Ho'olei at Grand Wailea

Ho’olei is a community of spacious luxury villas that is connected to the expansive, amenity-packed Grand Wailea Resort. The word “ho’olei” in Hawaiian means to give or bestow a lei -- representing the resort’s dedication to making guests feel welcome and truly at home. The Ho’olei villas are located across the street from the main resort, through a separate entrance. It’s an entirely separate private property – however guests are allowed full access to the Grand Wailea’s amenities. The massive 780-room Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria property, is an upscale mega-resort with a system of nine pools, one of the top U.S. spas, and a location on the fantastic Wailea Beach. The villas are set back from the beachfront and don’t have direct ocean views, but guests can access the beach by walking through the main resort.Ho’olei offers 64 luxurious villas that can be rented with one, two or three bedrooms depending on the guest’s needs; they're particularly popular with well-heeled families. The open-plan, fully decked-out homes range from 3,000 to 4,000 square feet, and have an attached garage for parking. Each unit has a fully modern kitchen, stylish contemporary decor, a laundry room, and a large lanai. The resort features a club house with a nice fitness center and lovely pool area. The villas offer every luxury – including an elevator – and provide an atmosphere of relaxed comfort. The complex is quiet and feels much like an upscale suburban neighborhood, but all the action is just a short walk away. Travelers who are attracted to all of the fun, restaurants, and activities of the Grand Wailea Resort, but want a quieter, more spacious place away from the hustle and bustle, will find solace here.

Ho'olei at Grand Wailea is surrounded by a golf course, in the middle of the small tony town of Wailea in South Maui. Its gates are directly across the street from the Grand Wailea resort, and a few minutes’ walk from the other large hotels that line Wailea Beach, including the Fairmontand the Four Seasons. It is not a beachfront property, though views of the ocean can be seen from upper levels. Guests must stroll through the Grand Wailea resort to access the beach, about a 10-minute walk away. Several shops and restaurants are located within a 10-minute drive of the resort, and great spots for snorkeling and the local favorite Big Beach are a bit farther down the road. The property is about a 30-minute ride from the Kahului Airport.

Of the 120 luxury homes in total on the property, 64 units are available to rent. The expansive villas all consist of three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, but they can also be rented as one or two-bedroom units, with the other rooms locked off. The homes range from 3,000 to 4,000 square feet and have slightly different floor plans. Grand private entrances open into a large, open-plan living, kitchen and dining room space. The updated chef’s kitchens feature all of the trimmings: granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, large fridges, stoves, wine coolers, and plenty of cookware. Each living space includes a generous dining area and a huge flat-screen TV with stereo sound. Sliding panels allow you to open up the entire back wall of the living room onto the lanai, for a large indoor-outdoor living space. The lanai includes plush outdoor couches, an excellent grill, and a dining area. The stylish rooms feature contemporary upscale furnishings in neutral tones and beach themes, such as sea shell accents and island-inspired artwork. The decor includes dark woods and soft colors like beige, sand, and light grey with pale blue accents.The light-filled bedrooms include spacious walk-in closets. Each bed is covered with stacks of decorative pillows, like a Pottery Barn catalog. Nicely updated bathrooms include modern fixtures and marble countertops. The master bedroom suite includes its own mini-fridge and a private lanai with lounge chairs. The master bath features a large soaking tub and a walk-in shower with a rainfall showerhead. Every villa includes a full laundry room and an enclosed garage for one car. Each home also has its own elevator, for extra accessibility.

The lovely Wailea Beach is accessed down a path through the main resort’s grounds. This popular white-sand beach, shared by many resorts, is one of the best beaches on Maui. The water is calm and the beach is wide and open, with plenty of room for kids to run and play. Many chairs and umbrellas are available, though the beach fills up early. It can often be crowded in peak seasons and hard to find a good spot. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the villas to reach the beach. Ho’olei offers a free shuttle service that can pick you up at your unit or at the pool, and drops off at the group entrance at Grand Wailea.

While guests of the Ho’olei villas have access to the elaborate pools and waterslides at the Grand Wailea, the property’s own facilities offer a quieter, peaceful reprieve from the crowds. Ho’olei has a small open-air clubhouse and reception area next to the pool, where Starbucks coffee and tea is available throughout the day. There are nice kitchen facilities and lots of dining tables in the shade.The excellent pool area features a large lagoon-style pool with waterfalls and caves, and a tropical oasis look and feel. Two nice hot tubs are on opposite sides of the pool. A shallow sandy beach area gradually slopes down to the water, creating a great play area for kids. There are plenty of lounge chairs, umbrellas, and lots of spots in the shade. In a quiet, shady corner there is a Massage Cabana for spa treatments, and in-room services can also be arranged. The sunny fitness center facing the pool is large, with modern equipment. Guests typically love this serenity of this relaxed pool area, away from the bustling, often noisy main resort where many kids are running around.  Over at the Grand Wailea, guests can visit the resort’s five restaurants and two bars, or view the hotel’s $30-million art collection and impressive gardens. There are a huge, state-of-the-art fitness center with classes offered, the largest spa in Hawaii, bike rentals, basketballs and other activities. The highlight, of course, is the elaborate, 25,700-square-foot pool system which has five waterslides, a volcano, a lazy river and a “water elevator.” There are also a large adult-only pool and whirlpools. Ho’olei offers a free shuttle service that will pick you up at your unit and take you to the resort entrance.