Review: Experiencing Hana-Maui Hotel

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Important 2021 update: Management of this resort transferred from Travaasa to Hyatt management. It’s now called Hana-Maui Resort.

The following review was written when this resort was under Travaasa management. The all-inclusive stays that we experienced are no longer available.

While the rooms have gotten a nice refresh with the Hyatt transition, much of the exceptionally, peaceful location and “resort bones” have stayed the same.

The new website for this resort is at this link for Hana-Maui Resort .

For more current reviews, see this link to TripAdvisor.

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Adventure balanced with relaxation is what we found from our stay at Travaasa Hana. Mornings would be filled with activities like hiking and horseback riding. We’d make our way to the spa for a massage in the afternoon or head to beautiful Hamoa Beach for a catnap under a shade tree. Then, after dinner, we’d either listen to the live Hawaiian music or stargaze from the lanai.

Travaasa Hana is one of two experiential resorts that provides guests with an array of fitness, wellness, cultural and adventure experiences anchored in the local culture. As I mentioned, our time at Travaasa Hana focused on adventure and relaxation, but you get to make it what you want it to be.

We originally planned two nights at Travaasa Hana. As we followed their facebook posts, we realized that two nights wouldn’t be nearly long enough so we extended our stay two more nights. That still wasn’t enough time to take advantage of all the the excellent amenities and programs Travaasa Hana offers. I bet we could have stayed there two weeks and still not run out of new things to try.

Heavenly Hana

The lush town of Hana is not only geographically away from the livelier Maui towns like Lahaina and Kahului, but it is also away from any sort of city hurried atmosphere. In Hana, you slow down. You relax. You soak in life.

Many folks from Hawaii say that Hana is like the old Hawaii. As a mainlander, I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I can guess. I think it might related to limited development, relaxed pace and exceptionally friendly locals full of Aloha.

Hana-Maui Resort Grounds – A Tropical Paradise

Simply walking the grounds of this resort was a pleasure. Everywhere I looked, I saw a photo-worthy scene.

Blooming plumerias and hibiscus were dotted throughout the resort. I enjoyed catching the shade of a palm or African Tulip tree while walking the path from our sea cottage to the dining room. Each time, I marveled at the natural contrast of the orange African Tulip blooms on the green grass.

The pools and water features throughout the resort added to the tranquil environment.

All the lovely landscaping looked like it belonged there. It didn’t seem forced or fake, just natural like a tropical paradise should look.

Activities & Experiences

I feel that we only scratched the surface of what Travaasa Hana has to offer. We enjoyed stopping by Makana Center, the activities center, to talk story and see what was being offered for the day.

We loved horseback riding on the Hana coast and taking ukulele lessons. Plus we were able to explore more of the road to Hana and without crowds.

If we had had more time, I would have loved to have gone to the coconut husking demonstration, tried throw net fishing and learned a bit of hula.

We did get to take a couple of hours to relax by beautiful Hamoa Beach. Travaasa Hana provides scheduled shuttle service to the beach as well as chairs, towels and snorkel equipment.

Spa & Wellness

As part of the all-inclusive Sea Ranch Cottage package, we could indulge in a daily spa treatment. Bliss! Andy adored the hot stone massage. I tried a different treatment each time from body wraps to lomi lomi massage to a facial. I’ll write more about the spa in the future.

We didn’t make the time to participate in the coastal wellness walk, pilates or any of the other exercise classes. Travaasa Hana offers many wellness classes throughout the day. They also provide aerobics equipment.

Sea Ranch Cottage Accommodations

Sea ranch cottages are in a secluded side of Travaasa Hana. They were made to look like plantation homes and they fit perfectly into the Hana landscape.

The cottage rooms are quite spacious. Baths include a soaking tub and a separate shower. The rooms are big enough to include a sitting area and separate dining area. The lanais are spacious as well.

A wet bar includes a small refrigerator stocked with sodas and juices at no extra charge. A generously sized bag of Hawaii coffee beans was provided along with a grinder. We certainly enjoyed our fresh pot of coffee with the view from the lanai.

Cottage renovations are currently in progress. Our room had not been renovated with new solar powered ventilation systems to keep the cottage cooler as well as some cosmetic improvements. See this collection of photos from our room and a renovated room.

Rooms are not air conditioned, but we really didn’t need air conditioning with the constant breeze. By having the screened windows and doors open, we were able to enjoy the sounds of the ocean.

When you check into your sea cottage room, you’ll find a backpack with a water bottle and a journal to write about your thoughts and adventures. That’s a unique feature that you don’t find in other Hawaii hotels.

One thing you won’t find in a room at Travaasa Hana is a television or radio. We don’t go to Hawaii to watch television, so that was perfectly fine by us.

All-Inclusive – Hurrah!

The sea ranch cottages are all-inclusive, including spa treatments, dining, activities and tipping. The only thing that’s not included is alcoholic drinks and tipping for alcoholic drinks. The all-inclusive package certainly adds to the stress reducing environment that Travaasa Hana tries to provide for the guests. It’s a rare find in Hawaii!

Rates for the sea ranch cottages start at $449 per person per night. At first, that number can be a bit startling, but when you consider that it includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, non-alcoholic drinks, gratuities, daily spa treatments and plenty of wellness and cultural activities as well as your unique accommodations, it seems much more reasonable.

There’s one main dining room with an adjacent lounge at Travaasa Hana. Sea ranch cottage guests could also dine at Hana Ranch Restaurant for dinner.  We really enjoyed breakfasts with views of Hana Bay. The burgers from the lounge were oh-so-tasty! Dinners were average.

On Sunday, Monday and Thursday evenings, there’s live musical entertainment in the dining room. We got to catch the Sunday and Monday performances and they were outstanding!

Worth Mentioning

• Travaasa Hana was formerly the Hotel Hana-Maui.
• The sea ranch cottages are reserved for guests 16 and older.
• Travaasa Hana also offers garden suites and condos that are not all-inclusive and available for guests of all ages.
• Hana is located in a tropical environment and with tropical environments, you might encounter tropical critters. That’s nature! I no longer freak out have grown to be somewhat accustomed to occasionally seeing a critter. We did have geckos in our room.
• I believe most people only stay at Travaasa Hana for a day or two. Unfortunately, that short stay doesn’t do this resort justice. Consider staying four or more days, especially if you are staying in the sea ranch cottages.
• As a matter of disclosure, we were extended a reduced rate during our stay at Travaasa Hana.
• See all the photos from our stay at Travaasa Hana.
• This article was published in 2011. All costs and amenities were accurate at the time of publishing.