It’s hard to imagine Maui’s iconic stretch of Kaanapali Beach without the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, which has been a favorite property since its 1963 opening thanks to its ideal location at Pu‘u Keka‘a (Black Rock).
Here, calmer waters and an abundance of marine life make the beach a standout for families, who flock to enjoy the resort’s sandy stretch, oceanfront pool and other kid-friendly amenities. That said, on a recent visit with my husband in tow, I discovered that there are plenty of ways a stay at the property can be customized for an adult-centric experience, too.
The Moana Oceanfront Wing is quieter and more private than other parts of the resort.
Credit: 2025 Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
Moana Oceanfront Wing
My top tip? Book clients in the Moana Oceanfront Wing for maximum privacy and stellar ocean views. While rooms in the main buildings (like mine, in the Nalu wing) offer easy access to the restaurants, the beach and the pool, the Moana building is a bit more removed, and faces away from the busy primary beach out toward the sea. Rooms here are remarkably quiet, ideal for romantic getaways and upgraded stays in some of the property’s nicest suites, which feature separate living and sleeping areas and an expansive waterfront balcony.
And, if clients are visiting during whale-watching season (which runs roughly from November to May), all the better — the Moana wing offers some of the best lookout spots travelers could ask for, right from its guestrooms. The Sheraton Maui even offers a special whale-watching package from December to April that includes Moana accommodations, a dining credit, welcome amenities and more (for 2025, book by March 31 for stays through April 15).
Moana Oceanfront suites are spacious with expansive balconies.
Credit: 2025 Sheraton Maui Resort & SpaOn-Site Eats
When it comes to dining, options range from Japanese cuisine at Teppan-yaki Dan to Pacific-Rim flavors at Coral Reef and the more casual poolside fare of Cliff Dive Grill, a favorite for its views of the resort’s nightly cliff-dive ritual, and live evening entertainment including music and hula. But my favorite meal was at The Sandbar Lobby Lounge, elevated above the grounds for some of the property’s best panoramas. (Pro tip: The lobby’s veranda is also an ideal viewing spot for the resort’s weekly fire knife performance, held on Sunday evenings in front of Coral Reef restaurant.) The menu here has been thoughtfully touched up by Sheraton Maui’s executive chef, Charles Andres, a recent addition to the team who is also putting his spin on other menus across the resort.
While not a formal restaurant, the lounge serves small plates in the evenings — though calling them small is a bit misleading given the generous portion size. My husband and I loved the Fish Three Ways, a trio of ceviche, poke and poisson cru (a Tahitian raw fish dish). It’s uniquely served in a stacked tower with sweet potato chips. We also shared a plate of super-crispy, beer-battered onion rings and some of the largest coconut shrimp I’ve ever seen.
The Sandbar Lobby Lounge serves delicious small plates meant for sharing.
Credit: 2025 Kelly RosenfeldAnd don’t let clients sleep on the poolside Black Rock Shave Ice. Regardless of travelers’ age, the Hawaiian treat can’t be beat on a hot Maui day — and the tropical flavors I tasted held up against some of my favorite shave ice spots around the islands.
Local Focus
Sustainability- and community-conscious clients will also find a lot to love. Eco-friendly touches that I appreciated during my stay included complimentary reusable water bottles and fill stations, as well as reef-friendly sunscreen dispensers dotting the pool area.
Perhaps best of all is the property’s ongoing connection — and commitment — to the local Maui community, especially following the devastating Lahaina fires of August 2023.
Among its ongoing efforts to support locals is its Meet the Artist series, which provides opportunities for artists to showcase their work after the loss of Lahaina’s vibrant gallery scene. And with its Kokua for Maui event series, the hotel serves as a physical location for businesses impacted by the fires to operate and connect with both residents and visitors. Typically held every two to three months, the periodic event allows patrons to visit businesses they wouldn’t be able to otherwise, post-fire.
The property is also collaborating with nonprofit Treecovery Hawaii, which is growing trees for residents who lost their homes in the fires. At the time of my visit, Sheraton Maui had some 60 potted trees in its care (after hosting a volunteer planting event), which will eventually be delivered to locals as they rebuild and are ready to return.
Seeing these priorities play out across the resort only serves to enhance the already-rich experience at the historic Sheraton Maui.
An Update on Maui’s Fire Recovery
More than a year
after the tragic Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire in West Maui,
tourism to the island has not yet returned to normal
according to representatives from multiple Kaanapali Beach hotels, who
described business as “uneven” this year. (And preliminary October
statistics from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development
and Tourism show that Maui
visitation for the first 10 months of 2024 was down 10% compared to the
same period in 2023, and 24.8% lower than the same time frame in 2019.)
But everyone I spoke to during my November 2024 visit reiterated that West
Maui is excited to host travelers, and working to get tourism back to
its normal levels. And my own experiences there confirmed that fact.
Lahaina
is still inaccessible to visitors. At a glance from the road, there’s
little to see of the town, as few structures remain, and most
reconstruction has yet to take place. That said, crews have made great
strides in cleanup, and in October, Maui officials released a draft of
plans to rebuild the town. And, over the week that I was on the island,
the first rebuilt home was completed,
a milestone for both the area and the local Lahaina community.
Outside
of the affected area, visitors will not feel any negative effects from
the fire. Popular West Maui resort areas, including Kaanapali Beach and
Wailea, are operating normally and delivering all the top-quality
vacation experiences that they’re so well known for. And if that wasn’t
reason enough to return, supporting the Maui community as it recovers
makes a visit to the island all the more appealing right now.
