Travaasa Hana Maui

Big plans

We had big plans for Maui, we were going to do some hiking on the many trails available, some snorkelling and visit all sorts of sites but everything was postponed. Two days after arriving I (Nat) badly sprained my ankle and two weeks later it’s still not completely healed. Plans had to be altered and instead of trekking through the jungle we found ourselves sitting at the Travaasa Hana enjoying a leisurely lunch with exceptional views of the ocean in an amazing tropical setting.

Stellar reviews

The Travaasa Hana, the only luxury hotel on the Hana Highway, is the only resort hotel in East Maui and doesn’t always get stellar reviews but we wanted to stop in and make up our own minds. The menu changes daily and always includes a lot of local fare such as beef, fish and vegetables & fruit from nearby farms. Chef Watanabe brings with him years of experience and has been Executive Chef here for 8 months. He came out to say hello and tell us about the ingredients he uses and how he sources them. Our server, was welcoming and told us the day’s fish was swordfish and which dishes were her favourite.

A Mai Tai and a Lava Flow

Tim’s drink choice was easy, he had been craving a Mai Tai since we arrived on the island. I ordered a Lava Flow, a mix of light rum, coconut rum, strawberries, banana, pineapple juice and coconut cream. We savoured them while we waited for our meals.

For me it was Spicy Ahi Poke, served with pohole and lots of Maui onion. It was seasoned perfectly and had just the right amount of spiciness.

A juicy burger

Tim was thinking about the swordfish tacos but at the last minute he ordered the burger, made with beef raised right next door at Hana Ranch and served with sweet potato chips. It was cooked medium, just the way he likes it, and was juicy & flavourful, the chips were a nice change from French fries.

To end the meal our server convinced us to have Japanese cheesecake, I didn’t need much convincing. I’ve had Japanese cheesecake before but nothing like this, a mixture of whipped cream and cream cheese created the lightest I have ever eaten; topped with house made granola and fresh strawberries made it a great way to end the meal.

Afterwards we had a nice stroll along the pathways and enjoyed the perfectly manicured grounds.

Thanks to the good people at Momondo who wanted us to enjoy lunch at the Travaasa Hana as part of their Momondo experience series.