Original Architecture by Group 70 International
Renovation Architecture by Pacific Asia Design Group, Inc.
Interior Design by Lorrie Dalton
Photography by Olivier Koning

Nestled between Moloka‘i and Maui, Läna‘i is a 20-minute flight from Honolulu, a 45-minute ferry ride from Lahaina, Maui, and worlds away from both. Although it is off the beaten path, this former "Pineapple Isle" now has visitors beating a path to the Four Seasons Resort Läna‘i at Manele Bay.

Originally built in 1991 from a design by Group 70 International, the design for the Manele Bay Hotel was honored with a North West Region AIA Design Award and a Hawai‘i Chapter AIA Award of Merit. The hotel has been consistently voted into the top ten tropical resorts by readers of Conde’ Nast Traveler, and the resort’s recent $50 million renovation and its branding as a Four Seasons property make it one of the world’s most desirable visitor destinations…and well worth the trip.

Reached by a sweeping circular driveway, the hotel is perched on a high bluff overlooking a sapphire sea and the white sand crescent of Hulopo‘e Bay—a marine preserve where dolphins can be seen frolicking. This dramatic panorama plays a starring role in the hotel’s design, which "takes full advantage of the island’s natural beauty at every opportunity," according to Arnold Savrann, AIA, senior vice president of architecture for owners Castle & Cooke, Inc.

Manele Bay’s prominence as the only oceanfront resort on Läna‘i is not its only distinction. The hotel’s sensational setting is matched by a superior level of quality, luxury and service, thanks to the Four Season’s imprimatur and a complete makeover by Castle & Cooke of all the rooms, pool and restaurants, and the addition of several new amenities. "The challenge," according to Ann Matsunami, AIA, architect with Honolulu-based Pacific Asia Design Group, Inc., "was to bring a 15-year-old top notch property up to even higher standards expected by today’s discerning travelers and synonymous with the Four Seasons."

Much more than a facelift, the enhancements include all new furnishings, finishes, technology and lighting, and a comprehensive turnover by Four Seasons of every element of the operations down to the glassware, plates, towels, and soap. The company’s legendary focus on personalized service mandated certain physical changes that make it consistent with other Four Seasons properties but in tune with this specific location. A gracious, new reception and concierge counter, for example, was custom-designed in bamboo and wood with brass accents. Like so much else in the resort, it is a reflection of the hotel’s Pacific setting and an expression of the property’s overall elegance.

The resort’s many public sitting areas are furnished with accessories from around the world, including precious Oriental artifacts and antiques, Italian chandeliers and Chinoiserie murals, and paintings by local artists. As if sitting in the most opulent and comfortable of living rooms, guests can look out to any one of a number of spectacularly framed views.

"It is this constant connection between indoors and out that reminds guests they are in Hawai‘i," says Lorrie Dalton, interior designer for the renovation. Elevated breezeways and bridges with Mediterranean bow-front railings connect the two-story guestroom buildings that step down the sloped hillside. Lavish courtyard gardens punctuate the 30-acre site, each with its own plantings, water features, and even scents. Each of these elements combines to evoke some of the various cultures—Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Cosmopolitan—that make Hawai‘i the melting pot of the Pacific.

This seamless blending of cultural influences is seen throughout the hotel. Rooftops feature Hawaiian-style doublehip tile. Outdoors, arcaded loggias of Mediterranean design provide graceful walkways. Interior color schemes highlight European and Asian palettes.

Unwavering attention to detail in the Four Seasons Resort Läna‘i at Manele Bay is the mark of its owner, David Murdock, chairman and CEO of Castle & Cooke, Inc., and of its operator, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, with GM Mark Hellrung at the helm.

Murdock is owns 98% of Läna‘i ’s 90,000 acres, making it the largest privately held island in America. What draws most visitors to Läna‘i are its pristine, natural landscapes (both ocean and forest), along with opportunities for recreation and tranquility in equal measure. With a climate that is temperate year-round, and an average annual rainfall of only 37 inches, Manele Bay is truly a Four Seasons for four seasons.

Days are as active or as relaxing as a guest wishes. The oceanside Challenge at Manele, designed by famed golfer Jack Nicklaus, was built on natural lava outcroppings and features a signature 12th hole that plays from a cliff 150 feet above the crashing surf and calls for a 200-yard tee shot across the ocean! Three newly resurfaced tennis courts and any one of a number of water sports are available on the property, including snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing and, of course, swimming.

The hotel’s recent renovation added a poolside grill (Ocean Grill) serving two meals a day (lunch and dinner) from its new kitchen and a pool bar near the ocean that appears to glow in the evening under its glass pyramid roof.

The Manele Bay’s all-day dining room (Hulopo’e) combines culinary influences from around the world. The recent addition of a fixed buffet and the complete redesign of the restaurant in a tropical/Pacific Rim theme further enhance the ocean front dining experience. Guests can also enjoy fine dining at the resort’s award-winning Ihilani restaurant.

The grand seaside villa that is Four Seasons Resort Läna‘i at Manele Bay provides exceptional accommodations in any one of the 215 newly appointed guestrooms or 21 newly constructed suites, with one- and two-bedroom units ranging in size up to 2,900 square feet. A new, 3,200-square-foot presidential suite is also available for visiting dignitaries.

Sleepy, secluded and spectacular Läna‘i is thought by many to embody "Hawai‘i as it used to be." The island offers so much—in terms of recreation, luxury, and nature—and so little in terms of traffic, crowds, and stress. Immersed in the luxurious surroundings and service of the Four Seasons Resort Läna‘i at Manele Bay, one gets to experience Hawai‘i not so much as it used to be, but as it was meant to be.