Revel in a revived island
A change in ownership has pumped new life into Lanai while preserving its traditions
LANAI CITY, Lanai — Graceful 80-foot-tall pine trees line the streets of tiny Lanai (Lah-na-ee) City. The trees, imported from the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, lend a lush green appearance. Lanai, 13 miles wide and 18 miles long, is one of the smallest islands in the Hawaiian chain, with 3,100 residents and only 30 miles of paved road. For the most part, it’s covered with dry scrub brush. “People arrive and think it’s totally barren,” said Alberta de Jetley, editor and publisher of Lanai Today, the island’s newspaper. “They probably think, ‘Oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into?’ ” she said, laughing. “But it doesn’t take them long to see beyond that.” I’ve visited Lanai three times, most recently in February, and knew I wasn’t going to find Garden of Eden scenery. But tropical rainforests aren’t the only feature that commend an island. Beaches, surf and marine life rate high. Add tranquillity
and Lanai’s score rises sharply. It isn’t for everyone, but it’s heaven if you’re looking for a more authentically Hawaiian experience away from Waikiki’s neon lights and nearby Maui’s crowded coastline.
Another reason to visit Lanai has surfaced recently, thanks to island upgrades by billionaire landowner Larry Ellison, founder of the Silicon Valley giant Oracle and one of the richest men in the world.
Ellison bought 97% of the island for $300 million in 2012, turning it into a private playground and pumping millions into improvements.
One of his first projects was to revitalize Lanai’s flagship hotel, Four Seasons Resort Lanai (formerly Four Seasons at Manele Bay). The seaside resort emerged last year from a $450-million renovation that has turned it into a billionaire’s vision of paradise.
A lush makeover
Paradise, indeed, I thought as I walked the grounds. The rest of Lanai might not look like Bali Hai, but Ellison’s landscapers and gardeners have worked wonders with the grounds of the resort, adding lavish tropical plants, grotto-style pools, waterfalls, Hawaiian flowers and ponds full of koi.
During my stay, I marveled each morning at the phalanx of gardeners tending the plants as they wove their way through the greenery.
The resort’s silhouette has changed too. Some structures were removed, opening up more ocean views. Rooms and baths were remodeled, 75-inch TVs hang on teak and zebra wood walls and an iPad Air makes it easy to call for room service.
In the bathroom, a computerized Toto electronic toilet awaits to warm your tush.
Another big change: The brightly colored Asian decor that formerly decorated the hotel is gone. In its place are rich woods and exquisite Polynesian-themed artwork in hallways, gardens and public areas.
With nightly rates that start at more than $1,000 and cap at $21,000, the 213-room hotel isn’t for everyone. But for those who can afford the tariff, it’s pure opulence: beach boys to clean your sunglasses and bring you sunscreen, chauffeured rides to the air strip in a Mercedes bus, and a hotel room or suite that’s so lovely you’ll feel as if you walked onto a movie set.
The super-luxe ambience — aimed at super-rich guests — serves a purpose, according to a company news release: It “will allow the resort to operate profitably without being reliant on large visitor numbers which the island does not have the infrastructure to support.”
Outdoor exploration
Those who can afford it will find plenty of activities to charge on their platinum cards. There are golf and tennis, a Hawaii-themed spa, plus two pools and water sports.
Snorkel in the bay below the hotel, where a pod of spinner dolphins often frolics, or hike to Sweetheart Rock, an 80-foot-tall red rock that juts from the sea. Along the way, you’ll see tide pools, volcanic cliffs and swirling, chaotic waters.
Another option: Hop on a 4x4 and explore the island’s beaches and mountains, where dusty lowlands give way to forested hilltops.
Here are lava-cliff overlooks, red dirt trails and secluded hideaways. You can rent a vehicle or take a guided tour, which is what I did.
Accompanying me were two girls staying at the resort with their parents: Sesi Kouyoumdjian, 8, and her sister Ani, 6.
They laughed as the vehicle hurtled over bumps in the road, watched solemnly as a huge antlered buck grazed in the distance, and cheered as a hawk soared overhead when we stopped at an overlook.
Did they enjoy the trip? “I want to go again,” said an obviously impressed Ani. Not Sesi. “I’d rather go back to the hotel and swim,” she said, frowning.
Luckily, this small chunk of Hawaii has something for almost everyone.