Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows evaluation

Tourism in Maui remains to be struggling to recuperate from 2023’s lethal wildfire, however locals are urging guests to return to Maui, and I needed to return after performing some reporting on the fires final yr. I would heard good issues about Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, which affords excessive worth in an in any other case pricey Maui resort scene.

With a keep at Royal Lahaina, your tourism {dollars} go a great distance each for you and for the folks of Maui. Here is what it is wish to verify in to this property.

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What’s Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows?

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows was one of many first resorts constructed on Maui method again in 1962, simply as Hawaii was being developed as a significant vacationer vacation spot. It is a sizable resort with a big foremost tower containing greater than 330 visitor rooms, however the surrounding 127 non-public bungalows have just lately been reworked and supply a plethora of choices for households who may be in search of one thing a bit totally different than your run-of-the-mill resort room.

The resort sits on a 27-acre, oceanfront property, nestled on a protracted part of pristine Kaanapali Seaside.

It is about an hour’s drive to Maui’s Kahului Airport (OGG). The price of a taxi or a journey share from the airport to the resort will hover round $90 – $120 relying on the time of day and the season.

The price of Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows and how one can guide

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows affords vital worth, particularly inside the Maui resort market. You will pay a lot lower than at comparable resorts on the island, which tends to be one of the vital costly locations to remain within the U.S. That does not imply this property is reasonable, however it’s definitely extra of a discount than many of the surrounding upscale lodges.

Base tower rooms begin at round $364 with bungalows beginning as little as $499 an evening within the off-season (November via March). Suites begin as little as $611. Within the busy summertime, room costs soar. Base tower rooms within the summertime begin at $422, bungalows start at $557 and suites at $670.

On the subject of reserving, you possibly can guide instantly with Royal Lahaina’s web site for the very best charges and packages, since this resort shouldn’t be a part of any main resort loyalty program.

In case you have The Platinum Card® from American Specific or The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific, you possibly can guide the resort via Amex High-quality Resorts + Resorts at 5x factors on pay as you go lodges when booked on amextravel.com and obtain perks like availability-based upgrades, as much as a $100 credit score to make use of on-property throughout your keep for issues like drinks or meals, complimentary each day breakfast for 2 and assured late checkout.

Throughout my keep, I used my new Chase Aeroplan® Credit score Card to pay for incidentals on the resort, since on the time I used to be engaged on the minimal spend. The cardboard, which earns useful Aeroplan factors, comes with a signup bonus of 60,000 factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening, plus a further 10,000 bonus factors after your annual payment renewal fee posts and is paid in full. The cardboard earns simply 1 level per greenback on lodges and lodging.

Quirky however comfy rooms at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

There’s all kinds of room varieties at Royal Lahaina, with every little thing from newly renovated bungalows to plain old style tower rooms. You will need to pay shut consideration when reserving to be sure to are getting the room sort that you really want.

I bought to see a wide range of rooms throughout my keep.

The bungalows at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

The bungalows are homey and charming, and an incredible choice for households since there may be loads of area and the additional benefit of couch beds. You will get pleasure from nice views of the property, the ocean and/or the seaside.

The furnishings and home equipment inside are model new, set amongst massive kitchens and residing areas.

The tower rooms at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Tower rooms are extra basic resort rooms, in an analogous fashion to what you will see up and down the coast of Maui.

Customary rooms characteristic small kitchen areas (with espresso makers) that result in the compact bogs. The rooms haven’t been intestine renovated however have been refreshed and are nonetheless comfy, if a bit dated.

Tower suites at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

I bought to get pleasure from a collection within the tower with two small balconies and a separate lounge. I used to be in one of many Molokai suites on the tenth flooring. The room had a king-sized mattress and a settee mattress in a separate lounge.

The suite featured two flatscreen TVs, comfy seating, native artwork, wealthy wooden accents and neutral-toned furnishings. General, the area was very well-lit. I discovered the mattress to be very comfy.

My suite’s lavatory felt a bit dated, although serviceable and spacious (the double sink self-importance was handy), and I loved the addition of a wonderful standing tub.

The true promoting level of the suite was the ocean views, which had been good for watching the sundown.

Suites just like the one I stayed in price $872 within the excessive season.

Clearly, you will need to guide a room or a bungalow with a view of the ocean whether it is obtainable, however the resort is correct on the water, so even for those who do not find yourself with a view out of your room, there’s quick access to spectacular vistas all around the property.

What I ate at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Lahaina Midday

I have been to Maui now near 10 instances and I’ve by no means had pretty much as good of a meal because the dinner I loved on the resort’s Lahaina Midday. It is uncommon for me to be so enthusiastic about advantageous eating, however I feel the dinner at Lahaina Midday is price making a visit to Royal Lahaina even for those who aren’t staying there.

That is the primary restaurant the place you will discover they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a full bar as properly, the place they’ve glad hour (or “pau hana”) from 2:00 p.m. to five:00 p.m.

One of many highlights for my company and me at dinner was the little gem salad ($22). Among the many extremely recent elements grown regionally had been string beans, garlic and the gem lettuce served with a creamy miso Caesar dressing. The beet salad ($26) was one other hit, served with Kula strawberries, burrata and a chili crisp and crimson wine French dressing.

The principle programs we cherished included the seared tuna with a wasabi mash and bok choy ($44), the filet mignon steak served with a potato puree ($72) and the royal seafood cioppino with Kona lobster, Manila clams, Contemporary Catch sourdough bread and linguini ($48).

Sadly, the Royal Lahaina breakfast buffet was disappointing, particularly after the scrumptious dinner. It is also not low cost, at $38 per particular person. (You may as well order a la carte.) Service was good, although, and remember that gratuity shouldn’t be included.

Pineapple Moon

Pineapple Moon is the poolside choice with cocktails, beer and a complete mild bites menu. A fruit salad right here will set you again $10, whereas a smash burger is $26. You may as well order salads and a few plates like grilled mahi mahi with rice for $21. You will have to order on the bar, as I did not see chair service throughout my keep.

Scoops

Lastly, there’s an hooked up ice cream/espresso store known as Scoops, the place you will get meals to go, snacks, scrumptious specialty coffees and ice cream.

There’s a lot to do at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows affords a slew of facilities and plenty for company to do in and across the resort.

• The resort’s finest characteristic is the massive, sandy ocean seaside, which is broadly thought-about probably the greatest stretches of Kaanapali Seaside. Black Rock (Pu’u Keka’a) is on the north finish of Kaanapali Seaside not too removed from the resort, and is a perfect place to cliff-jump into the ocean and snorkel (I noticed an endangered monk seal whereas snorkeling there).
• I loved the swimming swimming pools on-site. There are two swimming pools with views of the ocean. There’s loads of seating, however remember the swimming pools are usually not heated and the water is kind of cool. Cabanas may be rented for $100.
• The resort affords plenty of native Hawaiian experiences like ukelele and hula classes to strive without spending a dime, or you possibly can guide the signature luau, Myths of Maui, for $185 for adults and $115 for kids.
• The Alana Spa affords all kinds of soothing therapies, together with the signature Alana therapeutic massage, which prices $175 for an hour-long session and a standard Hawaiian therapeutic massage known as the Lomi Lomi, which prices $160 for 60 minutes. The spa additionally affords facials, waxing and forehead and lash therapies. It’s at present present process a significant growth.
• The USTA Hawaii Pacific manages the neighboring Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch with a number of tennis courts obtainable to company a brief stroll from the resort. Hitting classes are $85 per hour, and you may lease gear starting at $5. Personal classes are $65 for half an hour or $110 for an hour. There’s additionally the neighboring Kaanapali Golf Programs.
• Water sports activities leases, together with snorkel gear, vary from $17 to $40.
• Company who do not need to run on the seaside can break a sweat on the resort’s health heart, which fills two rooms. There, you will discover Life Health health club gear together with elliptical machines and treadmills, together with free weights

Insider suggestions for staying at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

• There’s a resort payment of $45 per day. The payment contains Wi-Fi, health lessons from yoga to Zumba, health club entry, a one-time $20 spa credit score and lessons like lau hala weaving, hula classes and ukulele.
• That resort payment doesn’t cowl parking, which is $45 for valet and $40 for self-parking.
• There are Keurig espresso makers and native Kona espresso brew pods within the rooms. I wasn’t an enormous fan of the espresso and ended up going out to Scoops for espresso every day.
• The resort has laundry services for prolonged holidays. There’s a self-service coin-operated laundry room.
• Not solely is there dwell music poolside at sundown, however there may be additionally what the resort calls Branches. It is nightly dwell music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. below an enormous, 100-year-old rubber tree, that includes native musicians, a few of whom had been displaced from Lahaina, which was virtually utterly destroyed in the course of the Maui hearth. You will have cocktails and lightweight bites by candle and torchlight. Company I spoke with completely cherished it.

Accessibility at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

As a result of the unique resort dates again to the Nineteen Sixties, Royal Lahaina is not good for these which accessibility wants. That mentioned, the resort has executed loads to enhance accessibility choices.

The swimming swimming pools have chair lifts, and the resort facilities are linked with flat paths for wheelchair egress. There’s accessible parking, and the resort also can present wheelchairs upon request.

The elevators are totally accessible and have seize bars and broad entrances. Elevator buttons are low to the bottom and have Braille lettering. Hallways are a lot broad sufficient for wheelchairs.

There are 15 totally ADA-compliant rooms, and a number of other accessible room varieties can be found, together with a double bed room, a one-bedroom suite and an oceanfront bungalow. These rooms characteristic wider doorways, seize bars within the bogs, step-free entry, roll-in showers and lowered handles, mild switches and counters.

Backside line

Maui is crammed with notoriously costly lodges and resorts. Reserving at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows can present all of the luxuries of costlier resorts at a extra average value level.

Whereas Royal Lahaina does not have the waterslides, heated swimming pools and sizzling tubs which are typically discovered at different Maui resorts, it is bought an unbelievable seaside and small-scale facilities in a family-friendly and relaxed setting that may greater than make up for the lacking bells and whistles. Plus, the restaurant is properly price a go to, even for those who’re not staying at this resort.

I look ahead to coming again to Royal Lahaina, and subsequent time I would love to stick with my household in one of many newly made-over bungalows.

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