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Secret Kid's Amenity + Beach Activities at Andaz Maui at Wailea

Oct. 04, 2013
6 min read
Secret Kid's Amenity + Beach Activities at Andaz Maui at Wailea
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Right before we departed from the Andaz Maui at Wailea to round out our anniversary trip to Hawaii, we connected with the manager on-duty and took a short tour of the property. She pointed out to us one of the coolest, and massively under-hyped, amenities for families visiting the property. This amenity alone I think shoots this property up a couple of notches for some families. In addition to sharing details about this almost secret kid's amenity, we will also share info about some of the on-site beach activities.

To play catch-up, here are previous posts in this series:

Flying Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu to Maui

Review of a Room and a Suite at the Andaz Maui at Wailea

The Pools at the Andaz Maui at Wailea

Hub 808 (Free Kid's Club):

I have no clue why the hotel isn't shouting this one from the rooftops, but I'll do it for them. A "secret" amenity at the Andaz Maui at Wailea is that not only do they have an on-site "Kid's Club" of sorts, but it is free during the day. I'm a huge fan of Camp Hyatt at locations like the Grand Hyatt Kauai, but it comes at a financial cost. At the Andaz it is not called Camp Hyatt, but rather is named "Hub 808". 808 is the area code for the hotel, so I assume that is the origin of the name.

Hub 808 is for children 5-12 years old and is open daily. The activities they described seem very similar to the Camp Hyatts we have visited, and they are designed to not just be "babysitting", but rather expose the kiddos to traditions and experiences unique to Hawaii. It is free for kiddos from 9AM-3PM during the day. If that is longer than you need, they do have a 9AM - 12PM session that is also free. Lunch is not included and you will be charged for the kid's lunch order.

We were told that they do have scheduled activities throughout the day so it is their preference to not have kids coming and going at all times, but to rather stick to the half-day or full day schedule when possible.

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The tables and furniture we saw in there looks like it would be perfect for some kiddos younger than 5 (that aren't permitted), but they also had a video game player and large TV for the older set. There will be evening care also available, though that will come with a fee that is likely similar to what you see at other Camp Hyatt-like facilities. When we were there Hub 808 was not yet up and running, but they said it should be shortly.

Let me repeat this again so no one misses it - the Andaz Maui offers free childcare during the day for children ages 5-12! Obviously I bring my daughter on trips so we can have fun together, but I am also all for a little individual fun as well. I get to partake in some adult activities or simply do nothing at all, and she gets to do kid focused activities and interact with other kids. In my opinion, it truly is a win-win to sprinkle into your vacation agenda.

On-site Beach Activities:

Unlike some of the other Hyatt properties I have visited on the Hawaiian Islands, this one actually is located directly on a fantastic and swimable beach called Mokapu Beach.

You literally walk down from your room or the pool and you are walking on some of the softest sand I have ever felt, and can dive into some beautiful blue water. The mornings we were there, the ocean was calm enough for some very solid snorkeling where you can see colorful fish. sea turtles, coral, and more. I have read reports of many who were surprised as to how good the snorkeling was just off from the hotel.

The hotel (well, more accurately a separate company who I suppose contracts with the hotel) will rent out water equipment for you to use. You can charge this to your room and the prices range from $10 for snorkel gear for the day, to several hundred dollars for a package of equipment that will last for several days.

We took advantage of snorkeling as well as stand-up paddle boarding. We had never done stand-up paddle boarding before, but the beach crew helps you get into the water and gives you enough instruction to get you going. You are totally free of any hassle of having to transport gear as they do all of that for you. Both the snorkeling and paddle-boarding were really fun and totally hassle free since they were right off from the hotel.

They now have a page up on their website that outlines some additional activities including outrigger canoes, kayak tours, paddle board yoga, and more. Some of those activities do come with a fee, but thankfully beach chairs and umbrellas are free and are set-up for you by the beach crew. Again, not sure it gets any more convenient and relaxing than this.

If you are looking for something fun and inexpensive (free!) for your school aged kids to do during portions of your trip, and an amazing on-site beach, then I would bump this hotel up a few notches on your consideration list. These two reasons alone are enough for us to already be planning a return trip! Of course this doesn't even take into account the great pools and delicious food that were addressed in previous posts.

If you want a way to do this yourself without paying the close to $500 nightly rate, then look to the Hyatt Visa, or consider transferring Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt Gold Passport 1:1 from the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Ink Plus® Business Card, or Ink Bold® Business Card. The hotel goes for 22,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points per night, but it is easy to rack up several free nights worth of points in a hurry with the cards listed.

If you have been to the hotel (or are seriously considering it), I'd love to hear your thoughts on Hub 808 and the on-site beach!

Disclosure: I do receive a commission if you are approved for a credit card using one of my affiliate links. As always, thank you for your support.