This hotel is fabulous!! Just got back from 6 nights there and had a great time. Partial ocean view room in the atrium tower was included in our price (18th floor). They offered us an upgrade for $50 a night to deluxe ocean view, but we did not take it. We were glad- we had a nice view from our room of the mountains, and a view of the ocean from the lanai. We didn't spend a lot of time in the room anyway, so a better view would not have meant much. Yes, the pool gets crowded, but that's because it is the best pool on Ka'anapali beach. And "crowded" means there are people in most or all the chairs-- not that the pool itself is ever too crowded- it is not. Generally, the fact that there are other people at the pool will not bother you. Shaded spots are harder to come by-- I have fair skin, so I was out there at 6:30 a.m. the first day. This was not necessary. You can really have your pick if you get there by about 8 or so. With the time change, this should not be difficult. The beach by the hotel is not good- this is well-documented. However, it is just a short walk to one of the best beaches on the island. If you don't want to walk, you can take the free Trolley service that goes up and down Ka'anapali beach. This can take you all the way to the Sheraton/Blackrock, which is great for snorkeling. I would recommend taking the trolley if you're going that far, especially when lugging snorkeling gear. Trolley also stops at Whaler's village, where you can take the Maui bus to Lahaina for $1. If you have DVDs, a laptop and an HDMI cable, you can hook your computer up to the TVs in the rooms with ease. The clock radios have an ipod dock. My biggest tip for Maui is to stop at Costco when you arrive, and stock up on drinks and food. You can fit quite a bit in your mini-fridge. It is probably impossible not to have a great time on Maui, and staying at the Hyatt definitely helps your chances-- it is a beautiful hotel!
