Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Encyclopedia
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Kaūpūlehu is a Four Seasons resort in Kaūpūlehu
, on the Kona-Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii
. The resort was designed by Hill Glazier Architects, with original interior design by Wilson & Associates (formerly James Northcutt Associates). Landscape architecture was by Bensley Design, with art direction by Julie Cline. From 2008-2009, Babey Moulton Jue & Booth redesigned the suites and enhanced the spa, with additional resort enhancements by Rob Iopa, Watanabe Chun Iopa & Takaki, and Julie Cline.
Bungalows are connected by landscaped paths around pools, with guest rooms designed and decorated with indigenous rattan
, bamboo
, and lava rock. Views of the Pacific Ocean and the island of Maui can be seen on the horizon. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is the only AAA Five Diamond rated resort on the island of Hawaii, and one of only three in the entire state. The resort encourages guests to visit different Four Seasons resorts on the islands of Hawaii
, Lanai
, and Maui
, including Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele, Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay, and Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.
The tsunami
from the 2011 Sendai Earthquake damaged the resort and forced it to close for six weeks (until April 30) for repairs. The tsunami affected the pool area and grounds, a restaurant, and twelve guest rooms.
, in Kailua-Kona, on the site of an ancient Hawaiian fishing village of Kaūpūlehu
. The hotel is 7 miles (11.3 km) from Kona International Airport
, a driving time of approximately 10 minutes.
The Hualalai Resort master plan was produced by Belt Collins & Associates. During the planning process, several anchialine pool
s and a historic Hawaiian trail were found on the shoreline. The saltwater pools were restored and preserved by site designers as part of the development and their natural features emphasized as an attraction. HKS Hill Glazier Studio of Palo Alto, California
received the commission for the Four Seasons hotel. To keep costs down, the developer, hotel operator, and architects collaborated to reduce the initial size of each room, saving millions.
. The "low-scale post-and-beam structures" of ancient Hawaiian villages influenced the style, incorporating "broad overhangs, exposed eaves, and loosely defined interior and exterior spaces". Structures and hotel services were designed as "open-air pavilions with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean". To add authenticity, Honduran Mahogany, koa, bamboo, and teak were used in the exterior and interior. Rooms are furnished in Hawaiian-style decor, with the addition of Native Hawaiian bedspreads. Landscape design was completed by Bill Bensley Design Group of Thailand.
After almost eight years of planning, development, and construction, the resort opened in September 1996 to critical acclaim.
Alan Wong
directed the Hualalai Grille from 2003 to 2008, and was followed by executive sous chef James Ebreo.
.
world's best resorts awards in a readers poll in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and ranked in several "top lists" by Zagat Survey
s. Condé Nast Traveler
placed the resort on their "Gold list" for best resorts since 2005.
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai was one of only three AAA
Five Diamond Award
winning hotels in Hawaii
. A par-72 18-hole golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus
. Golf Magazine
ranked the course one of the best in America
to play in 2002 and it annually hosts the Champions Tour
's Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Other amenities include spa services, six pools, and fitness facilities.
In 2010, TripAdvisor
named the resort the top celebrity honeymoon hotel destination.
Kaupulehu, Hawaii
Kaūpūlehu is the site of a historic settlement on the west coast of Hawaii island, the largest of the Hawaiian Islands.Devastated by a lava flow, the area is now the home of luxury hotels such as the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.-Geography:...
, on the Kona-Kohala Coast of the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
. The resort was designed by Hill Glazier Architects, with original interior design by Wilson & Associates (formerly James Northcutt Associates). Landscape architecture was by Bensley Design, with art direction by Julie Cline. From 2008-2009, Babey Moulton Jue & Booth redesigned the suites and enhanced the spa, with additional resort enhancements by Rob Iopa, Watanabe Chun Iopa & Takaki, and Julie Cline.
Bungalows are connected by landscaped paths around pools, with guest rooms designed and decorated with indigenous rattan
Rattan
Rattan is the name for the roughly 600 species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australasia.- Structure :...
, bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
, and lava rock. Views of the Pacific Ocean and the island of Maui can be seen on the horizon. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is the only AAA Five Diamond rated resort on the island of Hawaii, and one of only three in the entire state. The resort encourages guests to visit different Four Seasons resorts on the islands of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, Lanai
Lanai
Lānai or Lanai is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is also known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation. The only town is Lānai City, a small settlement....
, and Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, including Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele, Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay, and Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.
The tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
from the 2011 Sendai Earthquake damaged the resort and forced it to close for six weeks (until April 30) for repairs. The tsunami affected the pool area and grounds, a restaurant, and twelve guest rooms.
Location
The hotel is located on the Island of HawaiiHawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, in Kailua-Kona, on the site of an ancient Hawaiian fishing village of Kaūpūlehu
Kaupulehu, Hawaii
Kaūpūlehu is the site of a historic settlement on the west coast of Hawaii island, the largest of the Hawaiian Islands.Devastated by a lava flow, the area is now the home of luxury hotels such as the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.-Geography:...
. The hotel is 7 miles (11.3 km) from Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport
Kona International Airport at Keāhole is an airport on the Island of Hawaii, in Kalaoa CDP, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The airport serves leeward, or Western Hawaii island, including the town of Kailua-Kona and the major resorts of the North Kona and South Kohala districts.- History...
, a driving time of approximately 10 minutes.
Development
Project development began in 1989, with initial construction on the estimated $200 million resort starting in October 1990, with Taisei Hawaii Corp. and Kajima Engineering & Construction Inc. as the general contractors. 358 rooms were planned by Kaupulehu Venture, with investment by Cosmo World Corp. However, a global economic slowdown stopped development in 1991, and the project languished until 1994 when it was completely redesigned from the bottom up.The Hualalai Resort master plan was produced by Belt Collins & Associates. During the planning process, several anchialine pool
Anchialine pool
An anchialine pool or pond is a landlocked body with a subterranean connection to the ocean. Anchialine pools are a feature of coastal aquifers which are density stratified, with the water near the surface being fresh or brackish, and saline water intruding from the coast below at some depth...
s and a historic Hawaiian trail were found on the shoreline. The saltwater pools were restored and preserved by site designers as part of the development and their natural features emphasized as an attraction. HKS Hill Glazier Studio of Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
received the commission for the Four Seasons hotel. To keep costs down, the developer, hotel operator, and architects collaborated to reduce the initial size of each room, saving millions.
Design
Hill Glazier Architects designed two-story bungalows arranged in the shape of a crescent, forming a kipukaKipuka
A kīpuka is an area of land completely surrounded by one or more younger lava flows. A kīpuka forms when lava flows on either side of a hill, ridge, or older lava dome as it moves downslope or spreads from its source. Older and more weathered than their surroundings, kīpukas often appear to be like...
. The "low-scale post-and-beam structures" of ancient Hawaiian villages influenced the style, incorporating "broad overhangs, exposed eaves, and loosely defined interior and exterior spaces". Structures and hotel services were designed as "open-air pavilions with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean". To add authenticity, Honduran Mahogany, koa, bamboo, and teak were used in the exterior and interior. Rooms are furnished in Hawaiian-style decor, with the addition of Native Hawaiian bedspreads. Landscape design was completed by Bill Bensley Design Group of Thailand.
After almost eight years of planning, development, and construction, the resort opened in September 1996 to critical acclaim.
Hotel
Guest services selects the right employees for the resort after subjecting them to at least five different interviews.Restaurants
The hotel currently has three restaurants: Hualalai Grille, Pahu ia, and the Beach Tree Bar & Grill. Menus typically feature Big Island-grown and raised items such as avocado, goat cheese, red and yellow tomatoes, mushrooms, lobster, white organic honey, and baby abalone.Alan Wong
Alan Wong
Alan Wong is a chef and restaurateur known as one of 12 cofounders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. They came together to form an organization to create a new American regional cuisine, highlighting Hawaii's locally grown ingredients and diverse ethnic styles...
directed the Hualalai Grille from 2003 to 2008, and was followed by executive sous chef James Ebreo.
Spa
28000 square feet (2,601.3 m²) tropical garden spa, featuring 11different types of massages and facials.Cultural Center
The Kaupulehu Cultural Center teaches visitors about Hawaiian culture and history with programs and lessons held throughout the week. Guests can take ukulele classes and learn the art of hula and lei making. The center also hosts a collection of Native Hawaiian art, including 11 commissioned paintings by artist Herb Kawainui KaneHerb Kawainui Kane
Herbert "Herb" Kawainui Kāne , considered one of the principal figures in the renaissance of Hawaiian culture in the 1970s, was a celebrated artist-historian and author with a special interest in the seafaring traditions of the ancestral peoples of Hawaii...
.
Critical review
Four Seasons Hualalai was among the 100 of Travel + Leisure'sTravel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is put out by American Express Publishing Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company led by...
world's best resorts awards in a readers poll in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and ranked in several "top lists" by Zagat Survey
Zagat Survey
Zagat Survey was established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979 as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. For their first guide, covering New York City, the Zagats surveyed their friends. As of 2005, the Zagat Survey included 70 cities, with reviews based on the input of...
s. Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
placed the resort on their "Gold list" for best resorts since 2005.
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai was one of only three AAA
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
Five Diamond Award
Five Diamond award
The AAA Five Diamond Award is the highest level of the AAA Diamond Ratings System for restaurants and lodgings administered by AAA ....
winning hotels in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. A par-72 18-hole golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
. Golf Magazine
Golf Magazine
Golf Magazine is a monthly golf magazine owned by Time Inc.. It was started in 1960 by Universal Publishing and Distributing, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was the world's most widely read golf publication from August 2006 to January 2007. The magazine is...
ranked the course one of the best in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to play in 2002 and it annually hosts the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
's Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Other amenities include spa services, six pools, and fitness facilities.
In 2010, TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor.com is a travel website that assists customers in gathering travel information, posting reviews and opinions of travel-related content and engaging in interactive travel forums. It is part of the TripAdvisor Media Group, operated by Expedia, Inc. TripAdvisor is a pioneer of...
named the resort the top celebrity honeymoon hotel destination.