Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

Reviews

• AA

  A.C.

  3 days ago
  3.0
  I've been coming to the Grand Wailea off and on for a couple of decades. Way before they got involved with Hilton. They used to be so much better and have much better service. Now it seems like they take the guests for granted and see us only as cash cows, charging outrageous prices for everything. And customer service and Aloha is severely lacking. I'm also a Hilton Diamond member and so I have stayed in many Hilton properties around the world and have been treated much, much, much better at other places. To start off, you arrive and are not even acknowledged or greeted by the bellmen. No welcome drink or welcome lei like you get at most other high-end places in Hawaii like The Ritz-Carltons and The Four Seasons. There were probably 50 people in line at check-in, which is not the resort's fault, but they could have had more staff working to get people through the line. I had to wait about 40 minutes before I made it to the desk to check in. The lady who checked us in was full of Aloha and very pleasant. She worked very hard to get us into a good room. I noted her name but now I can't find it. She was probably in her mid '50s and looked something like a Filipino Japanese mix, in case management can figure out who she is. As a complete opposite experience, there was a younger local lady working next to her who was the most anti-Aloha person imagibable. She was probably in her thirties, shoulder length or longer hair, and just a very bad attitude. She actually yelled at the guest checking in next to me with "you just barge in here and disrupt things!" (She had already been working with one of his roommates and he walked up later.) She continued to be sour to these people as they tried to check in. The next day we had to deal with her when we had a question about hotel services. She was equally sour and crabby and never smiled and had a bad attitude. Hopefully management can fire her and find someone with Aloha to replace her. We stayed in two different Molikini suites and there were issues with both of them. Some of the lights were burnt out in the bedroom. The coffee maker has mugs which are way too small for the amount of water that the machine puts out. So they overflow whenever you make coffee and make a big mess. In the second room, the coffee maker did not work at all so we had them replace it. And this room also has mugs which are too small for the amount of water that the coffee machine puts out. I can't believe no one ever tested this before choosing this coffee maker coffee cup combination. Overall the rooms are kind of old and dated. Some things were banged up and had scratches on them. It's annoying that you have a suite with microwave and refrigerator, but zero plates or utensils to use. Overall these issues are quite unacceptable in a room that cost $2,600 per night. The bartenders at Humuhumu nukunuku were friendly and fun, but the two ladies there at the checkin counter had no Aloha. No smile, no greeting, no nothing. Just business. And they were also very curt with customers asking questions. You expect food prices to be high because it's Hawaii, but even so, most of the food and drink prices here seem exorbitant. $36 for a 12-in pizza at the little grocery store cafe. $18 for a single peanut butter and jelly sandwich. $28 for a Mai Tai, etc. The food at Nobu was exquisite. The prices are much higher than any other Nobu around the world. So again, it seems like they're just trying to squeeze everything out of you that they can at this resort. I'd suggest going there for the happy hour food and drink special at the bar. If you are going to Maui and would like to have a luxury and truly five-star experience with good customer service, I would suggest the Four Seasons or the Ritz-Carlton. You will not get a five-star experience or customer service at the Grand Wailea. Period. It's clear that they do not train their staff in excellence. However, if you have kids and are looking for the best pool on Maui, then this is the place. It is great.
• JC

  Jin-Seung Chang

  3 days ago
  1.0
  I’m writing this review about the unbelievable level of service I experienced during my summer vacation at Hilton Grand Wailea Maui from August 5 to August 10. I submitted a detailed complaint (summarized below – it’s long, but I hope someone will actually read it) through the Hilton brand website and followed up multiple times, but no real solution was offered. I was then told to contact the property directly, yet I never received any reply from them. On October 1, Hilton Customer Care Center informed me that they had forwarded my case to the Director of Recreation at Grand Wailea Maui, but even now, a month and a half later, I have heard nothing. I am shocked and extremely disappointed that Hilton handles a customer’s voice in this way, so I am leaving this review on Google. =========================================== I stayed here for 5 nights and 6 days with my family, enjoying the beautiful pool and beach—until one incident destroyed it all. On the morning of our 4th day, we left our pool loungers at 10 a.m. to have breakfast. Barely 1 hour and 10–15 minutes later, I returned to find a female staff member walking off with ALL our belongings—bags, towels, floats, and even our phones. When I demanded to know what she was doing, she coldly replied, “If a pool chair is unused for one hour, we remove the items. It’s our policy.” I told her I had never been informed of such a ridiculous rule, nor had I seen a single sign posted anywhere. Touching a guest’s property without permission is unacceptable, yet she just kept parroting, “It’s the policy.” I asked where she was taking my things. She said the pool counter. I pointed out how any guest would be panicked thinking their belongings had been stolen. Her answer? Again: “It’s the policy.” Nearby guests confirmed they’d never been told about this so-called rule either. Eventually, she dumped my things on the ground and walked away without another word. A little later, I saw another guest—a father with two young children—return from the beach to find his belongings missing too. Clearly, this wasn’t just me. This is outrageous. What kind of 5-star hotel thinks it’s acceptable to lay hands on guests’ personal property without permission? I’ve stayed in luxury hotels across Asia, Europe, the U.S., and even Africa, and I have NEVER experienced anything like this. It borders on theft. If Hilton insists on enforcing such an absurd policy, they should clearly inform guests at check-in and post visible warnings everywhere—not ambush paying customers in this way. Train your staff properly, because right now this is nothing short of appalling. A wonderful family vacation was ruined in an instant. I will be telling everyone about this disgraceful “policy” so that other guests do not suffer the same treatment. I will NEVER return to this hotel.
• WP

  Walter “Wally” Pietsch

  6 days ago
  1.0
  We were staying in early September (shoulder season) for two nights. Almost 2 months ago, read on why I post this so late. Huge complex, feels like a rather outdated theme park. Probably a classic American get away from the past. Clean and mostly well maintained (see remark on the room). Resort grounds are nice. See my separate reviews of Olivine restaurant and the Botero lounge. The hotel was almost empty when we arrived on a Monday. No welcome drink and Lei. The lobby associate was grumpy and very pushy to sell us a room upgrade (several hundred dollars per night). We ended up in a non-refurbished room in the rearward wing. While I am aware about the inflated number of Diamond members, they don't appear to care about customer retention. A little upgrade, at the hotel's discretion goes a long way, especially if the hotel is very far from busy. I tried to contact the concierge several times before our arrival. Called at various times. No answer after a long hold, no option to leave a voicemail. Same "success" trying with the chat on the Hilton app. Well, I checked out the concierge desk area (opposite to the lobby) while there. At least 5 associates sitting there and killing time. Customer service is apparently unknown in that resort. At checkout, we had to politely insist that our F&B credits were properly accounted... At the room rates they command, it's difficult to understand their attitude towards customers and that guests pay a lot for what is offered. I have been at many Waldorf Astoria hotels around the world, always pure luxury and top hospitality. Being a Hilton member since 20+ years I never had a complaint, even at no frills places in the Hilton chain. The only luxury in Wailea is the beauty of Maui and Hawaii. In all fairness this place can't be recommended. In the end, our luck was to use FNCs and the resort credit. Fortunately there is a free market and excellent competition. Will I return? Draw your own conclusion. We moved to the adjacent resort a few hundred feet north and had an amazing time for the rest of the week. Hilton corporate take note....
• JE

  Jennifer E

  Nov 13, 2025
  2.0
  This was my fourth visit to the Grand Wailea in 16 years and sadly will be my last. We came to celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday - something I mentioned several times to the staff in our reservation and when we checked in, but nothing was done to make this occasion special. Especially, the cost of staying at this hotel. The resort now charges $150 a day to rent two chairs and an umbrella, which is absurd when you already paid close to $2000 per night. I am not sure why they are charging for chairs now; the beach has not changed at all over the years. They have complimentary small beach chairs, but only a handful. If you don't get there first, then you end up sitting on a beach towel in the sand. The rooms are extremely outdated and long overdue for a remodel. While high prices are expected in Hawaii, you truly don't get what you pay for at this resort. In contrast, The Four Seasons next door doesn't charge a resort fee or a fee for the beach chair umbrellas - a much better value and overall experience. I am not sure what the resort fee covers because it felt it was an added fee for nothing. Another frustrating detail: the resort provides 2 reusable water bottles in your room, and when we asked for replacements, they gave me a hard time and said I should not throw them away. I had no idea they went cheap on the water; they claim it's for the environment, but in reality, they don't want to spend the money on the fancy water bottles. Also, keep in mind that housekeeping only comes until 3 PM, then the staff leaves, so don't expect a late cleaning of your room. I have never been to a resort where I was searching for someone to clean the room. Overall, this was not memorable for my daughter's Sweet 16, and it breaks my heart that after so many wonderful family vacations here, we won't be returning to the Grand Walilea. The level of service and hospitality has gone downhill, and it no longer feels like the luxury resort it once was.
• SB

  Sj Burt

  Nov 11, 2025
  1.0
  We have stayed at the resort more than 20 times, and always enjoyed it. Now it has lost its appeal to us. The service has been downgraded for some reason even as costs get unreasonable. The elevators don’t work. All week long one of the elevator to the convention area was not working making for extra long wait times to get to and from the convention center. Most of the time I had to climb or descend 5 floors to be timely for meetings and events. It didn’t appear to be under repair as there was no evidence of someone working on it. Even when it was pointed out to the engineering department. No one seems to have an explanation for why it wasn’t in service. Worse than that was the joke at the from of the hotel. They have closed down the valet service at the South end of the hotel so everyone has to pick up their car at the main entry. Which has put so much more pressure there. It is so busy almost all the time, that 15 to 20 minutes is the normal wait times to get your car. Attempting to call ahead to get in line is rewarded with no one answering the phone at the valet desk. You are forced to wait with the hordes of people as the poor valet guys run as fast as they can to get cars. Why they don’t use the valet on the South end is a mystery that that no one seem to be able to answer when asked. Another surprise was at check in when they required us pay for our room in full up front. When I asked why the answer was “their is a first time for everything”. At the pool and beach they have forced guests to rent lounge chairs if you want a place at he pool or beach. They have attempted to create so many rental areas at the pool and beach that there is very little area left for the normal free lounge chairs, none on the beach. Guests run out early in the morning and put items on those chairs to reserve them for when they return in the afternoon. So good luck just showing up thinking of relaxing at the pool. There were several other issues we had not experienced in the past. All these things were a shock we weren’t expecting as our experience at the Grand Wailea has always been outstanding. Sad to see it in decline. Maybe new management could solve the issues. Hopefully it is just a one off and it isn’t this way all the time, but it sure didn’t appear to be such.

Frequently Asked Questions About Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort