Kailua-Kona
Hawaii


The Experience

Staying at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is like walking back a century, to a time when package tourists didn't flood the beaches of Hawaii in search of the perfect sunset and the ideal tan. Set on the lush North Kona coast of the Big Island, the meandering resort is a collection of two-story bungalows carved into a lava field (which is still evident in the outdoor showers and curved walls throughout the property). The ultimate goal is to be authentically Hawaiian, and in its own Four Seasons way, it excels.

The Rooms

Of course, any Canadian company looking to replicate Hawaii would use local bamboo, thatch, slate and dark woods. The luxury factor really sinks in with the outdoor lanai, sumptuous granite bathroom and plasma-screen TVs. Arranged in five crescents to maximize views of the Pacific, some succeed more than others; those on the golf course offer just a glimpse. Upgrading to an ocean-view or ocean-front maximizes the effect, though it gets you no more space -- all rooms clock in at 635 square feet and include an outdoor lanai. Suites are worth the upgrade for their minimum 1,000-square-feet floor plan, bamboo four-poster beds and granite bathrooms, as well as premier views.

The Service

The Four Seasons excels at resort service, and this Hawaiian resort is no exception. At the pools, take advantage of sunglass cleaning, fruit kebabs and preloaded iPods. And pick the brains of the Hawaiian elders who come in to teach language, ukulele and hula classes at the Ka'Upulehu Cultural Center. Kids are welcomed with pint-sized bathrobes, special toiletries and bath toys.

The Highlights

Three restaurants have stellar chefs who serve up contemporary Pacific dishes (the open-air Hualalai Grill by Alan Wong has a succulent spin on the ham and cheese sandwich: kalua pig and grilled cheese sandwich). Still, the Wednesday barbecue on the beach (complete with lobster and s'mores) is a great escape from their formality. Relax in the spa with Polynesian therapies (niu scrub, Hualalai hot stone massage) or go play the private Jack Nicklaus golf course, then splash in the five swimming pools. But the water feature that steals the show is King's Pond, a 2.5-million-gallon snorkeling "aquarium" that's been carved out of lava rocks and has some 4,000 tropical fish -- a centerpiece that shows off Hawaii at its most beautiful.

-- Heidi Mitchell

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