My wife and I have been to Lanai back before the Manele bay was a four seasons, and loved it, and we love the four seasons hualalai and maui- anyone who has been to all three, comparisons would be appreciated- not that we have a lot of choice, if we are going to lanai. Also, since we will likely be going to maui also, is it possible to change islands using the ferry and avoid inter-island air all together? Thanks in advance.
Lanai Four Seasons
Hi Bob --
I have not been to all three resorts, only the FS in Lana%26#39;i. So, I cannot help as far as comparisons. I CAN tell you that we thought it was excellent in every way. Our trip was a few weeks back... well after the FS took over.
Yes, you can take the ferry to/from Lana%26#39;i/Maui. They run every 2 1/2 hours or so. Here is the site: http://www.go-lanai.com/
Have fun planning. I%26#39;m glad you chose to return to Lana%26#39;i!
NatureCat
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Lanai Four Seasons
Aloha Bob,
My wife and I have stayed at all three, and my one sentence summary is: If they could pick up the FS Hualalai and drop it down on Manele Bay you would have the best of all possible worlds.
(remember as always on this site this is just one person%26#39;s opinion)
Lana%26#39;i has become my favorite island after at least 15 trips to Hawaii (the state). We still have not been to Molokai, so I can%26#39;t include that in my comparison (but hope to get there in the future). Lana%26#39;i has the quiet, relaxing beauty that I look for in a tropical vacation. Pre-FS Manele Bay was very nice, but was starting to show a little wear and tear after Castle and Cooke began to look to FS to take over management from Starwood. And FS has made some nice improvements since taking over (pool area, exercise room, room renovations) - see my report from last winter describing the changes. At that stay I felt the service had not risen to the top quality at the other 2 FS in Hawaii, but they were trying hard. There is a definate labor force shortage on Lana%26#39;i since the total population is around 3000. FS had brought in many people from other FS around the country to help with the start up (I have heard they do this at other new properties too). We wrote a long letter with our comment card after our last stay in January, giving them our persective on how the change over was going. The general manager called us at home and we had a long talk. He said that many of our suggestions are being considered and progress is being made. This is not to say that our stay at Manele Bay was not wonderful, and in fact we are going back there for a 2 week stay this January to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.
Hualalai is a wonderful resort, and has only one negative (besides the high room rates) - no swimmable beach. It has a beautiful, long sandy beach, but in the water it is a rocky bottom. Otherwise, it has an outstanding spa with outdoor massage huts, exercise area, tennis courts, a lap pool and locker areas with outdoor showers and hot tub, and sauna and steam room (all for use with no extra charge except for the masages). This is a better spa than Manele, but this is one of the best spas I have ever used. Service is outstanding. All the restaurants are great and two are right by the ocean - Pahuia and Beachtree. Manele has the ocean grill with nice ocean views, but is up on the hill above the ocean, where Pahuia is less than 50 feet from the water. The rooms are a little bigger at Hualalai and the ground floor rooms have the second outdoor shower. There are 5 pools there compared to the one at Lana%26#39;i, but I spend most of my time at the beach at Manele which is one of the best in the islands, with outstanding snorkeling. You need the pools at Hualalai since you can%26#39;t swim in the ocean. The problem I found with the Big Island is that if you leave the resort you are soon stuck in traffic or driving long distances to all the sites (which are wonderful). On Lana%26#39;i you do not need to rent a car since the resort shuttles run every 1/2 hour between the two with an additonal stop in town. Just rent a jeep one day to go off road. I could go on longer, but if you have specific questions let me know.
FS Maui is also a wonderful resort. I have not stayed there since 2002, so you might find other people%26#39;s recent reports more up to date. But to compare it to the others, it seems the most urban. All one big building (an advantage if it%26#39;s raining and you want to get to dinner dry - Hualalai you walk outside between all the buildings). Service is outstanding. Rooms are about the same size as Manele, but I don%26#39;t feel as much privacy due to the U-shape of the building and the multiple floors. Nice pool, but only one (except for small kiddie pool). I was very disappointed in the Wolfgang Puck restaurant compared to the previous Seasons Restaurant. I felt that the Pacific Grill and Ferraros are better.
I%26#39;m tired of typing, so I hope this gives you a good summary. Again let me know if you have any questions.
I don%26#39;t have experience with the other FS resorts, but I did research the ferry vs. inter-island air.
We are staying in Maui first and will have a rental car. Our challenge was returning the rental car to the Kahalui airport, and then getting transit back to Lahaina for the ferry trip. I couldn%26#39;t find a feasible and cost effective way to get there. I did look into dropping the car at a rental depot in Lahaina, but then incurred a drop fee.
Therefore, we are doing the air from Maui to Lanai. Less complicated for me.
Thanks for your help. We are going to lanai mostly for golf and for the snorkeling, the other time we were there it was too rough and you could not snorkel. The big island is wonderful for golf, and Hualalai is my favorite place in the world, just hoping I guess not to be sitting on my lanai at the manele/four seasons going ';wish I%26#39;d gone to hulalai.
I gave up golf for my mental health years ago, but the 2 courses on Lana%26#39;i appear wonderful. Maybe you should ask a specific question regarding the golfing there. I%26#39;m sure you will get some good replys.
On our previous 4 trips to Lana%26#39;i we have found that the snorkeling is wonderful, and the ocean cooperates most days.
One more thought. I agree that Hualalai is heaven on earth, but what makes Manele Bay so nice is the whole package - the nice resort combined with the wonderful island.
Bob --
We did not play the Experience at Koele. But, we borrowed a cart to check it out. Stunning views...peaceful setting...great staff. I think you will be very pleased.
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