While I didn't stay at the Ritz on my trip to Maui, we held our wedding ceremony there in April and it was fantastic! The wedding planner (Kristina) was always quick to respond, very professional, and helpful. We planned everything over the internet so we were worried about how things would come together, but it was even better than I could have imagined.

The gazebo ceremony site was beautiful with spectacular views of the ocean and mountains. The flowers and setup were great, especially the guitar player and the conch blower we had during the ceremony. The photographer they set up was amazing and we love all of our photos!

The pool was pretty nice, could use a few more trees around it but we enjoyed laying out, bar service was good too.

The salon was a bit overpriced for the hair and makeup, if it wasn't for a wedding I would have felt ripped off. However, they did a great job and everyone looked fabulous.

The only downside is the weather, it is windier and a few degrees colder there than further down the island. However it wasn't enough of an inconvenience to make it at all unpleasant and is a welcome change from the massive cookie cutter resorts in Kaanapali. Loved the hotel, loved the wedding and would definitely recommend it to others.

Just as a disclaimer before my review: I have stayed at many 5 star resorts before (several Ritz Carltons, Four Seasons, St. Regis etc.) so I'm confident in saying that I have enough experience to write an accurate review. I stayed at the Ritz April 19 - 26 (same dates as the person who wrote the previous review) and had an outstanding experience. We were greeted upon check in with beautiful beaded leis and shown to our room; our luggage immediately followed. Our room was immaculate and the bathroom was spotless. The closet was stocked with addition feather pillows, as we requested upon making the reservation. We had a large balcony in our ocean-front room with two comfortable chairs and a table big enough to serve breakfast for 3 on.

The service was exceptional. Anything we needed was brought to our room within 3 minutes of calling, and room service arrived within 20 minutes. Although there are no umbrellas due to the trade winds (which by the way makes the weather much more enjoyable, hot with a nice breeze and no humidity), however there are MANY cabanas with flat screen TVs, or "casabellas" which are two padded chairs side by side with an awning that can be pulled down at any time should you desire more sun. We opted for the casabellas and of the 3 days we rented them we were only charged for 1. The pool concierge was extremely attentive, providing us with additional towels after coming out of the pool, and bringing fresh pineapple, mango and strawberries throughout the afternoon. The waitstaff was attentive as well, refreshing our drinks if they saw they were running low before we had to ask. If you prefer not to order drinks or food while you're lounging at the pool, there are several water coolers placed throughout the area so you'll never have to walk too far, as well as complimentary fresh fruit (apples, oranges and bananas) for you to snack on.

The concierge went out of their way to accommodate us and knew us by name as we passed through the lobby each day. They also made excellent restaurant suggestions (the Banyon Tree was exceptional). At one point, we decided to cancel one of our activities the night before a 6am check-in (24 hour notice is required in order to receieve a refund, otherwise you are charged the full amount) and the concierge gave us a full refund without us having to ask. They also suggested we rent a car (which is absolutely necessary) and retreived it for us.

The doormen and valet crew were also amazing. We would call down from our room, and our car would be ready and waiting with the top down by the time we got downstairs. They were happy to walk around the property with us and snap pictures where ever we wanted.

I can honestly say that this was the most outstanding experience at a hotel in my life. At the risk of sounding snobby, I do feel that this resort caters to a specific clientele. Bottom line, if you're not prepared to spend money and tip often, this is not the place for you.

The hotel is set back from the beach.
The weather is just too stormy, rainy and cold for us (Kapalua)

My wife and I stayed at the Ritz April 19-26. To start it is a beautiful hotel. The setting in Kapalua is very nice. The renovations made recently appear to be a good investment. The pool area is very nice however there is little to no shade if you are looking for some around the pool area. The weather in Kapalua is very hit and miss. Unlike Wailea where they get less than 10 inches of rain a year, Kapalua gets a significant amount of rain and wind. The first three days we were there the tradewinds were whipping around bringing rain and clouds. The last four days the tradewinds shut down and it was sunny hot. The good thing is if it is raining in Kapalua drive 10 minutes south to Kannapali and it will be perfect. You just have to plan your days at the beaches accordingly.
Now onto the service issues. The service is just flat out bad. I am not a huge service customer as I perfer to park my own car and get my own towels, but a hotel like the Ritz that prides themselves on service and charges big $$ for it, the Ritz Kapalua completely misses the mark. The bellman took 2 hours to get luggage to our room after I discovered it sitting in the lobby not being watched that whole time. When we checked out I gave them a two hour notice because I did not want a repeat. They were late. We passed them in the hall after waiting 1/2 hour past the time I asked them to come. The pool for the most part was unattended. The housekeeping was OK. There were issues with the bathroom not being that clean. You had to call and tell them exactly when you would be out of your room or they would let your room sit all day until they finally got there.
We only ate at the Terrace restaurant for breakfast which was OK but not worth the $60 for two people not even close. For breakfast, we had two other reservations at Ritz restaurants but cancelled after the breakfast. The Honalua General Store right outside of the hotel is the way to go for breakfast. The Plantation is a great restaurant for dinner but very expensive. It is about 2 miles from the Ritz. Up on the hill.
The beach at the Ritz is nice but the water is not nearly as clear or smooth as Kannapali. It does have three lifeguards that just kind of hang out, it is a public beach as are all Hawaii beaches but fairly quite for a public beach. There is a $20 a day resort fee at this resort.