Photo Courtesy of The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa is a great escape for a variety of reasons, but in our humble opinion, a big reason why is that it’s located on perhaps the best beach in Maui—
Kaanapali Beach. Insiders refer to it as “Dig Me” Beach— and dig it you will. The Sheraton Maui is a home-away-from-home in every sense of the word, and it exudes the very spirit of aloha and charm.
In fact, we learned about its charm firsthand from Head Concierge Monica Eder. Ms. Eder has assisted guests with requests of all sizes, including setting up private boat charters; horseback rides in Hana; romantic dinners under the stars, and even decorating guest beds with flowers.
This smoke-free Starwood resort features 508 rooms, and almost all of them face the Pacific. The best room in the house is the Alii Suite that features a wraparound lanai and private lawn area. There are also 13 Luxury suites, 10 Junior suites and 20 Ohana Family Suites. The hotel is part of the Kaanapali Beach Resort community that includes the Whaler’s Village Shops and Restaurants. You’ll find that the Kaanapali Beachwalk is a terrific venue for a stroll, especially at sunset.
A Spa to Savor
Also on property is the Spa at Black Rock at the Sheraton Maui. This attractive facility has some wonderful things going for it-- the main attraction being that it offers a signature line of Absolutely Natural products that are created specifically for the spa. This skin care line offers chemical-free suncare, organic spa products, and sulfate-free haircare, among other things.
Debbi’s pumpkin facial featured cleansing; spritz with rose toner; steam; Clarisonic; and the Head-to-Toe Pumpkin Peel. Then came a facial massage, and an application of Absolutely Natural’s poha berry mask. This was followed by an application of serum and eye cream, a foot massage, and finally, the best part of any facial— the scalp massage.
The Black Rock Spa also carries a terrific new skin care line, Queen Bee, which was created by the lead aesthetician, Kether Quinlan. “I wasn’t totally pleased with what is on the market,” Ms. Quinlan said, “So I made my own products at home.” After a friend gave her an apiary as a gift, Quinlan started crafting her own products, which now include a honey rose cleanser, toner, exfoliant, facial mask, and cocoa body butter, to name a few. “Now we have a dozen hives,” said Quinlan, who makes her products with native noni, green papaya powder, vanilla, and of course, her own honey and beeswax. “Honey is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial (to assist in skin health) and it produces a natural hydrogen peroxide,” she further explained. The spa sells Queen Bee products in its retail section, and also uses the products in its facials and massages.
Food, Glorious Food
When you have a hankering for the perfect meal, we suggest you head right over to Black Rock Steak and Seafood, one of our favorite restaurants located at the Sheraton Maui. We started with the Maui onion soup, filled with sweet Maui onions, this soup should definitely be on your order. For the entrée, Deb had the snapper, grilled lightly without butter, and served with a variety of salsas: pineapple-papaya, tomato-basil, and sweet Maui Onion. All were a wonderful complement. Bill had a delectable order of grilled mahi and a filet mignon. In our view, all the selections were delicious and lived up to their billing.
Make sure to stay right there at the Sheraton Maui for sunset and have a drink at the aptly named Cliff Dive Bar, where you can watch the Sheraton’s famed cliff diver head into the sea. The ceremony commences at sunset with a torch lighting procession, ancient Hawaiian chant, and narration of the story of King Kahekili.
It’s a cultural experience you won’t forget. In fact, we think your entire stay at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa is one that you’ll dive into— with fabulous results.
For more information, visit Sheraton-Maui.com.
