REVIEW: The Road to Hana Maui Resort by Hyatt and how to stay here for FREE + video tour
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The Road to Hana Maui Resort by Hyatt and how to stay here for FREE
And yes….there’s a video tour
I’ve come to a point where I’ve really lost count how many times I’ve visited the Hawaiian Islands. It’s a favorite, easy getaway for us flying from Los Angeles. I joke by saying that I’d rather fly to Hawaii than drive 4-5 hours to Las Vegas or the Bay Area.
I kept saying “this is the last time I’d drive on the Road to Hana”
I keep telling myself every time we visit Maui, that for “that last visit”, that it would be the last time I’d drive the Road to Hana. I said that in 2021 when we brought all of the kids back to Maui. I said, the next time we do this, I will not drive…you will drive instead of Daddy. A few months later, Nancy and I visited Maui again, and guess what, we went to Hana yet one more time, and I said, ok that would be the last visit.
I lied
Well, this was all Hyatt’s fault – awarding us with a free night certificate up to Category 7! What were they thinking? So, fine! I drove the RTH again! But there was something different with this ride. In the past, we’d simply spend a full day by leaving our hotel our condo, and then get to Hana and explore the different falls and sights, and then before nightfall, begin our making our way back.
We’ve never stayed in Hana
We’ve passed by the Hana-Maui Resort over a dozen times, and never once did I entertain the idea of staying. Why? It’s too bougie for my wallet. Well that all changed. We finally booked a stay at Hana-Maui Resort!
Preconceptions
Prior to booking, I had all of these preconceived notions about being at the resort. I mean, it’s Hana, and if you’ve never been to Hana, the prize of being there is peace and tranquility. So I had this thought that I’d be bored, that I do not like staying still, that I need a bit of chaos. Hence, there was no real driving force to want to book a night in Hana.
Hyatt FREE Night Certificate (Category 1-7)
When we crossed our 60 nights of Hyatt stays in 2022, we were given milestone award of a Hyatt FREE Night Certificate (Category 1-7), this means that we could book a low-end Category 1 property up to as high as Category 7. Of course, we are one to go for the gusto. We had an upcoming trip and it was quite fitting to squeeze yet another trip down the Road to Hana.
The free night award gets you a typical standard garden view room. Even with a room like that, the cash rate could be in the $600+ range.
We’ve upgraded you because of your Hyatt Globalist status
On the days leading to our check in date, I had called the resort to check on our reservation. At the time, we were already confirmed getting upgraded two levels up….1 King Bed Ocean View. Sweet!!! I did not complain, I had nothing but thanks to give!
Check in
We got to the resort on a Saturday afternoon around 3:45pm. Selma assisted us. We were welcomed with kukui nut leis, and welcome drinks – POG – passion orange guava drink. We inquired about “oceanfront” availability, and we were offered an oceanfront King Bed with outdoor jacuzzi tub for an extra $200. We said we’d give it a look and let her know if it was something we’d like to take.
The oceanview bungalows
I didn’t realize this until we got to the property. Think of the property as being divided into two sections – the garden view section, and the oceanview/oceanfront bungalow section. From the front desk, we had to drive outside of property to get to the bungalows. Our parking was onsite away from the front desk.
Our King Bed Bungalow with Ocean Views
I’ve seen so many pictures of the bungalows so I had an idea what to expect. I was expecting everything to be fully dated, but if there was one thing that I could say looked like it was from another era, it was the bathroom tiles. This is not a criticism at all, while it looked quite dated, I could truly appreciate the shiny floor and wall tiles. The bathroom was roomy, with a separate bathtub and a separate area for the shower. The bathroom was just on the other side of the sink.
The bungalow itself was spacious. There was a sofa, a chair, a little dinette set, and a bar with a sink. From there, we had a access to the lanai with two lounge chairs and the views of the ocean from about 200 yards away.
The pool area
To be honest, I was not expecting to see this beautiful, serene pool. It was a long, rectangular pool that gives you a great appreciation of the bungalows and the ocean from a distance. There was snack bar, an outdoor shower, and a wellness studio for the yoga session.
Food trucks
For dinner, we were so thankful to just easily walk right outside the property. The food trucks were there. We opted for Ae’s Thai Kitchen and had the most delicious Thai-style crispy pork belly with rice and green papaya salad. There was no need for us to go elsewhere, we wanted to spend most of our time onsite.
No accessible sandy beach
Well, at least, to my knowledge, there was no sandy beach per se. I did take the time to go to edge of the property and just wanted watched the ocean. One would have to be a strong swimmer to try and swim from the property and I opted to just enjoy the views. Lots of white adirondack chairs were seen unoccupied, so I made sure to sit and admire the beauty that was right in front of me.
The breakfast at the resort
Since we are Hyatt Globalists we had access to two free breakfast. Ours included one menu item, one juice, and one coffee per person. We kept it simple just to help kickoff our day. We opted for the Hana Breakfast Plate for Nancy and Steak and Eggs for me. That was just perfect for that morning.
We sat close to the sliding doors that were kept wide open, and we were able to admire the beginning of a new day.
The fitness center
This area is located on the garden side of the resort. It’s closer to the front desk and the main restaurant. There’s a pool right outside of the fitness center.
A hike to Fagan’s Cross
Just outside the property was a trail to go up to Fagan’s Cross. It was a steadily, moderate trail that was all uphill.
For those who are fit, a good 20 minutes going up….but we took our leisurely time and made it to the top in 30 minutes. The views from the cross were breathtaking. It gave me an appreciation of seeing Hana from above.
No TVs in the bungalows
Honestly, this was a no-shocker for me. If you need to watch TV, staying here will probably not be for you. The WiFi was good enough to keep us connected, and TV was not needed for our stay.
The takeaway
The skeptical traveler in me was delighted to have booked this stay at Hana-Maui. It was an idea I have not entertained – ever! I was so glad we booked here. If there was one thing I regret…I regret keeping our stay to just one night. The next time…yes, there will be a next time. I shall drive the Road to Hana again just for another opportunity to stay at Hana-Maui. I would consider staying 2-3 nights here again.
Oh and of course, the video tour
I watched this video two weeks after returning from Maui and didn’t realize how wrinkled my shirt was. Ooops. I need a new wardrobe…..but nonetheless, I enjoyed watching the video and it reminded me why I would love to visit the property again.
The Road to Hana Maui Resort – Oceanfront King Bungalow – YouTube
Which credit cards could you use to book a stay at Hyatt?
So the question, how does one earn Hyatt points or book with Hyatt free night certificates? You don’t have to be a frequent traveler to earn these points. In my case, it’s all about having the right set of credit cards. A night at Hana-Maui Resort during our visit in May would cost 30,000 points per night. You could easily book a few nights using points you earn from the the following credit cards:
- World of Hyatt Credit Card (personal)
- World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
The following Chase credit cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, however, in order to transfer points to travel partners such as Hyatt, you will need to have one of the following cards: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, or Chase Ink Business Preferred.
- Chase Ink Cash® Card
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Chase Freedom Flex®
NOTE: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.
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Editorial Disclosure – The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.