A moonlit beach and the right person by your side are all you really need to experience romance in the Aloha State. Still, these hotels offer the right combination of atmosphere and amenities—like adults-only pools or spas with couples’ treatments—for those looking to savor some special aloha with their sweetheart. Whether you’re getting “Maui’d,” engaged or just looking for a romantic interlude, the Valley Isle has a perfect spot for you and your valentine.
Feature Photo: Four Seasons Facebook
TIP: Don’t waste your day! Since most hotels have check-in until 4pm, be sure to ask for an early check-in.
Hotel Wailea
This adults-only hotel features 72 one-bedroom suites designed to evoke the ultimate island-style pied-à-terre, spread across 15 acres on a secluded hilltop with sweeping views. Each one-bedroom suite has a separate living area, luxury linens, deep soaking tubs, kitchenettes and private lanais. Poolside cabanas with roomy daybeds entice guests to get to that book they’ve been meaning to read, while beach valet services at nearby Wailea Beach include reserved beachfront lounge chairs, umbrellas, bottled water and towels. Two Tesla Model X cars will shuttle guests around Wailea, but be back for sunset cocktails in the open-air Birdcage lobby bar.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Couples should reserve the ultra-discreet Treehouse, nestled in mango trees with an ocean view, for a private, seven-course meal with wine pairings; the feast is prepared in front of you by resort chef Krista Garcia.
- Other private experiences include surf safaris and touring the island in a replica ‘57 Porsche; the latter comes with a gourmet picnic lunch and curated map.
- Afterwards, soak in the bathtubs using products made with kiawe honey harvested onsite.
Four Seasons Resort Maui
The list of romantic enticements at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, the first full-service Four Seasons resort when it opened in 1990, is almost as long as its official name. The 383 recently renovated rooms on the 15-acre compound include 76 lavish suites with koa wood furnishings and contemporary Hawaiian motifs; you’ll pass lush gardens and fountain courtyards on the way down to beautiful Wailea Beach. Seductive private cabanas line the adults-only Serenity Pool, a saltwater, infinity-edge, blufftop swimming hole, while the three excellent restaurants (including Wolfgang Puck-designed Spago) offer excellent tables for two.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Book a couple’s massage in one of the spa’s open-air hale (thatched huts) by the sea.
- The resort specializes in over-the-top private dinners, including one after-hours at the Serenity Pool and another that starts with a scenic helicopter ride leading to former sugarcane estate on the North Shore.
- September through mid-November is “Couples Season,” with many less extravagant but still enticing activities designed for two.
Hana-Maui Resort by Hyatt
Long known as the Hotel Hana-Maui, this serene enclave in remote East Maui has changed owners and management several times in recent years. Now part of Hyatt’s Destination Hotels brand, the 66-acre resort has maintained its romantic air of seclusion, offering 74 conterooms and suites, including airy oceanfront bungalows with dazzling ocean views and subtle island-inspired decor. Oceanfront bungalows also come with a Jacuzzi on their decks, ideal for warming up on a cooler misty evening. Excellent dining, Hawaiian cultural activities and an iconic spa also encourage cocooning with your sweetheart here. If you want to start your getaway faster, fly from Kahului, Kapalua or Honolulu to Hana on the resort’s private 10-passenger Cessna, and be rewarded with sightseeing for both parties without a long, winding drive.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Take the hotel shuttle to idyllic Hamoa Beach, 8 minutes away, where the resort has everything you need to spend the day on the sand.
- Explorers will want to venture to the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park to dip in oceanfront pools (when weather permits) and hike through a bamboo grove to a stunning waterfall.
- Back at the resort, relax with a heated rock massage or linger in the infinity-edge pool.
Inn at Mama’s Fish House
A hidden sandy cove between Ho’okipa Beach and Pa’ia on Maui’s North Shore is home not only to the legendary seafood restaurant Mama’s Fish House but also a small cluster of cottages and suites managed by the same family. Both feature Polynesian-inspired decor, lavish flowers and warm hospitality. The deluxe two-bedroom beach cottage and one-bedroom beachfront suite boast the best views, but all of the handful of rooms (some adult-only) include high-end furnishings, gourmet kitchens and works by local artists. The boutiques and restaurants of Paia are within walking distance, while you’re also in prime spot to start an early morning road trip to heavenly Hana.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bring the beach towels and chairs from your room to Ku’au Cove, just steps from your lodgings, for a no-stress beach outing.
- Make your restaurant reservations at the same time you book your room, and plan for at least one dinner and one lunch (the menu’s the same) to be able to enjoy more of one of Maui’s most memorable culinary experiences.
Montage Kapalua Bay
The virtual “end of the road” of West Maui resorts is its most luxurious, discreet and romantic. Starting at 1,250 square feet, its spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom units were built as residences with top-name appliances in full kitchens and deep soaking tubs and separate showers in marble-lined bathrooms. Multiple terraced pools and beach services on a hidden beach offer privacy for lounging in the sun, while the vast, stand-alone spa features its own infinity-edge pool. Sunset and views of Molokai across the channel are breathtaking. Explore Hawaiian cultural activities on site or go snorkeling in one of the nearby pristine bays. Indoor-outdoor Cane & Canoe Restaurant specializes in steak and local seafood with tropical influences.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Spa Montage Kapalua Bay offers several unique couples’ treatments, including one that begins with a coconut milk bath in a stone tub outdoors and continues with a massage in the roomy outdoor hale (thatched hut).
- Hop in Montage’s latest-model Cadillac shuttle to sample nearby romantic dining at Merriman’s on Kapalua Point or go for an exhilarating side-by-side zipline tour high above the resort with Kapalua Ziplines.
The Plantation Inn
This adults-only, 18-room bed and breakfast is a surprisingly tranquil and affordable oasis just two blocks from bustling Front Street in Lahaina. As the name implies, the architecture and ambiance are inspired by the plantation era, with traditional Hawaiian quilts, hardwood furnishings and, for two of the three suites, gracious covered lanais. The leafy central courtyard hosts a sparkling pool and tables for enjoying the complimentary hot breakfast with a mix of French and tropical offerings, such as croque monsieur, French toast brioche and macadamia nut granola.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Dinner at Gerard’s, a perennial award winner for its contemporary island French cuisine and romantic atmosphere, is a must.
- Nightlife lovers will appreciate the easy walk to Lahaina’s bars and restaurants; there’s free self-parking when you return from exploring the island by car.
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