What is the current finish? If it is natural wood or even veneer, I'll tell you what I did 3-1/2 years ago to a Maple veneer top on our kitchen table. We had moved into our present home a few months earlier and the top was a mismatch to our cherry finish cabinets and was in poor shape from water stains.
I carefully sanded the old finish off, being careful to avoid sanding through the veneer. I sanded to 280 grit. Next, I stained the entire top with Behlen's Solarlux in Cherry, applying it with a good brush with the grain and then removing the excess with a lint-free rag to insure even application. (Solarlux is non-grain raising and is available in many colors -- it is expensive, but a pint bottle goes a long way). After 12 hours of dry time, I applied a sealer coat of Behlen's Rockhard Tabletop varnish cut 50:50 with their reducer. Again, slow brush strokes in a dust-free area. After 24 hours, I lightly sanded with 320 grit and tack clothed to remove sanding debris. I top coated with two more full strength coats (repeat sanding between them after 24 hours of dry time), being careful to avoid bubbles. That table still beads water when a spill occurs and none has penetrated. It is a gloss finish, but you can rub it out with 800 - 1,200 grit paper if you want after 48-72 hours of full cure time.