The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua: West Maui Soul

“Welcome to The Ritz-Carlton. We’ve been expecting you.”

This charming welcome is easily uttered countless times each day at Ritz-Carlton properties around the world as part of the brand’s exceptional service delivery.

There was a time when that vaunted service delivery was built on strict adherence to consistency. Guests could have the same expectations from any property in The Ritz-Carlton portfolio, whether they were in Maui, Miami or Montreal. There would be the same restaurant, the same palette of rich royal blue and dark woods, the same eerily anticipatory hospitality.

Some years ago, that changed, particularly at resorts. The dark blues and hardwoods lightened to more regionally appropriate colors, and the restaurants focused on more regional culinary influences—all underlined by that same distinctive brand of personal service.

At The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, after the warm, charming welcome by the valet staff, my luggage was whisked away, I was adorned with a shell lei, ushered into the breezy lobby and offered a welcome drink of a local fruit blend. The message was clear: you’ve arrived, and you can’t have arrived anywhere else in the world but Kapalua.

Cultural significance seems to radiate from the very bones of the structure. The wood columns in the lobby are inscribed with carved triangles that represent Pi‘ilani, ali‘i nui of Maui in the late 16th Century, and the six bays ruled by him along the coast from Ka‘anapali to Kapalua. Collectively known as Hono-a-Pi‘ilani (Bays of Pi‘ilani), they were frequented by the ali‘i nui, who ruled from Lahaina but frequented the six bays.

Today, it’s easy to understand the draw. Light cascades down off the West Maui mountains to brighten the textural contrasts—the bright blue of the ocean, mottled lava rock cliffs, green palms, sandy beaches and vistas of Molokai and Lana‘i across the narrow channels.

The feeling that this place is long revered would be accurate. During construction of the hotel, it was discovered that the original location closer to the water is wahi pana—a sacred place—that was used as a burial site until the 19th Century. To maintain the integrity of the wahi pana, which contains the remains of Hawaiian ancestors, resort construction was moved mauka (toward the mountains) and the site is today off-limits except to cultural practitioners and others with kuleana (responsibility) for the remains.

Meandering down the corridors leading to guest rooms along two sides of the central pool complex, guests will notice light fixtures designed in a manner similar to fish traps and replicas of wooden mallets used to pound bark cloth called tapa or kapa. The mallets were carved with intricate designs that would transfer to the barkcloth, and these designs are also incorporated into the artwork throughout the hotel. QR codes located near each of the works allow guests to scan and learn more about their significance in a self-guided tour.

Guest room furnishings are consistent with Ritz-Carlton brand standards for resort properties (think lighter, brighter, casual colors and designs) with local accents. Lanais overlook the surrounding mountains, ocean or pool area and have a wealth of plush seating.

Guests booking The Ritz-Carlton Club level accommodations have the added benefit of the dedicated key-access Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge and its five food and beverage presentations daily, from lavish island breakfasts with Maui fruit and produce and heavenly baked goods to light resort lunches, evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Throughout the day, soft drinks, coffee, whole fruit and other snacks are always available, as is a self-serve station with four decadent types of baked on-site cookies, from traditional chocolate chip to pineapple to white chocolate macadamia nut. Guests wanting to take advantage of good weather can also dine outside on a number of lanais overlooking the golf course.

Other dining options include ‘Olu Poolside, where guests can order lunch from the Marriott Bonvoy app for delivery direct to their poolside location, Kai Café, which offers grab-and-go near the lobby for guests heading out on adventures, or the oceanfront Burger Shack where guests can take lunches or snacks with their toes in the sand.

The pools themselves terrace throughout the center of the resort; the topmost pools are reserved for adults while families can enjoy the other pools. Chairs are first-come, first-served, or guests can reserve a pool cabana for the full VIP treatment—cabanas include a fridge stocked with soft drinks, dedicated service for orders from ‘Olu Poolside, a chilled fruit plate and plenty of seating.

Guests seeking a spa day can take advantage of The Ritz-Carlton Spa where Maui botanicals and herbs feature prominently. Services like detoxifying sea salt scrubs and lomilomi or relaxation massages are available to relax. There’s also more artwork to be discovered—carved taro leaves representing waihua—beads of fresh water on the leaves considered water’s most pure form, collected for healing rituals.

In the evenings, guests on the lobby terrace and Alaloa Lounge can watch the nightly sunset ceremony where the call of the pu conch shell and beat of the pahu drum mark the transition of day into night (it also makes for a good photo).

Banyan Tree, the hotel’s signature restaurant, offers indoor-outdoor dining in a relaxed atmosphere with cuisine that naturally focuses on the bounty of land and sea, with Pacific Rim and European influences. Diners on the lanai will have a front-row seat for the Polynesian fire torch demonstration to accompany their seafood or steak.

With so much to do on-site, it’s almost possible to forget that the hotel is but one part of the larger Kapalua Resort complex, with several other lodging, dining and shopping options in addition to two championship golf courses. But that simply reinforces the old maxim about Ritz-Carlton properties, on Maui, or anywhere else—the most difficult part of the stay is departing.

The Takeaway

Nestled into a cozy corner of West Maui in one of its most intimate resort areas with no shortage of activities to fill days and nights, there’s no mistaking exactly what makes this beautiful corner of Maui a treasured place across generations.

The Math

Rates start at $371 per night plus tax and resort fee.

The Resort Fee is $35 per night plus tax and includes select fitness classes, WiFi, shuttle service within the Kapalua Resort, free photo session, discounted golf fees and preferred tee times, cultural history tours and resort activities such as basketball, tennis, shuffleboard and croquet.

Instagrammable Moment

Views of the beach, resort, or the spread in the Club Lounge are sure to get engagement on social media.

Good To Know

The resort layout can be confusing at times—this is definitely a property where it’s best to have bell staff escort you to your room and provide orientation.

Infrequent or novice ocean swimmers should pay attention to posted warning flags—surf conditions in Hawai‘i can appear deceptively calm.

Observe posted signs prohibiting access to the nearby burial site.

The author recognizes the importance of Hawaiian Language diacritical marks such as the kahako (macron) however some of these may have been omitted for web browser compatibility.

Accommodations were furnished by The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua in preparation for this story.