August 3rd, 2008
Top 25 Hawaii Hotels by Travel & Leisure Magazine
1. Four Seasons Resort Lanai The Lodge at Koele (Lanai)
Sprawling country manor recently bought by Four Seasons and renovated to the tune of $50 million, set in the hills 20 minutes from the beach. An up-country world unto itself, with horseback riding, hunting, and a Greg Norman-designed golf course—plus access to the beach facilities at its sister property, the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay. The rooms in the main lodge are beautiful with wood-burning fireplaces. 102 rooms; 3 restaurants; 1 bar. Don’t miss the excellent macadamia-crusted venison loin in the dining room.
2. Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Maui)
Tropical resort and gardens, set above one of Maui’s finest beaches. A host of free activities (snorkeling, scuba, yoga), in a place where most resorts charge extra. Standard rooms here are 600 square feet which are the largest rooms in the entire state of Hawaii. 380 rooms; 3 restaurants; 4 bars. Don’t miss touring the resort’s new contemporary Hawaiian art collection.
3. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kona Hawaii (Big Island)
A stylish and family-friendly beachfront, bungalow-style resort on the North Kona coast. Ocean views from every room. Rooms on the ground floor have large stone-and-glass outdoor showers! 243 rooms; 3 restaurants; 3 bars. Don’t miss the "Surf, Sand & Stars" night on the beach, with s’mores, a campfire, and a telescope.
4. Halekulani, Honolulu (Oahu)
Five interconnected buildings surrounded by garden courtyards in Waikiki. The ultimate Waikiki setting, with exceptional service. The Diamond Head suites on floors 9 and higher have the best ocean and volcano views. 455 rooms; 3 restaurants; 3 bars. Don’t miss a Polynesian Nonu massage at the spa.
Secluded plantation house and cottages (with no TV’s or radios) near Hamoa Beach. The only luxury hotel in Hana, a very isolated Hawaiian village. The Oceanview Sea Ranch Cottages are beautiful with traditional plantation style. 69 cottages; 1 house; 1 restaurant; 2 bars. Don’t miss a visit to gray-sand Hamoa Beach.
6. Fairmont Kea Lani, Wailea (Maui)
Dazzling 7-story property with Moorish-style curves and domes, on Polo Beach in Wailea. Maui’s only all-suite resort means more space for your money. Kilohana corner suites have large wraparound lanais. 413 suites; 37 villas; 4 restaurants; 4 bars. Don’t miss a complimentary canoe tour along Wailea Beach.
7. Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay (Lanai)
Asian-influenced beachfront resort fresh from a $50 million makeover, set on cliffs above Hulopoe Bay. A beach resort on one of the state’s quietest and most pristine islands—plus access to golf and outdoor activities at its sister property, The Four Seasons Resort Lanai, the Lodge at Koele. The rooms in the Plumeria, Dolphin, and Lotus buildings have the best ocean views. 236 rooms; 4 restaurants; 2 bars. Don’t miss snorkeling among spinner dolphins in the boat-free waters of the bay.
8. Mauna Lani Bay Resort, Hawaii (Big Island)
Glamorous 6-story hotel on 3 miles of secluded Kohala shoreline. Traditional Hawaiian architecture throughout, coupled with the island’s most comprehensive spa. The upper-floor suites have the best ocean views. 343 rooms; 5 bungalows; 6 restaurants; 4 bars. Don’t miss the guided lava-tube and fish-feeding tours.
9. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa (Kauai)
Sprawling resort with a castaway feel and access to Shipwreck Beach. The recently expanded Anara Spa: over 45,000 square feet, with treatment huts in lush tropical gardens is amazing!! The rooms in the Poipu Wing have the best views and best location on the property. 602 rooms; 8 restaurants; 7 bars. Don’t miss grabbing a blow-up chair and floating on the Salt Water Lagoon.
10. Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii (Big Island)
Pair of 6-story buildings on a pristine Kohala beach and sheltered bay. An amazing location coupled with an updated look—the rooms were just renovated. The rooms in the North Tower on the Fairmont Gold Floor, have upgraded beds and wonderful ocean views. 540 rooms; 5 restaurants; 4 bars. Don’t miss the weekly Gathering of the Kings performance, a re-enactment of the Pacific Islands’ settlement.
11. Kahala Hotel and Resort, Honolulu (Oahu)
10-story oceanfront resort on a white-sand beach near Waikiki. Luxurious seclusion in a posh neighborhood minutes from Honolulu’s lively downtown. Beautiful ocean views room with teak-floored lanais and Tibetan rugs. 343 rooms; 5 restaurants; 4 bars. Don’t miss swimming with dolphins in the hotel’s lagoon.
12. Royal Hawaiian, Honolulu (Oahu)
Iconic 1920’s pink palazzo-style hotel on Waikiki Beach. An oasis of serenity in busy Waikiki. The rooms in the Royal Gardens are a great choice for peace and quiet. 528 rooms; 1 restaurant; 1 bar. Don’t miss the weekly Royal Luau, the only beachfront luau in Waikiki.
13. Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (Maui)
A pair of long, low-slung buildings on a golden-sand beach 15 minutes from Lahaina. Updated elegance: the resort just finished a $130 million renovation that overhauled guest rooms and public spaces. The Oceanfront rooms have beautiful views of D. T. Fleming beach. 445 rooms; 6 restaurants; 4 bars. Don’t miss a visit to the new environmental-education center, to learn about the area’s natural resources.
14. Princeville Resort (Kauai)
Remote hideaway with 3 terraced buildings and unparalleled views of Hanalei Bay. Top-notch facilities and amenities (golf, tennis, and beachfront concierges) in a secluded setting. The rooms on the 1st floor have private gardens, lanais, and bay views. 252 rooms; 4 restaurants; 2 bars. Don’t miss a dip in the 5,000-square-foot infinity pool, overlooking Hanalei Bay.
15. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Hawaii (Big Island)
Inspired by its environment, the hotel set architectural trends when opened by businessman and conservationist Laurance S. Rockefeller in 1965. Its open-air, blue-tiled entryway has sand-colored concrete and seven-story palm trees. Mauna Kea’s golf course is built over black lava rock, and golfers can still tee off over an ocean inlet at the third hole. Public spaces feature 1,600 Pacific and Asian artworks from founder Laurance Rockefeller’s private collection—including one of only three known 7th-century pink granite Buddhas from India. Lifeguards watch swimmers, snorkelers, and sailors at the hotel’s white-sand crescent beach, and the large pool has an ocean view. Guests can choose from excursions, craft classes, lu’aus, and many recreational activities.
16. Grand Wailea Resort, Maui (Maui)
Forty-acre property with a lavish spa, on Wailea Beach. Perfect for families: activities include whale watching, biking, and snorkeling. The rooms on the ground floor have direct access to the pools. 780 rooms; 6 restaurants; 6 bars. Don’t miss a TermŽ Wailea Hydrotherapy treatment at the 50,000-square-foot Spa Grande.
17. Moana Surfrider , A Westin Resort (Oahu)
A grand, palm-fringed entrance leads to the renovated lobby featuring hardwood floors, new furniture, and new light fixtures. A sea-view verandah opens to a courtyard shaded by a banyan tree, and to the beach beyond. Afternoons, Waikiki’s most historic verandah becomes the setting for traditional afternoon tea. Three times a week, a Hawaiian guide reveals the history of this building. On the beach fronting the resort, beyond the pool and an oceanside restaurant, a section has been roped off for guests, where mai tais are served. The 793 guestrooms in the Moana Surfrider are divided over the six-floor Banyan building, the 21-floor Tower, and the seven-story Diamond wing. Banyan rooms do not have balconies, but the large windows can be opened. Tower rooms have furnished balconies and Diamond rooms have French balconies. Don’t miss seeing the Hawaiian green sea turtles that often pop their heads up above the water fronting the resort.
18. Waikoloa Beach Marriott resort and Spa, Hawaii (Big Island)
Situated on 15 acres, this hotel is compact enough for families to easily get around, with the pool complex located close to both wings of the hotel. Adults can play golf or relax in the 165-square-foot heated infinity pool with spa tub. The resort features Mandara Spa, which fronts the resort’s main swimming pool. The 5,750 square-foot spa offers seven single and double treatment suites along with men’s and women’s lounges complete with steam rooms. A hair salon and a fitness center are also featured. The pool complex contains a water slide, children’s sand-bottom wading-pool, and two spa tubs. A beach-activities center rents out snorkel sets, kayaks, boogie boards, and pedal boats and arranges glass-bottom-boat, scuba-diving, and snorkeling excursions. Don’t miss taking the short walk to the beach on Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay). Paths wind through rough lava rock, which contains petroglyphs, and bridges span the ponds for beach access.
19. JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa (Oahu)
Located in the secluded Ko Olina Resort, JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa is painted all-white to showcase extensive tropical gardens and landscaping. A 15-story atrium lobby with marble floors introduces the resort’s gracious tranquility, enhanced by Hawaiian music and artwork. Broad steps lead from the lobby down to three linked saltwater ponds bordered by gardens and threaded by walkways. The 35,000-square-foot Ihilani Spa includes an outdoor lap pool, steam baths, saunas, Roman pools, and relaxation lanais. The spa’s health club offers wellness classes and personal training. On-site dining options include a fine-dining venue with oceanfront terrace, a Japanese restaurant adjoining a peaceful Japanese garden, and a casual poolside grill. Don’t miss the Reef and Ray Adventure program where adults and children can feed and interact with the sharks, Hawaiian reef fish, sting rays, and other marine life in the resort’s ponds.
20. Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa (Oahu)
The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa is centrally located with 1230,oversized luxurious rooms including 18 suites overlooking world famous Waikiki Beach.The Great Hall open air Atrium with a cascading waterfall is surrounded by sixty shops and boutiques,and six restaurants. Waikiki’s premier ocean front Na Ho’ola Spa offers traditional Hawaiian treatments to pamper you. Dine at restaurants featuring Chinese,Italian,Japanese,steak,and seafood or just relax at the pool. Don’t miss a sunset, a torch-lighting ceremony takes place across from the hotel on Kuhio Beach, at the foot of the statue of the islands’ champion surfer Duke Kahanamoku.
21. Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club (Kauai)
New arrivals descend two stories by steep escalator to a grand esplanade and enormous tropical garden containing waterfalls and koi ponds. An airy lobby is ringed by pink-marble columns. the round pool with its scalloped edge features pink-marble waterfalls, a six-pointed sundeck-island, sculpted-animal fountains spraying jets of sparkling water, and a palm-shaded sundeck—including a children’s pool—spreading out to restaurants, lounges, and a broad sunning lawn bordering the beach. Five grand, wood-columned gazebos rise two stories from the pool to the Aupaka. Their top levels each contain a single black-marble table offering great views. Their bottom levels each contain a large hot tub next to the pool. Don’t miss reserving the gazebos above the pool can be for a private dinner.
Set along five miles of secluded shoreline, coves, and bays, this 880-acre Oahu resort encapsulates the North Shore’s natural beauty. Adjacent to Turtle Bay Resort’s east side is Kuilima Cove, protected by a reef from ocean swells for prime snorkeling and swimming. On the resort’s west side is Turtle Bay, site of surfing tournaments. Spa Luana offers a range of locally inspired massages and body treatments such as the Hawaii Coffee & Macadamia Nut Scrub. Turtle Bay Resort’s pool complex has a 70-foot main pool area, two secluded spa tubs, a large children’s pool, and an upper-level pool with a rock waterfall and 80-foot waterslide. Other leisure options include two championship golf courses, tennis courts, and surfing lessons.
23. Westin Maui Resort Spa (Maui)
An orchid-filled, open-air lobby opens to tropical gardens with waterfalls, swans and flamingos, and koi ponds. Adjacent to a sandy swimming beach and within a half-mile of Kaanapali’s two championship golf courses. The 87,000-square-foot aquatic playground provides five pools, grottos, waterfalls, spa tubs, and a water slide. Guests also enjoy a health spa, a Westin Workout facility, and a supervised children’s program (surcharge). Dining options include an open-air island restaurant with ocean views, a casual poolside grill, an outdoor café with nightly Hawaiian entertainment, and 24-hour room service.
24. Wailea Beach Marriott Resort and Spa (Maui)
From an open-air lobby with ocean views, a grand staircase leads past gardens toward pools, terraces, and Wailea’s beach walk with the ocean beyond. Occupying 22 acres, Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is in excellent proximity to the famed golf courses, shops, and tennis courts of Wailea. Connected by meandering pathways, the eight low-rise buildings of this breezy, oceanfront resort cradle a series of pools that include a children’s area with slides, three spa tubs, and terraced decks with an infinity pool and poolside restaurant. An Asian-inspired spa provides massage therapy. Don’t miss the little reef cove in front of Building Four which is home to a population of Hawaiian green sea turtles, which are listed as an endangered species.
25. Sheraton Maui Resort (Maui)
An inspiring view of the blue Pacific and famed Black Rock greets guests as they enter the copper-trimmed, open-air lobby with vaulted ceiling. Hotel staff offer welcoming leis. Tropical gardens, lagoon pools, sunset bars, classic Hawaiian ambience, and a coveted oceanfront location along the Black Rock make this a popular resort. Golfers appreciate the proximity to Kaanapali’s and Kapalua’s championship courses. A 140-yard freshwater lagoon meanders through tropical gardens, grottos, and natural wading pools, culminating in a large freeform swimming pool. Steps away, the ocean offers superb snorkeling. Don’t miss each evening, narration and hula dance at the oceanfront Lagoon Bar accompany a torch-lighting ceremony on the cliffs of Black Rock. The ceremony ends with the torch-bearers’ dive into the sea.