A Best Beach Resort for Families in Hawaii

Frequent readers of this travel blog know that The Vacation Gals absolutely love Hawaii. From great hikes on Kauai and somewhat treacherous ones on Maui, to fun in Oahu and multigenerational musing on the Big Island, well, we rave about it all. When it comes to luxury family travel, Hawaii just can’t be beat. Maui, in particular, wins award after award for its child-friendly beaches and resorts. One luxury resort there also just won recognition for its family-friendly beach. This is the Fairmont Kea Lani.

Ah…Just saying “kea lani” is transportive. The Fairmont Kea Lani is one of my favorite child-friendly luxury resorts in the world. It’s right on the beach in upscale Wailea, noted as one of the best stretches of beach in Hawaii. Every room is a suite in the Fairmont Kea Lani, and the curve of the coastline here makes for easy waves – not exactly for surfers, but perfect for little kids. The sand is soft and powdery, a far cry from the a’a lava rock that bedevils the beaches on the Big Island.

I have a soft spot for the Fairmont brand, and the Kea Lani in Maui, particularly, because that’s where we stayed the first time I took my kids to Hawaii. They learned to snorkel right off the beach, and spotted many species of tropical fish lazing around. My children loved the Keiki Kids camp, the food (pricey!) and the playtime with other kids their ages. Parents love having a safe place to essentially dump their kids, making a hike around Haleakala National Park feasible. Or just a visit to the spa, whatever.

The Professional Travel Guide website has named the Fairmont Kea Lani, in Maui, as one of the the Top 10 Beach Resorts for Families, and I have to agree. My kids have stayed at around five resorts on the Hawaiian islands now, and the Kea Lani gave them their best camp experience. Yes, we still have the coconut turtle-shell craft projects they made there…somewhere…and I still have great memories of watching them splash around in the pool (with waterslide) while I enjoyed the swim-up bar. The beach is so pristine, despite the steady influx of tourists, that it’s easy to spot the sea turtles that hang out at the edge of the resort property.

These Top 10 lists abound in the travel industry, and let’s face it, some are pretty questionable. But the Professional Travel Guide site certainly got this one right. The Fairmont Kea Lani is one of the world’s best luxury family-friendly beachside resorts. Oh, and some proof? The view of the ocean from a Kea Lani pathway is my Twitter wallpaper. See for yourself!