The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
Maui, Hawaii
Lahaina
Vibe
The open-air lobby looks past palms to a three-tiered lagoon pool, where evening brings sunset conch-shell rituals.
“Pacific bluff retreat”
Dedicated cabana attendants and an exclusive club lounge serving five daily chef presentations with personal concierge service.
A 54-acre coastal playground with three-tiered lagoon pools, championship golf courses, and Cousteau marine eco-adventures.
A 17,500-square-foot sanctuary offering volcanic stone grottos, eucalyptus steam rooms, and authentic Hawaiian lomilomi bodywork.
On 54 oceanfront acres in Kapalua, steps from D.T. Fleming Beach and Honokahua Bay.
Rooms
Hardwood floors and sand tones frame private lanais, while ground-level Fire Lanai rooms add personal outdoor firepits.
Wellness
Volcanic stone grottos, eucalyptus steam rooms, and cedar saunas complement outdoor hales dedicated to traditional lomilomi bodywork.
Backstory
During construction, builders shifted the entire resort footprint inland to protect and honor the ancestral Honokahua burial grounds.
Eat & drink
Coastal fare comes wood-fired at The Banyan Tree, while Burger Shack serves poke and shakes beneath beachfront coconut palms.
The neighborhood
The Kapalua Coastal Trail winds past D.T. Fleming Beach and jagged lava formations at Makaluapuna Point.
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The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.