Number 4: Lanai 
What it lacks in quantity, the Pineapple Isle more than compensates in quality.
A pair of resorts built in the early ’90s by David Murdock was reflagged by
Four Seasons in 2006. They offer a perfect yin-yang experience on a tranquil
island.The Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele, as it’s now known,
occupies a setting that could double as a tropical version of the Scottish
Highlands. The 102-room Lodge, inspired by a colonial-era plantation house, is
the largest wooden structure in the state. Its interior centerpiece is the Great
Hall, which is highlighted by custom frescoes and eclectic objets d’art.
The
resort’s golf course, the Experience at Koele, is a Ted Robinson-Greg Norman
creation routed on a plateau nearly 2,000 feet above sea level. Topmost holes
offer views of offshore islands. The signature par-4 17th is a stunner: From a
hilltop tee, drives drop almost 250 feet to a slim fairway laid into a lush,
mist-shrouded gorge. “Estate adventures” include sporting clays, archery,
hunting, horseback riding, hiking, biking, four-wheel excursions, even croquet
and lawn bowling on the resort grounds.
The Four Seasons Resort Lanai
at Manele Bay stands in contrast to the upcountry Koele. Projected onto a lava
terrace, the hotel overlooks turquoise-blue Hulopo’e Bay. The Challenge at
Manele is a Nicklaus course cut along a long volcanic slope. For sheer
spectacle, the signature holes, pushed to the brink of 150-foot red lava bluffs
high above ocean coves, are unmatched.
Hulopo’e Bay is a marine sanctuary
that teems with colorful fish. There’s also sailing, sea kayaking, whale
watching excursions and scuba diving in coral grottoes and lava caves. Best of
all, the virtually private island is your exclusive playground.
