Review: Hyatt Residence Club Maui, Kaanapali Beach

Written By Randy | The Family Travel Guy

Review of the Hyatt Residence Club Maui, Kaanapali Beach


Travel Note:
Given all of the worldwide travel advisories amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, now is not the time for non-essential travel.  I have helped clients cancel their trips, cruises and flights for the next few months and I've personally cancelled all of our 2020 Spring/Summer travel plans that included a trip to San Diego/Disney Cruise, Los Cabos trip, NYC/UK/Scotland trip, Italy/Croatia/Greece/France trip and smaller local trips within California.  I don't advise booking any trips until at least later this Summer until there is some sense of normalcy and knowing where we will be domestically/globally in terms of Covid-19.  

 There are serious health concerns and just too many risks involved at this time, in my opinion, but while the world today is clouded in uncertainty, we still continue to believe in the allure of (future) travel.  It's still okay to dream - travel provides the joy of dreaming, the excitement of the experience, and a lifetime of memories that grow more valuable each day.  So keep dreaming and when the time is right and when you are ready we'll be here to help.

The Hyatt Residence Club Maui is the flagship resort within the Hyatt Residence Club portfolio.  The resort is a vacation ownership property (timeshare) featuring one, two and three-bedroom villas with expansive lanais, spectacular ocean views, full gourmet kitchens and luxurious master baths.



Hyatt Residence Club Overview
In order to better understand vacation ownership/timeshares here is a quick recap - Hyatt Residence Club was first bought by Interval Leisure Group in 2014, which was subsequently bought out by Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2018.


Marriott Vacations now owns all of the following brands:
  • Marriott Vacation Club
  • Westin Vacation Club
  • Sheraton Vacation Club
  • Hyatt Residence Club
  • Grand Residences by Marriott
  • St. Regis Residence Club 
  • Ritz-Carlton Destination Club
They also own Interval International and other Exchange Companies, shown below:

To see the latest information on Marriott Vacations Worldwide, head over to their Investor Relations site for more information.

It is still business as usual for Hyatt Residence Club even though there have been new owners in recent years.  The Maui property was mainly sold as fixed weeks, although there was a recent change for a small fraction of the remaining units/weeks left that are now sold as a "points based model" within the Hyatt Residence Club system that has some pros and cons to the fixed week system that I own under.  If you have any questions about this or vacation ownership programs (timeshare), send me a message and be sure to check out the following website: Timeshare User Group (TUGBBS)


I do anticipate potential changes in the future by Marriott Vacation Worldwide and trying to convert the weekly-ownership model currently at Hyatt Residence Club Maui into a points model and combined pooling into one combined company that can exchange across the Marriott Vacation owned brands, but there will be many challenges and push-back from current owners.  In fact, I recently attended a Marriott Vacation Club presentation in Oahu that suggested just that type hybrid model I mentioned, but no actual or factual framework that suggested it was real (yet!).

Resort Overview
There are a total of 131 units at the Hyatt Residence Club Maui, with the breakdown as follows:
  • 19 one-bedroom units
    • 10 ocean view
    • 9 mountain view
  • 100 two-bedroom units (all oceanview/oceanfront)
  • 12 three-bedroom units (all oceanview/oceanfront)
The resort building is broken down into three separate categories (lower, middle and upper) with all of the units offering great ocean views and retractable walls of glass leading out to a spacious lanai for seamless indoor/outdoor living.  




All units are direct ocean front with expansive views of Kaanapali Beach and the ocean, except for nine one-bedroom units with a mountain view on the back-side of the building.


The overall size of the resort is compact and boutique, when compared to other ownership resorts nearby (Westin Kaanapali, Westin Nanea, Marriott Maui Ocean Club).  The resort shares amenities with the neighboring Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa that includes shared pool access, among a few other benefits.

On-site amenities include forty lush tropical acres set on Kaanapali Beach, two pools (one large zero-entry Wailele lagoon swimming pool perfect for families and the infinity-edge adults only Maluhia pool with ocean views), the Pau Huaka’i Tiki Bar, a locally-sourced gourmet deli and grocery, and a fitness center.











Two Bedroom Villas
This review will focus on the two-bedroom units.  The decor and feel of the one bedroom and three-bedroom units are very similar.  You can see more about those units here:
The floorplan of a two bedroom villa unit is shown below:


The first thing you'll notice is that this is not a hotel room and is more like a condominium or apartment, showcasing resort residence living at its finest.

All of the two-bedroom units feature a master bedroom, guest bedroom, kitchen, living room, washer/dryer and a huge outdoor lanai.  This resort is perfect for family vacations or large groups, as you have more room than a typical hotel room.  It's also great as you can save money on food costs instead of eating out for every meal with the gourmet kitchen.

For comparison, a similar type of accommodation next door at the Hyatt Regency Maui would be a hotel suite, which still wouldn't have a full kitchen, an in-room washer/dryer or the expansive outdoor lanai area as featured at the Hyatt Residence Club Maui.  In other words, it is a different type of vacation that is hard to explain unless you've experienced it.  It's like having the comfort of home with amazing views and access to resort amenities at the same time.

Two Bedroom Ocean View Villa Tour
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas feature 1,174 to 1,181 square feet of interior living space and can sleep up to six guests with a king size bed in the master bedroom and a queen convertible sofa sleeper in the living room. The second guest bedroom has a queen size bed as well as a small pullout sofa sleeper.

The main living room area features huge sliding doors that open all the way for seamless indoor-outdoor living and a dining table perfect for family meals.



The gourmet kitchen has everything you'd possibly need and features high-end stainless steel Bosch appliances.



The master bedroom is well appointed with Hyatt’s signature king size Grand Bed and features outstanding oceanfront views from a separate sliding door that goes onto the main lanai.



The luxurious master bath features a walk-in shower, separate vanities, and an elegant free-standing tub.



The second/guest bedroom has a queen size bed as well as a twin size pullout bed with a standard bathroom off of the room.



Each villa also features a stacking washer and dryer, perfect for cleaning all of your beach wear.


The outdoor lanai, featuring lounge seating and furniture, offers stunning ocean, beach and pool views.


Summary
The Hyatt Residence Club Maui is a top-notch vacation ownership resort on Kaanapali beach surrounded by forty lush tropical acres featuring two pools, the Pau Huaka’i Tiki Bar, a locally-sourced gourmet deli and grocery, and a fitness center.  The resort also shares amenities with the Hyatt Regency Maui next door including pool access, a kids pool area and waterslide, seven dining options, spa, concierge, activities and room charging ability.  Valet parking is also provided complimentary at the Hyatt Residence Club Maui.


The Hyatt Residence Club's newest location on Kaanapali Beach is perfect for families and is a prime example of what vacation ownership can offer.  The one thing I will say about the price for vacation ownership is that it should be comparable to a lifetime of vacations and if you do the math, you might conclude they aren't so bad, depending on the location and the company offering it.  Timeshares should never be viewed as investments, as purchase prices can be steep and yearly fees can add up fast, but they should be viewed more as investment in a vacation lifestyle.


Like I discussed in a previous post about timeshares, vacation ownership programs aren't for everyone and in lots of cases the arguments against them can outweigh the benefits one could have from them, but again it all depends on individual circumstances.  If you've done your research, know exactly what it is you're purchasing and believe you can benefit from timeshare ownership, there can be a lot of things to love about them.

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