Lots of resorts on Maui are variations on the same theme–smallish guest rooms, an island-styled lobby, big pools and a crowded beach.
The Fairmont Kei Lani goes in an entirety different direction. The property, which is at the far Southern end of the Wailea resort district in South Maui, has only suites and villas.
That makes it perfect for families–or simply for travelers who need a bit more space. The resort is beautifully renovated, and its Spanish-style architecture looks entirely different from anything else on Maui.
A semi-private beach and a tasteful pool–as well as excellent onsite restaurants–completes the experience.
I stayed at the Fairmont Kei Lani in July with my wife and our three kids. Here’s my review.
Table of Contents
The Basics
Fairmont Kea Lani is located at 4100 Wailea Alanui Drive in Wailea, on the dry and generally sunny southern side of Maui. Kahului Airport is about 17 miles away, with the drive commonly taking around 30 minutes when traffic is light. Official check-in is at 4 p.m. and check-out is at noon.
The South Maui location is convenient, has the island’s best weather, and is generally less busy and resort-y feeling than the West side of the island.
The resort itself sits on 22 acres and has 413 one-bedroom suites plus 37 two- and three-bedroom villas. Fairmont describes it as Hawai’i’s only all-suite and villa oceanfront resort.
Standard suites begin at a very generous 860 square feet, while the larger villas are closer to the beach and add residential features such as full kitchens, in-unit laundry, outdoor living areas and private plunge pools. A rep for the property told me they’re perfect for multigenerational travel or big groups traveling for a wedding.
The resort recently completed an extensive $50 million+ transformation. Its suites and villas were refreshed, while the open-air lobby was reimagined with a new cultural center and the Pilina lounge.
Despite its size, the resort was manageable. We could easily walk from our room to the lobby, pools, restaurants and beach. Its position at the far end of Wailea also gives it a more self-contained atmosphere than some neighboring resorts.
Lobby and Grounds
The first impression is one of the property’s strengths. Fairmont Kea Lani has a big, sweeping open-air lobby with white arches, dramatic sightlines and Spanish or Moorish-inspired architecture.
That’s different from most of Maui. Many resorts have the same island-inspired architecture. Spanish revival features like big archways and domes make the Fairmont look quite different.
Hale Kukuna, the resort’s Hawaiian cultural center, sits directly in the middle of the lobby rather than being tucked into a meeting room, as often happens at resorts. By devoting a big chunk of prime lobby real estate to the cultural center, Fairmont is making a clear statement that cultural programming is an essential part of the resort’s experience.
Pilina, the resort’s sushi restaurant and lounge, occupies the main lobby level with open views toward the ocean. Most of the other restaurants are downstairs, closer to the gardens, pools and outdoor terraces.
Beyond the lobby, the grounds are well landscaped and easy to navigate. Paths lead downhill through the pools toward Polo Beach, and a big elevator bank serves the main room tower.
The Rooms
The rooms are a major reason to choose Fairmont Kea Lani, particularly for a family. We stayed in two adjoining suites: one with a king bed and the other with two double beds.
With a family of five, this gave us an enormous amount of usable space and allowed the kids and adults to spread out without losing the convenience of connected rooms.
Each suite had a separate bedroom and living area, plus a furnished balcony with an ocean view. Inside, the living rooms had couches that could fold out into additional beds, expanding the number of people a suite can accommodate.
The renovations made a significant difference. At night especially, directed light in the rooms gave the whole place an upscale, intentional feel.
Near the entry doors was a small counter area with a refrigerator and coffee setup.
It was not a kitchen, but it was useful for cold drinks, snacks and some morning Froot Loops. Families who need a full kitchen should look at the resort’s larger villas instead.
The bathrooms are huge and equally tasteful, with soaking tubs, shower stalls and a big two-sink vanity in each one.
For our trip, the adjoining renovated suites were an excellent setup. It was more room than we could even put to use–a standard suite would be plenty of space for a family, and the balcony adds the ability to step outside and see the ocean.
The Fairmont Kei Lani hosted us so we could review and photograph the property–thanks! The Bay Area Telegraph covered incidentals.
The Pools
Fairmont Kea Lani has three main pool areas. An adults-only tranquility pool is right near the main building and gives guests without children a quieter place to swim and relax. Maybe on a future visit!
Farther down the grounds are two connected family pools, with a 140-foot waterslide running from the upper pool to the lower one.
The slide was a major hit with my oldest son (age 9) and one of his favorite parts of the stay. Some Maui resorts turn their pools into what’s essentially a raucous waterpark.
At the Fairmont, there’s still the giant slide, but it’s tastefully tucked into the overall design of the pool. You’ll barely notice it’s there if you’re not, yourself, a kid.
The upper pool has a swim-up bar. Most families seemed to gravitate toward the lower section, which gives children more room to play. There is also a whirlpool and a separate smaller pool for younger children.
Pool service was good during our visit. Towels were easy to get (I loved the method of having rolled-up clean towels in a winerack-like wall), staff kept the area running smoothly and there were plenty of places to settle in. Although the family pool is large and broken into multiple zones, it never felt excessively loud or chaotic to us.
The ‘Opihi shave ice truck near the lower pool is an especially convenient addition.
Private Cabana
During our stay, the resort provided our family with a private pool cabana. It had lounge chairs, substantial shade and a cooler stocked with drinks. With three children moving between the different pool sections and the waterslide, the cabana gave us a reliable home base and a comfortable place to regroup.
A cabana is not essential to enjoy the pool, but it can be a worthwhile upgrade for a family planning to stay for most of the day. Advance reservations are a good idea if you’re visitting at a busy time.
The Beach
The resort fronts Polo Beach, also known as Keoneopolo Beach. It is smaller than the broad beaches in front of some other Wailea hotels, but its setting gives it a real advantage.Because the beach is located around a rocky point from the main Wailea Beach and its bigger resorts, the cove feels almost private.
To be clear, Polo Beach is public, as are Hawai’i’s beaches generally. But the geography and the resort’s position at the end of Wailea make it feel removed from the busiest part of the hotel district.
The resort provides beach towels, chaise lounges and umbrellas for guests on a first-come basis. Polo Beach does not have a lifeguard, and ocean conditions can change, so families should pay attention to posted flags and use appropriate caution. It gets windy here in the afternoon, so morning is the best time for a swim.
The Wailea Beach Path runs along the coast and makes it possible to walk north toward other hotels and restaurants. FS Maui is right next door and the Shops at Wailea are walkable too.
The Food
Fairmont Kea Lani has enough dining options to stay on the property for an entire visit. We personally tried the breakfast at Kea Lani Restaurant and dinner at Kō. Those were the two meals that stood out most during our stay. I have kept the descriptions of the other restaurants shorter because we did not personally dine at them.
Breakfast at Kea Lani Restaurant
Breakfast is served on an open-air patio looking out over the adults-only pool.
The buffet was excellent and worked especially well for our children. Everyone could build the breakfast they wanted without waiting through a long restaurant meal. The spread includes pastries, fruit, hot standards and Maui-grown ingredients, with gluten-free and seasonal choices.
The made-to-order station is worth visiting even if you do not want an omelet. My standout was the loco moco, which the restaurant calls its Maui Moco. It was a hearty, flavorful version of the local favorite, with kimchi and short rib. Delicious!
Kō Restaurant
Kō has one of the most interesting restaurant concepts at any Maui resort. Its menu draws from the cultures of the workers who came together during the island’s sugarcane plantation era, including Hawaiian, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese and Chinese influences. The idea is rooted in the meals and traditions those communities shared, not just a collection of unrelated “fusion” dishes.
There’s a very cool cocktail menu, integrating sugarcane-inspired ingredients. We tried the Ko Mai Tai which builds in orgeat made with cane juice.
The most dramatic appetizer was raw ahi tuna that we seared on a hot lava rock at the table. You grab little pieces of raw fish on a skewer, sear them on the rock, and then dip them in sauce.
I loved the cooking experience, although I’d have preferred a sweeter, poke-style sauce in addition to the smokier one provided.
A torchlighting ceremony right in front of the restaurant punctuated the meal.
For entrees, we tried a local fish dish–opakapaka–which came with a tempura fried lobster tail. Both the fish itself and the lobster tail were quite tasty.
We also enjoyed Grandma Kasumi’s Fried Chicken, an iconic dish at Ko. It’s a simpler preparation, with several pieces of fried chicken served with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.
For dessert, the malasadas were an ideal finish. These little filled donuts are a Portuguese classic, reflecting the large Portuguese population that worked Maui’s plantations.
My kids also enjoyed a creative dessert molded into the shape of a strawberry–a cool little bit of culinary artistry.
Ko’s food felt more approachable than many Wailea-area restaurants, and the sugarcane-inspired menu (Ko means sugarcane in Hawaiian) was thoughtfully executed throughout the experience. We’d definitely come back.
Pilina
Pilina is the open-air sushi and cocktail lounge on the main lobby level. Its name refers to relationship or connection, and the menu focuses on sushi, raw preparations and island-driven ingredients.
I met the staff and the resort’s Culinary Director, who told me they have the best sushi in Hawaii! I didn’t personally get to dine there, but hopefully on a future visit.
AMA Bar & Grill
AMA is the casual poolside restaurant by the upper pool, with a swim-up bar and views toward the Pacific. It serves lunch, cocktails and convenient food for guests who do not want to leave the pool complex. Swimwear is fine here!
Nick’s Fishmarket Maui
Nick’s Fishmarket Maui is the resort’s seafood-focused dinner restaurant. It combines Mediterranean influences with Hawaiian seafood and offers dishes built around fish, prawns and lobster.
Again, I’ll have to try it in the future.
MAKANA Market + Cafe
MAKANA is the quick-service cafe and market. It serves coffee, pastries and breakfast items in the morning, then sandwiches, pizza, desserts and other grab-and-go choices through the day.
We stopped in for some gelato in the evening, which my kids loved. You can also get travel basics like medicines etc and some local souvenirs.
Other Amenities
The resort has a substantial list of amenities beyond the pool and beach. Fairmont Spa Kea Lani has 13 treatment rooms, along with outdoor treatment cabanas and specialty shower experiences. I did not use the spa, but it is a full-scale facility rather than a small hotel treatment room.
The fitness center is open 24 hours for guests age 16 and older. Current equipment includes Technogym machines and Peloton bikes, and the resort schedules fitness classes that may include yoga, strength training or water-based sessions.
Hale Kukuna’s cultural activities are the most distinctive extras. The schedule changes, but offerings can include hula, ‘ukulele, Hawaiian language, lei making, the traditional game kōnane and cultural tours.
The resort also offers a Hawaiian canoe experience. Reservations are important for limited-capacity activities.
Other family-friendly conveniences include reusable water bottles, beach and pool equipment, a keiki welcome amenity and rotating activities. Some are bundled into the daily resort fee, so guests should review its coverage and reserve limited-capacity experiences. The property also has self-service laundry facilities.
The Verdict
Fairmont Kea Lani is a high-end Maui resort that understands what families actually need–namely, lots of space! Even the smallest suites are huge by Maui standards. And the villas are apparently even bigger.
Sometimes, getting a suite means sacrificing the niceness of the actual accommodations. At the Fairmont, though, everything about our rooms was very tasteful and upscale, from the renovated bathroom to the creative, dramatic lighting.
Similarly, the Kei Lani’s pools achieve a nice blend of luxury and family appeal. For starters, there’s the large adults-only pool for those who truly want to avoid kids.
But even the main pool felt much calmer and more manageable than the often-chaotic pools at other resorts, while still tucking in a dramatic waterslide. Cabanas are a nice addition, but you could still arrive early and grab chairs, or just chill at the pool’s edge and then head over for a shave ice.
There are tradeoffs. The beach is not as expansive as some others in Wailea, and travelers who want to be in the middle of the main resort strip may prefer a more central location. If you’re looking for a more traditional island vibe, the Spanish architecture might not be a fit for you.
For our family, though, those were reasonable compromises. I loved that the Kai Lani is freshly renovated and looks brand new, and it was nice to see the cultural activities really emphasized. For a longer stay especially, having these would be perfect.
Ko was a standout, too. I love a restaurant with a strong, well-executed concept, and the tie-ins to Maui’s history of sugarcane production made a great organizing principle.
Overall, I’d recommend the Fairmont Kei Lani both for families who don’t want to sacrifice luxury when traveling with kids, and for travelers who simply want more space to spread out in their room.
Fairmont Kei Lani is plenty family-friendly, but it doesn’t feel like a chaotic family resort. Both families like ours and travelers without kids seem to coexist quite pleasantly here.
We only got to stay one night, but we had a great experience and will definitely be back to try out the other restaurants and explore more.
