Expert Maui Honeymoon Planning Guide: Create Your Perfect Romantic Escape

Planning a Maui honeymoon requires expert guidance to make every moment unforgettable. From world-class beaches and luxury resorts to breathtaking sunsets and adventure-filled excursions, Maui offers couples the perfect blend of romance and exploration. This expert guide highlights the best accommodations, activities, dining, and insider tips to help you craft a seamless itinerary and enjoy the ultimate romantic getaway in paradise.

Budgeting: Determine is a Maui Honeymoon within your budget

How much will we spend on our Maui Honeymoon? 

The price of traveling to Maui for your honeymoon will ultimately depend on multiple factors: Where you are flying from, time of year,  occupancy levels,  type of  luxury hotel you choose.  Generally speaking, a rough estimate for a Budget Maui honeymoon package will cost between $4200-6000 for two with air tickets, 5-7 nights, with a compact car.  ( examples of hotels would be Lahaina Shores, Royal Lahaina, Kaanapali beach hotel- all 3- 3.5 star hotels)

4 -5 Star Maui Resorts and  hotels: Move up a level to a 4 star Hyatt Regency,  Sheraton Maui or Westin Maui the  prices can quickly increase by $2000 or more for two people, estimate $7-9,000 for two.  Splurge for more luxury at Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons and the pricing will exceed $10k.

Peak and Low Season for Maui : There was a set peak /shoulder and low season before the pandemic, and all of that changed once the supply and demand changed for Hawaii travel during and after the pandemic and now pricing is based on occupancy levels.   There is still a peak holiday season ( December 20-Jan 7)  as well as your Spring break, Valentines week, Presidents week and Summer holiday weekends that drive up pricing quite a bit. Spring break in Maui tends to be very busy with a lot of families and is not recommended as an ideal Maui honeymoon time frame.

How Maui Resort Rates are determined:  Dynamic Pricing in Maui 

Dynamic Pricing is similar to the way airlines determine the pricing of each seat,  This method has become a travel pricing trend, and the latest way that Hawaii hotels are setting pricing year-round.  Basically how it works:   The higher the occupancy the higher the rate. If the hotel is very booked up for certain nights, the rates will be far higher. Often,  moving your dates out a few days can save you money.  If occupancy is low, the price will drop. Be Flexible for the best Maui Honeymoon Pricing.

Planning the perfect Maui honeymoon first begins with setting a budget and preparing to be flexible.

First gather some initial estimates on the cost of their airfare, hotel stay, and car pricing to be certain their dream honeymoon will fit into their budget.  Pricing has increased since the pandemic, couples need to be prepared financially. We do anticipate seeing some more pre-pandemic rates coming back in the latter part of 2023.  Be prepared to spend no less than $5000 for two to start for a budget package, and at least $7500 for a more luxury option for your basic air/car/hotel package 5-7 nights.

Spending Money in Maui on your honeymoon:  How much will we spend?

Expect to spend no less than $300 per day to cover the basic meal and drink costs,  and add another $200-300 per day to cover mandatory resort fees, parking fees, gasoline/car insurance, and activities as well as spa pleasures.   Keep in mind that dining out is less expensive than dining at your hotel.  Alcohol can really add up in Maui, a cocktail at a hotel bar or pool bar can cost upward of $20 per drink.

Hidden Fees:  Most couples realize there are resort fees, once combined with parking fees in Maui you are going to expect to spend $50-75 a day at most hotels on top of your hotel cost.  These fees need to be paid directly to the resort.

Discuss your personal expectations and a list of  “must haves”

Romantic Cottages at Hotel Hana Maui

Set a time to sit down and create  a list together of how your dream Maui Honeymoon looks.

Some common expectations are having a king bed, a secluded beach, Views of the ocean from your terrace, fancy pool areas, luxury spa on site, private jacuzzi or bathtub, Relaxing by the pool without a lot of kids running around.  Keep in mind that Maui is a family friendly destination, therefore you really cannot find an adult only beach resort in Maui, however we do recommend that you focus on resorts that are less geared for kids such as Ritz Carlton Kapalua, , Andaz Wailea Resort and The Secluded Maui Honeymoon Hot spot Hotel Hana Maui.

Double check your reservation: book a King bed: what most couples “expect” but do not always double-check in advance. Couples assume the resort or agent who booked them secured a king bed, but do not realize that many hotels in Hawaii are family-friendly and do not always have many king bedded rooms. If the room category booked does not indicate a King bed in the room type, then the room may have 2 queens or doubles.

An Oceanview room does not mean oceanfront: Couples expect to see a great view of the ocean from their room and balcony, and this is not always the case. Many ocean-view rooms in Hawaii do not have a view from the inside of the room, and once on the balcony, there are also views of the pool and garden area. If couples expect a full ocean view they need to book an oceanfront room.

Do not skimp on accommodations, if you need to cut down your trip from 8 nights to 6 nights to make it work financially then do that, it is better to have 5-6 days that you love where you are staying versus 8 or 9 days that are not meeting your expectations but that fit into your budget

Make Reservations, Get a car rental , Save time at the airport

Make dinner reservations well in advance, Since the pandemic, people are making reservations much further in advance than ever before. If you plan to book a luau book it as far in advance as possible.  We recommend opening an account with Open Table and setting up dinners 2-3 months out.

Book a car rental: Explore Maui Together on your honeymoon

Hawaii is an “exploration” island,  and not designed for an all inclusive honeymoon experience similar to the Caribbean. ( Best for couples who prefer to relax on one main beach, include everything included for one price, and prefer to relax in one spot instead of moving around)

Couples cannot rely on an Uber or taxi driver to take them sightseeing in Maui. There are endless scenic drives in Maui that are perfect day trips that are only costing the fuel you burn. Also, your rental car will take you from the airport to your hotel and back, as well as to the many activities and restaurants island wide in Maui.  Money saving tips: Booking a package with a car is a great savings, most of our Maui Honeymoon packages are priced together with a car.  

Save Time at the airport when picking up your rental car in Maui:
When you arrive, whoever is driving the car should go get the car and pick up your spouse at baggage claim, this will save you a good 30 minutes on average. Everyone on your flight who is getting a rental car will be going to the rental car place to get their car, beat them by going first and one of you get the bags and stay with them until the other picks you up.

Romantic Activities for lasting memories on your Maui Honeymoon

Watch the sunset every night together, schedule your dinners after sunset, or choose a restaurant that has great sunset viewing so you do not miss this show in the sky. Check with google to determine the day the sun sets in Maui for your honeymoon dates of travel

Plan a Maui Picnic:  there are so many great picnic spots all over Maui, and you can pick up fun picnic items at local grocery stores and head to one of many beaches around the island, all the Maui beaches are public. Our favorite supermarket to pick up picnic goodies is the Napili Market.

Take a fun hike to a beautiful waterfall:  There are some amazing hikes all over Maui, some of them end at magnificent waterfalls. We love this website, All Trails: for choosing the perfect honeymoon waterfall to visit in Maui 

Consider splurging for a Maui private Beach Dinner: Most  hotels and a couple of restaurants offer this service, it is expensive but worth the lifetime of memories. ( expect pricing to be in the $500 range for two)

Keep blocks of time open, do not be tempted to book up all your days with one activity after another where you need to print out an itinerary to keep track of what time you scheduled breakfast,  this is not the way to enjoy your honeymoon in Hawaii,  understand that your honeymoon is about your special time to focus on each other in a beautiful place.

Romantic Stolls down Front Street: A favorite fun thing to do at night is to take a stroll down Front Street in Lahaina, where honeymooners will find romantic restaurants, Fun Souvenir shops,  wonderful art galleries, ice cream shops, and some live Music. A favorite Maui Honeymoon Hot Spot is Fleetwoods on Front Street. 

Respect the meaning of your honeymoon– it’s a special time after your wedding for just the two of you,  without stress,  to relax and have romantic and unforgettable moments.

Tips for saving money on your Maui Honeymoon

Be flexible on dates if you can:  many hotels’ pricing is based on their occupancy levels not the season of travel, and the price might be quite a bit lower for traveling a few days or week later Not all couples opt to take their honeymoon right after the wedding. Consider keeping your dates open.

Consider resorts offering a free night and breakfast plan: it is always nice to have at least one meal included if possible.

Look into Exclusive Club Level lounges to help defer the cost of food and beverage For couples who want more control over their on-island expenditures, opt for hotels that offer club-level lounges that include light dining, snacks, and beverages as well as concierge services.

-The Ritz Carlton Kapalua Maui has one of the most exceptional club lounge experiences, if couples book a “club level” room or suite, they will enjoy access to their lounge which includes a full continental breakfast, all day dry snacks ( nuts/dried fruit/granola/Chips) , Heavy evening appetizers and pupus, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. T his Luxury Maui Package ideal for couples who desire an all-inclusive type experience which is more typical of the Caribbean.   We have aptly named that  Maui Honeymoon package the  “Almost All Inclusive Maui Honeymoon”

Maui Resort Fees- The good, the bad and the Ugly. 

Almost every hotel in Hawaii now charges resort fees, some include a short list of extras such as WIFI, coffee in the room, and newspaper.  The only hotels that do not charge resort fees are  Four Seasons Wailea,  and in Oahu, The Kahala Resort and Spa.

Many of these Maui Resort Fees have increased greatly over the years and do not offer much value.  Also, for the inexperienced traveler who may book online and not read the fine print,  these resort fees can throw a wrench in their budget and bring on some undue stress on their Maui honeymoon.

Look for resort fees that cover more than just the basics, for example, the Andaz Wailea by Hyatt includes Outrigger Canoe Excursions, snorkeling gear, bike rentals, guided kayak tours, as well as cultural activities including ukulele and hula lessons, and coconut husking.

Maui Resort Recommendations

Romantic Maui Honeymoon at Sheraton Maui

Best Adult only Pool area with unsurpassed views:

The Westin Maui on world-famous Kaanapali beach has one of the newest and best adults-only pool areas, totally re-designed and modern, we love their fabulous infinity edge pool with unsurpassed views of the ocean, overlooking Molokai and Lanai. Couples can enjoy private cabanas dotted all along the pool deck area. Couples are only minutes from downtown Lahaina with the island’s best shopping and entertainment.  Westin Maui Honeymoon Special 

Best 4-Star Beach Resort in Maui: Our top pick, The Sheraton Maui, is located adjacent to Black rock, and has one of the widest and longest stretches of swimmable beach on the island. Couples love the nightly torch-lighting ceremony and watching the cliff divers every night. The resort also has oceanfront fire pits and smores kits, perfect for sunsets. ( for a more economical option we recommend The Royal Lahaina Resort, on one of Maui’s top secluded beaches)

Another terrific Maui beach just north of the Sheraton is the beach at the Royal Lahaina resort, a beautiful stretch of sandy beach that fronts the hotel and adjacent golf course.

Royal Lahaina Beach, one of Maui’s Best Beaches

Best Oceanfront Rooms in Maui for the price:  Hands down the Hyatt Regency Kaanapali Beach in Maui has some of the greatest Oceanfront rooms in all of Maui for best pricing. often we have the 5th night free as well as breakfast included.

Most Romantic Rooms – the sundeck collection rooms and suites offer couples space and privacy at Wailea beach resort by Marriott

Wailea Beach Resort by Marriott also offers a beautiful adult-only pool area, with their unique one-of-a-kind “floating cabanas”- perfect for couples looking for a quiet afternoon without any distractions. We love the variety of cabanas by the pool or overlooking the ocean that couples can reserve.   Check out the romantic accommodations at Marriott Wailea resort, one of our top Maui Honeymoon Picks

If you are not certain where to honeymoon in Maui Speak to Maui Expert by phone

You can search high and low, read hundreds of blogs and trip advisor reviews for Maui, and still not be certain that you are choosing the perfect Maui Resort for your honeymoon.  The best way to find out if you are making the right choice is to arrange an expert Maui Honeymoon consultation with an experienced Honeymoon Travel agent who has traveled to Maui countless times, and planned thousands of honeymoons to Maui will ensure that you are making the right choice.

Conclusion

Planning your dream honeymoon in Maui is all about blending romance, relaxation, and unforgettable adventures. From breathtaking beaches and luxury All Inclusive Resorts to cultural experiences and scenic drives, Maui offers everything needed for a perfect start to married life. With thoughtful planning, you and your partner can create lasting memories and design the ultimate romantic escape that truly reflects your love story.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)