This Maui Resort Is Bringing Aloha Back — and Inviting You to Participate

Community, sustainability, and hospitality

It was here, under the glow of lanterns hanging from the branches of the tree, that I shared a charcuterie platter and a glass of wine with my friend, Taylor. A group of us carved out a handful of days to enjoy the Royal Lahaina Resort, but the others had already gone to bed.

We sat in a semicircle of rope chairs facing the artist, who sang on a raised wooden stage, making “Wild World” by Cat Stevens his own. A lamp cast a conical light onto a small circular table between us, just enough to see the meats and cheeses between sips. We procured them from a converted vintage trailer, sitting at the edge of the branches, selling snacks and beverages to those languishing in the warm night.

Earlier, we’d learned about the resort on a property tour as we walked along a concrete path, set between coconut palms and tropical foliage bordering the olive green bungalows. Island visitors getting their steps in passed us on the two-and-a-half-mile trail, called the Beach Path. It runs through the resort and adjacent golf course, and into the next, along the turquoise ocean and the outcrops that line it.

We learned that when the resort shut down in response to the 2023 Maui fire, Highgate Hotels, the company that manages the Royal Lahaina, used the opportunity of finally having the popular property empty to renovate and refresh the 127 rooms in its 22 bungalows, originally built in 1962. Making old the new instead of adopting the cookie-cutter sleek style of other resorts, the Royal Lahaina leaned into its past and made updates with authentic decor that reflects its history. This includes teak furniture, wood-style floors, and island colors.

In 2020 and 2022, the resort installed solar panels on the roof of the 12-story, 333-room Lahaina Kai Tower, offsetting approximately 977,000 kilograms of carbon emissions each year, the equivalent of planting 16,500 trees. This, along with the resort’s efforts in water conservation and composting, earned the Royal Lahaina a 4 Green Key Rating from Green Key Global, which recognizes such accomplishments.

“The special thing about staying in the tower,” said General Manager Nick Kuhns, who led the tour I took, “is that guests can see both the sunrise and sunset from the way it’s positioned.” Also, from their lofty vantage points, tower guests can view much of the 27 lush acres and a quarter mile of Kāʻanapali Beach on which the resort sits. These tower rooms, built in 1972, are scheduled for a refresh in 2025, though some are already complete.

Tower rooms start at $377 per night, and Bungalow rooms start at $517.

Nourishing the body, mind, and soul

Nowhere is this mix of old and new more apparent than at the resort’s reconceptualized restaurant, Lahaina Noon. The name Lahaina Noon symbolizes the perfect alignment between the sky and the land. It’s the time of day when the sun is straight above us and casts no shadow. It signifies the connection between the celestial bodies and Earth. It’s from the earth, on the Hawaiian islands, that 40 percent of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced.

Also renovated in 2024, the reimagined restaurant embodies the legacy of the resort’s heritage. Operated by TableOne Hospitality, the efforts peeled away the portions of the past that didn’t serve the establishment to reveal the harmony of ingredients passed down through generations. As the sun dipped into the ocean just outside our table — leaving strings of purple, pink, and orange spreading across the horizon — we sampled these recipes as we shared many of the dishes on our first night.

The next morning, as the sky split open in baby blues, we practiced sun salutations on the lawn facing the ocean. Our instructor, a fit 20-something who looked like she was living her best life, shared her wisdom while taking us through a routine that challenged us but also left room to make our own way. I only made the class, which started at 7 AM, because of the three-hour time difference between the island and my home in Los Angeles, something I noticed others take advantage of on the Beach Path when I tried to spy the sunrise earlier at 5:50 AM.

The morning practice left me in awe of the place where I found myself, physically and spiritually. My heart swelled thinking about my good fortune of waking to stretch my body in nature while building the strength to walk comfortably in the world. A seagull flew by and seemed to wink.

A lesson in Hawaiian culture

Everything came together when we met Manakuapa “Maka” Kanuha, Director of Culture, in the Cultural Center located next to the lobby. She is the kūpuna, or elder, of not only the resort but Maui itself. Her role in Hawaiian society is to tell its story.

“The Royal Lahaina is the princess of Maui,” she said. More than a resort, the Royal Lahaina carries the seat of nobility. Originally the home of King Kamehameha and his ohana, or family, the land carries echoes of its past that can be felt as you walk along the paths that meander between the bungalows.

Maka told us, as we sat around a table, the sometimes sad story of the Hawaiian people, colonized first by Captain Cook and the Europeans and later by American businessmen and their government. The new residents attempted to erase the identity of island inhabitants by assimilating them into their conquering culture. Even the Hawaiian language was outlawed until 1986. But today, as we sat wide-eyed looking up at this bounty of knowledge, Maka shared with us the beautiful idea that every person on the islands is designated with a purpose, a kuleana.

“Mine is to share the memories and history of the Hawaiian people,” she said.

Beyond history, Maka told us about a spiritual spot on the north side of Kāʻanapali Beach, to which she said we could walk from the Royal Lahaina, called Black Rock, or Puʻu Kekaʻa.

“Puʻu Kekaʻa is the leina a ka ʻuhane, the jumping off place, for souls to enter into the next world.” It’s like a vortex, she explained, where the veil between the worlds is thin enough for them to make the transition.

Maka expressed how privileged she feels to share the history of her people, something her parents and grandparents never got to do beyond teaching foreigners how to make leis. The cultural resurgence happening across the islands is so sacred, the Regional Director of Communications for Highgate Hawaii, Erika Kauffman, says she won’t make a move to make any changes to the resort without Maka’s cultural lens and guidance. Before the resort reopened, Highgate met with Maka to make sure best practices would also honor the people. Maka told her that after August 8, the leaders realized they couldn’t dwell on their losses and needed to push on.

“We can’t change history, but we can change the direction of the canoe,” she told Kauffman.

Guests who want to learn about the lineage of the island or take free Hawaiian language classes can do so in the Cultural Center.

A luau that embodies aloha

Another way to be entertained while learning about Hawaiian culture (and appreciating Hawaiian food) is during the on-site Myths of Maui Luau. Now, not all luaus are created equal. For first-time island visitors, a local’s perspective is essential to distinguish the generic from the ones that truly embody the spirit of aloha, a Hawaiian greeting that also conveys love, peace, and compassion. Myths of Maui did just that.

The dancers took us through the history of the Polynesian people’s migration, using a navigational art form called wayfinding. Warriors and wāhines (women) shook their bodies in bright reds, yellows, and greens with shields, spears, and ʻulīʻulī feather rattles. A true showcase of Hawaiian hula, the pride of the performers shone through each of their moves. Dinner and drinks are included in the price of the show, and not only were the options plentiful, but they were also as thoughtfully prepared as the rest of the performance.

Luau tickets are $208.64 for adults and $129.80 for kids ages 6-12. Children five and under are free.

Activities that enhance your stay

One thing I walked away with from Maka’s teaching is that Hawaiian society begins at home. Every family member also has a kuleana, and in many cases, that purpose carries on to their role in society. That is how Cambria found herself working at the Spa at Royal Lahaina. She told me after my traditional Hawaiian lomi lomi massage in the open air that she was the healer in her family. As she rolled her elbows down my back with the undulating motion of an ocean wave, I heard the crash of the water nearby. The sound allowed me to feel like I was floating inside the three-walled bungalow, a location guests can request by asking for the Makai Experience.

We got to dip into the warm ocean when the hotel arranged a private charter with Teralani Sailing Adventures to take our group snorkeling. As the catamaran pulled up to pick us up on the beach in front of the Outrigger Hotel, a railed staircase descended into the shallow water. We pulled off our shoes and easily walked onboard. Even before we set off, the experience felt fit for monarchy. A ukulele player standing between the nets, in the center of the bow, asked for requests as we settled into the bench seats, and he serenaded us with mine, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s “Over the Rainbow.”

The all-female crew, hair pulled into capped buns, cranked the levers and twisted the green and white sails into submission. We took off into the sea. Tasks completed, the crew came around asking what we’d like to drink.

We barely had time to fix our smiles before we arrived at the remains of Mala Wharf, which Captain Rod Nichols told us was the best snorkeling spot in Maui. Hurricane Iniki destroyed this former pier in 1992. The concrete pylons sank, and the debris created an artificial reef on the sandy bottom.

We could see the yellows and pinks of the coral reef growing on piles of concrete and wood when we slipped into the water with our snorkel gear. The healthy ecosystem is teeming with turtles and technicolor fish who’ve happily made it their home. Turtle after turtle swam close by. I kicked and pushed away to give them the right amount of space. Black triggerfish collected around the turtle’s shells, eating microscopic sea life. Schools of black and white striped penant fish went one way, while Moorish idols — striking in their striped yellows, blacks, and whites — clustered in their own social circles. Captain Rod said to keep an eye out for white-tip reef sharks (which do not bite humans). One of us said he saw one. I had eyes only for the turtles.

Beachgoers who don’t want to charter a boat can drive the half mile from the Royal Lahaina Resort or take a 10-15 minute walk to Baby Beach, from where it’s possible to enter the Mala Wharf site from the sand. Just make sure to bring reef booties and a colored floatie to be spotted by the boats in this popular snorkel spot.

With the wind carrying the soundtrack of the Hawaiian troubadour, we enjoyed lunch under the mellow sun as we set off to the shallow water between Maui, Molokini, and Lanai. The charter sailings are weather dependent, and although Molokini Crater is famous for its marine life, it was better that day to drop into the water in front of Lanai — not as vibrant as Mala Wharf though we were still greeted by iridescent yellow-teal parrot fish and shiny silver barracuda.

Good for guests, good for the planet

With all this activity, making room for relaxation is on point for any trip to a tropical island. Two pools and a butter-colored beach at the resort invite guests to do just that. To ensure I didn’t need a vacation after my vacation, I made sure to reserve a cabana and order poolside drinks and snacks from the Royal Lahaina’s new poolside restaurant, Pineapple Moon.

The canvas curtains around the cabana’s Bali bed swayed with the breeze while families and guests enjoyed the pool or lay on loungers beneath the resort’s signature canary yellow umbrellas. We managed to avoid the famous sudden tropical downpours yet still got to see a rainbow blossoming behind the Lahaina Kai Tower. At that moment, I felt like I had found the pot of gold at the end of it.

On our final day, Duane Sparkman, lead engineer of the Royal Lahaina, gathered a group of guests on the lawn between bungalows. A mound of dirt, about three feet across, sat near a canopy. A couple of unopened bags of dirt lay nearby, as did long shovels and stacked plastic buckets.

Duane told us about the organization he started, Treecovery, to help island residents regrow their gardens after they’d rebuilt their homes.

“It’s something most people don’t think about, but it’s also what makes a house feel like a home,” he said. He told us he already has 6,500 Aʻaliʻi trees waiting for Maui locals to claim as they reconstruct their lives. “They grow overhead in about seven months and provide shade for the other trees the family will later plant.”

As he spoke, a woman wandered over to see what we were doing and joined us as we sprang seedlings loose from their sleeves and planted 32 of them inside the buckets.

Eleven Maui hotels are participating in the effort with volunteer opportunities for their guests. Companies from across the US are donating all the necessary supplies to help Maui replant its community, while artists and musicians are donating their artwork to fund the other expenses.

From the branches that build a community to the roots that give it longevity, the luxurious Royal Lahaina Resort and Bungalows brims with a sense of self-establishment over the 63 years of its existence. With these new renovations and with the partnership of island residents, the resort is ensuring that it will be here for at least 63 more.

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