We are back (sorry busy days in the life of a luxury travel advisor!) let's continue counting down the Top 20 Resorts & Hotels Worldwide by Avenue Two Travel in 2021. From Sea Island, Georgia, we head west across the US and over the Pacific as we land on Hawaii's Big Island in Kona. Here we arrive at #16 on our list the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, so let's say Aloha as Hawaii will be making a return again on this list very soon.
Again this countdown is based on overall clientele in 2021.
Our Top 20
#16 - Four Seasons Resort Hualalai - Kona/Hawaii
My Preferred Partner Client Benefits Include:
(Please contact me directly to secure reservation as preferred client)
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Full American breakfast daily for two guests per bedroom served in restaurant or room service
- $100 USD Resort/Hotel credit to be utilized during stay (cannot be transferred between reservations, not combinable, not valid on room rate or for gift cards, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
- Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- First Priority Wait List Clearance
We are on The Big Island of Hawaii, and on its beautiful western coastline is Kona, and just north of Kona you'll find the posh beachfront luxury resort of Four Seasons Hualalai, your Hawaiian paradise is waiting. This is the closest you can get to feeling like being in the exotic South Pacific, yet being in the U.S. While the resort is not isolated by any means, once you arrive you will feel the privacy and exclusivity of the resort. With seven amazing pools & its King's Pond which is a 1.8 million gallon swimmable lava rock open air pool aquarium with over 4,000 types of tropical fish, Hualalai is unlike any other resort you'll find on the Hawaiian Islands.
With tradtional Hawaiian elements along with the luxurious modern touches Four Seasons is known for, the 249 rooms, suites & villas at Four Seasons Hualalai are a wonderful blend of everything you would expect of a Four Seasons with local Hawaiian personality & charm. Your entry level rooms here start with Golf View, Partial Ocean View, Pool Side, Ocean View, Deluxe Ocean View & Prime Ocean View and Ocean Front. Your base suites are either Superior or Deluxe and have the same view type options. The difference between the base Superior suites & the room types is about 400sq ft, & then the Deluxe Suites average about another 400 sq ft larger than the Superior Suites. So the difference between an entry level room type and the Deluxe suites is 800 sq ft.
Now beyond that you get into the Hawaiian Named Suites (Known as Speciality Suites), and the Villas. These suites go by names like Kou Suite, Kailani Suite, Milo Suite, Ohana Suite...just to name a few. While these suites are quite spacious and very open air/open concept you can only sleep a maxium of 3 in a suite. So families of 4 or more need to look at either two rooms or consider one of the three stunning Hawaiian Villa types they have. Depending on the villa they can sleep between 6-10 guest, and two of the three villas have private pools. Villas go by the names: Ho' Onanea Villa, Makaloa Villa & The Hawaii Loa Presidental Villa.
Four Seasons Hualalai offers a wealth of interesting on site experiences & activites for you, including a resort golf course. Some of the unique exclusive experiences Four Seasons has created here include a Iliahi' (Sandalwood) Experience, Where you'll savour a bountiful brunch served beneath the cover of sandalwood and ohia trees. Then tour the farm, witnessing firsthand how the sandalwood oil is extracted and learn about the healing properties of this native tree. After your forest tour, you'll return to the resort for an exclusive 'Iliahi spa experience. Their resident spa intuitive leads a vibrational forest essence session, focusing on energy work with a sound bath. Then, you'll be enveloped in the white flowering 'Iliahi body cocoon, sealing in moisturizing coconut oil and a fine sprinkle of sandalwood powder. The cocoon ends with a massage with highly emollient sandalwood oil. & you are reborn!!
Other incredible unique experiences include their Kimi Werner Ocean Experience, their Coffee Farm Tour, and their Neil Kamimura Blacksmith Experience. Still not enough? You can go for their 5 day Dave Scott Triathalon Experience! Ok after all that a dip in King Pond for some amazing snorkeling & relaxing in a pool cabana I think will be perfect. You can even setup a private snorkeling session with a marine biologist in King's Pond.
Now lets talk about the dining. The standout Hawaiian/Cali/Italian spot is Beachtree or the 'Ulu Ocean Grill & Sushi Bar, they also have a steakhouse restaurant and a beachhouse dining spot, along with in room dining and poolside dining. You can also find the Hualalai Trading Company Store, which is a great little quick grab spot for ice cream, snacking, latte and a little shopping. Of course this is a Four Seasons, so culinary customizing can go as far as your credit card can take it. A romantic or private family dinner by the beach under the stars, no problem, as well as a private intimate culinary class with their chef.
Consistently ranked among the top of the world’s best hotels lists, Four Seasons Resort Hualālai welcomes you to enjoy their legendary icon of island luxury and hospitality.
Surrounded by white-sand beaches and black-lava landscapes, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is perfectly situated for all kinds of island adventures. The spirit of Hawaii, from its long-held traditions to its inspired art, informs every detail of this idyllic retreat. From the moment you arrive and walk into the open-air lobby, sipping the welcome fruit rum punch you'll be in Hawaiian paradise. The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai was designed to blend perfectly into its natural setting, with its charming bungalows carved into the black lava rock. Cabanas, which can be enclosed for privacy, line the saltwater pool, where the staff caters to guests.
The resorts large array of kid-friendly activities, including a unique saltwater encounter pool where you can actually swim with eagle rays and tropical fish, makes the resort popular with families. Those here for quiet time can retreat to the glamorous adults-only pool, or the Jack Nicklaus-designed championship golf course.
Thank you for your interest & any potential reservation and I invite you to become a preferred client of mine with Avenue Two Travel! Please contact me to discuss Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in more detail and to secure your preferred status client reservations.
Other Honors for Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in 2021:
#2 in Hawaiian Islands
All Images Courtesy of & used with permission by Four Seasons Hualalai & Four Seasons Resorts.
The Top 20 of 2021 so far:
- #15 - (hint) A Ranch in Montana...
- #16 - Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kona/Hawaii
- #17 - The Breakers, Palm Beach
- #18 - Sea Island, Georgia
- #19 - Four Seasons Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- #20 - Montage Healdsburg, California (Sonoma/Napa Region)
Avenue Two Travel
Luxury Travel Advisor
412-345-7569