Four Seasons Resort Maui, Hawaii

In short… An iconic and quintessential resort in the heart of Wailea, focusing on generational hospitality and celebrating the island. 

The surroundings… Like the majority of the big resorts on the island, The Four Seasons Resort Maui is located in Wailea on the Southern coast of the island. The area is definitely built up and not a quaint Hawaiian town by any means, so bake that into your expectations when arriving. We came via the ferry from Lana’i, a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Wailea is comprised of a number of large resort properties and condos surrounding the main hub, The Shops at Wailea—essentially a large outdoor mall with a variety of shopping, from well known chains to designer boutiques to smaller local outposts and a grocery store perfect for getting your fresh poke or loco moco fix. The property offers free “house cars” for guests looking to venture off into Wailea, which I thought was a generous offering, particularly for those who didn’t rent a car. 

When you arrive at The Four Seasons Resort Maui, however, all of the noise melts away and the huge open-air property encompasses you. The hotel is constructed in a U-shape, so you rarely catch a glimpse of the surrounding resorts, only the rolling ocean beyond Wailea beach. 

The vibe… The hotel was built in 1990, the first Four Seasons resort property ever constructed.  Its other claim to fame is that it was the setting for the first season of The White Lotus. But for such a large (380 rooms) and iconic property, it gives off a relaxed vibe. Most of the guests can be found by the pool and beach, which are busy, but not so bad that you’ll have to wait for a chair. At the adult pool—you’ll recognize the swim-up bar from the show—seats fill up faster, so you’ll want to get there early to snag a seat. In spite of the hotel’s star turn, the staff are so friendly and unscripted, and many of them have worked here since the property opened. You can definitely spot the repeat guests as the staff treats them like family. 

The rooms… The rooms are large, many with balconies, ocean views, and big marble bathrooms. The design is beachy, though all of the rooms are undergoing a phased refurbishment. Our room was one of the original ones, but I got a peek at a newer one and preferred it—featuring mixed textures, nods to midcentury-modern design and Hawaiian craft tradition, and great lighting. 

I also got a sneak peek into one of the two newly renovated Presidential Suites. The three-bedroom suite features a massive common space, kitchenette (complete with a rattan fridge), a full wrap-around balcony, and a primary bathroom with a circular soaking tub, sauna, and cold plunge. The only trouble with staying here is that you’d never want to leave! 

The food & drink… The Four Seasons Resort Maui has four restaurants. On our first night we ate at Ferraro’s, the casual Italian restaurant down at the beach. It’s completely open-air with an incredible view over the sea—perfect for sunset—and a nice Italian menu. The staff here was so sweet on our first night as it started to rain, they really looked after everyone to make sure everyone stayed dry. On our second night we dined outdoors at Spago, the Wolfgang Puck outpost located on the lobby level, overlooking the ocean. I started with a hamachi tostada (their poke cones are also known island-wide), made with some of the freshest and fattiest hamachi I’ve ever had, and for my main I had the seafood curry, which was perfectly cooked. However, our third night dinner at KOMO, their newest sushi and omakase restaurant helmed by Tokyo-born chef Kiyo Ikeda, was my favorite. The fish is flown in from Japan twice a week, and you can definitely taste the quality. The menu is diverse but not extensive, as you can tell that the options are seasonal and thoughtful. (The restaurant is closed Mondays.) 

We started with the Toro rice bowl, which was amazing: buttery toro with caviar and uni on top—perfect bites all around. For my main, I tried some favorite nigiris from their à la carte menu, but the omakase—only available at the sushi bar—is meant to be amazing. I was also enticed by the nigiri mystery box, featuring the chef’s choice of delicacies. Tableside fresh wasabi grating was a nice touch. We finished off with the most indulgent mochi donut for dessert, which I wouldn’t skip. Being the newest restaurant on property, the interior feels polished and centered around one of the hotel’s indoor fountains. Before our evening flight out, we ventured down to the lobby lounge for a light dinner of smaller sharing plates and a Mai Tai menu. There’s live music here every night, so it’s a great option for an earlier dinner or aperitif. 

The wellness… While the main spa is under renovation, I got a traditional Hawaiian Lomi Mohala massage in one of the property’s oceanfront hales (a traditional thatched-roof hut). The treatment incorporates some forearm massage and a variety of local aromatherapy oils, ending with a Hawaiian turmeric foot scrub, made even better by the white noise of the ocean just outside. They also offer a variety of spa treatments poolside at both the adult and main fountain pool, which seemed like a great way to experience them. When lounging by the pool you can book in for various types of massage, face masks, and even an IV therapy drip, which I did. I was a bit nervous at first, but my practitioner sat with me the whole time talking about travel! I opted for the immunity drip, loaded with all sorts of immune-boosting supplements, which took about 30 minutes. You can customize the IV offerings to your preference, with options to combat jet lag.

Is it kid-friendly? Yes, VERY! The resort prides itself on it. Everyone is very accommodating to children, and there’s lots for kids to do. The kids pool is huge, with two hot tubs on either end and a fountain in the middle, plus a waterfall pool just next to it with a fun water slide that even I tried out. The white-sand beach is also great, where you could really spend all day with kids—it was windy when we were there so the water was a little rough, but the staff said it was rare.

Extra tip goes to… Aunty Mopsie, the director of Hawaiian programming. We took a lei-making class from her in the lobby, and as she explained the technique for making our lei po’o (worn on the head like a crown), she carried on to “talk story” with us, telling us about her life and her culture. She was so kind and full of enthusiasm for Hawaii and its traditions, and emphasized that teaching these ways and “talking story” helps ensure these cultural rituals aren’t lost. We chatted with Aunty Mopsie for over an hour, and at the end she sweetly handed us little red envelopes (it had just been Chinese New Year) with $2 bills in them, a nod to her mother’s Chinese heritage and a generous act of interpersonal connection that has stayed with me.

Parting words… Four Seasons Resort Maui is really ideal for those traveling with kids or multi-generational families, as everyone is well taken care of from check-in to check-out. 

Date of stay… February 22-25, 2026