Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

We had an incredible stay at the Four Seasons Maui — the resort is stunning, the service throughout was warm and professional, and the amenities were top-notch. The only disappointment during our stay was our experience at Ferraro’s. Despite having a reservation, we were made to wait for nearly an hour. Each time we followed up, we were told to wait a bit longer, with no clear communication or apology. We’d absolutely return to the resort, though we may reconsider our dining choices next time.

This property, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the high expectations we’ve come to expect from Four Seasons and I cannot recommend it. It started with a rocky check-in - we decided to upgrade and were told it would be a 45 minute wait. We had our 2 and 5 year old with us and walked around and checked out the kid’s club for 45 minutes only to be told it still wasn’t ready and it was going to be another hour. This was past 5 pm, when their normal check in time is 3pm. There wasn’t any proactive recommendations or mention of the fact that they have a hospitality suite, until I asked what we could do because our kids were going stir crazy and hungry for dinner. The room itself is nice, but for an enhanced suite the outdoor furniture was incredibly underwhelming. The bathrooms could also use an upgrade as they look pretty dated and many painted surfaces are pretty caked with layers of paint. The following morning breakfast showed another one of the hotel’s major flaws: it has way too many rooms for how much shared space they have. It appeared there was a restaurant or two that was under construction, but this made checking in for breakfast feel chaotic. The food at the buffet and service was great, though. We then quickly learned that they are also *way* too short on chairs at the pools and have a horrid policy regarding holding chairs. Apparently if you show up at 7 and claim your spot, you just need to check in every 60 minutes with the attendant to keep the spot…for the entire day. This led to situations where all of the chairs at the kids pool were empty, but all claimed, and in the 2-3 hours we were enjoying the pool no one used the chairs. I finally complained on our last morning after seeing the same family claim 2/7 cabanas at the kids pool then leave for the beach (and not coming back at least until 11:30am when we left) several days in a row and was met with ‘welp, that’s the policy..but we’re changing it next month’. To top that off, the pool attendants were hard to find and seemed to only serve you if you were sitting at a chair. On our last morning the attendant handed out pool menus and waters to all of the chairs, including ones that hadn’t seen any people yet, but skipped over us as he walked by. Unfortunately the adult pool wasn’t much better, though their policy differed a little in that someone can only put a 60 minute hold on chairs one time vs. repetitiously. Still, it would sometimes take an upwards of an hour and a half to get a chair in the afternoon. We also had issues with room service several times. Some were technology related (the iPad provided in the room didn’t actually send over the order) and others were preparing meals incorrectly (missing items clearly stated on the menu). The food was very good, but the experience was not great. We did go to the spa even though we knew it was under construction (and thus makeshift in normal guest rooms) - I’m not sure if prices were discounted but they should be. I get that they can’t offer the same spa amenities given the circumstances, but there wasn’t anything offered aside from some Therabody devices (not even showers available). I did love my masseuse though! The one team I highly commend is the housekeeping team. They always got in to clean our room every morning while we were at breakfast/the pool and done before our kids had to come back to the room for naps. They also did a great job. I know this hotel is undergoing lots of construction, and talks of another pool added next year, but until then it’s hard for me to recommend it for the price. I’ve, unfortunately for them, been incredibly spoiled by other FS properties around the world and this one didn’t measure up.

Wow, wow, wow. A reminder of why we love to stay at Four Seasons properties. A fellow Canadian proud of this Canadian company! What an incredible Honeymoon experience! From the moment we were warmly welcomed with leis upon arrival, to always being greeted by name, and check-ins throughout our stay, we were made to feel so appreciated and special. The service we experienced was unparalleled to any hotel or resort we've ever visited, hands down. The property is truly immaculate and beautifully maintained. There is always someone tending to something - you can tell a great deal of pride goes into it. While the spa and fitness area were unfortunately under renovation, we had zero noise/disruptions. All the staff we encountered were lovely, but the pool and beach attendants were just incredible! The complimentary touches (cold towels, icy aloe vera cubes, popsicles, water in thermo bottles) were top notch. The Adult Pool, while yes, tough to snag chairs in the morning, was still a great experience. The waiting list system worked well and we were always able to get a chair by early afternoon; we often spent the morning at the beach or main pool until we were notified our spot opened up via text. The views from the Adult Pool are breathtaking, especially if you stick around until sunset! We appreciated all of the complimentary cultural activities and entertainment offered throughout the week. There was always something going on! The nightly torch lighting was a great touch. Also loved the daily local vendors. Rooms are starting to feel a bit dated but they are still quite lovely and comfortable. The beds are divine! All dining was first-class and delicious - especially Ferraro's, which we frequented often during our stay. Buffet breakfast at Duo was fab - great selection and service. Spago also (surprisingly) lived up to the hype. We didn't have a chance to try KOMO, their new sushi restaurant, but the space is stunning! If I could give more than 5-stars, I certainly would! Yes, it's very pricey but worth the splurge if you can!

The service is the worse I’ve gotten in any Fours Seasons I have visited. You see yourself always dealing with problems, start to finish. Definitely, it is not what you want after traveling for 11 hours to get there. The check-in took forever when we arrived, next day a warning about us not having a credit card associated with the room (we did it the night before), the extra bed always not ready when we came back after dinner, paid for a full frigobar and it was empty e go on and on. Mistake after mistake that turned the experience in something very frustrating.

This may be fine for an unsophisticated traveler on points with a bunch of kids, but if you actually want peace, quiet and luxury …. Look elsewhere. It’s cramped, it’s loud, it’s like being on a Disney Cruise where kids are everywhere. No, you will not get a seat at the adult pool because it’s roped off with a wait time… yup, exactly what you want to do on vacation. Be in line for a pool. Beach has cheap chairs and there will be a local laying on their towel at your feet. No beach service and no food options past 2pm because, well… random people walking bought all the food already. We were supposed to stay 5 nights, we left after 2 and went to a different island, paid more and changed all flights (also more $$) just to not spoil our time completely. Avoid avoid avoid.