We just got back from a quick family getaway to Maui for my kids’ fall break, where we split our stay between the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa and the Andaz Maui. Both have their pros and cons, but the Hyatt Regency Maui stands out when you’re booking with points. With award rates starting at just 21,000 Hyatt points per night during off-peak dates, you could cover nearly four nights here just from a Chase Sapphire Preferred® welcome bonus.

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The Welcome at the HR Maui + early check-in

I was pleasantly surprised to get a notification that my room was ready almost immediately after completing online check-in through the Hyatt app — a big difference from the Andaz Maui, where I wasn’t checked in until after 4 p.m. Because the Hyatt Regency Maui is such a large resort, both early check-in and late checkout tend to be easier to get. We requested a 4 p.m. checkout, and it was granted, but one of my followers on Instagram even scored a 7 p.m. checkout! So if you’re catching a red-eye flight home from Hawaii, this is definitely the resort you’ll want to book for your last night.

The Hyatt Regency Maui is located in Kāʻanapali, on the island’s western side. The resort sits right along the beach, surrounded by other hotels and connected by a scenic beachfront walkway that leads to nearby shops and restaurants at Whalers Village. While I personally still prefer Wailea over Kāʻanapali, this area has a great atmosphere and plenty to do.

At check-in, we were greeted with traditional shell leis and upgraded to an oceanfront room. When I reached out to the hotel by email before our stay, they mentioned that suite upgrades are handled day-of, based on availability. I was perfectly happy with our oceanfront view, so I didn’t push for a suite — but if you’re hoping for one, make sure to use my hotel upgrade request template before your stay!

Related: Free Hotel Upgrade Email Templates

How we booked the Hyatt Regency Maui

The Hyatt Regency Maui is part of the World of Hyatt portfolio and is classified as a Category 6 hotel, which means award nights cost between 21,000 and 29,000 Hyatt points per night depending on whether your stay falls during off-peak, standard, or peak dates. During our trip, we booked at the standard rate of 25,000 points per night.

Hyatt makes it easy to check award rates with their calendar view, available on both the desktop site and the mobile app once you search and select a hotel (pictured above).

We used Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which I easily transferred to Hyatt through my Chase online account — the process takes just a few clicks. One of the best perks of booking a Hyatt hotel with points is that the resort fee is completely waived, saving you a significant amount of money. And since we have Hyatt Globalist status, our parking fees were also waived, which made our stay even more affordable.

Related: A complete guide to earning Hyatt points

The Room & Suite at HR Maui: Oceanfront Two Queen Room

We were upgraded to an Oceanfront Two Queen Room at the Hyatt Regency Maui, which seems to be a fairly common upgrade — my sister received the same one when I gifted her a Guest of Honor award. The room itself was beautiful, though I personally would have preferred a lower floor. We were up on the 20th floor in the Atrium Tower, and while the view was incredible, it felt a bit more like a high-rise than a tropical Maui resort. Next time, I’d probably request a lower floor or a different tower.

The Hyatt Regency Maui rooms are spacious and have been recently renovated. Ours included two queen beds and a comfortable chaise lounge. The chaise doesn’t pull out, but it could work for a fifth guest if you’re traveling with a small child.

In-room amenities included a Keurig coffee maker, mini fridge, and reusable water bottles. Since we were celebrating my daughter’s birthday, the hotel surprised us with a generous snack basket and even created a towel cake — such a thoughtful touch! Always let the hotel know if you’re celebrating something special; even without Hyatt status, you might get a little surprise. (You can grab my free hotel celebration request template below!)

Related : Have you downloaded my upgrade template? Grab it Here!

My only minor complaint was the patio. While the ocean view was absolutely stunning, the balcony itself was quite small. The resort is older, even though the rooms have been remodeled, so the patio size reflects that. Still, it’s a small trade-off for those amazing oceanfront views.

The Pools & Hot Tubs at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort

The Hyatt Regency Maui is an amazing family-friendly resort, especially if you’re traveling with kids. One of the best perks is that guests have access to both the Hyatt Regency grounds and the Hyatt Vacation Club next door, giving you the best of both worlds. The Vacation Club area feels a bit quieter and more relaxed, with pools surrounded by lava rock, waterfalls, and tropical landscaping. There are several connected pools, hot tubs tucked in between, and even a small waterslide that my older kids loved too.

The main kid’s pool area at the Hyatt Regency Maui is perfect for younger children. It features a large sandy-bottom wading pool with adorable animal statues to climb on, a toddler-friendly slide, and a bigger enclosed slide for kids 48 inches and up.

Around the slides, there are plenty of swimming areas to explore. While the old grotto and waterfall area has been closed and unsure if it will ever reopen, there’s still a beautiful bridge that crosses over the pool — it’s a great photo spot and offers a stunning view of the resort.

The resort also has a large main pool with plenty of lounge chairs and a few poolside food trucks and drink stands, making it easy to relax without having to leave the water.

The Resort Grounds at the Hyatt Regency Maui

The Hyatt Regency Maui has plenty of outdoor seating areas for dining, along with a shave ice food truck that’s perfect for a mid-day treat. We didn’t try it this time, but we’ve had this brand before and it’s delicious! The resort itself is massive, with beautifully maintained grounds featuring lush tropical foliage, swan ponds, and tranquil water features that make every corner feel like a tropical garden.

The main restaurant is open-air, overlooking a large waterfall and pond — it’s a stunning setting that adds to the relaxing island vibe. There’s truly so much to do here, whether you’re lounging poolside, exploring the grounds, or just taking in the scenery.

The resort sits right on Kāʻanapali Beach, although part of the beach is currently undergoing restoration due to erosion. You can still easily access the sand and ocean by walking a short distance along the beachfront walkway.

Inside the open-air atrium lobby, you’ll find some unexpected residents — penguins! My kids absolutely loved watching them waddle around, and the resort even hosts a penguin feeding at 9:30 a.m. daily, which guests can join. You’ll also spot a variety of colorful birds and fish throughout the property, making it feel like a mini wildlife sanctuary.

We actually took family photos at the Hyatt Regency Maui back in 2017, and they remain some of our favorites to this day. The grounds are picture-perfect for a photoshoot, and best of all — your resort fee includes a complimentary photo session with a photography team, plus a free photo 5 x7 print to take home.

The Amenities at the HR Maui

There are so many activities for kids here. The resort fee is $49 each night, but waived if you book your stay with points. It includes:

• Oceanfront Stay Fit Gym (Moana Athletic Club)
• Yoga/fitness classes daily
• Programs including lei making, lawn games, hula lessons, mermaid story time, wildlife tours, penguin and koi feedings
• Welcome Lei upon arrival
• Two in-room prefilled reusable water bottles – Purified water and ice machines throughout resort
• Resort shuttle service in Ka’anapali (Trolley)
• Two (2) Drop-in/Open Play passes per room, per stay at The HUB Pickleball Maui (on property), with standard paddle rental included (additional passes for registered guests are available for an extra cost)
• On site Beach portrait session and 5X7 print from Grins2Go
• Personalized guest request texting service: TEXT (808) 219-0608 for 24-hour assistance
• 15% off non discounted greens fees at Ka’anapali Golf Courses
• 10% discount on all non-sale apparel items at the Ka’anapali Golf Courses Pro Shop
• Backpack beach chair rental
• 24 hour access to automatic pool towel stations throughout resort

We had planned to use the pickleball passes, but since it was a quick trip and we didn’t pack tennis shoes, we ended up skipping it. I also wasn’t sure if the “two passes” meant two individual players or two full games, which made it a little tricky since we had four of us who wanted to play.

Another included activity is the fresh lei-making class, which we’ve done on a past visit and absolutely loved. This time, we decided to skip it since we had just received beautiful, fresh leis upon arrival at the Andaz Maui, but it’s definitely a must-do activity if it’s your first time staying at the Hyatt Regency Maui.

Overall, the resort fee at the Hyatt Regency Maui includes a great mix of cultural and recreational experiences, making it easy to enjoy extra activities without spending anything additional once you arrive.

The Club at the Hyatt Regency Maui

One of the best perks of staying at the Hyatt Regency Maui is having access to the Regency Club Lounge. You can enjoy club access if you have Hyatt Globalist status or by using a Club Access Award. You can also book directly into a Club room with points. These awards are earned after staying 20 qualifying nights within the World of Hyatt program, or sometimes you can find generous travelers on Instagram or in Facebook groups offering to share their Guest of Honor or Club Access Awards. (If you need help getting one, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram!) Having club lounge access is a great money-saver, especially for families.

The Regency Club offers breakfast, snacks, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts throughout the day. It’s open from morning to evening, and you can stop in anytime to grab something to eat or drink. Beverages include coffee, sodas, and juice — my kids especially loved the POG juice (passion-orange-guava).

While the food quality isn’t quite on the same level as the Grand Hyatt Kauai’s club lounge, it’s still a fantastic value. If you eat breakfast and one light meal or snack here each day, you can easily save a significant amount on food costs during your stay.

The Service at HR Maui

We experienced great service here — everyone was kind and helpful. The only issue some guests run into is being wrongly charged for missing pool towels. The resort has a unique towel system where you check out towels through a self-service station by scanning your room key. As long as you return all the towels, there’s no charge, but any unreturned towel costs $25. We didn’t have any issues, but made sure to be extra careful returning each one.

Poolside service was excellent, and we really appreciated being able to check in early and check out late.

The Parking

The resort offers both self-parking and valet parking, priced at $35 per day for self-parking and $40 per day for valet. The parking lot is just a short walk from the main resort, and we found it very easy to use — I wouldn’t hesitate to choose self-parking. Personally, I usually prefer self-parking over valet whenever possible. A great perk for Hyatt Globalist members is that the parking fee is completely waived, adding another layer of savings to your stay.

Hotel Status

Having Hyatt Globalist status at the Hyatt Regency Maui comes with some great perks, including complimentary parking, breakfast, and room upgrades. That said, you don’t need status to take advantage of the Regency Club Lounge. If you can secure a Club Access Award, it’s a major money-saver, as you can enjoy meals and snacks throughout the day without additional cost.

If you’re lucky enough to receive a Guest of Honor award, you can pair it with an ocean-view room upgrade and get your parking fee waived — a fantastic perk for families. Even without a Guest of Honor, just having club lounge access provides significant savings and makes your stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui much more affordable.

Location of this Hyatt

The Hyatt Regency Maui is located on the western side of Maui, near Lahaina. While the town of Lahaina was devastated by recent fires, it’s encouraging to see that cleanup and rebuilding are well underway. The area still offers plenty of beautiful beaches, amazing restaurants, and fun local food trucks — a must-try for casual, delicious meals. For more upscale dining and shopping, Whalers Village is just a short 15-minute walk from the resort. It’s one of our favorite spots, with restaurants like Monkeypod Kitchen, Hula Grill, and Leilani’s.

For sweets and pastries, we love Leoda’s Pie Shop for their homemade mini pies — banana and chocolate are our favorites — and Pau Bakery, which serves fresh cinnamon rolls, buttery croissants, pastries, and sandwiches.

When it comes to beaches, Napili Bay is perfect for younger kids. The water is clear and calm, like a big lagoon, ideal for floating and relaxing. Parking in the resort lot now has a fee, but you can park along the road for free. The entrance goes through the Napili Beach Resort, which also has a restaurant with amazing views. Don’t forget to stop by an ABC Store for souvenirs and grab some inner tubes for $8 each when you arrive — a simple way to make beach time more fun.

Another favorite spot is Kahekili Beach Park (right next to the Westin Vacation Clubs), which has free parking, a pavilion, and restrooms. Head left along the beach pathway to find a shaded spot under a tree. The water here is crystal clear, and we even had a sea turtle swim right by us!

Why we’d return

Although not as luxurious as the Andaz, we would definitely return to the Hyatt Regency Maui because the award rates are simply unbeatable. With its oceanfront location, extensive resort amenities, and access to both the Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Vacation Club grounds, it’s a destination that’s perfect for families. From the endless pools and lounging spots to the club lounge access, which helps save money on meals, this resort offers incredible value in Maui. Between the location, activities, and thoughtful perks, it’s a place we’d happily visit again.

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