Grand Wailea Resort facts for kids
| Grand Wailea Resort & Spa | |
Quick facts for kids .jpg) |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Wailea, Hawaii |
| Coordinates | 20°40′52″N 156°26′19″W / 20.681173°N 156.438695°W |
| Address | |
| Developer | Takashi Sekiguchi |
| Management | Hilton Worldwide |
| Owner | BRE Hotels & Resorts |
| No. of restaurants | 5 |
| No. of rooms | 787 |
| of which suites | 52 |
The Grand Wailea Resort & Spa is a fancy hotel in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii. It's a huge place, covering 40 acres right on the beach. This resort is part of the Waldorf Astoria family. It first opened its doors in 1991 as the Grand Hyatt Wailea. Today, the Grand Wailea is owned by BRE Hotels & Resorts. It is also the biggest private employer on the island of Maui.
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History of the Grand Wailea Resort
The Grand Wailea Resort was built by a Japanese developer named Takeshi Sekiguchi. He also collected a lot of amazing art for the hotel. When it opened in 1991, it was called the Grand Hyatt Wailea. Building the hotel cost a lot of money. Because of this, Sekiguchi later lost control of the property.
The hotel has been sold a few times since then. Now, Hilton Worldwide manages it. In 2006, it became one of the first hotels to join Hilton's Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts brand. It is the second largest hotel on Maui. The Grand Wailea is famous for having the world's first water elevator. It also has the first rotating barrel pipe ride, which is super cool!
In 2019, the hotel started a special group called the Grand Wailea Foundation. This group helps local non-profit organizations in Maui. They plan to give away $250,000 every year. The first donations were given out at the hotel's Christmas tree lighting event. Groups like Hui o Wa‘a Kaulua and the Boys & Girls Club of Maui each received $10,000.
The resort also cares about the environment. They hoped to use zero extra water by 2020. They also share information about Hawaiian culture and being eco-friendly with their guests.
Where Guests Stay
The Grand Wailea Resort has different places for guests to stay.
Villas at Ho'olei
The resort has special villas called Ho'olei at Grand Wailea. These are located across the street from the main hotel. The villas have one, two, or three bedrooms. They are two stories tall and come with a full kitchen. Each villa also has an outdoor barbecue and a garage. All the villas have lanais, which are outdoor decks, that face west.
Hotel Rooms and Suites
The main hotel building has 830 guest rooms, suites, and villas. These rooms offer different sizes and views for guests.
Napua Tower Rooms
The Napua Tower has 100 special rooms. These rooms are extra fancy and come with free concierge services. This means staff are available to help guests with anything they need. The rooms in this tower are very spacious. Some of the hotel's largest suites are found here.
Hotel Membership Benefits
People who become members of the Grand Wailea hotel get special perks. They receive lower room rates for themselves and their friends or family. Members also get special deals that are only for them.
Fun Things to Do and Services
The Grand Wailea Resort has many exciting facilities and services for its guests.
Amazing Pools
The resort is known for its incredible swimming pools.
Wailea Canyon Activity Pool
This huge pool is like a water park! It's 2,000 feet long and holds 770,000 gallons of water. It has nine different pools on six levels, all connected by a lazy river. You can find four small slides and two big waterslides here. There's also a whitewater rapids slide, a rope swing, and a sandy beach area. The pool has three Jacuzzis, six waterfalls, and a special water elevator. There's even a pool just for babies. You can also grab a drink at the swim-up bar. The water elevator here was the first of its kind in the world!
Hibiscus Pool
The Hibiscus Pool is a beautiful adult-only pool. It's 4,850 square feet. At the bottom of the pool, there is a giant hibiscus flower design. This flower is made from 630,000 tiny pieces of Mexican glass tile. The whole pool is built with 2.2 million tiles. It also has two Jacuzzis for relaxing.
Scuba Dive Training Pool
The hotel has its own scuba diving instructors. They teach guests how to scuba dive in a special training pool. This is the only custom-designed scuba pool in Hawaii. Beginners practice here and in parts of the activity pool before they go diving in the ocean.
The Fishpipe Ride
The Fishpipe is a unique water ride that looks like a spinning barrel. It's like a waterslide but inside a rotating tube. Up to three people can ride at once. The pipe can spin at a top speed of 11 miles per hour. It was the first rotating barrel ride ever built. The barrels are made from clear plastic and have many colorful cords.
Spa Grande Relaxation Center
Spa Grande is the biggest spa in Hawaii. It's a huge space, covering 50,000 square feet. There are 40 rooms for different treatments. The spa has special showers that look like waterfalls. It also has a Roman tub, saunas, a Japanese furo bath, and five special bath and jet showers. The Grand Salon, a hair and nail salon, is also located inside Spa Grande.
Palaha Hawaiian Cultural Center
In 2020, the Palaha Hawaiian Cultural Center opened at the resort. This center offers daily cultural experiences for guests. It also shows off beautiful Hawaiian art. It's a great place to learn about the local culture.
Hotel Upgrades and Changes
The Grand Wailea Resort has had several updates over the years.
In 2008, the hotel spent $50 million to make improvements. They updated the Botero Bar and the Arrival and Departure Lounge. They also added new furniture and flat-screen TVs to every room. The spa also got new carpet and furniture.
In 2012, the hotel planned a big, five-year expansion project. This plan included adding more rooms and new restaurants. It also involved new technology in the rooms and a new pool. Renovations started in 2014, and the room and pool updates finished in late 2017.
In 2019, the hotel suggested more expansion plans. However, some local Hawaiians were not happy about these plans. This was because the hotel was built on land that was once sacred burial grounds. Due to community concerns, the plans were put on hold in February 2020. These expansions were expected to cost about $150 million.
Dining Options
The resort has four restaurants, four bars, and offers room service. You can also enjoy a special Sunset Cabana dining experience.
Restaurants
- Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
- Bistro Molokini
- Grand Dining Room Maui
- Café Kula
Bars
- Bistro Bar
- Botero Bar
- Grotto Bar
- Volcano Bar
