Mention Lana‘i to most people, and you get little more than a puzzled stare. But for a small band of solitude seekers, the thought of this speck of an island brings something closer to a grin. They know that not only is it home to swaths of long-cleared pineapple fields and a sleepy little tin-roofed town, but it also happens to hold two big-exhale resorts sparkling-fresh from a $110 million Four Seasons makeover. Manele Bay, by the sea, is a classic Hawaiian resort with antiques-filled lounges and well-appointed terraces. The Lodge at Koele, higher up the mountain, feels like a stately European hunting lodge, complete with croquet, lawn bowling, and high tea. At either one, you can soak up the beauty of the ocean and play all the golf you have the energy for—without the intrusion of the outside world. On this one-company island, it’s all about you, from the moment you land to the moment you head home.

Four stars
At Manele Bay, the elegant but friendly Ihilani restaurant brought over staff from places like Washington, D.C., and Dallas to make sure you get city-style, course-by-course wine pairings with your truffled cauliflower soup, scallops baked in homemade pasta shells, and lobster risotto. At Manele Bay’s poolside Ocean Grill, flip-flops are perfectly appropriate for a torchlit ocean-view dinner of Peking duck salad and ginger-steamed onaga. In the tiny town of Lana‘i, the Lana‘i City Grille has always been the one restaurant worth making a detour for. After a recent change of ownership, Hawaii’s culinary grande dame, Beverly Gannon, had her way with the menu—so now the hearty plates of surf and turf and citrus-glazed baby back ribs are better than ever. Finally, the Lodge at Koele’s Dining Room is the perfect place for a romantic night. Couples linger over elegant presentations of Moi carpaccio and macadamia nut–crusted venison loin.

Soak it all in
From Manele Bay, a torch-lined path leads down to Hulopo‘e Beach, where guests are promptly set up with terry-lined chaises. Depending on the day, the sandy-bottomed water here can be ideal for bodysurfing or for snorkeling through vivid swirls of tropical fish, octopi, and sea turtles. In the morning, spinner dolphins come to eat and rest, and humpback whales have been known to give birth just offshore. Of course, many guests never make it further than the glossy, blue-tiled pool at Manele Bay, where they camp out all day in double-wide chaises, hooded against the sun and prying eyes. Upcountry, where it’s about 10 degrees cooler, the hedge-rimmed pool at the Lodge at Koele is toasty enough for a moonlit swim.


The 17th tee at the Challenge at Manele. (Photo by Macduff Everton)

The Scotland of the Tropics
For an island without a single stoplight, Lana‘i is absurdly well endowed with world-class golf. Golfers who make the pilgrimage here, genuflecting all the way, don’t leave without tackling both resorts’ courses. The Challenge at Manele skirts the ocean along sun-drenched black clifftops. Look up from your game now and then, or you might miss pods of spinner dolphins splashing by. And bring lots of balls: The fairways are crisscrossed with ball-eating lava-rock chasms, and the 12th tee shot is an intimidating flight over the churning sea. In the blissfully breezy hills about the lodge, the Experience at Koele roller-coasters through a peaceful pine forest, snaring balls with tight fairways, undu­lating greens, and steady trade winds. Views of Maui and Molo­kai will console you after an errant shot into the trees.

The fresh alternative
For a destination even further removed from reality, head to the brand-new Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. An eight-hour flight from Los Angeles, this is as remote, private, and luxurious as it gets. The teak-furnished bungalows are perched over gem-colored water (break­fast is delivered by canoe) and offer surreal views of the jagged volcanic peaks of Mount Otemanu. There’s not enough land for golf, but there’s plenty of diving, snorkeling, kite surfing, and sailing in the private reef channels amid the white-fringed coral.

Resources
Four Seasons Resort Lana‘i at Manele Bay: 808-565-2000 or 800-321-4666, fourseasons.com/manelebay
Four Seasons Resort Lana‘i, The Lodge at Koele: 808-565-4000 or 800-321-4666, fourseasons.com/koele
Lana‘i City Grille: 808-565-7211, hotellanai.com/grille.html
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora: +689 603-130 or 800-819-5053, fourseasons.com/borabora

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Main photo: Spinner dolphins feed in Lana‘i’s waters.