Hotel Wailea Re-opens, Hawaii’s First and Only Relais & Chateaux Property

Hotel Wailea Re-opens, Hawaii’s First and Only Relais & Chateaux Property

Hotel Wailea, Hawaii’s first and only Relais & Châteaux property, is  now taking reservations for stays beginning October 15, 2020. Offering the luxury of space with only 72 oversized suites spread across 15 acres, Hotel Wailea welcomes guests back to an adults-only escape with new culinary offerings and adventures that allow couples to safely explore the island of Maui, which has never been more lush or pristine.

The Luxury of Space

Overlooking Maui’s southern coastline with views of three Hawaiian Islands, every suite at Hotel Wailea feels as if it’s a guests’ own private beach house. Each of the one-bedroom suites features an oversized lanai with floor to ceiling windows and a separate bedroom and living area. Suites are accessed through their own outdoor entrances and have fully self-contained HVAC systems. The 720 square feet of space allows easy transition from relaxing, to working remotely and dining en suite.

Couples looking to catch up on life’s special moments and overdue milestones can book a Celebration Suite, a premium category accommodation. The 12 expansive suites feature the very best top floor panoramic ocean views and are distinguished further by their unique décor and original artwork from owner Jonathan McManus’ personal collection. Each Celebration Suite comes with a private concierge service that assists guests in customizing romantic arrivals and planning memorable experiences during their stay at Hotel Wailea. The Suites also include a VIP welcome bottle of Laurent-Perrier Brut champagne and a tropical fruit plate upon arrival, and daily breakfast which can be enjoyed on the oversized 108 sq. ft private lanais with expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. Transportation around the resort village of Wailea can also be arranged in one of the hotel’s sleek, touchless Tesla Model X house cars.

Whether guests want to stay close to “home” in their suites or venture out, Hotel Wailea offers a myriad of naturally distant options to fit every comfort level. When it’s time to catch some sunshine, an adults-only pool experience beckons with residential-sized cabanas outfitted with high speed internet to accommodate work or play poolside. An apothecary style bar serves up made-from-scratch cocktails utilizing all the fresh bounty of Maui.

A Feast for the Senses

Continuing its tradition of incubating the next great culinary talents in Hawaii, Hotel Wailea welcomes new Executive Chef, Jonathan De Paz, who comes to the island with an esteemed background having worked at French Laundry, Eleven Madison Park and Restaurant Daniel. Chef De Paz will be supported by the continued guidance of the hotel’s Culinary Director, James Beard-nominated Chris Kajioka.

A newly transformed lounge experience debuts with the Birdcage, an open-air concept where guests can enjoy handcrafted cocktails and Japanese-inspired Izakaya style bites with 180° views of the Pacific Ocean. Weekly sashimi specials along with classics such as gyoza and yakitori will be available for guests to enjoy in a casual environment with comfortable lounge seating for small groups.

The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea features two different alfresco seating vistas, the Lanai, overlooking three Hawaiian Islands, or the Garden, where intimate tables are strategically placed amongst lush foliage of the hotel’s garden underneath twinkling lights. Chef De Paz unveils a menu that pays respect to the bounty of Hawaii and pushes ingredients to their limits with dishes such as a refined version of poke with dragonfruit and scallions, a daikon and Asian pear “trail mix” with white chocolate and lemon, local corn agnolotti, charred cabbage with whipped tofu, chicken pressé and Opakapaka with crema and ginger scallions. The prix fixe menu is available in three or four courses, with all of the dishes easily able to transition to vegan or gluten free.

At The Cabanas, Chef De Paz’s revamped poolside menu includes a nod to his Latin roots with a fresh spin on fish tacos and pulled pork with moho dressing, along with a bounty of local seafood on the fruits de mer platter. Dishes pair perfectly with craft cocktails from the apothecary style pool bar, where every day is different as mixologists create drinks from the day’s best produce.

Adventures for Two

As Maui’s premier boutique luxury hotel, Hotel Wailea offers guests truly personalized and authentic island experiences tailored exclusively for couples. A once-in-a-lifetime experience includes dining in a private, open-air Treehouse with dramatic and panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. A private chef will curate and cook a seven-course tasting menu tableside with wine pairings, while every need is attending to by a dedicated server. Dining while suspended amongst mango trees and watching the sunset is a not-to-be-missed moment.

A brand-new trio of private outrigger canoeing adventures invite guests to greet the sunrise, the sunset and watch majestic humpback whales. Early risers can take part in a 90-minute paddle along the southern coast of Maui with a traditional Hawaiian chant, “E Ala E;” at sunset, a one hour canoe experience awaits while couples are serenaded by local favorite Damon Williams as he performs his island music; and December through April, guests can join Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe on a 1.5 hour experience to the Maui Basin to respectfully greet and honor the visiting humpback whales.

For surf enthusiasts, Hotel Wailea unveils an all-new “Surf Safari” tour of Maui, a private, guided four-hour surf exploration of the island’s best breaks. Lunch, refreshments and surf instruction is included for all skill levels. When it’s time to head back to dry land and take to the open road, couples can explore Maui’s coastline or the lush upcountry while cruising in a vintage ’57 Porsche replica, complete with a packed gourmet picnic lunch and curated map of the best vantage points and beach spots.

For the wellness aficionados excited to mix up their workout from home routines, Hotel Wailea brings back wildly popular aerial silks and yoga classes, which can be hosted privately in an open-air fitness studio. Floating sound baths are also available to transport guests to total immersive state of relaxation and meditation. In-suite spa treatments are also available where couples can enjoy side by side lomi lomi massages followed by a coconut milk and Hawaiian honey infused bath.

Sustainability and Community

In a continuation of the hotel’s ongoing efforts to support sustainable tourism, Hotel Wailea is developing a custom line of reef-safe sunscreen, which is made locally. This winter, guests will be gifted travel-sized tins as a turn-down amenity with more available to purchase. The sunscreen also joins a new line of in-room bath amenities featuring a scent handcrafted by Lather from kiawe honey, which is cultivated from the hotel’s on-property resident bees. The honey is expertly blended with wild Kāhili ginger foraged on the slopes of Haleakalā.

Later this winter, guests will be able to explore the newly revamped on-site gardens at Hotel Wailea, which are home to the property’s resident bees and will produce much of the herbs and produce used throughout the dining venues.

For more information about Hotel Wailea’s health and comfort guidelines and the state of Hawaii’s travel measures, please visit https://www.hotelwailea.com/welcome-back/. Starting rates begin at $699/night and guests can book with confidence as Hotel Wailea offers flexibility for check in dates through December 17, 2020 if plans change.