Lessons on Vacation at Andaz Maui

by Robert Quihuis

| June, 20, 2024

Lessons on Vacation at Andaz Maui

We arrived at Andaz to a warm Hawaiian welcome. A purple orchid lei for the lady and a black kukui nut lei for myself. The smiling staff checked us in and escorted us to our room. We were impressed with the vibrant view of emerald palms and lush greenery against the turquoise blue of the Pacific and the cloud-covered mountains towering behind – all made much more dramatic as the automatic blinds slowly rose to reveal this spectacular view. The enthusiastic attendant gave us a thorough tour of the various features and amenities in the room and was soon joined by two more staff bearing welcome gifts: personalized artisan chocolates, a bottle of champagne, and a puolo, a small handmade treat wrapped in ti leaves. This particular puolo was a grilled pineapple and sticky rice nigiri. I didn’t know dessert sushi existed but these bite-size treats make perfect sense. This generous reception made us feel incredibly welcome and was reflective of the warm hospitality typical at Andaz Maui. 

Andaz is a project by Hyatt to create hotels with a focus on their particular location. This includes an emphasis on food, art, culture, and practices. Andaz in Wailea offers the utmost in service and attention to detail that you would expect from a luxury hotel as well as an immersive and enlightening experience unique to Maui. Here you’ll find a wide variety of Maui exclusive classes and activities. Hula dancing, lei making, ukulele, and outrigger paddling to name a few. The classes are not only fun and relaxing but they teach guests a new skill and touch on the historical and cultural relevance of the subject matter. Almost all of the classes are taught by locals with very impressive backgrounds and at least a decade of experience. I came expecting a couple of touristy days on the beach but left with an insanely fun and educational experience. 

After dropping our bags off in our room, we made our way to the bottom of the three cascading infinity pools where we grabbed some appetizers and drinks at the Bumbye Beach Bar. It must have been my lucky day because just as our tsunami fries were being served, a game of bingo was announced. I won the first round and walked away with the grand prize; a voucher for a free appetizer! After finishing our drinks and spending our winnings we walked a stone’s throw down to the beach to soak up some sun before the first of the many classes I would enjoy on this trip: Ukulele Lessons! 

The ukulele class is taught by seasoned professional Derick Sebastian, a jolly soul with some impressive credits under his belt, including international performances, opening MLB games, and working on movies and TV shows. Most notable (in my opinion), is the Pixar short “Someone to Lava”. He is a patient and encouraging teacher who remains humble and radiates an aura of kindness and joy. I learned that the Ukulele was actually a Portuguese instrument and the Hawaiians loved it so much it just kind of became their thing. Although the class was brief and I wouldn’t call myself a ukuleleist by any means, I left with a new strumming pattern, a few new chords, and an inspiration to learn more. 

 

Immediately after the music lesson, we jumped into the culinary arts with a Poke Making Class. With a wealth of ingredients before us, we were given a quick tutorial on the origins and gathering methods concerning our entrees. Being an octopus hunter himself, our instructor, Chef Jeff Rodd, informed us that an octopus needs to be bitten until it turns white to make sure it’s sufficiently dead before being collected. A hard-to-swallow-to-swallow fact after watching My Octopus Teacher. After this gruesome explanation, he set us off to make our own poke bowls. We were given a base of fresh ahi or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, the previously mentioned tako (octopus) to be topped with a buffet of different spices, sauces, and diced vegetables. When we were finished with our creations, we lined them up in a cooking competition style. We then took turns sampling and judging each other’s dishes for fun. Everyone in the class was too polite to make any harsh criticisms, but I’m pretty sure mine made at least the top three.

I can’t think of a better way to start the day than a serene paddle on the outrigger. The following day, our group met on the beach bright and early to push our outrigger out to sea and paddle above the coral reefs. It was just the right amount of exercise to get my body feeling invigorated. The scenery was picturesque as the sun was still low and reflecting off the water in just the right way. The water below was crystal clear, giving us a superlative view of the coral teeming with life. In the distance, we spotted whales slapping their flukes against the water and spouting clouds of mist from their blowholes. Meanwhile, just ahead, we spotted camera-shy sea turtles that would poke their heads up for a peek, then surreptitiously sink back underwater as soon as we got our phones out for a photo. All the while our guide was giving us fun facts about the area and local wildlife. 

After the bountiful breakfast buffet offering fried rice, mochi waffles, fresh juices, pastries, and more, we met in the lobby for a lei-making lesson. The instructor was a Hawaiian native who partners with several resorts on the island, teaching different cultural lessons like hula dancing and coconut husking. We learned about the cultural significance of the lei, how traditionally the lei could signify wealth or rank in society, and how it has evolved into the various modern leis of today – from the classic purple orchid to the money leis gifted at graduation. We stopped for lunch at the Lehua Lounge where I feasted on a Ruben filled with thick strips of pork belly before moving on to the next class. 

The next class would be an art class featuring techniques and designs by Andaz’s current residential artist, Welzie. Hailing from Santa Cruz and moving to Maui gives reason as to why his work, created from surfboard materials and resin, has mostly nautical and colorful beach themes. Our teacher, Chieko, was sweet, yet kept her class under control, giving off a kindergarten teacher vibe. The playful linework and solid colors made it a blast as we attempted to recreate Welzie’s cartoonish works. As with most art, there are no wrong answers, only happy mistakes, so we all walked out with charming and professional-looking pieces we could be proud of. 

With our works still in hand we moved on to the next class, Mixology. Here, I learned the basic makeup of a good cocktail and a bit about how the Mai Tai came to be. I took notes as I watched instructor Kekai construct the traditional trader Vic’s Mai Tai. It was more complex and citrus-heavy than I am used to, by no means inferior but different. To my delight, the next cocktail we made was the modern Mai Tai. The added Curacao and pineapple juice in the modern Mai Tai give it a more approachable tartness while that extra kiss of sweetness from the dark rum floating on top brings a hint of that nostalgic flavor I associate with tropical vacations. 

Our full day of classes wrapped up with a grand finale at the Feast at Mokapu, Andaz Maui’s on-site Luau. It was absolutely enchanting. The show opened up with heartfelt hula songs and dances that had me emotionally welling up despite the language barrier and peaked with a jaw-dropping fire show. The storytelling throughout the show was captivating as it ranged from old legendary tales to controversial stories of the neighboring island that was used as a military test site in the 1940s and remains uninhabitable to this day. The dinner was an impressive prix fixe instead of the usual buffet style which allowed the audience to focus on the entertainment. The servings were generous with the entree of succulent pulled pork, sweet island-style steak, BBQ chicken, and fish. I had trouble taking deep breaths by the end of the meal. As a bonus, we had the privilege of sitting with Kalikolehua Storer, the cultural advisor for the resort. Kalikolehua is a wealth of knowledge and a prominent activist in the community. Being such an influential figure and having lost her home in the Lahaina fire herself, it was fascinating and valuable to hear her take on recovery and attitudes towards tourism. She had a lot of input on the topic but a quick synopsis was that tourism is not only welcome but important to the economy; the only ask is that guests be respectful and sympathetic. 

For our final day, we had nothing scheduled except rest and relaxation, starting with a trip to the spa. This is where I had my first experience with a sound bath. It felt like a high-speed meditation triggering memories and closed-eye visuals as sound waves lulled us into total relaxation. I’m sure the effects are different for everyone; I would definitely recommend it. After relaxing my mind, it was time to relax the body with a deep tissue massage. My masseuse, Yumi, read my body like a book and dug into my muscles with hot stones, scented oils, and the perfect amount of pressure. 

For lunch, we dined at Morimoto Maui. This is Iron Chef superstar Masaharu Morimoto’s signature restaurant, located poolside at Andaz Maui, where we enjoyed a platter of sushi and bao buns. We let our food settle momentarily as we basked in the cabanas before picking up some snorkel gear from the beach hut and setting out to sea. The reef is a very short swim from the shore and it is scattered with huge sea turtles. I wasn’t even waist deep when I spotted two swimming adjacent to the shore. Snorkeling in Maui is a must as there are fluorescent butterfly fish, triggerfish, eels, octopi and so much more. It also doesn’t hurt that the water is consistently warm at eighty degrees. 

To wrap up the trip we went to Ka’ana Kitchen for the most impressive meal of the whole trip. With ten-plus courses on the menu, it’s too much food to list, however, the highlights for me were the ahi Caesar salad with capers, mustard seeds, and brown sugar glazed croutons, the fried chicken with black sesame mochi waffles drizzled with fermented honey, and the pork belly and scallions with kale and parmesan gnocchi. Everything was served family style and paired with the corresponding wine. It was decadent. 

There is so much to do at Andaz Maui: complimentary paddle board lessons, yoga classes, ocean view salon/pedicures, off-site excursions, and the list goes on. Not only can you create a full vacation itinerary here, but with each activity you can pick up new skills and fun facts that make your vacation more substantial. You will leave Maui with a tan and an education on Hawaiian arts and culture. There are many other resorts along the island and even other Andaz resorts around the world, but Andaz Maui will offer an experience you can only find in Maui.

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