The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua

I was somewhat worried, reading some of the reviews about this property, and the negative experiences people had. Our experience was wonderful, and it’s my impression that many of the people with bad experiences come from a place of entitlement and this dampens their experience. Please see my review below: Arrival & Check-In From the moment we arrived, the experience felt special. We were greeted with beautiful handmade leis, which immediately set the tone for the stay. Roberto at the front desk was exceptionally kind and welcoming—he thoroughly explained the resort amenities and generously upgraded us to a partial ocean view room. Check-in was seamless, relaxed, and genuinely warm. Bell Services Ken, our bellman, was wonderful. He delivered our bags promptly, was extremely friendly, and even offered to get ice for us. These small gestures made a big difference and reflected the consistently thoughtful service throughout the resort. Housekeeping The housekeeping team was fantastic. Every day they swept the hardwood floors to remove sand, refreshed towels, and kept the room spotless. While there was no turndown service, their attention to detail and consistency really stood out, and the room always felt immaculate when we returned. The Property, Beach & Location The property itself is absolutely stunning. The beach access was a major highlight—guests are provided complimentary towels, umbrellas and two lounge chairs, which made beach days effortless and relaxing. The Burger Shack offering takeout that you can bring down to the beach was incredibly convenient and veggie burgers and shakes were delicious! Ocean conditions varied during our stay (December): one day was calm and perfect for swimming, while other days had stronger waves. On one of our swims, we were lucky enough to see a sea turtle glide right past us—an unforgettable experience. The location is excellent—just a scenic walk to Kapalua Bay via a beautiful coastal trail. The resort also neighbors the Montage, which is a great place to grab drinks or visit the spa. An especially convenient perk of the location is the nearby Honolulu Market, located just steps from the resort. This market is incredibly well priced—comparable to Target or Walmart prices in town—which is rare for resort-adjacent shopping in Maui. They sell everything you might need: beer and wine, coffee, breakfast items, sandwiches, Dole Whip, snacks, beach supplies, and souvenirs. We highly recommend buying alcohol and snacks here to stock your room during your stay—it’s convenient, affordable, and well stocked. Dining Experiences Banyan Tree Restaurant: We dined here twice and it quickly became our favorite. The Mai Tais were the best we had on the island (significantly better than the famously hyped Monkeypod). The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the ocean views were stunning. Highly recommend the Maui onion dip with their fresh bread. The wine selection was also outstanding. Our server both nights, Marissa, was wonderful. Sushi Bar & Patio Wine: We also enjoyed the sushi bar and had wine on the patio—both were very good and made for relaxing, enjoyable evenings. Luau Experience The luau had several positives: • Open bar with Moët, cocktails, wine, and beer • Lei greeting upon arrival • Complimentary photo opportunity • A show that told a meaningful story of Hawaiian culture • Food that was fairly good However, there were notable downsides. Because the luau is indoors, the excitement of the fire dancing was limited—they couldn’t throw flames, which diminished the impact. There were also relatively few dancers, making the performance feel smaller and slower than other luaus we’ve attended. Additionally, the vegetarian option was simply seasoned tofu, which was disappointing given the $250 price point. Overall, the luau was below average in both experience and food. I would recommend going off site for a luau. Pool & Oasis Daybed Experience Booking an Oasis daybed was one of our favorite parts of the trip. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., we had attentive food and beverage service, a 10% discount on food, and $40 off sparkling wine bottles (including Prosecco), which made it an incredible value and a lot of fun by the pool. While there was some pool maintenance during our stay, the resort handled it extremely well. We were informed ahead of time, and the work was scheduled so that only one of the three pools was affected at any given time. The pools were never overly crowded or noisy. Activities & Experiences • E-Bike Tour: We did the e-bike tour with Allison, who was absolutely wonderful—patient, kind, and incredibly knowledgeable about the coastline, wildlife, and Hawaiian history. This tour is a 10/10 and a must-do. • Lei-Making Class: Free and very fun. • Stars & S’mores: A lovely evening event where we made s’mores and met other couples. • Friday Market: Featured local vendors, including a snorkel guide we later went out with who was excellent. • Beach Cruisers: Complimentary bikes available to ride along the coastline—beautiful and such a thoughtful perk. Anniversary Celebration & Special Touches The Ritz-Carlton truly went above and beyond to celebrate our anniversary. Upon arrival, we found chocolate-covered strawberries and a handwritten note in our room. Midway through the trip, we received a bottle of wine and homemade banana bread with another thoughtful note. At the end of our stay, we were gifted a beautiful ukulele, a book on the history of Maui, a hand-carved wooden bookmark, and a Hawaii fridge magnet. These gestures were incredibly meaningful and exemplified exceptional hospitality. Shopping & On-Site Staff The retail staff throughout the resort were consistently friendly and helpful. There was also a sunglasses stand near the pool—an especially fun stop. The salesperson was wonderful and helped me choose a beautiful pair of pink Maui Jim sunglasses. Spa We did not use the spa on the property, primarily because there was not an outdoor/scenic co-ed relaxation pool area suitable for couples. Concierge, Valet & Front Desk The concierge team was incredibly accommodating and handled all of our excursions and bookings flawlessly. The front desk made both check-in and check-out effortless and was always happy to answer questions. Valet service was outstanding. On two occasions, we requested our car at extremely early hours (around 4 a.m.), and it was always ready. We never waited more than 2–3 minutes after calling down. They frequently offered towels and water when we left for excursions and happily took used towels when we returned. Room & Amenities The room was more traditional in style—less modern and a bit dated—but still beautiful and very comfortable. The patio had a lovely ocean view. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, with down pillows and a duvet fully encased in a duvet cover. The room featured his-and-hers closets, two plush spa bathrobes, a Nespresso machine with pods replenished daily, a mini-fridge, room safe, and a six-drawer dresser. The Diptyque shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were a luxurious touch. Overall Impression This was an exceptional stay. While not everything was perfect (notably the luau), the warmth of the staff, attention to detail, anniversary celebrations, and overall hospitality truly set this Ritz-Carlton apart. We left feeling genuinely cared for and already look forward to returning.

Beautiful interior and stunning views.

The food at the Club Level did not fully match the expected standard, and the mattress felt too soft for me.

This was such a lack luster experience and did not feel very Ritz at all. I’m not sure if it was because it was slow the week before the holiday rush or what but it left a lot to be desired. The three days by the pool we were maybe approached one time with an offer of service and usually had to go to try and find someone to order something. The server was usually mad that we approached the bar however they were never anywhere to be found. As someone who travels a lot and have held Titanium and above Marriott status for the last couple years I didn’t receive a welcome note in my room. I know this seems small but when you travel regularly these small touches go a long way. For how slow the hotel was we weren’t offered an upgrade, access to the club lounge, a welcome anything, or like I said even a card, it made me wonder why I am loyal to Marriott and have a credit card with them. I’ve had many stays where I don’t receive more than a card and that is okay but that didn’t event happen. I could have saved a lot of points/money and stayed at the Westin down the road for the same experience and probably better service.

It is hard for me to write a review like this but in the interest of transparency I will. We arrived after a long day of travel. Our room was not ready by the 4pm “guaranteed” check in time. When we arrived in our room we were shocked to see how poor condition the room was in. It looked like a thirty year old unrenovated convention Marriott hotel in some random city. Also, there were zero restaurants opened for dinner on Mondays and Tuesdays, we arrived on a Monday. So we went to the bar. There were two servers, it took us 2.5 hours to have a drink and chicken wings. On the day before we were leaving the front desk manager called and asked us if we wanted to change rooms. I did not accept the offer as it was the last night of a four night stay. The reason I gave it a two instead of a one rating was the location, 3 mins from Kapalua Plantation Golf course and we played 2x. So disappointed. Wished we had stayed at the Montage.

My husband and I had a wonderful trip to this resort this past September. Joy greeted us with lei’s and really set the tone for what was a wonderful stay. The room was lovely. The bed was extremely comfortable. The resort had many activities for the guest so we also enjoyed golfing and zip lining while there. I would highly recommend this resort for your Maui stay. The staff went above and beyond seeing to all of our needs.

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This is a beautiful hotel with a very attentive, helpful staff. The rooms are spacious and could use updating soon, but overall super nice. I would stay here again. We especially enjoyed the beach area and beach umbrellas! The restaurants are good, the drinks are good.

Prior to our visit I had written to the Ritz's General Manager asking him about a number of reviews that were not very kind about the condition and the service at his resort. He assured me that "our guest satisfaction is at an all-time high and we remain committed to delivering the warm hospitality and elevated experience that The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is known for." Unfortunately our experience was similar to those guests that I had inquired about. When we checked in as Marriott Titanium Elite we were given 2 chocolate bars. There really is no advantage to status here. The common areas are very nice and the grounds and pools are well kept. We stayed in a Lanai room facing the golf course. The rooms need work. The fire pit didn't work and we asked maintenance to repair with no luck. The furniture on the lanai has green mold on the cushions. The bathroom shows its age. The shower is almost comical for being the smallest shower we have ever encountered in a hotel any where. 36" square. A larger person couldn't use it. The water closet was so dark you had to leave the door open for light. I left a note for the maid to ask maintenance to change the light upon returning to our room, the maid had replied with a note saying they didn't have any light bulbs! A huge Ritz and no light bulbs. Here is bright point of the visit. The next day they forgot to make our room up. I called the desk, they apologized and said they would send someone which they never did. I repeated the call and the heard the same story with the same results. In frustration I walked to the front desk and a lovely young lady listened, apologized and said she would send someone right down. This is when Faye appeared. She was the turn down associate. She has worked there since the hotel opened and she was a WOW! She apologized and took care of the room. She noticed my note and the earlier maid's response. She was embarrassed, asked if she could borrow my note, finished and left. Maintenance showed up, another impressive gentleman. He looked at the fixture and said he would return. He did, said he looked all over for light bulbs and after moving stock around he found a couple. He changed them and it made a world of difference. After he left, we went to use the TV and it didn't work. We called the desk and soon the maintenance gentleman returned with an associate. He laughed, said a simple fix just need new batteries which he had on him and fixed. Faye and this gentleman from maintenance were All Stars. If by chance you have to stay here, ask for a room that Faye services. If nothing else please ask to meet her you will be impressed. With so many other choices in Maui for hotels I would tell you to stay elsewhere. The missed room servicing, the condition of the lanai, the general maintenance our not part of the Ritz tradition and as I stated at the onset, I even asked the GM if the other feedback was unfounded.

It’s a sprawling property nestled between the beautiful hills of Kapalua and the views are stunning. Beach is small but beautiful.

Everything is great

Excellent everything!! The club package is amazing, Some of the best food I had!! All of the people were so nice!! The suites the furthest from the lobby are well worth the walk!! Listening to the ocean and no traffic in the hallway was amazing!!