If you have been dreaming about a Hawaii vacation for your family, let me just go ahead and tell you right now: the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa is a really solid option that we ended up loving. We spent Christmas break here with our blended family of six and it was honestly one of those trips where every single person, from our four-year-old all the way up to our teenagers, was happy every single day. That does not happen by accident.

This is my full, honest Hyatt Regency Maui review from a family travel perspective, including every detail you need to know about the rooms, the pools, the beach, the Regency Club, and of course, how we used World of Hyatt points to make this stay happen for a fraction of what most families pay. Let's get into it!

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Where Is the Hyatt Regency Maui Located?

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa sits right on Ka'anapali Beach on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Ka'anapali Beach is consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in the entire world, and staying here means you have direct access to that gorgeous stretch of white sand and warm Pacific Ocean water. You can often see sea turtles basking on the sand and there is everything from surf lessons to boogie boarding to fishing that you can do.

The resort is in the Lahaina area, which has been hit hard in the past several years from fires and floods, but the area is rebuilding and at this point I really like staying on this side of the island to help support the local economy.

Whalers Village, an open-air shopping center with restaurants and shops, is just a short walk along the beach, as are a bunch of other properties like the Westin, Marriott Vacation Club, and more.

Getting There: Kahului Airport to the Resort

You will fly into Kahului Airport (OGG), which is the main airport on the island of Maui. From the airport to the Hyatt Regency Maui it is about a 45-minute drive depending on traffic. We highly recommend renting a car so you have the flexibility to explore all that Maui has to offer, but if you plan to stay close to the resort, rideshares and shuttles are available from Kahului Airport as well.

Hyatt Regency Maui Room Types: What to Know Before You Book

The resort has two main towers, the Lahaina Tower and the Napili Tower. In general, the Lahaina Tower is closer to the ocean and tends to have the best ocean views. The Napili Tower looks out more toward the garden and golf course side of the resort. If ocean views are a priority for you (and let's be honest, you are in Maui, they should be!), request the Lahaina Tower when you book.

Standard rooms come with either a king bed or two queen beds. There are also partial ocean view rooms, oceanfront rooms, and suites if you want to splurge or use a suite upgrade award if you have one or if you have Globalist status. Every room comes with a private lanai so you can sit outside and take in those incredible views of the Pacific Ocean, which is something you will absolutely want to do every single morning.

For our family of six, we booked two connecting rooms: one king room and one room with two queen beds, both with a pool view. Having connecting rooms was a total game changer for us as a big family. The kids had their own space and we had ours, but we could easily go back and forth. The rooms themselves are large, comfortable, and well-appointed. The bathroom area is spacious and the private lanai on each room made our Christmas mornings feel absolutely magical.

Pro Tip: When booking connecting rooms with Hyatt, you need to request it in the notes box just before you submit your final reservation, and then I also call or email the property just to make sure that my request is noted.

More About the Rooms

From a family standpoint, I really love these rooms. They were fully renovated just a few years ago and I really like the modern touches. Each has an open closet area right near the door so you can drop all of the sandy and wet gear there before having to drag it all the way through the room. We love the double sinks, and the separate shower and tub areas are perfect when you have a bunch of kids. It means one kid can be brushing their teeth and getting ready for bed while another is showering, with complete privacy. There is a small fridge in each room (which we loved, we kept ours stocked with some light groceries and snacks) and these rooms are genuinely huge. The two-queen room is big enough for a tween to sleep on, and the pull-out sofa in the king room is giant.

We go to Hawaii every year and have stayed at properties from the Four Seasons to the Wyndham, and honestly, as far as rooms designed with families in mind, these rooms take the cake. They are not luxurious like what you would find at the Rosewood or Four Seasons, but they are clean, modern, comfortable, and genuinely fantastic if you are traveling with your family.

The Pools at Hyatt Regency Maui

Okay, the pools. This is where the Hyatt Regency Maui really shines for families. There are multiple pool areas, so you are not all crammed into one spot, and each has its own vibe.

• The Lahaina Pool is the main pool area and actually our family's least favorite. It is geared more toward older kids and adults, so if you have little ones who love slides and play areas, you will probably feel the same way. That said, it is beautiful, with blue water, lounge chairs everywhere, and a fantastic poolside bar for the adults.
• The kids pool is a huge win for families with young kids. It is shallow, fun, and perfectly designed so little ones can splash around safely while you actually relax. It has a faux beach and play area that our youngest loved.
• The Grotto Bar is tucked into a cave-like setting in the pool area and has a really cool vibe. Even if you do not drink, the atmosphere is fun.
• Hot tubs are available and after long days of exploring, your body will thank you. Our kids always wanted to close out the night by watching the sunset from the hot tubs.
• Here is a bonus that not everyone knows about: you can also use the pools at the nearby Hyatt Vacation Club property! This is where my kids actually ended up spending most of their time. There are several slides that connect different pools and they played here for hours. Such a great option to have.

Pool towels are available at vending machines all around the resort so there is nothing extra to haul down from your room. I have heard that lounge chairs can fill up on busy days during peak season, but we were there over Christmas and New Years and never had an issue finding chairs.

Ka'anapali Beach and Black Rock: Do Not Skip This

The snorkeling at Black Rock is some of the best snorkeling you will find anywhere on Maui. The water is clear, there are tons of fish, and the whole area has this amazing underwater terrain thanks to the volcanic rock. Our kids absolutely loved it and even our youngest was amazed by what he could see with a snorkel mask. If you have not tried jumping from the rocks at Black Rock, put it on your list. It is a total rush!

Every evening at sunset, the Sheraton hosts a nightly torch lighting ceremony complete with cliff jumpers. Someone swims the torches out and lights them while diving from the rock into the ocean. It is free, it is stunning, and it became our favorite end-of-day tradition during our trip. We walked down each evening to watch and it never got old. If you are visiting during humpback whale season (roughly December through April) keep your eyes on the Pacific Ocean because whale sightings from the beach are absolutely possible!

Hyatt Globalist Status and the Regency Club

If you are a World of Hyatt Globalist member, staying at the Hyatt Regency Maui is an especially excellent choice because the Regency Club access is genuinely amazing. As Globalist members, we had full access to the club lounge and honestly it if you have kids, snagging either a club lounge room or seeing if you can get a Guest of Honor for you stay would be worth it.

The club serves a breakfast buffet every morning with a great spread of food and drinks. But here is what made it particularly brilliant for us as a family with kids: our kids could pop into the club throughout the day to grab snacks and drinks whenever they wanted. There was no need to spend money at the pool bar or nearby restaurants every time someone got hungry. For a family of six, that adds up fast. The Regency Club access alone saved us a significant amount of money over the course of our stay.

Globalist members also receive other World of Hyatt perks at check-in, including potential suite upgrades when available. It is always worth asking at check-in what might be available for you.

Dining at the Hyatt Regency Maui

The resort has several dining options, although to be honest, we did not eat at any of the restaurants on site. We ate at the pool bar at the Hyatt Vacation Club a couple of times (they have an excellent gluten-free menu if you are celiac like me). We really like to try local places when we travel, so we are not big on expensive resort dining. That said, here is what we can share about the vibes at each spot.

• Swan Court is the signature restaurant at the resort and it is really pretty. Imagine dining next to a lagoon filled with koi fish and exotic birds.
• Son'z Steakhouse is the other main restaurant and it is supposed to be really good, although honestly it looked a little cheesy and kitsch to us.
• The Grotto Bar serves drinks and snacks beyond just pool hours and the vibe there is super cool. There is also a coffee shop on property for your morning fix and a poolside bar for afternoons in the sun.

If you are like us and want to venture off property, the surrounding area has great food trucks and casual dining just a short drive away, or there are lots of places to grab food along the beach.

Other Resort Amenities Worth Knowing About

The Hyatt Regency Maui is a full resort, with plenty to do beyond the beach and pools. The Marilyn Monroe Spa is on property and offers a full menu of treatments, perfect for a morning while the kids are at the pool. The fitness center is well-equipped if you like to get a workout in during vacation (no judgment if you do not, you are in Maui!). Fitness classes are also available if that is more your speed.

The open-air lobby is one of those spaces that just makes you exhale the second you walk in. It is filled with koi fish ponds, exotic birds like flamingos and parrots, and lush tropical landscaping. Our littlest could have spent hours just watching the birds. You have probably also heard about the penguins, which are rescue animals here that you can help feed in the morning and evening. So fun! There are also cultural activities available through the resort so you can learn about Hawaiian history and traditions during your stay. A golf course is nearby for anyone in your group who wants to get a round in with a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean.

If you are looking for a luau while you are in Maui, we highly recommend the Drums of the Pacific Luau. It is one of the highest rated on Maui and it happens right on the resort property. Book it in advance because it fills up fast, especially during holiday weeks.

Parking at the Hyatt Regency Maui

Self-parking is easy and convenient at the Hyatt Regency Maui. We drove ourselves throughout the trip and had zero issues. The self parking situation is straightforward and accessible, which matters when you have four kids and a lot of gear to haul. Valet parking is also available if that is more your style. The self parking fee is $35 a night, which sounds like a lot but is pretty reasonable by Hawaii standards. If you have Globalist status, the parking fee is waived, which is just one more reason we really value our Globalist status alongside the club access and other perks.

What About the Resort Fee?

Like most Hawaii resorts, the Hyatt Regency Maui charges a daily resort fee. This covers things like fitness classes, cultural activities, and other amenities during your stay. The resort fee is charged in addition to your nightly room rate or your points redemption, so make sure you budget for it when you are planning your trip. When you are paying cash rates at this resort, the total cost can be significant, which is exactly why booking on World of Hyatt points is such a game changer (more on that below!).

So Is the Hyatt Regency Maui Worth It?

Short answer: absolutely yes. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa is a fantastic place for families. The combination of Ka'anapali Beach, the pools, the Regency Club, and all of the things you can do right there on Ka'anapali Beach make it one of our favorite resorts to stay at in Hawaii. It is especially wonderful during Christmas if you want to do something different and magical for the holidays. Watching our kids open stockings on a private lanai with the Pacific Ocean in the background is a memory we will have forever.

If you are considering it: do it. Book it. You will not regret it.

How We Stayed Here for FREE (Yes, Really!)

Okay, here is my favorite part to share! This trip did not cost us what most families pay. Not even close. We used World of Hyatt points to book our stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui, and it made the whole thing dramatically more affordable for our family of six.

An average six-night stay here can run $5,000 or more, and that doubles when you need two rooms like our crew does! So being able to use our points and have our entire stay covered for free is huge.

The Hyatt Regency Maui is bookable on World of Hyatt points, and with the right credit card strategy, you can earn enough Hyatt points to cover multiple nights here without spending extra money. The best way to earn Hyatt points is to earn either Chase Ultimate Rewards or BILT Rewards points and then simply transfer them to Hyatt. It is easy, free, and so quick to do. Then you just book your stay through your Hyatt account with points instead of cash. You can see a list of all of the best cards to earn Hyatt points here!

If you are new to points and miles, grab our free Points and Miles Crash Course here!

Without our points, there is no way we would be able to travel the way we do, and trips like this Christmas at the Hyatt Regency Maui do not have to be out of reach for your family. With the right points strategy, they are absolutely possible.

Common FAQs for the Hyatt Regency Maui

What are the standard Check In/Check Out times? Check-in is at 4:00 PM, and check-out is at 11:00 AM

If paying cash, what's the resort fee? The daily resort fee (approx. $49) covers Wi-Fi, lei greeting, fitness classes, wildlife tours, and local shuttle service. Remember if you're paying with points, you don't have this.

I know there are birds on the property, what kinds? The resort features penguins, flamingos, parrots, and cranes, with daily feedings.

If I want to take a surfing lesson or do water activites how do I do that? There are a bunch of kiosks along Ka'anaplai Beach. It's easy to arrange lessons through them!

Can you whale watch from the Hyatt Regency? Yes, you can, but you won't see many up close, maybe just a few spouts here and there. We did a whale watching tour twice with the limited 12 Guests Ultimate Whale Watch and Snorkel out of Lahina and loved it! If you book with them through Viator/Rakuten you can earn BILT points which you can then transfer to Hyatt for your stay!