Find out why it's been named Hawaii's Most Hawaiian Hotel, and why people come back - visit after visit - to their Maui ohana.

Maui is perhaps the most popular destination for families visiting Hawaii, and there is no shortage of lodgings, from small B&Bs to elegant five-star luxury resorts, to choose from. However, with all the options available, my favorite place to stay is the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel.

Located on a stretch of one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, the KBH offers something very special. Beyond the rooms, the meals and the activities, true “aloha spirit” permeates this place. It may sound corny, but the entire staff adopts your family into theirs with great warmth, and the hotel’s mission to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture gives you an experience beyond the usual resort amenities.

In fact, the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel has earned the title of “Hawaii’s Most Hawaiian Hotel,” based on over 100 criteria created by the Waiaha Foundation. The Hawaiian Tourism Authority has honored the hotel for its commitment to upholding Hawaiian culture, and for revering its past by educating future generations. National Geographic Travelers magazine has also named it as one of the 150 most authentic and sustainable resorts in North America, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean and, as it is a Hawaiian custom to conserve and protect the earth, the hotel has been recycling for more than 22 years.

Taking Hula Way Beyond the Hula Hoop!

New guests are invited to the Ohana (Family) Welcome Breakfast where they are serenaded with Hawaiian songs by singing staff members, and given an orientation to the hotel and its programs. This is not the only time you will hear music -– gather in the lobby on Fridays to hear the housekeepers singing in their native language, and enjoy the free torch-lighting ceremony with music and hula dancing offered nightly in the courtyard.

Also, on Friday evenings, KBH invites students from various halau (hula schools) to perform what they have learned. This culminates in the annual Hula O Nakeiki, a children’s solo hula competition. Sponsored and held each November at KBH since 1990, the contestants perform both traditional and modern hula as well as chanting. This inspiring weekend event hosts halau from all over the world, and is enhanced by ongoing cultural activities, arts and crafts and entertainment, and is open to the public.

The employees are mostly native Hawaiian and/or locally born and raised, and the flavor, ambience and spirit are truly authentic.

The entire staff, starting with the General Manager, takes their stewardship of Hawaiian history and culture very seriously, attending classes in Hawaiian language and lore in the Ke Kula O Ka Po’okela (School of Excellence) where they also learn about the Hawaiian values of hospitality, love, helpfulness, harmony, respect and honesty, and are encouraged to share this knowledge with guests.

Family Fun at Ka'anapali Beach Hotel

Families can be seen on and around the property and the beach swimming, building sandcastles, boogie boarding, snorkeling at nearby Blackrock, whale watching (December through May), parasailing (May through December) and enjoying all kinds of activities. Beyond the beach is a pool, huge lawn area for relaxing and romping, a spa/salon and two restaurants.

Accommodations encourage togetherness, too. The standard rooms are large enough for a family of four, and larger families can connect easily with adjoining rooms. All rooms are equipped with a safe, hair dryer, mini-fridge, tea/coffee maker and internet access. Among the many family-friendly features at the hotel: children under 18 stay free in parents’ room and there's a a coin-operated laundry on property.

The Ohana Fun Center, located in the lobby, will help you arrange reservations for excursions beyond the hotel, and Guest Services will be happy to answer any of your questions about activities at KBH.

The “Aloha Passport for Kids” program is a free activities program for kids under 12, parents and grandparents to enjoy together. Family members will receive their passports with their names translated into Hawaiian at check-in, with information on the places you can learn Hawaiian arts and crafts. After completing an activity such as lei-making, hula dancing, ukulele lessons, weaving and garden walks, your passport will be stamped and you will receive a gift.  KBH doesn’t leave out babies and toddlers who receive their own passport, inscribed with their name in Hawaiian, and a beach bucket full of toys.

KBH’s Sunday Champagne Brunch is legendary for hotel guests and natives, having been named by Maui News as the “Best Brunch on Maui.” The buffet is huge, ranging from omelets to fresh seafood, to Hawaiian specialties and fabulous desserts. This, too, is accompanied by hula performances.

And before we say Farewell to Ka'anapali...

If you are looking for a glamorous resort with high end perks and elegant surroundings, you probably won’t be happy at KBH. The accommodations and facilities are adequate, but the true value of a vacation here is to experience some of “real” Hawaii and meet its people. This is the kind of place where families return year after year and feel an attachment to the resort and the staff.

On a final note, when you check out at the end of your visit, you will participate in a farewell ceremony where you will be presented with a kukui nut lei making you an official member of the KBH family. The kukui is the Hawaii State tree and it represents ohana. On each subsequent visit, you are given a new nut to add to your lei. Along with singing goodbye in the native language, you are sent off with the greeting “a hui hou” – until we meet again.