dawn at Four Seasons Manele Bay

One of my favorite things is to wake up before dawn and watch the sunrise. During a recent stay at Four Seasons Manele Bay, I did just that. This past Sunday morning at 6 a.m., I walked around the property, looking for the best location from which to photograph the coming of the dawn.

It turns out that the best views were from the lanai of my Ocean View Prime room. I took this photograph while we were having an early room service breakfast on Monday morning (we had to catch the 8 a.m. ferry to Maui).

Four Seasons Manele Bay is a beautiful resort with wonderful views, a perfect beach, and a restful, secluded atmosphere. The quietest of the five major Hawaiian islands, Lana'i is more like what Hawaii used to be before the developers came. With no traffic lights, no traffic jams, no shopping malls or chain stores, Lana'i is where to go to get away and enjoy the sun.

The Lodge at Koele is the other Four Seasons resort on Lana'i. Four Seasons guests can enjoy the facilities of both properties; a shuttle runs back and forth every 30 minutes. The Lodge has the character of a Hawaiian pineapple plantation, and its rooms remind me of a luxurious country inn. The large lobby provides a living room setting with huge fireplaces at either end and a beautiful view of the back lawn and gardens. I especially enjoyed playing the Lodge's challenging 18-hole putting course. The concierge will provide complimentary putters and floating golf balls, and beware the water hazards and sand traps!

Clients of Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel consultants receive the best published rates at Manele Bay and at the Lodge at Koele — along with additional complimentary amenities. Just by booking through a Preferred Partner, you will receive a complimentary daily Full Island Breakfast for two, upgrade upon arrival if available, and one complimentary lunch for two during your stay. The properties on Lana'i are beautiful ... and among the best luxury values for a beach vacation in the world.


Four Seasons Manele Bay (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. 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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