Bachelor and bachelorette trips, destination weddings, honeymoons and minimoons, birthday and anniversary trips, babymoons… celebration travel has really taken off in recent years. Sure, trips to honor milestones aren’t exactly new, but these types of vacations have really leveled up, in part because of social media. I’m talking lavish, themed bachelorette parties, luxe Italian villa weddings, and birthday trips with 40 of your closest friends and family. Hey, if you have the means to do it, why not? Celebrations are what make life fun.
In particular, babymoons—trips that give parents-to-be an opportunity to relax and spend some time together as a couple before baby arrives—have exponentially risen in popularity. In fact, it’s reported that over 2 million babymoons are taken annually in the U.S.
So when it came time to plan our babymoon this fall, I admit that my husband and I got swept up in the excitement of it all and decided to plan a luxurious, splurge-y trip. We didn’t come to this decision on a total whim, though, we had originally thought we’d go on our belated honeymoon in Japan this fall, but obviously life had other plans. So while the trip wasn’t going to be a honeymoon-babymoon combo, we did want to do something bigger than a weekend trip or a staycation.
Our destination of choice? Maui. We wanted something that wasn’t too far from our home in Los Angeles. A five-hour flight seemed doable at the end of my second trimester (wear those compression socks!).
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Four Seasons Resort Maui
There are plenty of luxe resorts dotted all over Maui, but we only had one resort in mind: Four Seasons Resort Maui. The beachfront resort is a Hawaiian classic for a reason: a five-star ranking, phenomenal service and hospitality, exceptional experiences and amenities, and of course, pop culture cred.
It was a bucket list resort for us—and admittedly, The White Lotus partly influenced that. If you’re not familiar, the resort was the idyllic setting for the first season of the show. So a White Lotus babymoon (without the drama or murder) was our vision: luxe and a total treat-yourself moment.
And it seemed like we weren’t the only ones with that idea—on our first night there, I spotted three other pregnant women at dinner, and even more babymoon couples during our five-night, six-day stay.
“There’s something about Maui that naturally slows you down and centers you,” says Four Seasons Resort Maui Regional Vice President & General Manager Konrad Gstrein. “For expecting couples, that’s exactly what this moment calls for—unhurried time to connect and savor this chapter together before welcoming their new arrival.”
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
The Property and Amenities
The resort itself is a stunning, sprawling property with direct beach access, three pools, four restaurants, a lobby bar, and a spa and wellness center. The rooms are elegant and comfortable, and of course feature the legendary Four Seasons beds that I can only describe as fluffy clouds. We got a lot of sleep during our stay—something we’re not taking for granted since we know we’ll be sleep-deprived soon enough!
While the resort is beautiful and serene, what really makes it stand out are the amenities and little touches that we experienced throughout our stay. We had never stayed at a Four Seasons before, but now we totally understand why many rave about the hospitality and personalized attention.
From the moment we arrived on property, we were treated with so much warmth. As we pulled up to the valet entrance, we were immediately greeted with a lei and nut necklace and were given welcome drinks as we checked in at the front desk. The lei I received was open-ended, which I later learned is a Hawaiian tradition.
“When a lei is tied, it becomes a complete circle—something whole and unending,” explains Aunty Mopsie Tuivaioge, Director of Hawaiian Programs. “For pregnant women, we offer an open-ended lei because the baby has not yet arrived; the circle is not yet complete. Leaving the lei open honors this transition and the life that is still unfolding. Once the baby is born, the circle is considered complete, and the lei may then be tied.”
When we entered our room, Hawaiian music was softly playing on the speakers and we were greeted with the most delightful surprises. On the bed was a stuffed animal (a nene!) and a matching bib and towel for our baby. There was a cupcake on the table to celebrate my husband’s belated birthday (which was a week before) and a welcome note that said “bubbly” was in the fridge (a bottle of sparkling cider). Plus, to add even more comfort to those heavenly beds, they outfitted the room with a body pillow to accommodate my growing bump.
Those welcoming surprises were just the start of all the special details throughout our stay. We felt taken care of the whole time, and we didn’t really have to worry about anything, from logistics to what we were going to do that day—which is the point of vacation, right? At the valet, you can always grab a water or towels before you head out for the day on an adventure; there’s a resort car available to take you around Wailea; and the concierge is always available to answer questions or make suggestions for excursions. Even the daily housekeeping and turn-down service were exceptional—silicone mats were placed underneath our toiletries, eyeglass cloths were put underneath our glasses, and our many tech cords were wrapped in Four Seasons-branded cord organizers.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Experiences
There is so much to explore on Maui, but since my energy levels have limits these days, we were content with spending most of the time at the resort, aside from one full day spent driving the Road to Hana. The resort offers so many different types of experiences and excursions that you really don’t need to do a ton of planning beforehand.
“A babymoon is about more than relaxation—it’s about creating memories during one of life’s most meaningful transitions,” Gstrein says. “Whether it’s a sunrise walk along Wailea Beach, a quiet morning by the adults-only infinity pool or a private Ultimate Dinner overlooking the ocean, we want couples to leave feeling rejuvenated and ready for the beautiful journey ahead.”
Our first full day at the resort was spent at the adults-only pool in a luxury cabana. It was a great way to kick off the stay—the cabana featured pool lounge chairs, a lounge area with a sofa, a TV, device chargers, fans, robes, and a mini fridge stocked with water and sodas. The experience includes a dedicated attendant, a fruit platter, two meals, and a bottle of bubbly (more sparkling cider for us!). Just spending the day in our private cabana felt so luxe, and Max, our attendant was so helpful and thoughtful. He even helped me choose a mocktail that was gestational diabetes-friendly (a virgin skinny Pina colada—try it!). Throughout the day at the adults pool, we were treated to… you guessed it, delightful surprises, like frozen aloe vera cubes for sunburns, ice cream sandwiches and popsicles, and a sampling of the daily juice or smoothie. These were offered to everyone enjoying the pool area, whether you reserved a cabana or were relaxing on the regular pool chairs.
Resort pools can be cutthroat; sometimes you have to wake up early to save chairs before heading to breakfast. That wasn’t the case at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. The main pool had plenty of chairs available and attendants to help seat you and set up your space. The adults pool gets busy, but you can always reserve chairs in advance or put yourself on a waiting list to get a text when your chairs are ready.
The next day ended up being our wellness day. We got his-and-hers massages in one of the hales overlooking the ocean. I got the Kamalei Prenatal Massage (Kamalei means beloved child), which was not only ultra relaxing, but deeply moving. My massage therapist treated my belly with so much care and I felt so nurtured. Hearing the waves outside and feeling the oils and the pressure on my body, felt like a spiritual experience. After our massages, we headed to the spa to enjoy some time in the zero-gravity massage chairs and red-light therapy masks.
Aside from these add-on experiences, the resort also offers daily complimentary activities and rituals that guests can enjoy. We watched the nightly torch lighting ritual, enjoyed the talents of the fire dancer before dinner one night, and saw guests enjoying hula and lei-making classes. White Lotus fans can even take a tour of the resort, led by former Maui County Film Commissioner Tracy Bennett, where you can see all the locations featured in the show.
Read Mckendree/Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Dining
The resort has four different restaurants—Ferraro’s Restaurant and Bar for Italian, Duo Steak and Seafood, Spago, and Komo for sushi. We enjoyed the first three on our nights there since sushi was out of the question for me. Each meal was a celebration—at the end of every one, a special dessert was brought to our table to commemorate the babymoon.
In my opinion, the best hotel breakfast buffets are found in Asia, but the Four Seasons Resort Maui’s breakfast buffet was just as opulent. Pastries, eggs made to order, seafood, Hawaiian specialities, dim sum, and congee or saimin awaited us every morning.
But surprisingly the best thing we ate during our time at the resort? Wok-fired edamame at the Lobby Lounge. It became our nightly pre-dinner ritual. We’d grab a drink and a bowl of edamame at the Lobby Lounge, and listen to the live music and watch the hula dancer. I know what you’re thinking—edamame? But who knew such a simple dish would be so tasty! The Lobby Lounge sears it in a wok, so you get that delicious charred taste with a sprinkle of salt. Plus, since it’s protein-packed, I really think it helped my gestational diabetes numbers each night (along with a 20-minute walk around the resort after our meals).
Sarah Yang
Why You Should Take the Trip
I believe that the sign of a good vacation is being depressed to leave—and boy, did we feel it on our last day. We came home feeling so rejuvenated and pampered, and we totally get the signature Four Seasons service now. If you have the means to splurge on a luxe babymoon, you can’t go wrong with this choice. It was so special for us to enjoy some time together and celebrate the next stage of our lives in absolute paradise. Now, I’m plotting our first family trip to Maui!
