The Grand Wailea: A Waldorf Astoria Resort (Maui, Hawaii)
Planning a trip to Maui? If you’re ready for maximum indulgence, you’ll definitely want to consider the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa.
There is more to this than location. And, as we know with all real-estate, location is the key. Facing the gentle shore of Wailea beach, in the high-end resort district, the Grand lives up to its name. With 780 recently renovated rooms, waterfalls, multiple pools and water slides, floral gardens, koi ponds, shops, restaurants, Spa, art sculptures and its own chapel, this resort is a self-contained piece of paradise within, well, Hawaiian paradise.
My experience, with the family, during Spring Break, ensured an inter-active stay.
We scheduled our day such that relaxation, pool time, ocean-snorkeling time, dining, photos and work out time could all be fit in.
Spring Break guarantees plenty o’ people, but everyone seemed polite and respectful. Your visit may be more schedule-flexible.
With the chapel and gorgeous grounds, it is no wonder couples choose the Grand Wailea for their unforgettable wedding venue.
What struck us most about this exquisite resort, was the fine attention to beauty and detail. As you’ll see on the web site, the spectacular fountain, with its dolphin sculptures and cascading water, the centerpiece view is lined with gentle breeze-swept palms that lead to the many pools, grass and flowered slopes and ultimately, the ocean.
Accenting the walkways, you’ll find koi ponds, sculptures, beautiful indigenous flora, (such as the colorful, stately croton plants) and the ubiquitous tiki torches, that provide visceral luminosity to the night grounds.
You may want to attend an evening luau during your stay. Concierge will be glad to help.
The Spa Grande, as told, is an experience all its own. Please take a look at the web details for this resort highlight.
The resort restaurants offer culinary choices from light fare to elegant dining, such as the romantic, exotic and fun to pronounce Humuhumu restaurant, which, raised above the ponds, offers spectacular sunset views.
The hotel rooms are very clean and surprisingly large.
The contemporary art and fine furniture create a classy touch, as does the spacious marble bathroom, with separate shower, tub and toilet. Our balcony protruded from the building such that it offered an unobscured view, with lounge chairs and table.
A separate area with mini fridge and bar fit nicely into the floor plan. And with the large, HiDef
TV, offering multiple channels, and video games, we frequently found ourselves tuning into the 24/7 Hawaiian channel that showed continual images of the breathtaking island views. The beds couldn’t be more comfortable. With high-thread count sheets, soft pad over the firm mattress and cloud-like pillows, it was a minor struggle to get out of bed in the morning.
Considering our clean, spacious room, quality professional service, expansive resort style grounds and phenomenal beauty, we fully enjoyed our stay at the Grand Wailea, and recommend it highly.
Aloha.
Please call: 1 800 888-6100
NICK’S FISHMARKET MAUI
[ Tri-Star Restaurant Group]
Located at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, in Wailea, Maui, Nick’s Fishmarket’s superb dedication to quality, and fresh seafood, attracts patrons from all over.
While staying at the Grand Wailea Resort, our reservation at Nick’s Fishmarket was timed such that we could enjoy a sunset stroll, winding along the paved cliff path, through flowers, palms and shrubs, onto the resort grounds of the Fairmont Kea Lani, and to our table there at Nick’s. After all, we were in Hawaii! Aloha!
Nick’s is configured with an outdoor terrace, that overlooks the resort’s pool, grounds and the surf. Additionally, the 800 gallon aquarium, and romantic Mediterranean flair help to make this one of the premiere seafood restaurants in Maui. Though there are several outstanding restaurants on the island, we chose Nick’s as our featured choice,
for two reasons: For seafood lovers, fish variety, and emphasis on quality and freshness, Nick’s seemed to stand above the rest. Also, it is seldom possible for a restaurant to be award winning,without being consistently outstanding:
– 12 consecutive years – Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Wine List Award.
– Three time winner of Best Special Occasion Restaurant, Maui Magazine Aipono Awards
– Five time winner of Best Service Restaurant, Maui Magazine Aipono Awards
Our experience:
As we were seated, and noticing the attention to detail, it was clear, were in for a real treat. We were greeted by Joe Lopez, an experienced server who has been with the company for 7+ years. How refreshing it was to have any question regarding the preparation and ingredients of the menu items described so efficiently. It was like having a personal liaison between guests and chefs. Menu choices can be challenging, especially when every offering looks so appealing. As an appetizer, we opted for an item that is rarely seen and clearly requires a creative touch:
Seafood Sausage. This creation compiled lobster, tiger shrimp, scallop, smoked salmon & Hawaiian
fish, with a limoncello mostarda, and Maui leek con fit.
A smart choice in that it was not only so unique, but seemed to include a compilation of 5 ‘tizer choices in one! Needless to say, it was delicious. Flavor abundant, void of fats typically found in meat sausage, and beautifully complimented by the gentle sauce and confit, it did, indeed, exceed expectations. Other starter choices to consider are calamari, crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, sashimi, and oysters.
As a fan of soup, I had to try the soup of the day. It was a Parmesan-fennel bisque, served in an aesthetically shaped vessel, accented with a fresh, grilled large scallop in the center. Consistency,flavor and appearance won me over.
To ensure enough room for our entree, we chose to split the Greek Maui Wowie salad; both for its ingredients, and its pronunciation.
Not unlike the sweet Vadalia onion (exclusive to Georgia), the Maui onion is the sweet tasting island onion you’ll enjoy eating raw.
This salad includes the chopped Maui onion, tomatoes, avocado, romaine, feta & bay shrimp. Simple, yet fresh and flavorful.
It was time for our entree’. The menu selections offered enough variety to satisfy any seafood desire.* And, if your dinner guest is a meat eater, steak, lamb, pork and chicken are offered, as well.
We knew we were out for fresh fish, thus selected two of Nick’s featured items:
The fresh island snapper is a signature dish with lemon butter, capers, herbs, and a tomato puree. Artichoke hearts and broccolini completed the dish.
The flavor and delicate texture of this fish is a long time personal favorite, but Nick’s chefs set the bar
higher. In every bite, I was thinking, Snapper just doesn’t get much better than this.�
Our second entree’ was listed as the boat catch,also called chef’s choice,or daily catch.
Obviously this changes frequently, based on the chef’s selection from local daily inventory (catch). What we enjoyed that night, was “Monchong” (or Hawaiian Pomfret) prepared with Hana fern shoots (indigenous), hearts of palm, buckwheat soba noodles, Maui pineapple ponzu, and sizzling peanut oil.
We shared both dishes, enjoying the fine nuances of herbs and palate pleasing flavors of each, artistically designed by the chef. (Executive Chef: Gino Sarmiento)
My personal concern when ordering restaurant prepared fish, is that it is not overcooked. However, these items came out of the kitchen with what could only be described as perfect. If there was any regret, it was not having an opportunity to try the other menu selections. These included grilled Opah, Kona Kompachi, spiced Salmon, Ahi, Mahi Mahi, and more. I’ll just have to go back!
With limited room for desert, it was hard to pass up such indulgent house specials as the Strawberries Panzini, which is table-side prepared and completed with a Grand Marnier flambe’. Also offered is Banana’s Foster, which originated in New Orleans.
Nick’s enhances the Banana’s Foster recipe with French toast and walnuts. A signature touch to a classic desert. We went with the sorbet, and an island favorite flavor, coconut.
We also opted for the creme brulee’ with berries. Again, both deserts used only fresh, natural ingredients. One could easily taste the difference.
I must mention wines and pairings. Take a look at Nick’s website* to explore the elaborate, award winning wine selection, desert pairings (from Riesling to Ports), champagnes, Italian, French and
Spanish reds, blends, California Napa Valley and Paso Robles Pinots, Merlots and Cabs, and the seemingly countless fine wines that are available by bottle, glass, even magnum.
We chose a glass of Sonoma Chardonnay, which paired quite nicely with our dinner selections. Needless to say, our dining experience was outstanding and memorable.
Service was top notch and impeccable. Ambiance was casual and relaxing.
We enjoyed the open air feeling, yet had to stop and look at the huge, wall covered sunset mural that accents the restaurant’s atrium, a piece by artist Jeff Kingwell, (“Twilight on Polo Beach”). I learned later that Jeff paints these awesome murals in all of the Tri-Star restaurants.
As we left, our senses completely satisfied, we both agreed that going out to eat is one thing, but Nick’s ensured that we had much more: an unforgettably enjoyable dining experience.
Please look at Nick’s Fishmarket web site. You will find Happy Hour specials, Drinks, Wines, Dinner menus, location, photos, awards and all contact information necessary.
Aloha, from Wailea.
Call (808) 879-7224
