Perhaps we are accustomed to a higher level of accommodations, but we felt the resort fell well short of our expectations. Starting with the expectation that we would be staying in the very best location in the hotel (based on the room category and price), to our first impression of the small, dirty, run-down room to the extremely high priced restaurants and including all of the over-hyped amenities, we can't help but feel we've been sold a bill of goods.
It doesn't help that everyone we've asked about the 'package' features tells us something different and the written explanation of the features differs from the explanation you get once you reach the hotel. We reserved a "Premium Deluxe Ocean View" room (which was the top category for their view accommodations) and I have to tell you, while there is always room for interpretation, finding ourselves looking out from the side of one building into the side of the other wing of the resort with an ocean view only presenting itself when we crept into the outside corner of our room or out onto the lanai just doesn't seem Premium, Deluxe or, even very Ocean View.
We also found the condition of the room upon our arrival to be less than optimal. It was showing its age after the remodel in 2004 and the overwhelming odor of mildew from the A/C and bathroom just wasn't 'heavenly' at all. And even though a maintenance person changed the filters in the furnace and sprayed something in the bathroom and exchanged the shower curtains, we still weren't completely free of the odor.
Then there's the mystery surrounding the package we were sold. We bought our accommodations prior to a policy change at the resort which affected our 7 year old son's status as regards meal charges. When we made our reservations, kids ate free. By the time we arrived at the resort, kids 5 and under ate free and 6 to 12 were 50% off. The front desk agreed to honor our original understanding, which was free kids' meals, but they required us to carry our confirmation notice with us to each meal and go through an explanation with the restaurant manager each time in order to receive the free meals for our son.
But if these inconveniences weren't enough to fall well short of our expectations, the omnipresent time-share pressure certainly did the trick. Immediately upon arrival, we were offered the 'opportunity' to attend a time-share presentation which we quickly declined. Less than 15 minutes later, we were solicited again! My wife told the concierge that we did NOT wish to be hounded about these offers because we were on vacation which resulted in our names being flagged in the hotel's system to stop bothering us with 'offers'.
We were also struck by the volume of cheap, thinly veiled enterprises the resort engages in to part you from your money. Every conceivable opportunity has been mined to throw you into a situation where an additional fee is required. There are vendors' tables situated around the common areas where you can expect to be solicited for a variety of goods and services and, even the resort's concierges seem to be in on the deal as they will gladly make off-site arrangements at different activities for you -- for which they no doubt receive a kick-back.
So, not all was bad. The pool area, while on the small side, was a fun place for our 7 year old. For adults, it's not a restful place, nor is it particularly thoughtfully layed out or creative. By comparison, the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island blows this place off the map.
As a family, we've stayed at some very, very nice hotels and resorts and our budget has never been restricted, so it's not as if we're complaining because this place is unaffordable for us. But at the same time, we expect to receive a certain value for the money we spend, and the Westin Maui just doesn't deliver.
For a few dollars more, we've decided to move to the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua. We'll give up some of the pool amenities, we'll be farther away from Lahaina and Ka'anapali Beach, but we can be assured that we won't have to ask the service people to bring our room up to acceptable standards or feel like we've just arrived in Tijuana where street vendors reign supreme.
So, depending on your own personal expectations, you may or may not enjoy staying at the Westin Maui. From reading the other reviews, apparently there are many people who have been thrilled with their experiences here. Let me just say this, for approximately the same money, you can receive much better treatment at a much better facility and you won't have to fend off the hungry time-share wolves...