The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Hotel Information: Winner of numerous prestigious awards, the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is located in the midst of the 23,000-acre Kapalua Resort on the quieter, western coast of Maui. Soft golden sands lead to the clear Pacific Ocean. Inland are lush rainforests, a protected marine-life conservation district, a native Hawaiian sacred site, and golf courses that double as wildlife sanctuaries. After a $180 million transformation (January 2008), the resort has achieved a new level of luxury.
Amenity highlights: Two championship golf courses adjoin the resort. The Plantation Course unfurls across island canyons, native vegetation, and panoramic oceanfront plateaus. At the Bay Course, the signature hole extends onto an ocean-framed black-lava peninsula.
The Ritz-Carlton's Waihua Spa offers treatments based on native Hawaiian healing and island plants. Most of the 15 treatment rooms open to private outdoor shower gardens. The resort also features a three-tiered outdoor pool with two spa tubs. The Banyan Tree, the resort's signature seafood restaurant, overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Moloka'i.
Insider tip: Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a "Dr. Beach") named D.T. Fleming Beach, which fronts the resort, America's Best Beach for 2006. A professor of environmental studies, Leatherman is recognized as one of the nation's foremost authorities on beach quality.
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s spacious guestrooms and suites, renovated January 2008, feature furnished lanais with ocean, partial-ocean, or garden views.
Elegant contemporary decor includes Hawaiian artwork, hardwood floors, and area rugs with authentic Hawaiian designs.
Bathrooms feature soaking tubs, separate showers, plush robes, and makeup/shaving mirrors.
Amenities include flat-panel LCD TVs, wireless Internet access, and connections for iPods, DVD players, laptops, and other electronics.
All accommodations are nonsmoking.
