My Tour of the Andaz Wailea on Maui - Coming Soon
It's still a construction zone, but I can't wait for the Andaz Maui to open.
While I was on Maui last week and staying in Wailea, I was invited to take a quick tour of the island's newest luxury property, the Andaz Maui, which is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2013.
The resort will be on 15 beachfront acres in the Wailea development where the old Stouffer resort used to be on Mokapu Beach – though all that remains of the old building is the foundations.
The Andaz is on sandy Mokapu Beach in Wailea.
It's kind of T-shaped with a main wing pointing directly out into the ocean, and two adjacent wings radiating from either side of it, and Hyatt has hired architect David Rockwell to design the property.
This is how the entry looks now, but wait until the "arrival bridge" is finished.
Some of the conceptual show-stoppers I got to see visualizations of were a raised "arrival bridge" lit by lanterns and flanked on either side by lily ponds that leads guests from the entry of the resort into the lobby for check-in, like a fabulous catwalk, as well as an amazing-looking pool area with four cascading infinity pools in a row leading down to the beach.
How the arrival bridge will look once architect David Rockwell is done with it.
The new resort will have 297 rooms and suites including seven two- and four-bedroom residential villas in their own little area along one side of the property (all I can say is: drool!). Here's the breakdown:
143 King
24 Deluxe King
72 Queen/Queen
16 Deluxe Queen/Queen
33 Suites
2 Premier Suites
7 Residential Villas
What a king room at the resort will look like.
From the conceptual pictures I saw, the palette is going to be cream and gold and taupe with wood accents, reflecting the colors of the beach just outside. Floor plans look very open, for instance in the King rooms, there's the bed, and then a small sitting area with a daybed/lounge, a wall-ensconced flatscreen television and a private bathroom area behind the bed, as well as floor-to ceiling windows that open completely and maximize the space with an indoor-outdoor combination.
A view of the adults-only wing, still under construction.
Suites look like they'll have completely separate informal sitting rooms with dining room tables and larger balconies or patios.
The hotel will also have two full-service restaurants – one of them by a soon-to-be-announced celebrity chef – two pool bar/grill venues, a retail market and a spa with 10 treatment rooms, an adult pool and fitness center, while guests will also have access to Wailea's tennis courts and golf courses.
The conceptual sketch of what the lobby will look like.
The resort's main pool area will include four multiple-cascade infinity pools leading to the beach, while in the adults-only wing of the building to the northwest, there will be an adults-only pool as well.
Another interesting fact: the resort will be Maui's first LEED-certified luxury hotel, so Hyatt has committed to environmentally conscientious building practices as well as sustainability measures. And, of course, since this is an Andaz, it will feature free WiFi and minibar snacks.
A conceptual sketch of the pool area.
Since it's still a construction zone, no Gold Passport category has been assigned, though I'm pretty sure it'll be top tier at 22,000 points per night and will be a good redmption choice for those with the Chase Hyatt Visa.
[card card-name='Chase Freedom®' card-id='22125634' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.