Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Koele

I spent 4 days on the first solo vacation in my life. It was a magnificent experience. I had visited the beach Four Seasons on Lanai but first time at this property. I took nutrition classes, a balance class, morning stretch, yoga, hiking, pool stretching class, a great hike, snorkeling, aerial yoga and did a biomarker consultation. It felt like summer camp for adults!! I also did amazing massages and the marine body wrap. Best massages and best venue for them I have ever experienced. Food was outstanding. Had a great pedicure. The gardens are gorgeous with beautiful artwork across the property. Only thing I didn't love was the observatory. Loved taking shuttle to the beach. Everyone on staff were excellent. I want to make this an annual treat!!

My wife and I recently spent five nights and six days at the Sensei Lanai. If you are seeking a non-touristy, more authentic Hawaiian visit with maximum peace, quiet, and privacy -- Sensei Lanai is for you. I only have really gripe about the trip which I will detail below. Travel to Lanai is a bit involved, especially if you do not have direct flights to Honolulu -- Austin no longer does. When you land in Honolulu, you are greeted at baggage claim by a gentleman who takes your luggage to a luxury SUV where a driver meets you and takes you to the Lanai Air hanger nearby. This is all included in your room rate and was a seamless transaction. It was first class service. Then, you take a roughly 20-min flight on a Pilatus PC-12 to Lanai. Sit on the left side on the way there for views of Waikiki, Diamondhead, and later Maui (and maybe Molokai). The resort then picks you up from the airport and transports you the 15min to the hotel; we had a private Tesla SUV with a friendly locally raised driver. My only gripe regarding the entire trip came next. The greeting at the hotel was very nice with leis given to myself and my wife and a welcome drink (kombucha). Our luggage was taken up to our room. But, I had tried for weeks beforehand unsuccessfully to hammer out all the details for our activities and spa treatments for our five day visit. Our dinners and most activities were set, but I still didn't feel that the spa treatments had been properly nailed down. I had done all this via email with the Sensei Experiences staff. On other vacations at Rosewoods, St. Regis, One & Only, etc., I have typically had rather responsive concierge services that quickly set up meals and activities with minimal back and forth. For this trip, I felt there were often delays of several days before I would hear back and for the spa treatments, we had a lot of back and forth due to duration of treatment or gender of therapist not being readily available. Anyway, we had to spend nearly an hour after arriving setting all of this up and moving around some other meals and activities. Our Experiences concierge was friendly and knowledgeable, but I just wish all of this had been taken care of ahead of time so you can arrive and immediately enjoy the resort. Due to the time difference between Texas and Hawaii and the fact that they use staff both locally and on the West Coast to manage these reservations, attempting to communicate with and arrange these activities beforehand felt a bit clumsy and cumbersome. It was really my only complaint of the trip. We had a Deluxe Room. I think it's a tad bigger and maybe on an upper floor. I thought this was afford a better view, but the resort is so densely vegetated that it didn't really matter. The extra space was nice, but I think the base room would be perfect, too. The room decor was classic Four Seasons. Classy and modern, but fairly nondescript. I would have loved some more local Hawaiian charm. The photos online accurately represent the rooms, but they don't feel very Hawaiian to me. Our bed was very comfortable, and we slept well. The Japanese toilet was amazing and appreciated. The bath goods were great. I could have done with a nicer shower head, and it seemed like we only had hot water. The rooms were kept very clean and housekeeping did a great job, although I wish they were able to time their visits a bit better when we were away for activities, etc. There were times we got back to the room and were surprised no one had visited in the interim. The TV has all sorts of streaming apps and we enjoyed watching a few shows in the evenings when we chose to relax in the room. The grounds of the hotel are phenomenal and 10 out of 10. The landscaping is lush and beautiful. You will take lots of photos, but none of them do it justice. There are 1000's of plants and countless trails through the immaculate landscaping. There are impressive trees, flowers, and modern art throughout the grounds. It is the type of place you could never leave and be happy. In addition, there is an enormous pool which blends perfectly into the landscape. The neatest part about the pool is that there are several places around it where you can sit on lounge chairs that are on very private little platforms basically in the jungle landscape. You have a view of the pool, but do not really see your neighbors. It's very private. Also, even when in the pool, you are never typically closer than 100' to another visitor. The service staff at the pool set you up in loungers with towels and seat covers. They were very friendly and generally responsive. There is a little bit of an "island time" sensibility compared to some other resorts, but I was fine with that. In addition, the grounds have yoga studio, a gym (very nice gym, but mostly machines, dumbbells, and cardio machines -- difficult to do any barbell work, but this is typical for hotels), a collection of onsens (natural hot tubs), and spa hales (smaller buildings for your spa treatments). We visited the onsens one night and they are very nice and do not seem to be used that often by guests. Again, privacy at a premium. We also visited a hale during our spa visit. They are very nice and include a full bath, a steam shower, an infrared sauna, a soaking tub, a seating area, tables for your treatments, an outdoor rain shower, an outdoor hot tub, and an outdoor cold plunge. You receive 20-30min in the hale after your massages, which is a bit rushed. You can reserve more I believe for roughly $220/hr/person. We originally planned to get a second massage and add some "hale time," but later cancelled it. The massages and hale time were both very nice, albeit very expensive. A massage for two will basically cost the same as a room for the night. We ate breakfast every day at Sensei by Nobu and had 2-3 dinners there. The food was fantastic. We ate at the traditional Nobu at the beach resort one night and greatly preferred the Sensei location. Again, even when there were other guests, you are spaced out so nicely and the general ambiance is silence and privacy. You are always relaxed at Sensei. Our dinner at the beach resort was much louder and felt more like a traditional restaurant. We were anxious to get back to Sensei afterwards. We also ate once at the Garden Bar, which is basically the bar restaurant and is a similar to what's offered poolside and in-room. This food was fine, but we didn't like it nearly as much as the nicer Sensei restaurant. For activities, we did horseback riding, a full-day Jeep rental, hiked the Koiliki Ridge, and went and spent a morning at the beach by the beach resort. We also went into town a few times for lunches. Horseback riding was OK and mostly for my wife. It was a fairly slow trail ride. The scenery outside the resort can be unremarkable at times, but there was a great payoff at the highest point where we had a beautful view of Maui. There were also some interesting pine groves we went through during the ride. If you are pinched for time, I would skip it. If you have a longer trip, go for it. The hike was very nice. We are big hikers. I would say it's a moderate hike and requires some base fitness level and familiarity with hiking. There are some decent inclines and declines and your HR will get up a bit. It's mostly shaded and the viewpoint at the very end was amazing. It was just under 2 hours for us, but I would budget 2.5 for most people. You can also do this with a guide. The jeep rental was my favorite activity. You can also do a guided Jeep tour. I don't know how long that is or where they take you, but I wanted the flexibility to go wherever I wanted and to move along at my own pace. It allowed us to basically see the whole island. We basically took all of the allowed and recommended roadways on the island. Each of these little excursions takes 2-3 hours each because the roads can get rather rough and require you to drive slowly and deliberately. If you can only take one of these journeys, I would do the Kaunolu Fishing Village. You need to have some comfort driving a Jeep on a very rough, rocky road with some steep climbs and descents. The view as you descend is gorgeous and the sites down at the end are fabulous. There is also a little historical hike you can take. We finished that trip with a quick stop at the Lanai Cat Sanctuary which is a neat, quirky cat refuge with over 700 cats. My second recommendation would be going down to Shipwreck Beach. If you're short on time or uncomfortable driving rough roads, this should probably be your first and maybe only excursion. Almost the entire road down is paved and the road along the coast is fairly flat and straightforward. We also went down to Keomuku where you can see some historical sites from an old village and sugar plantation. Further down, there is a pretty little beach at Lopa that we had all to ourselves. It's nice, but it's a looong drive to get down there. I wouldn't say it was worth the drive necessarily, unless you're just committed to seeing the whole island like we were. The last excursion we took was to the Garden of the Gods, which was neat, and then we started driving down to Polihua Beach. This was our first excursion of the three, and we were still a little unsure with the Jeep's capabilities, etc. We got about halfway down to the beach to find another Jeep turning around. This made us a bit nervous, and the driver had a different map that prohibited driving all the way down to the beach. We ended up turning around, too. I later found out that they had rented their Jeep from a private owner who didn't want his clients driving down there. I don't think it was any harder than the drive we later did to the Fishing Village. I wish we could have gone back and done it again. Based on photos, the beach at the end is one of the better beaches on the island (although I'm not sure how safe it is to swim), and you likely have it to yourself. In town, we ate a lunch at Ganotisi's (recommended by most locals). We loved their iced tea and the Korean Chicken was pretty good (although it's pretty heavy). We also ate twice at the gas station deli. Their italian sandwich is one of the best I've had. It was nice to take a break from eating at the hotel and support some local businesses. We also stopped briefly in the Lanai Heritage Center which was pretty cool, free, and informative. Our last day, we went down to the other Four Seasons at the beach. We got chairs and spent a few hours down there. The waves are pretty intense. It was a beautiful setting, and we finally gained enough courage to fight past the shorebreak and swim a bit. The water felt great, but you have to be pretty focused and engaged the whole time you're swimming. The waves are no joke! Food and service at the beach was fantastic. There is a free hourly shuttle running between the hotels, which we used. I would wholeheartedly recommend Sensei Lanai to anyone looking for a wellness vacation where you are prioritizing peace, quiet, calm, privacy, and relaxation. Every day spent there honestly felt like two full days, and we did not want to leave even after almost a whole week there. I hope you have found this review helpful.

My husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary at the Four Seasons Sensei last month, and it was a perfect trip. From the flight on the tiny plane from Honolulu to Lanai, to the welcoming arrival at the resort, to every day spent in peace and tranquillity, it was just a perfect experience. The resort itself is stunning as far as the architecture and landscaping. We loved all the artwork around every turn - outdoor sculptures from artists around the globe, and beautiful paintings and small pieces inside the buildings. Nobu restaurant for breakfast every day - delicious, wonderful service. We rented a Jeep and drove all over the island, visiting Shipwreck Beach with a storm rolling in. We did a snorkel sail to a secluded cove, which was so much fun. We took the complimentary yoga classes every day, which were amazing. But mainly we relaxed. It was wonderful and we will be back.

The setting is like no other --the lush, peaceful gardens and landscaping embrace you in color, light and sound and fill your senses. The pool is stunningly gorgeous! Our favorite pool ever!! Many complimentary fitness & wellness classes are offered every day, and the staff are highly trained. There is an 18-hole putting course that is gorgeous and fun to play. The food at Sensei was delicious, offering healthy & comfort food options! The talented restaurant and kitchen staff were exceedingly kind & helpful when answering our many questions (our dietary requirements are a bit quirky). During our stay we enjoyed the following activities (most of which are complimentary): The Koloiki Ridge hike, rented a Jeep for the day ($), took a class or 2 nearly every day, Taco Tuesday at Lanai City Grill with great music ($), 2 free golf clinics, golf lessons with Sam ($), Mini Manele (at Manele Golf Course – on Wednesday afternoons -they transform the driving range into a mini 6 hole course – overlooking the ocean), putting course (the front desk provide the putters and golf balls), Onsen Gardens, restorative aquatics, circuit training, sound journey, Core workout, mindfulness classes, ranch walk and more. Enjoyed the pool every single day! Additionally, as Sensei guests – we could take the shuttle to the Beach resort and enjoy the beach/ocean plus participate in some of the complimentary activities offered there – like the 30 minute golf clinics at Manele Golf Course, a Concert at the Ocean Theater (the indie band Guster performed– which was fabulous) plus we went to the Observatory ($50pp) and we were able to view Saturn!! We enjoyed the live music in the lobby area on Friday and Saturday (after the concert). Even though we enjoyed many activities there – we were so happy to come back “home” to Sensei. A wonderful sense of camaraderie exists among the guests, united by the shared delight of having chosen Lanai Sensei. We originally had planned to stay at both properties – but decided to stay at Sensei the entire time. The room: Our room, a deluxe Koele king, offered stunning vistas of the sunset and the ranch, with views of the horses and miniature horses. The provided shampoo, lotion, and conditioner were disappointing—quite drying, in fact—so it’s best to bring your own. A delightful touch awaited us on many occasions: upon returning to our room, we’d find a beautifully arranged fruit plate or a tray of vegetables and hummus set out for us. Each member of the staff provided attentive and considerate service, with many individuals making exceptional efforts to ensure our stay was memorable. We are profoundly grateful to all of you!! Lanai stands out for its calm and relaxed atmosphere, offering a slower pace compared to the busier Hawaiian Islands. Simplicity and peace are at the heart of Lanai’s charm, and the experience stays with you after you leave.

Beautiful resort. Amazing service (especially the kind lady at the bar in the mornings, I think her name is Erica!). Great activities included, shuttle to the beach etc and laundry. So serene