids, while Wailea Beach Resort provides leis and a non-alcoholic welcome drink. Those little touches make a noticeable difference. Pool service was also lacking. Several days, we simply ordered through a QR code, and getting additional service was difficult. At a resort charging these prices, I expect much more attentive poolside service. Another major issue is the lack of a great restaurant or common area with a view. We actually found ourselves walking over to Wailea Beach Resort just to sit in their lobby and enjoy the beautiful ocean view. For such a spectacular location, it's surprising that Grand Wailea doesn't do more with its common spaces and dining areas. The resort also felt very nickel-and-dime. There were very few included amenities. At Andaz, for example, paddleboarding is included in the morning, as is a cultural boat experience. At Grand Wailea, even beach chairs came with an additional charge. There was no complimentary snorkel equipment either. When you're already paying a premium nightly rate, charging extra for basic beach amenities really detracts from the experience. We were also supposed to attend the Grand Wailea luau, but after our experience at the resort, I was concerned it wouldn't live up to what we wanted. We ended up leaving the property and attending the luau at Wailea Beach Resort instead. After staying at other luxury properties, I also don't think Grand Wailea compares favorably even to some of the luxury resorts we've stayed at in Southern California. Hotel del Coronado and Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach are, in my opinion, significantly better luxury resort experiences when it comes to service, amenities, attention to detail, and the overall feeling of being taken care of. We travel to Hawaii approximately twice a year, so loyalty and consistency matter to us. Unfortunately, after this experience, we are seriously considering switching to another hotel loyalty program. Being loyal to Hilton only makes sense if the properties provide the level of experience and recognition that comes with that loyalty. For the same price, I would choose differently depending on who is traveling: • Families: Fairmont or Wailea Beach Resort • Adults/couples: Andaz I really wanted to love Grand Wailea because of its reputation, but compared with the other Wailea resorts we've stayed at, it simply didn't deliver the level of service, amenities, or overall experience I expect from a 5-star resort. Despite being Hilton Gold members, we left feeling very disappointed. For the price, this was by far our least favorite Wailea resort—and the only one where we left feeling like we had paid 5-star prices for a 3-star experience.

We arrived at the Grand Wailea just 7 hours ago, and I already completely regret choosing this resort for our 10 day Maui portion of our Hawaiian vacation. For the premium price this hotel charges, the lack of basic hospitality, chaotic logistics, and dysfunctional layout are shocking. This certainly feels more like a basic Hilton than a Waldorf Astoria, so I am struggling to understand the 5 star rating. Don’t expect any leis or welcome drinks or even a friendly welcome for that matter. Check-in was okay but certainly not the friendliest, and we felt like we were just being rushed out, and we were basically told to go look at the map to figure out the property. Which was fine except there was no easy way to navigate the hotel or even figure out how to get out to the pools once we found our room. The rooms are basic and tired and should not have traces of blood on the duvet cover. At first glance, the grounds and pools and location are beautiful. And while the idea of the number pools and waterslides look exciting, the layout is a nightmare if you have small children. There is no easy place to park yourself to watch your kids and every passageway is slippery and a fall waiting to happen so do not expect to have a relaxing experience. Furthermore, if a small child needs a bathroom quickly, forget about it—they are poorly located and far too hard to reach in a hurry. Chairs are locked together and on top of each other, and pool service is also severely lacking. At about 4:30, we tried to get a drink to our chairs but that service had shut down. So I walked around and found that by 5pm the Grotto bar had just shut down. No problem, someone told me go next door to the Wailea Surf Haus but that had also just closed at 5pm. Then another couple who were also walking around looking for a drink told me someone said to “go the adult pool, there’s a bar there”. But that was Olivine restaurant which was not appropriate for swim attire. So overall it was pretty shocking that I literally couldn’t give away my money for a drink outside by the pools. I could have trekked all the way back to the hotel lobby a mile awhile or to one of the more formal restaurants, but none of those options worked with swim attire. 5pm is far too early for a major vacation resort pool to shut down even just for drinks when not everyone has a 6pm dinner reservation. To top it off, they force you to wear a cheap, non-removable plastic bracelet, making you feel like you are at a cheap all-inclusive resort, which was not the experience for which I was looking. At the very least, a luxury property should use rubber bands that you can remove when you leave the hotel property. Even my 4 year old was annoyed that he couldn’t take off the uncomfortable plastic bracelet. The parking situation is also a complete disaster. They force you into a mandatory valet service for $80/day, but then refuse to accept a simple phone call using the valet button to retrieve your car ahead of time. We didn’t want to have to wait long with 4 and 6 year olds but were told that they “weren’t accepting requests over the phone because they were too busy, so our best bet is to just come down and wait in person”. That’s exactly what you want to do with cranky, tired children who have traveled all day. If that is going to be the level of service, at least give us the option to self-park and retrieve our car as we wish because getting a “no” to retrieve our car is certainly unacceptable. We have over a week left here, and I am already dreading the rest of our stay. Avoid this place if you expect a seamless, family-friendly luxury experience.

We are currently staying at the Grand Wailea and still have several days left. Unfortunately, the experience so far is far from what I would consider a five-star resort, and certainly not what I expect from a Waldorf Astoria property. We stayed here four years ago and our stay was exquisite, which is why we chose to come back. Even with lobby renovations happening at the time, the resort felt luxurious and special. In 2021, we were greeted with a welcome drink, cold towel, lei, and assistance with our luggage- the five-star Hawaiian welcome you expect from a Waldorf Astoria. This time, there was no welcome and no assistance with our luggage, even as we passed the bell desk. The staff overall seems to be on autopilot. I understand Grand Wailea is a large resort, but it is still marketed and priced as a Waldorf Astoria. There should be a more personalized level of service. At this point, it feels much more like a large Hilton resort than a Waldorf Astoria. The rooms are worn and dated, and the pool areas are showing their age. Tiles are missing throughout the pools, and cups, trash, and takeaway containers are left around for hours. Service has also declined significantly. Four years ago, there was food and beverage service around the pools. Now you order through a QR code. That’s not necessarily a problem, but I ordered two drinks and after an hour they still hadn’t arrived. Room service is another example of how far this falls from a five-star experience. Everything arrives in disposable containers, and they don’t offer a full beverage menu. The beach experience is equally disappointing. Chairs and umbrellas are now $75 for only a half day. When you’re paying $800+ per night at a five-star beachfront resort, this feels excessive. There is also no longer food and beverage service on the beach- you have to get your drinks from the bar and carry them over yourself. We also saw guests bringing coolers to the beach. There are positives. The renovated lobby is stunning, the landscaping is beautiful, and the number of pools and slides for children is fantastic. We were especially excited to return this time with our five-year-old, and there is genuinely a lot for kids to enjoy. But overall, the resort feels dated, poorly maintained, and far removed from the luxury experience we had four years ago. We still have a few more days left and hope things improve, but at $800+ per night, I don’t think it’s worth the money unless you’re staying on Hilton points. if you’re looking for a true five-star luxury experience in Wailea and can afford to pay a little more, I would recommend the Four Seasons instead. Having stayed at other WA properties around the world, unfortunately, Grand Wailea in its current state is simply not the Waldorf Astoria experience we came back for.

Nice property but not a good value. Poor service for a WA. Never received follow-up to service issue brought to management. Bar tenders are great!