Luxe lodgings island by island
The Hotel Hana Maui lies at the end of fifty miles of hairpin curves, harrowing one-lane bridges, and vertiginous cliff drops. By all accounts, it is definitely worth the drive.
“Hana is one of the only places in the islands that truly have the feeling of old Hawaii,” said Alex Salkever, founder of the Hawaiirama.com blog. “There are no other hotels nearby, and the town empties out at night. There's not much to do and that's sort of the point. You swim, read books, take it easy.” Marlon Brando got the point; he spent several weeks here recovering from the Last Tango in Paris shoot.
We canvassed an eclectic group of ten Hawaii experts, from high-end travel agents to bloggers to local concierges and business owners, to come up with a list of the best lodgings on the islands. Despite the hundreds of hotels scattered across the Hawaiian islands, there was a surprising amount of consensus on the crème de la crème. In addition to our eight Forbes Traveler 400 hotels (which our star chamber all overwhelmingly approved), three properties made the cut. They were fairly evenly spread across the islands: Oahu had four, Maui had three, the Big Island had one, and Lanai and Kauai finished up with two and one, respectively.
See our slideshow of The Best Hotels in Hawaii.
On Oahu, the challenge of any hotel is to provide calm amidst the whirling tourism dervishes of Honolulu and Waikiki. “My sentimental favorite on Oahu is the Halekulani,” said Salkever. “It's a classic property that's been there forever and a total oasis in the middle of Waikiki. And it’s a beautiful property—when we stay there, we try not to leave too much. I love to be in the thick of everything—the bustle, the shops—yet be in a place of plush reserve, tinkling waterfalls, and phenomenal restaurants: La Mer would probably be among my Top 5 in Hawaii. I also love that you can walk to surf breaks.”
On The Big Island, the star attractions were the Mauna Kea (currently closed as a result of the October 2006 earthquake), and the Four Seasons Hualalai, a necklace of two-story bungalows scattered across an extinct lava field. “I love the Four Seasons Hualalai,” said Bev Gannon, chef and owner of Haile’Maile and Joe’s Simple Delicious Foods. “It is about as Hawaiian feeling as you can get. Every aspect of the hotel exudes ‘aloha.’ And you never feel like there are a lot of guests around even when it is full.”
See our slideshow of The Best Hotels in Hawaii.
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See our slideshow of The Best Hotels in Hawaii.
Leah Smith of Coastline Travel concurs. “Every room at the Four Seasons has a private lanai with ocean views, and some rooms have lava rock showers. The fire roasted Kona cold lobster is a must try at Pahu i’a, and the Hualalai Grille offers a lobster pizza that is superb.”
Maui favorites include the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua (currently in the midst of a $125 million dollar makeover), and the venerable Hotel Hana Maui, a sixty-year-old institution which benefited from a major renovation five years ago. “The Post Ranch Inn people have totally renovated it and upgraded service,” says Salkever. “The nearby beach, Hamoa Bay, is among the best on Maui.”
The Four Seasons group established their first Hawaiian property 17 years ago down the coast at Wailea, and the hotel has won consistently high praise ever since—it’s 600-square-foot “entry level rooms” are some of the largest on the islands. “The best weather on Maui is in Wailea, and the Four Seasons occupies an excellent spot,” says Robin Kanno, a Hawaii Travel Specialist with Virtuoso. “The property has just completed a renovation. They offer fine Four Seasons service, lovely ocean views, spa, workout area, and a variety of restaurants. Rooms are a very generous size.”
On laid-back Lanai (population 3,000), Four Seasons has two profoundly disparate properties, each with its own charms. The resort at Manele Bay offers a more traditional beach resort vibe (multi-hued drinks on the veranda, dolphin silhouttes at sunset, etc.), while the inland Lodge at Koele has more of an elegant, continental ambiance.
“The Lodge at Koele is a very distinct Four Seasons property,” said Virtuoso agent Leah M. Smith. “It was designed like a country manor, and is tucked in Lana’i’s lush and beautiful landscape, eight miles from the ocean. There are more activities available at the Lodge at Koele then anywhere else in Hawaii such as horseback riding, skeet shooting, and of course an award-winning golf course designed by golf legend Greg Norman. Very intimate hotel, you get that private island feel. Perfect for couples.”
So who made the rest of the cut? Read on for the complete list.
