Lobby at Fairmont Kea Lani.

It’s no wonder Maui’s Fairmont Kea Lani hasn’t seen a drop in its Canadian business in 2016, even as the dollar continues to fluctuate. As I learned on a recent trip to Maui with my family, Maui’s beauty overflows through every inch of the Fairmont Kea Lani – which is the only oceanfront all-suite and villa property in Hawaii. There are also so many added value inclusions for guests, for those travellers booking in the luxury category, who could say no?

It began the moment we arrived. Aloha greetings with fresh juice and leis for our family enveloped us in an ‘instant Maui’ vibe as we checked in to our suite and began to take in our surroundings. Fairmont Kea Lani is a sight to behold, sitting on 22 acres of tropical landscape, with sweeping oceanviews and a resort that sparkles in the afterglow of a just-completed US$70 million renovation.

As an all-suite resort, the Fairmont Kea Lani is no doubt an ideal choice for families. Our one-bedroom accommodation provided our family of three with enough space to put our baby to sleep in the large master bedroom (crib provided at no extra charge) while we enjoyed late-night movies in the living area and nightcaps on our oceanfront lanai.

Fairmont Kea Lani’s suites have also undergone a stylish makeover, with a new ceramic tile entryway, granite countertop, new carpet, furniture, décor, lighting and local artwork. The bathroom is also quite large, with double sinks, separate shower and bathtub – and with a sleeper sofa and other amenities (like a microwave and mini refrigerator) a family of four would not feel the least bit crowded here and a couple would be in for a romantic treat.

Our large lanai came with enough furniture and room to have dinner ordered and set for us when we returned from our day on property so we could enjoy each other, the sound of the ocean waves and the private service and culinary specialties that the Fairmont brand is known for.

Kilohana suite.

And in keeping with the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts experience, with the on-property activities and services available to us (and all guests) at Fairmont Kea Lani we sunk deep into Maui life without having to venture far.

The resort is situated on a grand stretch of Polo Beach, where our family enjoyed hours of beach play with umbrella and lounge chairs set up near the shore and time for Dad to take part in some scuba diving while my son and I built sandcastles and played near the waves.

Polo Beach.

When poolside felt more up to speed, we took advantage of the pool cabana’s offered at Fairmont Kea Lani, with a keiki (kids) pool perfect for a toddler like ours to splash around in, and a 140’ waterslide for the biggest kid in our family (Dad). When we needed to satisfy our hunger cravings, we had an array of choices at our fingertips: snacks, beverages and a post-dinner gelato fix from Caffe Ciao Dell, poolside lunch (with dine-in options available) from Ama Bar & Grill and for that extra-special dining experience couples and families look forward to weeks before the vacation begins, Fairmont Kea Lani’s newly rebuilt Kō brought us on a culinary journey to be remembered. The resort’s signature restaurant went through a $5.1 million rebuild in 2012 and the result is a masterpiece that puts the spotlight on Hawaii’s extremely diverse cuisine – with starters like the Kobe Beef Poke and Lumpia Filipino Spring Rolls and entrees like the Pan-Pacific inspired Island Seafood Stew and the Ono Pulehu Chicken, which calls back to Hawaii’s plantation days.

Keiki Club Interior.

Ko Signature.

Ko Bar.

Nick’s Fishmarket.

Many of the stand-out features our family experienced during our stay at Fairmont Kea Lani came in the form of resort inclusions that more than make up for the presence of a resort fee ($35/day), and with a fluctuating dollar help Canadians earn back some of their travel budget.

Some of the resort inclusions we took advantage of at Fairmont Kea Lani included self-parking for our rental car, in-suite bottled water that gets replenished daily, the opportunity to work off some resort dining indulgence at the 24-hour Fitness Center and a really special inclusion – a sunset photography session for our family with a professional from the on-resort photography team at Dream Pacific Photography.

Guests staying at the resort have the session and one take-home photograph included with their stay (as well as the option to purchase packages that include digital images and print products).

For families and couples travelling for special occasions, or those who just want to mark their Maui travels in a memorable way, Pacific Dream Photography provides lifetime treasures.

Other Fairmont Kea Lani inclusions for guests are daily access to Inspire Your Energy fitness classes, cultural activities including the Hawaiian Canoe Experience, Hawaiian Cultural Property Tour and ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i (Hawaiian language and authentic Hawaiian crafts), unlimited business Internet access, shuttle service to Wailea, one-hour snorkel equipment rental and daily beach umbrella rental (one per suite, two per villa) as well as many more.

Hawaiian Canoe Experience.

Something to sweeten the deal for clients considering the Fairmont Kea Lani is its Fifth Night Free promotion, available at the resort not only in the off-season, but year-round. This package includes one-bedroom suite accommodation or accommodation in one of the resort’s luxury villas (for a Maui dream vacation that will never be forgotten) for a minimum five-night stay, with the fifth consecutive night free. Rates for this package begin at $489 per night, based on double occupancy (excluding taxes and resort fee). If you have clients who are also Fairmont President’s Club members they will receive a $50 resort credit for their stay as well.

What did Tanya Matthews, regional director of sales and marketing for the Fairmont Kea Lani have to say about the resort’s Canadian business?

“We are continuing to see strong Canadian business here at Fairmont Kea Lani. Our fifth night free offer for our spacious suites offers exceptional value and the competitive air fares from Canadian cities have really helped keep Canadians traveling to Maui.”

Visit fairmont.com/kealani for more details.