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Wailea · Hotel shortlist

High end hotels near the airport in Wailea

Mei-Lin Zhou

Mei-Lin Zhou Japan

Updated 1 September 2026 · 5 Wailea hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Wailea, out of the 5 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.5 down to 4.24.

Maui Island Sands Resort is the one I would book myself.

Maui Island Sands Resort

Highest rated of the five

Maui Island Sands Resort

★★★★★4.5 from 154 reviews

Maui Island Sands Resort comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.5 from 154 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property, found under city centre and around $788 a night on the dates we checked.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in
  • Step free accesslevel entry and a lift

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All five, ranked

  1. Maui Island Sands Resort1

    Maui Island Sands Resort

    ★★★★★4.5 from 154 reviews

    • Pool
    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

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  2. Mana Kai Maui2

    Mana Kai Maui

    ★★★★★4.5 from 946 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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  3. 401 Maalaea Banyans3

    401 Maalaea Banyans

    ★★★★★4.4205127 from 78 reviews

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    • Kaanapali Shores 642 Studio Condo4

      Kaanapali Shores 642 Studio Condo

      ★★★★★4.3 from 62 reviews

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      • Kihei Alii Kai D104 - Private Large 1 bedroom close to the Beach and Restaurants5

        Kihei Alii Kai D104 - Private Large 1 bedroom close to the Beach and Restaurants

        ★★★★★4.24 from 50 reviews

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        How this list was put together

        5 Wailea hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

        Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

        The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

        What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

        Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

        Mei-Lin Zhou

        Mei-Lin Zhou Japan

        Works agency hours in Vancouver and spends all 18 vacation days abroad. One new country and one repeat visit per year. Five trips to Japan and a running list of ramen shops.

        Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.