At The End Of Hawaii's Famous Road To Hana Is A Boutique Hotel With Wellness Experiences And Laidback Vibes

The Road to Hāna is a world-renowned highway that takes you on a twisting, turning exploration of Maui's east coast. Plenty of people make the journey from Kahului to Hāna as a day trip, stopping for waterfalls, banana bread, and beaches along the way, but that means getting up early and spending much of your day driving a challenging road. Instead, split up the drive and spend a night at Hāna-Maui Resort. It's the only hotel in this small, secluded town, and it's worlds away from the bustle of the resorts at Kāʻanapali Beach, one of America's top summer vacation spots. Hāna-Maui Resort is all about giving guests a quiet, laid-back, and restorative vacation, highlighting spacious rooms in a beautiful setting, wellness offerings, and delicious, fresh food.

The resort is a big part of why the Road to Hāna came to be. Paul Fagan, owner of minor league baseball team the San Francisco Seals, opened the Kauiki Inn in Hāna in 1946. Since then, the resort has expanded, and the hotel has changed hands over the years. In 2020, it became a Destination by Hyatt hotel and now has 66 rooms with a range of suites and bungalows. While each suite has its own lanai, none of them have TVs or clocks, helping guests escape from everyday life. Hana-Maui Resort is truly a place that's designed to help you immerse and unwind while also being centered in the heart of a local community.

A place like Hāna-Maui Resort is all about slowing down, recentering, and relaxing, so of course it has a spa. Choose from a range of treatments, including the traditional Hawaiian lomilomi massage, a custom facial that uses ingredients from the area, and an aloe and ti leaf wrap, ideal if your Hawaiian vacation has left you more sunburned than sun-kissed. If you're visiting on a romantic getaway, you can also opt for a couples massage, and there's the option to book some treatments in the outdoor cabana. Spa guests also get access to the private hot tub and cold plunge pools.

Along with the spa, Hana-Maui Resort also offers amenities like daily wellness experiences. Guests can sign up for free yoga classes daily, both at beginner and intermediate levels, as well as complimentary guided meditations. Other activities, like sound healing sessions with calming crystal singing bowls, are also on offer. If lounging beneath palm trees next to a pool is more your vibe, there are two pools, including an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean.

For dining, breakfast at The Restaurant near the lobby focuses on Hawaiian favorites like loco moco, saimin, and mochiko pancakes. Knock-and-Go is the resort's room service program, available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., while The Pool Bar also offers snacks and drinks in between meals. Lunch and dinner are also on offer at Hāna Ranch Restaurant, located just up the hill from the resort. Dine indoors or out on dishes like ahi poke, smash burgers, and mango lilikoi cheesecake. Beyond Hāna Ranch Restaurant, there are also a number of food trucks within walking distance with everything from popsicles to tacos and pizza on offer. 

If you don't want to make the long journey to Hāna Maui Resort via car, you can fly there. The resort can arrange everything with packages like the "Plane to Paradise", which includes a round-trip flight in a 10-seater Cessna from the Kahului Airport, Maui's main airport. The flight takes about 10 minutes, and flies low enough that (if it's not cloudy) you get an incredible view of the Maui coastline and waterfalls

Even when you fly in, you can still explore the area once you're at the resort, with Jeep Wranglers available to rent. That means it's easy to get to places like Waiʻānapanapa State Park, with its incredible black sand beaches. While it does require reservations, the park is just over 3 miles away, which means those staying at Hāna-Maui Resort are likely to get there before the day trippers. There's also a free hotel shuttle service to the nearby Hamoa Beach. You won't have to look for parking along the narrow street, and you can just enjoy your time playing in the waves on this stunning crescent-shaped stretch of sand.

The Hawaii's third-largest volcano, located in Haleakalā National Park might be one of the most well-known sunrise spots on Maui. But at Hāna-Maui Resort, you can roll out of bed and simply walk to the cliff above Kaihalulu Bay at the edge of the resort. You'll get all of the beauty without fighting crowds. Another popular sunrise spot nearby is Fagan's Cross, named for the resort's original founder, perched on a hill above the resort.