Staying at Travaasa is like going back to a simpler, quieter time to relax and unwind. The staff are exceedingly friendly, informative and helpful. Golf carts shuttle guests throughout the hotel, into "town" and to the beach. Two pools (one for adults only). To really appreciate this place, suggest staying at least 3 days to enjoy the activities offered and soak in the peaceful atmosphere. Ask for the key to go ontop of the hill to the cross for a sunrise.

We spent two nights in a Sea Ranch Cottage in mid-November and it was a great experience. It was a very special occasion (we'd gotten engaged that morning) and the staff were beyond helpful, obliging and fun from the moment we arrived. They also did a great job with a few extra touches I'd requested, including flowers and champagne in the room. The cottage was beautiful, clean and well-kept. Everyone there went the extra mile to make a special time extra special and we'd gladly stay again.

A few things to know about Hana and the resort if you haven't picked them up from other sources yet:

Hana is quiet. Very quiet. Be prepared to SLOW DOWN and live with the daylight, because it will be dead after 7 PM.

The resort may feel pricey depending what your expectations are - if you're really stretching the budget to stay here, or just came from a similarly priced high-end resort in a less remote area, you will probably feel like you're paying a bit too much. However, it is a gorgeous and well-located retreat, and if you understand that you're paying a premium for the out-of-the-way location and packaged-in amenities it won't feel like a rip. You can also get a lot out of your stay if you want to - we did yoga in the studio overlooking the ocean, and you can't get a much better setting.

Prepared food is hard to come by in Hana, particularly for dinner, and the two main restaurants are expensive and marginally rated. We ate at the restaurant at Travaasa and were not blown away. Be aware that the cottages (at least ours) have a refrigerator and bar sink but no facilities for cooking. That said, the pop-up Thai place a few blocks toward the beach from the hotel and the food trucks on the highway a little to the south of the general store are great lunch options.

Finally, if you want good service, give aloha and you'll get it right back. Give a negative vibe and you'll probably get that right back too.

We originally were not planning on staying in Hana. However, we had a change of plans (originally we were going to stay at the Marriott at Wailea but one night there and we checked out). A friend of ours recommended we stay at the Travaasa Hotel. I am SO glad that we did! First of all, we were going to travel the "Road to Hana" while staying at Wailea. We would have been exhausted trying to do that trip in a day. Therefore, we took our time driving down to Hana (took about 3 hours) which was gorgeous. I called the Travaasa the night before and thankfully they had rooms. We stayed in their Sea View Cottage and I would HIGHLY recommend upgrading to that cottage if you are not traveling with kids. Its so serene and tranquil. We had views of the ocean and the meadows where the horses graze. So peaceful (completely different from Wailea where it was extremely busy and crowded). The people who worked there were so nice and accommodating. You can tell they take great pride at working there. We really did not do many trips while down there (we only stayed for 2 nights) so we didn't do any horse back riding or drive up to the falls (which I hear are gorgeous). We decided to go to Hanoa Beach (which was a 5 min drive). They also provide a complimentary shuttle to that beach (but we had a car so we drove). There is another beach that is within walking distance of the property but it wasn't as nice. We ate at the Hana Ranch Restaurant for lunch and they had really good burgers. The chef there also runs the restaurant at the property. For dinner we ate the Travaasa and the food was wonderful! They also opened all the doors at the dining area so we had a fantastic breeze. What really made our trip special was after we checked out (I know, its sounds crazy). My husband and I were on our way back to Kahului Airport when we grazed a rock wall and blew out TWO tires of our rental car. It was early in the morning and luckily we were near the Coconut Glens so the guy came out and let us use his phone (no cell reception). While we were waiting for the tow truck guy to come (Tim...only one in town and we woke him up) so many people slowed by our car or stopped to see if we were okay or needed a lift! Then we called the Travaasa and asked them to pick us up. They didn't have to (since we already checked out) but they did and provided us with their hotel phone so we could make other arrangements. THANKFULLY there is a local airport right by the resort so we could fly up to the main airport in Maui and get back to the mainland. I cannot thank the people at the Travaasa and those in Hana for helping us out. All went out of their way to help us!

Our biggest disappointment was at the beautiful beach of Hamoa where the Travaasa Hotel has it's beach facilities. The shower at the beach was disconnected and there was lots of rubbish on the beach. I was told that the hotel disconnected the outdoor shower because they were trying to cut costs on the water bill. There needs to be an outdoor shower for the guests and the residents of Hana as well not only for convenience but for sanitary conditions. It is something the Hotel should do to give back to the community of Hana.