Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, is a luxury hotel on Wailea Beach. Andaz Maui is further along the coast, a 3 minute drive North, and sits on a separate beach. Waldorf Astoria Hotel is better for families with kids because of the pools. The Andaz is better for couples as it has a more boutique feel.
We have already compared the Four Seasons vs. Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort and now we compare all aspects of the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort vs. Andaz Maui, which is part of Hyatt.
Hyatt stays accrue World of Hyatt points and Hilton stays accrue Hilton Honors points. Both of these loyalty schemes are excellent. It’s worth mentioning that these loyalty benefits are nowhere near as good as the benefits you get by booking your next Four Seasons, Hyatt, or Hilton stay with our luxury travel concierge. If you book with our concierge, you will get free breakfast, prioritized room upgrades, hotel credit, and more, as well as all your usual World of Hyatt or Hilton Honors points during your stay.
This is how these two hotels compare:
1. Style
If you’re traveling with kids, the Grand Wailea, a Hilton subsidiary, has incredible pools, but this hotel is large and impersonal, with disappointing rooms compared to the Four Seasons next door. The Andaz is a little way up the coast and is much smaller than the Waldorf, with a much more personal service.
The Grand Wailea’s rooms can be disappointing and set quite far from the beach. The base rooms are fairly dark and dismal compared to the Andaz rooms, which are stylish and bright. The Andaz ocean view rooms don’t cost much more than their garden view rooms, and these rooms with a view really are a lovely base for a stay in Maui.
If you’re traveling with a family, this particular Andaz offers incredible oceanside villas that will make your stay really special. While we love the slides at the Waldorf, overall, we’d stay at the Andaz for the resort’s style and personality. Of course, Four Seasons is our number one choice in the Wailea area, and if your budget can stretch to it, this is a very special hotel and one of the best Four Seasons in Hawaii.
2. Location
We prefer the location of the Waldorf Astoria. It is on a beach shared with the Four Seasons and the Marriott, and you can easily walk to the high end Wailea Mall for groceries and less expensive restaurants. The Andaz is more remote and is a 20 minute walk north (or 3 minute drive from the Grand Wailea.
Another major plus of the Grand Wailea is that it sits at one end of the oceanfront boardwalk, so if you like an evening stroll along the beachfront to experience one of the best sunsets in Maui, this is a great place to walk from. You can walk around the headlands and right over to the Fairmont, which is further South.
3. Size
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, has 776 spacious rooms and secluded villas with private lanais, breathtaking views, and subtle Hawaiian décor.
Andaz Maui has 320 rooms, so while this hotel is far from a boutique hotel, it feels much smaller and more intimate than the mamouth Grand Wailea.
4. Grounds
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, wins here as their grounds are huge, with a pond, numerous tropical-themed pools, numerous wiggly slides, waterfalls, and more. This is a tropical paradise for children and teens, as the slides are brilliant. The more impersonal feel of the hotel and the sheer volume of rooms are the downsides here. But for grounds and facilities, this hotel is envied by pretty much every other hotel in Hawaii.
It’s worth mentioning that the Wailea Beach Resort by Marriott next door also offers great slides if you would like a kid friendly alternative in this area.
5. Beach
The beaches at the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, and the Andaz are both brilliant.
6. Rooms
The base rooms at the Grand Wailea start at 640 sq. ft. The decor is fairly generic, and they can be located quite far away from the waterfront without much of a view.
The standard room at the Andaz Wailea is around 470 sq. ft. If you pick an Ocean View room here, you will spend much of your time out on the balcony. These rooms are really lovely.
8. Family Facilities
The Andaz feels more adult than the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. The Grand Wailea wins every time for families because of its pools.
9. Club Lounge
The Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, has a club lounge, but it doesn’t have a great reputation and is the kind of place you rish into for a snack and drink and then rush out again as it’s the pool and beach you’re staying here for.
The Andaz doesn’t have a club lounge. The Four Seasons, next door to the Grand Wailea, has one of the best club lounges in Hawaii.
10. Price
Usually, the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, is more expensive than the Andaz. You might expect rates of $1,000 vs $750 for the base room at each. You are paying for the incredible grounds and water park at the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. If you’ll use this facility, then the Grand Wailea is probably the best choice; if not, the Andaz offers a more adult and peaceful option in Wailea.
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