Last Day...Drive to the South End and then Homeward Bound

So....the choice was to check our luggage, keeping out pool and travel clothes and spend the last day at the pool (check out was 10 AM and our flight in the late evening) or check our luggage and drive to the Kihei/Wailalea area to have lunch at the new Marriott hotel and explore the other end of the island.  Since we had done so little sight-seeing on this trip, the drive won out.  The Bellmen at the Westin are among the best we have ever seen....they happily accommodated us, asked when we would return so that the luggage would be readily available and sent us on our way.

Surf was up today and our drive was a winding, hilly drive along the coast after we passed Lahaina (just 4 miles south of our hotel).  We enjoyed passing the beaches where the locals hang out - cars parked along long stretches of this main road and off road, lots of families picnicking on this lovely Sunday, surfers, paddle boarders, kids in the water.  Our GPS made us miss our OnStar at home...'She' apparently doesn't like Hawaii :)  But we found our way to the Marriott located in the upscale Wailalea area.  Very unassuming and cold looking lobby area but magnificent views from the pool grill where we had lunch.  The pools are on two levels with lovely vistas beyond including what we assume was the backside of Haleakala.

Marriott Upper Pool

View from terrace

Luxurious landscaping

Hotel entrance

Lunch was good and we had leftovers which we ate on the terrace of the Westin when we returned

We retrieved our luggage, said our good byes and off we went to Costco to fill up the tank at 30 cents less a gallon than at 

the local gas stations.  

Since we had plenty of time to spare, we parked in front of the Marriott Courtyard where we had stayed on our first 2 nights.  The desk clerk remembered us and said that OF COURSE we could hang out in the lobby (with TV and Starbucks available and plugs to charge our phones and iPad) until time to go to the airport.  Since it was a quiet Sunday afternoon, we essentially had a large private lounge to ourselves.  So much better than an open air airport with lots of people.  

Art enjoying the Marriott Courtyard lounge prior to boarding

We said good-bye to the hotel staff and thanked them for their hospitality, then off we went to check in for our flights home