Hotel Wailea Named #1 Resort in Hawaiʻi, Enters World’s Best Awards Hall of Fame

Some mornings here begin with mist still caught in the tropical gardens, three islands visible from the same lanai, and a quiet you can only find a few hundred feet above the sea. Today, we get to share that feeling with a little more noise than usual. Travel + Leisure has named Hotel Wailea the No. 1 Hotel in Hawaii in the 2026 World’s Best Awards, and with it, a place in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for properties that have appeared on the list for ten consecutive years. Over that decade, Hotel Wailea has ranked among the top five resorts on Maui every single year, and has been named the top luxury hotel in Hawaii three times: 2022, 2023 and 2026.

“Hotel Wailea has now been named among the top five resorts in Maui for a decade, and that’s because we refuse to follow the standard playbook,” said Jonathan McManus, Founder and Partner of Hotel Wailea and Private Label Collection. “We built this place to be steadfastly independent, focused on real relationships with our guests rather than transactions. Travel + Leisure readers are discerning travelers, and their continued recognition means everything to us. It’s a testament to our team’s commitment to creating experiences that resonate.”

Ten years of mornings like that one do not happen on their own. They happen because our team shows up and treats every stay, every quiet lanai and every sunset at The Birdcage, as though it is the only one that matters. And they happen because you keep coming back, and keep telling the people you love to come see it for themselves. So this one is yours as much as it is ours. Thank you for choosing us, for voting for us, and for trusting us with the moments that matter to you.