Tiered pools and ocean views at Andaz Maui, photographed in 2015.

Some resort openings fade into a blur of speeches and champagne. The Andaz Maui at Wailea celebration stayed with us: food stations spread across the property, thoughtfully made cocktails, conversations with the people behind the resort, and those cascading pools leading the eye toward Mōkapu Beach.

We covered that evening on Maui Goodness in November 2013. Our reaction was direct: “What they have done with this property is jaw dropping.”

More than a decade later, it is worth revisiting what caught our attention—and how Andaz has grown beyond those first impressions. This is a look back at our opening-party experience alongside the resort’s current offerings, rather than a claim that one evening tells us everything about a stay today.

Remembering the grand-opening celebration

Andaz took shape on the former Renaissance Wailea property, with Rockwell Group designing a distinctly modern resort that opened the buildings toward the surrounding landscape. There is an important distinction in the dates: Hyatt announced the resort’s opening on September 3, 2013. Our November 18 article remembered the grand-opening celebration we attended that preceding Saturday.

That night gave us a chance to meet people who had helped shape the property. The enthusiasm was part of the experience. But the details were what made it memorable: the design, the beach setting, the food, and a cocktail we were still thinking about after the party ended.

Grand opening celebration at Andaz Maui, November 16, 2013.

The style: designed with room to grow

“It’s beautiful as is, but you can tell some elements were built with future growth in mind.”

—Our original Maui Goodness opening-party report, November 2013

The clean lines and minimalist approach immediately set Andaz apart. Today, that design remains central to its identity: an ocean-facing resort with cascading infinity pools, natural materials, and rooms and villas designed around the island setting.

The most concrete growth has been in the accommodations. Hyatt’s opening announcement described 297 guestrooms and suites, including seven residential villas. Its current room information lists 320 accommodations, including 35 suites and 30 villas. The villa collection has become a much larger part of the resort experience.

Among those additions are the three-bedroom ʻIlikai Villas, which Hyatt’s resort brochure dates to May 2021. Kitchens, generous living areas, and private lanais give families and groups a different way to stay. Some villa categories also offer private pools or hot tubs; the specific features depend on the villa booked.

An Andaz Maui guest room during our 2015 visit.

The location: Mōkapu is still the anchor

“We also love the snorkeling out in front.”

—Our original opening-party report

The 15-acre beachfront setting remains one of the property’s defining features. Direct access to Mōkapu Beach means the ocean is part of the day, rather than somewhere you need to drive to after breakfast.

The original article also celebrated exploring Wailea on foot. That remains a useful way to think about the location: beach time, coastal walks, and nearby dining and shopping can all fit into a stay. The neighboring resort landscape has evolved too—the Marriott property is now branded Wailea Beach Resort.

Our affection for the shoreline should not be read as a guarantee of easy snorkeling every day. Check current ocean conditions, follow posted guidance, and choose activities that suit your swimming ability. A beautiful beach can still have rough water.

Mōkapu Beach in front of Andaz Maui, photographed in 2015.

The food: from party pūpū to a full dining itinerary

“You can tell we liked the food, considering most of the photos we took were of our plates!”

—Our original opening-party report

The pūpū spread at the Andaz Maui opening party in November 2013.

The party food made an impression, but the resort’s dining story now extends well beyond that evening. Kaʻana Kitchen continues to emphasize local ingredients and seasonal menus, while Morimoto Maui remains a beachfront option for Japanese-inspired cuisine.

There is also a Chef’s Table experience at Kaʻana Kitchen built around a customized six-course menu. Lehua Lounge offers cocktails with sunset views, while Bumbye Beach Bar provides a more casual poolside stop. Those are different experiences, so it makes sense to choose the setting as carefully as the menu.

The biggest addition to our original opening-night story is Feast at Mōkapu. We later added an enthusiastic recommendation to the old article, and it deserves a place here too. The resort currently describes an oceanfront lūʻau combining storytelling, dance, cocktails, and a three-course dinner. It gives visitors another reason to spend an evening at Andaz, even when they are staying elsewhere.

The oceanfront setting for Feast at Mōkapu in 2019.

The drinks: remembering that serrano margarita

“Fresh, delicious cocktails were served across the property.”

—Our original opening-party report

Food and cocktails at the 2013 Andaz Maui grand opening.

Julie Reiner’s work on the opening cocktail program helped make the drinks as memorable as the food. The spicy serrano chili margarita was a particular favorite that night.

That is an opening-party memory, rather than a promise that the same drink or original menu is still available. Today, Lehua Lounge and Bumbye Beach Bar remain part of the resort’s dining lineup. Check their current menus if you are planning a visit around a particular cocktail. What interested us from the beginning was the attention given to the bar program, rather than treating drinks as an afterthought.

A poolside cocktail at Andaz Maui in 2021.

The culture: an idea guests can participate in

“Guests are able to get a much clearer picture of the unique customs and people that have shaped the Hawai’ian Islands.”

—Our original opening-party report; spelling preserved from the original

Our conversation with Kainoa Horcajo, identified in the 2013 article as the resort’s Hawaiian Cultural Director, was an important part of our first impression. We wanted to know how the property would connect visitors with Hawaiʻi beyond its scenery.

Today, the resort’s published activity offerings include lei making, hula, ʻukulele, and coconut-leaf weaving, alongside its lūʻau. These give guests opportunities to learn and participate. As with any resort activity schedule, check what is offered during your stay and whether reservations or additional charges apply.

Hula dancers at Feast at Mōkapu in 2019.

The beach crew: making the shoreline part of the stay

“we couldn’t imagine more fun people to experience Maui with.”

—Our original opening-party report

We enjoyed meeting Danny, Charlie, and Ben that evening. Their names belong to the original memory, rather than a current staff roster.

The ocean-activity side of the resort remains part of its appeal. Current resort materials list outrigger canoe experiences, kayak tours, and stand-up paddleboard lessons. Ask the beach team about the current schedule, conditions, participation requirements, and what your booking includes.

The amenities: those pools, plus time at ʻĀwili

“Their epicurean spa is gorgeous”

—From our original opening-party report

The tiered infinity pools were another opening-night standout, and they still help define the resort’s ocean-facing layout. Our old article suggested you might even have an infinity pool to yourself. That captured the excitement of a new property; today, we would plan for a shared resort experience rather than count on an empty pool. Before booking, ask the resort about pool maintenance, temporary closures, or construction affecting your dates.

ʻĀwili Spa and Salon remains a substantial part of the property, with treatments, a salon, sauna, steam room, plunge pool, and outdoor tranquility pool. It also welcomes local guests. Whether you are staying overnight or considering a spa visit, confirm the services and facility access included in your reservation.

An Andaz Maui infinity pool during our 2017 visit.

What has changed, and what still connects it to that first night

The Andaz we first met was a newly opened resort full of possibility. The property today has a larger villa collection, a broader range of experiences, and an oceanfront lūʻau that was not part of our original party report.

At the same time, the themes that caught our attention in 2013 remain recognizable in what the resort offers: thoughtful design, an appealing beachfront setting, food worth planning around, and opportunities to learn about Hawaiʻi.

Our opening-party story is worth preserving because it captures that beginning. Read beside today’s offerings, it shows how much can grow around an idea while the setting that inspired it stays central.

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
3550 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea, Maui, Hawaiʻi 96753
(808) 573-1234
Official resort website

The opening-party quotations above are reproduced from our Maui Goodness article published November 18, 2013. Menus, activities, inclusions, and availability may change.