Four Seasons Lanai

I had never visited Lanai before yesterday. A small island just 9 miles off Maui, Lanai has only 65 miles of roads, no traffic lights, 3000 residents, and two luxurious Four Seasons resorts. Why visit Lanai? Because it is one Hawaiian island that has not been over-developed with condos, strip malls, tourist attractions, and high-rise hotels.

Lanai is not for everyone. If you're into night life, bars, shows, and dancing — not to mention shopping, this is not your ideal vacation destination. But if you want to spend a week in a tropical paradise, relax in the sun, walk on the beach, play golf, enjoy a romantic getaway, or have a great family vacation, you'll love Lanai as much as I have. And if you enjoy beautiful resorts, you'll love Four Seasons Lanai.

Four Seasons Lodge at Koele is located in the center of the island, one thousand feet above sea level. The temperature is 10 degrees cooler than at sea level; we enjoyed perfect weather during our visit in October. Designed to evoke memories of a Hawaiian pineapple plantation, Lodge at Koele is a beautiful resort with incredible grounds; pictured above is the view out the back of the Great Hall of the property. With an 18 hole golf course — and an 18 hole putting course as well — you'll enjoy walking the grounds, riding bikes, playing croquet or lawn bowling, and relaxing by the pool.



Four Seasons Manele Bay is Lanai's beach resort. Unlike the major beach resorts on Maui, Oahu, or the Big Island, Manele Bay is an intimate resort with a perfect beach. You can relax on a lounge chair under an umbrella, or sit in the shade at one of the picnic tables available at the beach, listening and watching as the waves gently break onto the shore. Use the complimentary snorkeling gear to view tropical fish or body surf in the warm water. The beach is beautiful and uncrowded.

Or sit by the pool under a sunny blue sky, or relax in one of the hot tubs. We had lunch at the Ocean Grill, located just off the pool, and enjoyed a delicious light lunch. Although the banana splits came highly recommended, we did resist the temptation!

Both Four Seasons have a full complement of features you would expect of a luxury hotel — spa, exercise facilities, exceptional restaurants, and attentive service. A complementary shuttle service transports guests between the two resorts every 30 minutes, and you can charge everything to your room account. Great promotional offers are currently available, and valuable amenities are yours just by booking through a Virtuoso travel consultant.


Four Seasons Lanai (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2008 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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