We have just returned from a fabulous stay on Maui at the Ho'olei. Our stay was wonderful and we really enjoyed our time on the island.

About us... we are two couples in our late 30's/early 40's with extensive travel experience. We enjoy luxury hotels and fine dining. My husband and I had stayed at the Four Seasons on our last stay. This was the first visit for our friends. We booked the Ho'olei through the Grand Wailea.

Overall: A great time! The townhomes were absolutely amazing! We enjoyed all the extra amenities and space.

Our townhome (81-4) was a destination onto itself. It was a three bedroom two level unit with two lanais. The furnishings were very contemporary yet cozy. Our unit had upgraded televisions (3 - 60 inch flat panels) and by day three we had figured out the built in stereo system - with the help of the Ho'olei staff. The kitchen had every appliance you could imagine and tons of glasses for any type of entertaining. A cooler was supplied after a quick call to the front desk.

Our ocean view was located between the Four Seasons and the Grand Wailea. We saw beautiful sunsets from our balcony and watched the whales frollick in the waves every day.

The bathrooms were all unique and were well laid out. The bathtub of the master bedroom had a unique way of filling - from the ceiling.

One strange thing to mention, the unit only had one phone that wasn't portable. We often had to scurry to answer the phone only to miss the call. There was no call display and no voice mail.

Our townhome also featured a private elevator which was fun. We swapped master bedrooms with the other friends half way during the week and the elevator came in handy for moving our luggage.

The unit also had a garage with automatic garage door opener and a car port across the road. Lots of room for the Jeep we rented.

Check-in & Reception: We had a very warm greeting from the staff of Ho'olei. Our room wasn't ready yet so we just gave them our cell phone and they called when it was all set. The reception desk was very helpful throughout the week. It was a little frustrating at some points because the desk is not manned 24 hours a day and there is only one person on at a time so if they are away from their desk, it is hard to know when they are returning or if you should wait.

The pool and recreation facilities are all brand new. We spent a fair bit of time here. It was usually very quiet and relaxing here. It was a different atmosphere than the pools that are available at the Grand Wailea.

The gym is very well equipped with state of the art equipment.

Construction: Our buidling was one of the buildings closest to the construction that is ongoing at Ho'olei. I must say, the construction was never an issue for us. We could occassionaly here a truck moving around and some hammering but it never lasted too long. The crews were respectful of the curfews and very courteous to the guests. The construction was a concern for us but our fears quickly dissapated.

Staff: Ho'olei has a wonderful staff. Specials thanks to Lyndee, Tim and Logan. They are very laid back and will help you with whatever you need.

Special Mention:

GotChef.com - we booked the chef services of Allain and his wife for a pleasant evening. We enjoyed a 4 course dinner from the privacy of our lanai. Highly recommended.

Mamma's Fish House - a must! Delicious fresh seafood in a beautiful relaxed environment.

Nick's Fishmarket - we had visited Nick's on Tuesday. My husband and I had been there on our last visit. We raved to our friends and told them that we must go. Needless to say, our dinner was a disaster. Broken table, hair in our food, terrible service, no wine menu was offered- after asking for the wine menu, nobody came back to take our order, never saw anyr waiters after our dinners arrived... We were very disappointed. We mentioned this to Lyndee of the Ho'olei. She immediately contacted the manager at Nick's and gave them the feedback. We were a little embarrassed. The manager, Don, called us back and invited us to be his guests for our final dinner on Maui. We reluctantly agreed but boy are we are glad we did. The restaurant definitely redeemed itself! Great service, excellent food (strange but again - no wine menu offered and no order taken). This was a positive thing for the restaurant as my husband's company will be staying at the Fairmont in April and he was going to tell everyone to avoid Nick's (100+ people). He has changed his opinion and will definitely be recommending the restaurant.

Grand Wailea - we enjoyed the amenities of the resort. The Spa was a nice distraction. I especially enjoyed the Terme baths. The gardens and pools are lovely and I enjoyed the water slides and the pools that flowed into one another.

We all commented that the pool area is congested with chairs and the furniture was disgustingly dirty. The pool area wasn't crowded with people just there was too many chairs. We never had any difficulty finding a spot to relax. We didn't see a lot of 'saving chairs'. We just wouldn't allow our bodies to come into contact with the cushions on the chairs because they were so dirty. Looking at the other resorts like the Four Seasons and the Fairmont, the Grand Wailea was the only one with this problem.

This resort does have a tendency to nickel and dime their guests. Shade umbrellas comes at a premium while it is free at other resorts. Poolside beverage service would have been nice. We didn't see any poolside service except for those who rented the overpriced cabanas.

Beach - fantastic! Nice soft sand and a fun surf to swim in. Whales could be seen off the shore anytime of the day.

Overall, we would return in a heartbeat. We enjoyed sightseeing, dining, sunbathing and relaxing on the island. Ho'olei was a pleasant experience with a few minor hiccups to be worked out before they are totally open for business to the type of clientele they wish to attract. I would recommend this resort to anyone and am happy to be among those who have already experienced this great addition to the Grand Wailea - Ho'olei.