Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua sits on a 54-acre clifftop estate above Honolua Bay and the Pacific Ocean on Maui's northwest coast, Hawaii, at 1 Ritz-Carlton Drive in Kapalua. The property occupies one of the island's most dramatic settings, overlooking the Pailolo Channel with panoramic views stretching to Molokai and Lanai on clear days. Kahului Airport is approximately 45 minutes away via the scenic coastal highway. Built in 1992 and subsequently renovated, the resort draws architectural inspiration from Hawaiian plantation-era estates, with carved wood columns, open-air lobbies framing ocean vistas, and original Hawaiian artwork throughout public spaces. The 463 rooms and suites—including 107 Ritz-Carlton Club Level rooms with private lounge access—are spread across a central building and two wings, with over 90 percent offering direct ocean views from furnished lanais. Interiors incorporate koa wood accents and hand-woven textiles reflecting the local natural environment. Three dining venues include the Banyan Tree, serving breakfast and dinner in an open-air setting beneath a sprawling banyan tree, and the Alaloa Lounge for ocean-view cocktails and light bites. The Spa at Kapalua features 17 treatment rooms including private couples' villas and a signature menu drawing from Hawaiian lomilomi traditions. The Kapalua Resort complex adjacent to the hotel encompasses two championship golf courses—the Plantation Course and the Bay Course—where the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions is held annually each January. From December through April, humpback whales are clearly visible from lanais and dedicated whale-watching spots maintained by the resort, often within a few hundred meters of the shoreline. The Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program, run in partnership with the Cousteau Society, offers ocean ecology experiences for adults and children.