Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Our Favorite Hotel on Maui - The Grand Wailea

This weekend our little family of 3 stayed at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa. It was our 20th anniversary and we saved to do something special. We hadn't stayed there in close to 10 years.

It's the funnest hotel on the island as the pools are amazing. We have a few favorites here on the island, others may have a fun waterslide..and even better rooms, but nothing beats the pools and waterslides at the Grand.

I'll be posting pictures of our stay there over the next few days. It's a photographers dream..it's so beautiful there. I had my new point and shoot and so had a lot of fun. I actually got really sick the first night 101 fever..so I was a bit loopy but some of my pics turned out pretty nice considering. It's hard to take a bad picture of such a pretty place.

After you are greeted by the valet and lei greeter ..you are greeted by this friendly bronze mermaid. She is straight ahead as you walk in waiting for people to toss coins into her shell. I came back and took this pic later in the day so the shade is on the mermaid and it didn't turn out so well.



These bronze hula dancers are to the right..the boys are to the left but I forgot to get a picture.



Orchids line many of the walkways as well as clear blue waterways or Koi ponds. This was on the left side of the hotel and a different entrance then the grand front entrance. It's for self parking and still very beautiful. If you get your car back from the valet by 6:30 (valet closes at 7:00)and tell them you want to self park..you will save yourself 20.00 a day for the overnight valet parking. Your room key opens up the self parking area.



Here is when we first arrived to our room..hubby snapped a pic of my son Cameron and I on our balcony. We get a discount for being Kama'aina or a resident of Hawaii..so of course they give us the lowest room type and not the best view. I never care because I'm there to enjoy the pools. However we got a free room upgrade to an ocean view on the 6th floor once they found out it was our 20th anniversary ;)


This is the most dramatic of the pools. It's the adult area..no kids under 18 allowed. Also referred to by the staff as the 'sun worshiper pool' as there are no umbrellas over there for shade...only the 300 dollar a day cabanas.

Swimming in this pool makes you feel like you are breaking the rules and getting into a fountain lol! It's only, I believe, 3 feet deep and it has the huge and very beautiful step fountain running into it. It's actually entitled the Hibiscus Pool as it has a giant mosaic tile Hibiscus flower along the bottom of its 4,850-square-feet. The Hibiscus flower is made from over 630,000 pieces of Mexican glass mosaic tile. The entire pool contains over 2.2 million individual tiles and features two Jacuzzis. It's very impressive.



Just above the step waterfall are these happy little dolphins.



Then just beyond that is this long water way with fountains all the way down. There is a spot to walk out into the middle of it...you can kind of see it at the end..it puts you close to the dolphins but still in the middle of the fountains. As well as the spot I was standing at is another one that puts you in the middle of the waterway after the fountains stop though. All awesome places to take pictures at.



And last picture for today...one of me and my hubby on the second day.(Yay! Happy 20th anniversary to us!) This is dead center of the hotel, we were standing to the side of the mermaid pool. There is a big canoe there too and beyond that is a classy bar area that livens up in the evening. You can usually hear live piano music playing..but it was under renovation right now so we didn't get to enjoy that. The picture is a little blurry..kinda how I felt since I was so sick :\ I felt bad bringing cooties there..but what do you do? They wouldn't let me cancel. And man what a place to rest!



Stay tuned! More pictures to come!



Jonara Blu Maui
Jonara Blu Maui's Etsy Shop

6 comments:

Muddy said...

Welcome back, Jamee! Gosh... you guys look too young to have been married 20 years! Happy anniversary, if a bit late. Hope you have lots more years... and may they be wonderful!

Jonara Blu Maui said...

haha..it's just a blurry picture...you can't see all the wrinkles! But thank you!

Belle Adorn said...

Wow Jamee! The beauty of that place is amazing. Makes me want to come visit even more! Not that we'd get to stay there, lol....but still, your little island is awesome. I'm glad they upgraded your room too, for your anniversary. 20 years and still going is a great accomplishment as well.

Pam said...

Jamee...Congrats on 20 years! Looks like a fantastic place to spend your anniversary. The pictures are great! Thanks for posting them...makes me wish to be on vacation there...maybe one of these days!

ChezChani said...

Love your site, your pictures and your work are spectacular.

Jonara Blu Maui said...

Mahalo Pam, Belle and ChezChani :) Hubby and are definitely proud of the 20 year mark. I hope that some day you guys will get to visit here..you will love it :)