Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui: Serene Views, Fabulous Food And a New Club Lounge

One of Hawaii’s top resorts is celebrating its 30^th anniversary with a stylish new club lounge.

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, which sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean and the island of Molokai across the channel, has a posh new Club Lounge with fabulous food and serene views. It’s a massive space that measures some 5,000 square feet, and is located in the former Anuenue Room.

There are plenty of nooks and crannies for privacy and a fresh décor with deeply polished wood floors, curved grey sofas with cheery yellow-green cushions, local art, and tons of fresh flowers. There’s also a good deal of outside seating on a nice verandah that offers views of the Kapalua Bay golf course and the blue Pacific.

The menu changes daily, and they have five separate food groupings during the day; breakfast, lunch, snacks, hors d’ouevres, and then cordials and hand-crafted desserts.

A MARVELLOUS MAI TAI

Prior to our dinner at the on-site Banyan Tree (see below), we stopped into the lounge and had fabulous Mai Tais with Plantation Pineapple Rum, Bacardi, dry Orange Curacao, lime and lilikoi (passion fruit) foam. They also make champagne punch and a Kapalua punch, which features Malibu Coconut Rum, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, peach schnapps and lime, as well as Margaritas, Martinis and other drinks.

We didn’t try any, but they also had a large spread of food available; salads, coffee-braised short rib tostadas, olives, black bean tostadas, nuts, cheeses, salami and more.

For breakfast at the lounge the next day there was fresh fruit, including sweet pineapple and papaya, as well as eggs, an omelette station, pastries, yogurt, local honey, Maui-made hot sauces, espresso/cappuccino and much more.

The lounge has a champagne bar with Veuve Clicquot chilled and waiting, so you’re covered for an evening sip or a classy morning mimosa. There’s a Bloody Mary bar on Sunday mornings, I was told.

Each day ends with a special torch lighting ceremony and a toast to the sunset with a Mai Tai or champagne cocktail.

Club Lounge guests have access to a variety of complimentary activities, including le making, ukulele lessons and a nightly sunset ceremony. In the winter we will be adding whale watching (using binoculars) with an Ambassadors of the Environment naturalist. Guests also have access to an on-site concierge who can book Hawaiian activities, such as a snorkel cruise.

CLUB LOUNGE PERKS

Club Lounge guests also get access to the business centre, which has free printing and, where you can arrange to have two garments pressed daily at no charge.

The lounge is open every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., but there’s a 24-hour grab and go space for fresh fruit, water, granola bars and other snacks, including plant-based offerings.

The hotel used to have a club level, but it was restricted to guests on a certain floor. The new Club Lounge is open – for an extra price, of course – to any guest.

We had a huge, 900-square-foot suite for our one-night stay), with a living room and separate bedroom, both with wood floors and warm, Hawaiian tones. There was a shower and toilet in the living room/entry area bathroom. The bedroom sported a large bathroom with a great shower, two sinks, and a massive white tub. The room also had a walk-in closet, a safe, two large-screen televisions, a mini-fridge, and a Nespresso machine. Not to mention a huge verandah with two lounge chairs, a love seat, a table, and two upright chairs.

All rooms were recently refurbished, and the smallest is a sizable 440 square feet. There’s also one of Maui’s top spas on site.

A SPLENDID SWIMMING POOL

The hotel was built a few yards back from the ocean to protect and preserve an ancient Hawaiian burial ground. But the ocean views are tremendous, and it’s a short walk or a very short golf cart ride down to Fleming Beach. Fleming is a fine beach with a lifeguard, change rooms and plenty of shade. It’s a great body surfing beach when conditions are right.

The swimming pool complex at the hotel goes on just shy of forever, with three pools cascading down from the lobby towards the ocean. Even the kids pool has a rock waterfall, and there are plenty of attendants to get you fresh towels or a cold drink of water, or a cocktail) You also can rent a cabana, which is an ideal way to relax near the pool but be out of the sun.

The grounds are immaculate, and covered with lush landscaping that includes swaying palm trees, brilliant red wild ginger, and other tropical plants.

The Banyan Tree restaurant, which features hundreds (if not thousands) of plants hanging from the ceiling, has both indoor and outdoor seating. A friend arranged an outdoor table for us in a quiet circle all by ourselves, complete with a fire pit; super romantic.

FABULOUS FOOD

Dinner offerings include a terrific watermelon caprese salad with mozzarella and greens, and lovely beets with greens pepitas and a sizeable serving of Maui Surfing Goat goat cheese. I had a superb serving of Mahi-Mahi with pineapple sambal, Japanese coconut curry and fresh veggies. My wife enjoyed a fine snapper dish with ginger-carrot puree, Maui mushrooms asparagus and lemongrass cream.

Desserts include a chocolate tartlet and a honey-almond cake. Also worth trying is Ban-nan-yan’s Foster, with Malasada, Banana Macadamia Nut ice cream and Kula toasted coconut rum sauce. No calories there!

We didn’t make it, but you’ll find a food outlet called Burger Shack down by the beach. I was told they serve their Mai Tai in a carved-out pineapple, and also make a Mai Tai milkshake.

We were lucky to visit in February for a couple hours and had tremendous sushi and lovely cocktails at the Alaloa Lounge.

The Ritz Carlton participates in the state tourism board’s Malama Hawai’i program, which gives hotel guests a free night in exchange for volunteer work. I was told that Ritz Carlton guests get a sixth night free when booking five nights. You also get a $300 credit that can be used for some of their Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment programs.

A GUIDED COASTAL TOUR

The program allows guests to book snorkel trips to learn about Maui’s coral reefs. You also can arrange guided walks along the Kapalua Coastal Trail, also known as the Alaloa Trail. Both cost $99.95.

My coastal walk guide, Kara, took me for a 1.7 mile walk along the Alaloa Trail. It’s called the original pedestrian “highway” of Maui, and dates back more than 500 years. We skirted the edge of the fabulous Kapalua Bay Golf Course and then walked along a wooden boardwalk that runs along most of pretty Oneloa Bay. Kara showed off local plants and animals, including edible, bright red plums and shearwater birds. Shearwaters have special filters in their bills that allow them to drink sea water and then filter and expel the salt. Amazing.

We passed over ancient lava fields and walked along gorgeous Kapalua Bay before stopping to look for sea creatures in the tide pools alongside Napili Beach, one of the best beaches in all of Hawai’i.

The Ambassadors of the Environment also offers programs for kids, including introductory snorkelling, learning about sea turtles and taking part in a “Survivor” activity. Kara told me kids also can learn about sharks and other animals. They also teach them about Hawaiian culture and history.

AN ENVIROMENTAL LEGEND

When I was there no less an authority than Jean-Michel Cousteau himself was on site. We chatted for 15 minutes about his life’s work, film-making and protecting the world’s oceans.

“It’s a privilege to be with these young people and meet with visitors,” he tells me. “I tell people, ‘If you protect the ocean you protect yourself.’”

Cousteau said he especially loves talking to children about the environment.

“Kids are like sponges. They’re amazing. They educate their parents. I come here and I see them picking up garbage every day. They get it.”

Cousteau said he was staying at the hotel for another week and hoped to meet every employee, “because they’re the ones who connect with visitors.”