11 Mar Romance Is A Tropical Playground With Many Options At Kaanapali, Maui

Everyone knows what aloha means. And yet no one can claim to understand the mysterious force suggested by that word. The passion that brings two people together, the love that sustains a marriage, and the deep affection that binds families and communities—all these are fueled by aloha. Kaanapali nurtures love in all its forms.

KAANAPALI, MAUI, HAWAI’I – Image number one: A bride steps softly across the beach, her wide white train sweeping the sand, the porcelain-blue sea lapping at her feet, gentle breezes lifting her tresses. Two: under tropical moonlight, it’s just the two of you secluded in a lush garden, the balmy night air sensuous against your skin; your private waiter is bringing champagne to the table. Three: having just taken surfing lessons together, the two of you lie on the warm sand, laughing, drying in the bright sunlight, and making plans to walk the entire length of the beach at sunset.

These are images right out of the daily scene at Kaanapali Resort, Maui. Romance flourishes in the playful and naturally sensuous surroundings of Kaanapali. Whether your love favors serenity or robust energy, whether it’s brand new, or it’s time to say “I do,” or it’s your decision to renew, the “playground of the Pacific” offers a vast array of choices to support your finest romantic impulses.

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa’s new Lakahi Chapel reflects the Kaanapali commitment to nuptial perfection. This 1,748-square-foot wedding chapel combines elements of sacred architecture with images of Hawai’i’s natural beauty. Large mahogany and bronze doors bear the three-dimensional glass impression of a maile lei—the fragrant garland customarily associated with romantic love. The barrel-vaulted ceiling, muted lighting, marble floor, and plush red carpet harmonize with a large stained-glass window depicting a waterfall, the union of land and water. The chapel can hold up to 40 guests. An alcove serves for intimate receptions. Larger receptions take place outside in the Lahaina Gardens.

If a Maui wedding is your dream, Kaanapali will make it come true. For an example, take a look at the The Westin Maui Resort & Spa. This upscale hotel has an on-staff “Director of Romance™” to create the perfect wedding or vow renewal at its “Celebrations of Aloha™” wedding center. The resort’s wedding packages take care of it all—flowers, photographer, musicians, rehearsal dinner, the perfect cake, the reception, you name it. All you have to do is show up and say the words. The honeymoon has already begun.

Sheraton Maui Resort also provides wedding professionals to manage every intimate detail. Here, bride and groom stay in the Ali’i Presidential Suite, a lavish 1,800-square-foot oasis. The wedding takes place on the suite’s private lawn followed by a private dinner under the stars.

Royal Lahaina Resort is a favored wedding spot. Couples can use the picturesque wedding gazebo, a shady oceanside lawn, or the golden sands of Ka’anapali Beach. The beach here at the north end of Kaanapali is deeper and more private than anyplace else along the three-mile stretch of sand. Royal Lahaina Resort also has a large two-bedroom Beach House that’s very popular for weddings. The place has its own private garden—with pool, Jacuzzi, and a splashing waterfall—right on the beach. Couples wed and stay right there. No matter how you design your ceremony, the Royal Lahaina commemorates the event by placing a custom engraved stepping stone along one of its garden pathways.

But the subject of romance is not limited to weddings alone. Quite aware that Kaanapali’s natural beauty, sensuous climate, and playful surroundings will intensify anybody’s romantic impulses, the major properties all offer something extra, usually in the form of a Romance Package. Let’s look at the variety of choices offered at Ka’anapali Resort.

To start with an assumption: pampering is romantic. Two of the resort’s most luxurious properties—Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa and The Westin Maui Resort & Spa—justify their extended names by offering spa facilities of extraordinary dimension. Spa Moana at Hyatt Regency Maui is a 10,000-square-foot architectural treasure located right on Ka’anapali Beach. It offers custom Hawaiian treatments in 15 treatment rooms, plus a full-service beauty salon, a relaxation lounge, sauna and steam rooms, and two luxury suites for couples who want to enjoy the experience together. Services include various kinds of massages, facials, and body treatments not to mention manicures, pedicures, and makeup application.

Guests at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa can also take advantage of the Honeymoon and Romance Package: a five night stay, champagne and strawberries on arrival, daily buffet breakfasts, dinner at the oceanfront restaurant “tropica,” a sunset cruise, and a shared massage. Guests can also request an amorous in-room dinner called “Champagne, Chocolate & Romance”—a pairing of grilled filet mignon and Hawaiian lobster tail, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne, and loads of chocolate and strawberries. And let’s not forget the power of ambiance: The recently renovated rooms come with Westin’s signature Heavenly Baths and Heavenly Beds, and the resort’s lush grounds are dominated by waterfalls and a lavish 87,000-square-foot pool area.

Sheraton Maui Resort’s “Romance Package” includes ocean-view accommodations, a lei-and-champagne arrival, a dinner under the stars—you choose a hidden spot and get your own waiter—a sunset catamaran cruise, and a daily breakfast buffet.

Kaanapali Beach Hotel has a five-night “Island Romance Package” that includes ocean-view rooms, buffet breakfasts, and a dinner for two at the Tiki Terrace Restaurant. It also comes with a rental car and a gourmet picnic hamper, not to mention your choice of a snorkel sail, a dinner cruise, a lu’au, or surfing lessons. By the way, Ka’anapali Beach Hotel was picked by Travel & Leisure Magazine as the best hotel value in all Hawai’i and number three value in the world. This property puts its focus on heart rather than brass and marble; it justifiably calls itself Maui’s “Most Hawaiian Hotel.”

Some couples prefer a home-away-from-home experience rather than a hotel setting. These people should pick one of Ka’anapali’s five exceptional condominiums, which are like renting your own luxury beach house. Maui Ka’anapali Villas, for example, offers its own “Romance Packages”— two-night and five-night stays with champagne and keepsake flutes, dinner for two at Castaway Café, and a complimentary late check-out.

If you are organizing a wedding that will include a number of guests—requiring ten or more rooms—you will find assistance by contacting the on-property wedding coordinators. These folks are experts at small-group planning for the resort.
If it’s just the two of you, you won’t need any help. Just brace yourself for chocolates and moonlight.

RESOURCES

Hotels

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, 200 Nohea Kai Drive, Lahaina HI 96761-1985. (808) 661-1234; fax (808) 667-4497; reservations U.S. & Canada (800) 55HYATT; packages (800) 772-0011. www.maui.hyatt.com.

Kaanapali Beach Hotel, 2525 Ka’anapali Parkway, Lahaina HI 96761-1912. (808) 661-0011; fax (808) 667-5978; toll-free (800) 262-8450. www.kbhmaui.com.

Maui Marriott Resort & Ocean Club, 100 Nohea Kai Drive, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 667-1200; fax (808) 667-8300; toll-free U.S. & Canada (800) 228-9290. www.marriott.com.

Royal Lahaina Resort, 2780 Keka’a Drive, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 661-3611; fax (808) 661-3538; reservations (800) 22ALOHA. www.2maui.com.

Sheraton Maui Resort, 2605 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina HI 96761-1991. (808) 661-0031; fax (808) 661-0458; reservations (800) 782-9488. www.starwoodhotels.com.

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, 2365 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 667-2525; fax (808) 921-4699; reservations (808) 921-4655. www.westinmaui.com.

Condominiums

Kaanapali Alii, 50 Nohea Kai Drive, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 667-1400; reservations (800) 642-6284. www.classicresorts.com.

Maui Kaanapali Villas, 45 Kai Ala Drive, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 667-7791; fax (808) 667-0366; 24-hour toll-free reservations U.S. & Canada (800) 92-ASTON [(800) 922-7866]; 24-hour worldwide direct reservations (403) 444-4136.
www.aston-hotels.com; www.maui-kaanapali.com.

Outrigger Maui Eldorado, 2661 Keka’a Drive, Lahaina HI 96761-1993. (808) 661-0021; fax (808) 667-7039; toll-free US, Canada & Guam (888) 339-8585. www.outrigger.com.

The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas, 6 Kai Ala Drive, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 667-3200; fax (808) 667-3201; toll-free (888) 488-3535. www.starwood.com/hawaii.

The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach, 2481 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 661-4861; fax (808) 661-8315; 24-hour toll-free reservations U.S. & Canada (800) 92ASTON [(808) 922-7866]; 24-hour toll-free reservations (403) 444-4136.
www.aston-hotels.com; www.whalerkaanapali.com.

Activities

Kaanapali Golf Courses, 2290 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina, HI 96761. (808) 661-3691; fax (808) 661-0203; toll-free (866) 454-GOLF. www.kaanapali-golf.com.

Lahaina-Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, 975 Limahana Place Suite 203, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 667-6851; fax (808) 661-8389; toll-free (800) 499-2307. www.sugarcanetrain.com.

Whalers Village Fine Shops & Restaurants on Kaanapali Beach, 2435 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina HI 96761. (808) 661-4567. www.whalersvillage.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Kaanapali Beach Resort Association
34 Kupuohi Street Suite 304A
Lahaina, Hawai’i 96761
Telephone: 808-661-3271
Email: kbra@kaanapaliresort.com

Digital images available upon request.
Images & text © 2005. Kaanapali Beach Resort Association.

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