Family Vacation Critic Favorite

Royal Lahaina Resort

2780 Kekaa Drive, Lahaina, Maui, 96761, HI

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1 Room / 2 Adults

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Editor's Rating

Overview

Royal Lahaina sits among 27 acres of tropical oasis on Kaanapali Beach north of Black Rock. Located just steps from the golden Lahaina sands, this beachfront resort offers families several pool and onsite dining options, traditional hotel guestrooms and multi-bedroom cottages, and an onsite luau. The kids will love getting in the turquoise waters to try out one of the resort’s kayaks or paddleboards and the adults will love the convenience of the onsite parking and complimentary shuttle bus to nearby shopping district, Whaler’s Village. Tennis courts and golf courses are onsite.

Families can choose to stay in the 12-story Lahaina Kai Tower or low-rise beach cottages. The Tower features standard rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites with separate living areas. Cottages also offer standards rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes. An onsite ice cream parlor will win kids over. Traditional Hawaiian torch-lighting ceremonies and oceanfront luau shows take place nightly.

Whether your family is seeking a hotel with all the additional amenities or more of a beachfront-type condo with the hotel’s onsite cottages, both are available at Royal Lahaina. You can have the best of both worlds here. Located only a short drive from Lahaina town, within walking distance to Whalers Village, and less than an hour from the airport, the location of this hotel is ideal for families visiting Maui.

Our Editor Loves

  • Three pools
  • Onsite Hawaiian luau
  • Beachfront location

Family Interests

  • Beach
  • Bicycling
  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Museum/Cultural
  • Sailing
  • Water Sports

Family Amenities

  • Babysitting
  • Connecting Rooms
  • Cribs
  • Family Room 5+
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Kitchenettes
  • Laundry
  • Onsite Dining
  • Pool
  • Refrigerator

Room Information

Find the Best Price for Your Stay

The main 12-story Lahaina Kai Tower features 441 guestrooms and suites and then there are additional multi-bedroom beach cottages also on the resort property. Cribs and connecting rooms are available upon request.

Guestrooms
The guestrooms feature teak wood finishings, a king or two double beds, mini-fridge, private lanai with two chairs, a flat-screen television, coffeemaker and complimentary Wi-Fi. There are outlets situated by the bedside and a standup shower in the bathroom. The guestrooms can sleep four people comfortably.

Suites
The spacious one- and two-bedroom suites feature teak wood finishings, a mini-fridge, private lanai with two chairs, a flat-screen television in each room, coffeemaker and complimentary Wi-Fi. The one-bedroom suites, which can sleep four, feature a separate living room area with a sleeper sofa and a king bed in the bedroom. The two-bedroom suites are actually a one-bedroom suite connected to a guestroom with two double beds. There are three lanais, two bathrooms and a separate living room area with a sleeper sofa in these suites, which can sleep six people. Some of the suites offer a standup shower only and others offer both a standup shower and tub in the bathrooms.

Cottages
The beachside cottages are separated from the tower and closer to the beach and pool. They sit in front of a grassy front lawn and oceanfront view. There are a variety of cottages available, including a studio with two double beds and a kitchenette; one-bedroom units that offer a separate living space and sleeper sofa; and two-bedroom cottages with one king bed, two double beds, and a sleeper sofa in the living space. Not all of the cottages offer full kitchenettes, but they all offer lanais with patio furniture, steps away from the pool and beach. The cottages can sleep between four and eight people.

Reviews

Mixed experience, multiple customer service issues

by 415amca

We came here to attend a family wedding. Beautiful property and amazing views. Spacious rooms.

Although we had positive interactions with many staff members (eg, food/beverage), our experiences with the front desk staff were extremely frustrating. I understand people get burned out by working in a tourist industry but maybe it could be hidden a little better? We also got nickel & dimed for parking - when we paid $265 to stay here for one night, we were not informed we would also be charged $15 to park at the hotel. Getting simple questions answered about the potential of checking in one hour early (to avoid having to leave the wedding to go check in) were nearly impossible. When I called at 9:00am to ask about this possibility, I was told that the room is not ready now (duh!) but was not able to get a clear answer about whether or not it might be available at 3:00 (usual check in is 4pm) in spite of rephrasing the question 5 different ways. I was just told every time that it is not ready now. Eventually they said that they put in a request for early check in, but did not explain the process & nearly hung up on me when I attempted to clarify how one would know the status. Do I call back? Do they call me? I gave up trying to get a clear response. We got no call of course. When we then left in the middle of the wedding reception to check in, the basic communication skills of 2 additional front desk staff members with whom we interacted were also not only poor, but the worst was the very obvious attitude of not really caring less. The canned responses delivered in a monotone voice again did not consistently correspond to the question I asked, and ultimately was almost laughable. It was frustrating given the amount of money we spent, and it felt like now that they had our money, who cares about customer service. Feeling like I got swindled a little bit not only with the parking after dropping so much money on an average room, but the negative customer service interactions took away from the value. Definitely never giving my business again for overnight stay!

Positively, the entire wedding staff was *amazing* and the wedding/reception site was absolutely gorgeous.

Relaxing, quiet resort

by Rosellen B

Lush grounds right on beautiful strip of beach. Balcony view of mountains,Golf course, and ocean spectacular!! Restaurant delicious, food. Prime rib tops. Staff friendly, helpful.if you want a low key, Relaxing spot, here it is.

Family Activities

Beach
All beaches in Hawaii are public, but the golden sand of Ka’anapali Beach in front of Royal Lahaina is welcoming to its guests. Beach chairs and umbrellas can be rented for an additional fee from the resort’s Beach Activity Center.

Pools
There are three swimming pools, two of which are beachfront at this resort, and two outdoor hot tubs. Lounge chairs surround all of the pools and complimentary pool towels are provided at the Beach Activity Center. Cabanas overlooking the ocean can be rented as well. A beach bar is located immediately next to one of the pools and just steps away from the beach.

Water Sports
At the Beach Activity Center, families can rent paddleboards, kayaks, snorkel gear and more. These are all for an additional fee, but the convenience of being steps from the beach and not having to deal with the hassle of lugging the equipment yourself makes it worth the additional cost.

Luau
Attending a luau while visiting Hawaii is truly a must. The Myths of Maui Luau at Royal Lahaina is definitely one of the best and it's super convenient for families staying at the resort. Families can enjoy the Polynesian celebration of song, dance and music, which is accompanied by an all-you-can-eat, island-style buffet and open bar. The luau also offers Maui’s only keiki (kids) buffet, as well. Reservations are required and seats are assigned at the time of booking. The luau takes place at 6 p.m. nightly. Children under 5 years old are free with general seating.

Recreation
If your family likes tennis or golf, this is the resort for you. There are 11 courts, five of which are lighted, plus there is a pro shop and private and group lessons are available. One of the courts is actually a 3,500-seat stadium court, so you can really get that pro status. The resort is situated next to the Ka’anapali Golf Courses, where guests are offered discounts. Bocce ball and shuffleboard courts can be found by the pools.

Concierge
The resort is happy to arrange any adventure activities your family may seek. Helicopter tours, boat or snorkeling tours, parasailing, ziplining or any other tour on Maui can be booked at the hotel.

Family Dining

Royal Ocean Terrace Restaurant and Lounge
This casual oceanfront, open-air restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Families are nearly guaranteed to see whales while dining and overlooking the ocean and the islands of Lanai and Molokai. For breakfast, families can dine a la carte or do the breakfast buffet, which offers eggs, bacon, pastries, fruit, pancakes, oatmeal and much more.

The lunch menu offers things like salads, pizza, burgers and sandwiches and the dinner menu includes seafood, lobster mac and cheese, filet mignon, chicken, pasta and more. The restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and in-room dining is also available from here.

Ice Cream Parlor and Coffee Shop
This combo shop is a great spot any time of day. Coffee, pastries and other small breakfast items are available in the mornings, and snacks, sandwiches, smoothies and ice cream are available throughout the day. There are a few tables outside the café, or you can take your treats to the pool or beach, which is only a few steps away.

Planning & Tips

All About the Extras

  • Wi-Fi
    Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort.
  • Parking
    Self and valet parking are both available for an additional fee.
  • Fitness Center
    A fitness center, with weights and cardio machines, is available for guest use. The fitness center is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
  • Babysitting
    The resort is happy to arrange babysitting services from an outside agency.
  • Gift Shop
    The onsite store features clothing, souvenirs, snacks, beverages and other incidentals you may have forgotten at home.
  • Professional Photographer
    Hawaii is a perfect place to get those family beach photos. The resort offers families the opportunity to hire a professional photographer to take those photos for you.

The Best Time to Visit
You’ll find December to February to be rainier and cooler, with highs in the 70’s and 80’s, but this is also the busy season. June through September are the hot months, with highs in the high-80’s during the day.The quiet months on Maui are mid-March through May and all of September.

Getting There
The Kahului Airport, the main airport on Maui, is situated about 45 minutes from the hotel. Lahaina town is about a 10-minute drive from the resort.

Getting Around
The resort is easily walkable. Nothing is too far away. The beach, restaurants and pool are all only a short walk from the guestrooms and cottages. The hotel also offers a free shuttle to the nearby shopping district, Whalers Village, which is also less than a mile-long walk (but on a hot day, the shuttle can be nice), as well as a shuttle to Lahaina town for a small fee. A rental car is needed if you plan to leave the resort or Whalers Village area. If you would like to explore Maui, a rental car is needed. Taxis, while expensive, are readily available at the airport and resorts.

For Parents

  • Spa
    Find true Hawaiian relaxation at the onsite spa. Adults can enjoy a massage, facial or any of the variety of treatments available.
  • Beach Bar
    Located both pool and beach side, the adults can pull up a stool at the Beach Bar and order from a variety of fun Hawaiian cocktails and craft beers.