Best family resorts in Maui | Places to stay in Maui for families

So, you decided to spend your family vacation in Maui? Excellent choice! But with so many fabulous family resorts in Maui to choose from, figuring out the best places to stay in Maui with kids can be challenging. That’s where this article comes in. It’s an in-depth round-up of the best Maui resorts for families.

In terms of location, the best hotels in Maui for families can be found in South and West Maui. These areas are generally considered the best places to stay in Maui with family.

But there’s also North Shore Maui which makes for another wonderful family destination. The only thing is that you won’t find any resorts up on the North Shore since it’s more of a residential area. If it piques your interest, then be sure to check out the best family-friendly vacation rentals in Paia.

Since this article is about Maui family resorts, we’ll zoom in on the most popular places to stay in Maui for families, namely South and West Maui.

So, are you ready to discover the most amazing family resorts in Maui? Then let’s dive in!

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Best family resorts in Maui

Here’s my round-up of the best Maui hotels for families with kids of all ages. For every listing, I’ll zoom in on the location, the room sizes, the pools, the beach, and the kids club. Oh, and I’ll also mention the resort fee and other applicable fees.

Every Maui resort in this list links out to the corresponding listing on Expedia. Simply read through the details, check the photos, go over the reviews, and set your preferred dates to get an exact breakdown of the costs. If you still like what you see, you can go ahead and make your booking.

Now, without further ado, here’s my personal selection of the best Maui resorts for families.

1. Grand Wailea Maui, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

• Hotel category: 5*.
• Location: Wailea (South Maui).
• Number of rooms: 776 guestrooms, including 56 suites.
• Room types for families: All accommodations start at 640 sq. ft. and fit a minimum of 4 guests.
• Resort fee: $50 per night.
• Parking fee: $65 daily for valet parking, self-parking is not available.

If a water park is on top of your list, then look no further than the Grand Wailea. The pool complex is what kids’ dreams are made of.

No less than 7 waterslides connect 9 separate pools over 6 levels. There’s also a water elevator, a lazy river, a rope swing, rushing rapids, caves, hot tubs, waterfalls, and a sandy-bottom lagoon. No doubt that this is by far the best family resort in Maui for water fun.

In addition to the pool complex, there’s a ginormous kids’ club called Camp Grande. And even just exploring the resort, with its lush gardens and enchanting waterfalls, is an activity in itself.

Grand Wailea opens onto Maui’s beautiful Wailea Beach for even more water adventures.

So, when it comes to kid-friendly resorts in Maui, the Grand Wailea is as good as it gets. Your kids will never want to leave. And, if you like a dynamic environment and active water fun, neither will you.

But if your idea of a family vacation is more of a blend of fun and relaxation, then there are better best places to stay in Maui for families.

Expedia

2. Wailea Beach Resort by Marriott

• Hotel category: 4*.
• Location: Wailea (South Maui).
• Number of rooms: 491 rooms, including 56 suites.
• Room types for families: Accommodations start at 437 sq. ft. and fit a minimum of 4 guests.
• Resort fee: $50 per night.
• Parking fee: $50 daily for valet parking, and $38 for self-parking.

This Marriott property is one of the best hotels for families in Maui in terms of value for money. Especially considering the fact that it’s located in the exclusive Wailea resort and that all other Wailea family resorts are 5*-star properties.

This modern hotel may lack the top-notch service of its neighbors but it does have a lot to offer when it comes to family fun. The NALU adventure pool is equipped with water slides, splash zones, and family-size cabanas. One of the slides is 325 ft long, making it the longest on the island. Right next to the pool complex is a fun food truck serving kid-friendly snacks.

Other kid-friendly amenities are GameSpace, a games room with foosball, pool, arcade and board games, a giant chess board, swinging chairs, the Movie House, and even an escape room.

The Wailea Beach Resort isn’t located on the beach but rather in between two of Wailea’s best beaches. There’s Ulua Beach to the north and Wailea Beach to the south. Both beaches are just a short walk away, along the scenic Wailea Beach Walk, and the hotel offers chairs at Wailea Beach. Except for the NALU pool, all other hotel pools offer amazing ocean views.

In addition to the standard hotel rooms, this family hotel also offers a Sundeck Collection: ground-level rooms that offer 150 sq. ft. of outdoor living space and that are conveniently located near the beach walk, lawn, and pools.

The Wailea Beach Resort is located just a short walk from The Shops at Wailea.

If you’re not looking for a posh Wailea hotel but rather a no-frills yet fun-filled family resort in Maui’s most exclusive resort area, then this is where to stay.

Expedia

3. Westin Maui Resort

• Hotel category: 4*.
• Location: Kaanapali (West Maui).
• Number of rooms: 769 rooms, including 28 suites.
• Room types for families: Accommodations start at 340 sq. ft. and fit a minimum of 3 guests.
• Resort fee: $45 per night.
• Parking fee: $50 daily for valet parking, and $45 for self-parking.

Next on our list of best places to stay in Maui with family is The Westin where accommodations are divided over 2 towers. The Ocean Tower is the oldest tower while the Hokupaa Tower is the latest addition (replacing the former Beach Tower).

Thanks to the cachet of its new luxury tower, this family resort has become much more of an upscale destination in West Maui. The Hokupaa Tower even comes with its own infinity edge pool. It may be rather modest in size but offers a wonderful panoramic view.

This kid-friendly hotel’s pool area has also undergone an upgrade. The crown jewel of The Westin’s Kawaiola Aquatic Complex is the 270-ft water slide. It’s part of the family pool which consists of two connecting pools linked by swim-through waterfalls. Little ones can play around in the splash zone with spray jets, a waterfall, and a mini water slide. There’s also a kids’ club offering all sorts of fun activities.

Another reason why I really like The Westin is its location. Unlike other Kaanapali family resorts, it opens up to a gorgeous wide stretch of Kaanapali beach. Plus, it’s just a short walk from Black Rock which is known to offer excellent off-beach snorkeling.

The Westin is also located right next to Whaler’s Village, giving access to a wide selection of restaurants, cafés, boutiques, and cultural activities.

It’s because of this location that I consider The Westin Maui to be the best family resort in Maui when traveling with teenagers. They can enjoy the pool, head to the beach, go snorkeling, and hang out at Whaler’s Village.

Expedia

4. Hyatt Regency Maui Resort

• Hotel category: 4*.
• Location: Kaanapali (West Maui).
• Number of rooms: 810 rooms, including 31 suites.
• Room types for families: Accommodations start at 451 sq. ft. and fit at least 4 guests. Connecting rooms are available.
• Resort fee: $45 per night.
• Parking fee: $40 daily for valet parking, and $25 for self-parking.

Another strong contender when it comes to the best family resorts in Maui is the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort.

Your kids will love meeting the hotel’s furry and feathery residents, from colorful parrots and playful penguins to graceful swans and brightly colored koi. The hotel organizes feeding sessions and educational presentations so that kids of all ages can get to know these adorable creatures.

Outside, you’ll find a generously-sized free-form family pool with a waterfall, a whirlpool, a rope bridge, a lava tube slide, and a dedicated water playground for the little ones. There’s also the Camp Hyatt kids’ club that offers a range of kid-friendly activities.

In addition, the Hyatt Regency Maui organizes a variety of programs to keep the whole family entertained, from mermaid encounters to rooftop stargazing.

The Hyatt may open up to Kaanapali Beach, but it’s located at the southernmost tip. As a result, the stretch is beach in front of the resort is very narrow.

Then again, out of all beaches that connect to one of the family-friendly resorts in Maui on this list, only the southernmost stretch of Kaanapali Beach, known as Hanakaoo Beach, is life-guarded. With this added layer of safety, the Hyatt can definitely be considered one best places to stay in Maui for families.

Expedia

5. Outrigger Honua Kai Resort

• Hotel category: Vacation condo resort with a combination of mid-range and luxury accommodations.
• Location: Kaanapali (West Maui).
• Number of rooms: 628 somewhat older condo units and 72 luxury townhomes.
• Room types for families: The Hokulani and Konea Towers offer studios, 1/2/3-bedroom units from 600 sq. ft. onwards. The Luana Garden Villas are 3-bedroom homes with an interior area of 2047 sq. ft. and a lanai of 500+ sq. ft.
• Resort fee: $40 per night.
• Parking fee: Self-parking is included in the resort fee. Guests staying in a Luana Garden Villa have a private garage with an additional tandem parking stall.
• Cleaning fee: $270 to $660 (depending on the size of the accommodation) per stay.
• Damage protection waiver: $79 or $99 (depending on the size of the accommodation) per stay.

Next on our list is one of the best condo resorts in Maui for families. The Honua Kai Resort by Outrigger comprises individually owned units, each one varying in decor and room amenities.

Thanks to the resort’s latest addition, the Luana Garden Villas, Honua Kai has become one of the best places to stay in Maui for a large family. 

Onsite, you’ll find an amazing network of swimming pools with water slides, waterfalls, caves, and hot tubs. There’s also a splash pad with water fountains for the little ones. And to top it off, there’s an adults-only pool.

The Honua Kai beach resort is located along the northern section of Kaanapali Beach, north of Black Rock. This area is home to many other family-friendly condo resorts but Honua Kai offers by far the best pool facilities. This kid-friendly resort even offers a beach valet service that does the setup and breakdown for you.

The onsite restaurant is the all-time favorite Duke’s Maui.

Expedia

6. Fairmont Kea Lani Maui

• Hotel category: 5*.
• Location: Wailea (South Maui).
• Number of rooms: This is an all-suite and villa resort with a total of 450 suites.
• Room types for families: One-bedroom suites start at 860 sq. ft. and comfortably fit a family of 4. Two/three-bedroom villas start at 1800 sq. fr. and fit 6 to 8 guests.
• Resort fee: $50 per night.

If excellent service in a family-friendly atmosphere is what you’re looking for, then this is definitely a resort to consider.

There are no standard rooms in this kid-friendly resort, only suites and residences. Thanks to spacious accommodations, the Kea Lani is definitely one of the best places to stay in Maui for a large family.

Three pools dot the grounds of the Fairmont Kea Lani: one adults-only pool and two family pools that are connected by a water slide. The lower lagoon pool is equipped with a basketball hoop and a separate splash pad. The upper pool has a whirlpool and a swim-up bar.

The resort organizes plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Your kids will love the mermaid university, the scavenger hunt, and the koi feeding sessions. Together you can enjoy the canoe experience, the hula lessons, and the nightly torch-lighting ceremony.

The Fairmont Kea Lani is located a bit out of the main tourist zone, at the southern end of the Wailea Beach Walk. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, since it feels more relaxed than most of the other South Maui family resorts.

It’s also located just steps away from Polo Beach, a rather tranquil stretch of golden sand with lava rocks on one side. The tide pools that form in the rock formation are an excellent place to discover some of the local sea life.

Expedia

7. Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

• Hotel category: 5*.
• Location: Wailea (South Maui).
• Number of rooms: 383 rooms, including 76 suites.
• Room types for families: Accommodations start at 600 sq. ft. and fit at least 2 adults and 2 children.
• Resort fee: No resort fee!
• Parking fee: Not advertised but self-parking and valet parking are available.

The most luxurious family resort in Maui in terms of service is the Four Seasons Resort Maui. This resort caters to parents just as much as it caters to kids, offering the perfect blend of family fun and blissful relaxation. It may lack some of the spectacular pool features that other Maui family resorts have, but, especially for younger children, it offers all the water fun they need.

Your kids will enjoy the waterfall pool with a water slide and multiple depths, the daily fun-filled activities, the Camp Manitou kids’ club, and the educational Four Seasons Maui Academy. There’s also a game room with a foosball and pool table, video games, and more.

Forget about resort fee inclusions and cabana reservations, a stay at the Four Seasons comes with bells and whistles included.

This family-friendly Maui resort opens up to Wailea Beach. Beach staff is of course available to arrange your beach setup so that you can focus on having a great time with your kids.

If you’re looking for a carefree resort where the staff anticipates your every need, then the Four Seasons resort certainly tops the list of best places to stay in Maui for families.

Expedia

8. Montage Kapalua Bay

• Hotel category: 5*.
• Location: Kapalua (West Maui).
• Number of rooms: 56 residences, including 6 grand residences.
• Room types for families: Accommodations start at 1,250 sq. ft. and fit a minimum of 4 guests. All two/three/four-bedroom residences are equipped with gourmet kitchens.
• Resort fee: $70 per night.
• Parking fee: Not advertised but valet parking is available, self-parking is not.

Another Maui retreat that offers above-and-beyond service, is the Montage Kapalua Bay. It’s the smallest of all Maui family resorts on this list, and that intimate setting is also one of its biggest draws.

Three pools dot the sprawling grounds, two of which are only suited for adults. The Beach Club Infinity Pool is the resort’s family pool.

What I absolutely love about this family resort, are the carefully thought-out programs for kids. There’s the Paintbox activities-based children’s program and the Montage Merits where kids can save and collect a pin for educational activities. But even in the spa, there’s a selection of beauty programs geared toward kids.

The Montage can even provide indoor play tents and fun bedsheets to make your kids feel truly at home. Note that these services involve an extra cost and advance notice.

This kid-friendly Maui hotel is located up on the hill and it takes a bit of a walk to get to the beach. Then again, Kapalua Bay is such a picturesque beach that it’s worth the effort. And if you can’t get enough of the scenery, I’d strongly recommend exploring the Kapalua Coastal Trail.

Expedia

Map of all listed places to stay in Maui for families

For your convenience, I created this map showing the location of all listings by listing number.

More kid-friendly hotels in Maui

So far, I’ve mentioned 8 awesome Maui resorts for families. But that’s just a list of top picks. It’s far from conclusive. There are even more kid-friendly Maui hotels that have a lot to offer to families. The reason why they didn’t make the list is that they lack some of the amazing facilities that the ones on my shortlist offer.

Here’s an overview of other Maui family resorts that deserve an honorable mention:

Which of these Maui resorts for families caught your eye?

Chances are that you’ve found your dream resort for that long-awaited Maui family vacation. If not, then have a look at my other wish lists to discover even more amazing places to stay in Maui with family.

Best places to stay in Maui for families FAQ