Oahu
Hawaii


The Experience

The most incredible thing about the Ihilani is not the awesome oceanfront location, the fabulous golf course or the incredible cuisine. It's the fact that Marriott has somehow transformed a suburban setting on the western edge of Honolulu into a vacation oasis that seems more like the end of the earth than a short drive from the biggest city in the entire Pacific. Ihilani is one of the few places in Hawaii where you get the best of both worlds: a tranquil retreat within easy striking distance of killer nightlife; a quintessential seaside setting only minutes away from big-city shopping; strolling along an empty beach by morning and going wild on Waikiki by afternoon. Why bother with the other islands when you can get the whole Hawaiian package in a single place?

The Rooms

Spread across 17 stories, every room has a view at the Ihilani -- ocean in one direction, mountains, gardens and golf in the other. Even the most basic rooms are airy (640 square feet), with louvered doors that open onto lanai balconies that aren't huge, but big enough for two lounge chairs. In keeping with the breezy island theme, the decor features light-colored woods and linens with a hint of island style. Bathrooms flaunt double marble vanities, European soak tubs and traditional yukata robes from Japan. The resort sports eight different types of deluxe room, including the signature Ihilani Suite with its indoor whirlpool, walk-in closet and two lanais (one facing surf, the other turf).

The Service

The level of service is actually pretty good for a hotel of this size, even at the luxury level. Like any large resort, you can expect delays if everyone orders room service at the same time. But for the most part, the Ihilani staff draws raves for both punctuality and attitude.

The Highlights

Pamper yourself Hawaiian-style at the 35,000-square-feet Ihilani Spa. Try traditional lomi lomi massage, which alternates gentle and vigorous kneading; hot rock "thermotherapy," which employs both heated basalt and cold marble stones; and the spa's coup de grace, the Pua Kai (Flower by the Sea) treatment, which entails a relaxing soak with flower crystals in a hydro tub followed by a body scrub and aromatherapy massage using pua kai body oil made on the Big Island. If you'd rather get pumped up than calmed down, there are any number of ways to work up a sweat at the Ihilani, including surfing, tennis, hiking the resort's own nature preserve or doing a round of 18 at the adjacent Ko'Olina Golf Club. Five restaurants serve an enticing blend of American and Japanese cuisine, and there's a nightly seaside luau at Paradise Cove.

-- Joe Yogerst

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